Guitar: A History Over Time.
The iconic sound of the guitar has captivated listeners for centuries and continues to be a beloved instrument to this day. From its humble beginnings as a small, four-stringed instrument to the complex six- and seven-string guitars we recognize today, guitars have been used in almost every type of music and have proven to be an essential tool in creating music that can uplift, inspire, and bring joy to its adherents. In this blog post, we’ll explore the history of the guitar, its many forms, and its integral role in music throughout the ages.
Guitar history dates back to 4000BC when the Neolithic stone age saw the development of the first stringed instruments. These ancient instruments were made of animal gut strung across a bow, and are akin to the modern bow of the violin and cello. This type of instrument was known as the rabāb or rabāba. The rabāb is still played in some parts of the world today, particularly in North Africa and parts of the Middle East.
The first guitar-like instrument we recognize today came from ancient Greece. This first guitar was called the kithara, and was used by lyric poets and musicians alike in the ancient world. The kithara was a six-stringed instrument with a stretched skin head and a shallow, bowl-shaped body. This instrument was used to accompany hymns during religious ceremonies. By the fourth century BC, the kithara had spread to the Roman Empire, where it became known as the látras. In Latin, the term “guitarra” refers to the plucked string instrument, but the word also translates to mean “little lyre” in ancient Greek, which may have been another influence on the instrument’s name.
The influence of the kithara and látras can still be seen in modern guitars, which have similar neck and body shapes. The addition of frets is what made the kithara and látras distinct from modern guitars. During the Renaissance period, luthiers began to create guitars with moveable, slotted frets, which gave players the ability to easily change the notes that were being played. These guitars were often called vihuelas, and were particularly popular in Spanish-speaking countries as well as parts of Italy.
The modern guitar we recognize today was developed in the 1600s. This guitar featured a flat board top, a long neck, and six strings arranged in pairs. This guitar was known as the Baroque guitar and was much larger than the instruments that preceded it. This was due to the popularity of the music at the time, which required more notes and greater dynamic range. The body shape and size of a Baroque guitar resembles a lute in many ways, though it has the distinct curved edges, which still exist today.
As technology evolved, so did the guitar. By the mid-1800s, the modern six-string guitar had been invented. This guitar was much smaller than its predecessors and featured a different tuning and more complex bridge structure, which allowed players to strum chords more easily. This was the era of the romantic guitar and the Spanish-style guitar. The romantic guitar featured a larger body and the typical curved edges, while the Spanish-style guitar was styled with the iconic figure-eight shape that is still seen today.
Perhaps the most important development in guitar history came in the early 1900s with the invention of the electric guitar. Electric guitars, which were designed and developed by George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker, revolutionized the instrument and changed the way that music was made. Electric guitars allowed musicians to play with a greater dynamic range, and to amplify their sound. This invention opened the doors for a whole new arena of rock and roll and popular music, and it is no exaggeration to say that without the electric guitar, music would be vastly different today.
The modern guitar continues to evolve as technology advances and new materials become available. Guitarists have access to a wide variety of instruments, from the traditional acoustic guitar to the modern electric guitar. Players are also able to further customize their sound with the help of guitar effects pedals and processors, allowing them a level of flexibility and creativity in their playing that would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago.
Guitar history is a long and fascinating journey. From its earliest use by ancient civilizations to its radical re-invention in the twentieth century, the guitar has demonstrated a remarkable staying power and has become one of the most important instruments in modern music. There is no telling how much further the guitar will evolve in the years to come, but one thing is for certain: its beloved sound will continue to captivate and inspire its adherents for generations to come.