Where did the guitar come from? What is this - a guitar? History, description of the instrument, classification. Steel string and electric guitars

Many historians describe the origins of the modern guitar and its varieties in different ways. This is not surprising, because the first plucked string instruments, which were the prototype of a real guitar, appeared in ancient times, 3-4 thousand years BC.

The birth of the guitar as a modern instrument can be considered the appearance of the classical Spanish guitar, the national Spanish instrument.

But its appearance in its traditional current form was preceded by a long path of development, the roots of which go deep into history. According to a number of researchers, the bow of a primitive hunter could be used not only as a weapon, but also as a musical instrument.

So, if you pull more than one string on a bow, then due to their different lengths, tension force and thickness, the height of the sound they make changes.

Probably, this is exactly what the ancient musical instrument had, which became the prototype of the Assyro-Babylonian or Egyptian cithara. In turn, the ancient citharas became the “ancestors” of the guitar.In Mesopotamia and Egypt, some varieties of kifar (including the Egyptian nabla and Arabic el-aud) received further constructive development and spread along the entire Mediterranean coast already in the 3-2 millennia BC.

In the 13th century, the guitar was already widely known in Spain. It becomes a folk instrument, used for solo playing, accompaniment to singing and dancing.

In the south of the Iberian Peninsula, two types of guitars developed - Latin and Moorish, with a method of sound production characteristic of each type.

When playing the Latin or Roman cithara, the technique of punteado was used, that is, playing by plucking. And when playing the Moorish or Arabic cithara, use the rasgeado technique, that is, “clanging” the strings with all the fingers of the right hand. Subsequently, playing with the pluck - punteado - became the basis of the classical school. At the same time, nail and finger methods of sound production were added for the right hand, playing with support - apoiando and without support - tirando on the string after plucking. In turn, playing with the rasgeado technique became the basis of the Spanish style of performance , and sound production using various devices is reflected in modern playing with mediators. The Moorish guitar is not widely used among village musicians, but attracts crowned heads and belongs to the court of Alphonse X. The Latin guitar, on the other hand, found its “fans” in the form of minstrels.

At the turn of the 15th - 15th centuries, by the time it penetrated into other European countries, the guitar had five strings and a quart tuning, like its related lute. In Germany or Italy, a sixth string was added and the guitar took on its classic look, slightly changing the tuning to better exploit the sound of the open strings. In this form, the guitar has become a serious musical instrument with wide capabilities. We will consider this time to be the starting point of the history of modern guitar. At that time, other varieties of it already existed in parallel with the Spanish classical guitar, based on the geographical location and characteristics of cultural development.

An English guitar in England and America in the 18th century was a pear-shaped instrument with 6 to 14 strings (a more correct name is a cistern).

Hawaiian guitar (ukulele), which is also used in modern , has a deep body and 4 metal strings; They play it using a plectrum. It owes its characteristic sound to a sliding steel plate, which is placed on the strings, but does not press them to the fingerboard, changing their length, and, consequently, the pitch of the sound.

In Russia at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries, the seven-string guitar, tuned mainly by thirds, became very popular. The technique of playing a six-string guitar and a Russian seven-string guitar is almost identical, however, the third tuning of a seven-string guitar is less convenient in complex polyphonic works, and is more suitable for accompaniment. As a result, the versatility of the Spanish guitar became undeniable.

Since this period, the guitar has acquired the status of a solo concert instrument, taking one of the leading places among other classical instruments.

A special stage in the development of the guitar was the appearance . Rich sound processing capabilities, analog and digital processors have made it possible beyond recognition classical guitar. At the same time, performing capabilities have expanded. Musicians were given the opportunity to approximate as accurately as possible to the desired result.

At this time, such virtuosos as band musicians appeared

The guitar is the most common plucked musical instrument with a hollow wooden body that acts as a resonator, a long neck and strings. The guitar is used in many musical genres, both as a solo instrument and as an accompanist.

The oldest instrument

The history of the guitar goes back many thousands of years in history, to the period. The first mentions of plucked string instruments are found in Ancient Egypt and India, and there are also similar descriptions in biblical legends. The main ancestors of the guitar are considered to be the nabla and the kithara. They consisted of a hollow round body and a long neck with strings. The body was made from dried gourd, shaped from a single piece of wood, and even from a tortoise shell. The image of nablas also conveyed the concept of “good”.

An instrument closer to the guitar was the Chinese zhuan, whose body was assembled from two parts. It was thanks to this instrument that the Latin and Moorish guitars appeared.

Chinese Ruan

The guitar appeared in Europe in the 6th century, it was a Latin guitar. It is believed that the Arabs brought it along with the lute. The concept of "guitar" may have come from the fusion of two ancient concepts "sangita" and "tar", which means "music" and "string" respectively. There is also an assumption that the name “guitar” comes from another word - “cutour”, meaning four-stringed. The first mention of a musical instrument called a guitar appeared in the 13th century.

Guitar strings

All guitars had three or four strings before the instrument became widespread in Spain and became the country's folk musical instrument. In the 16th century, a guitar with five strings appeared. It was a Spanish guitar. All strings, except the first, were double. In the 18th century, the guitar acquired another, sixth, string. The strings become single, and the sound range expands significantly. The shape of the tool changes slightly, now it is larger and more convenient. A lot of music is written for the guitar. From Spain, the guitar migrates to Europe and America, where it gains enormous popularity.

Already in the 19th-20th centuries, a seven-string guitar appeared in Russia, which was called Russian.

With its advent, interest in the guitar subsided a little, but already in the 20th century it returned with renewed vigor thanks to the advent of electric guitars, which captivated musicians, especially adherents of rock culture.

Musical instrument: Guitar

Guitar... What associations arise when you hear this word? A passionate Spanish woman dances a fiery dance, playing along with herself on castanets. Noisy gypsies singing their merry songs. Or maybe it’s a quiet summer evening, on the river bank, where a soulful song sounds under the glow of a fire. Everywhere we hear the captivating timbre of the guitar - an instrument that has captivated peoples all over the world. They trust her with emotional experiences and share their joy, poets dedicate poems to her. Many celebrities loved to listen to the guitar, I. Goethe, J. Byron, A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, L.N. Tolstoy dedicated many lines to her in his great works.

Read the history of the guitar and many interesting facts about this musical instrument on our page.

Sound

« ...The guitar has a gentle sound, like the touch of hands. The guitar has a quiet sound, as if a friend is whispering!... » - This is what the wonderful Spanish guitar virtuoso F. Tárrega wrote about his favorite instrument. The velvety and soft guitar timbre harmonizes perfectly with the sound of different instruments, for example, mandolins, balalaikas, violins.

The sound on the instrument is the result of the vibration of the stretched strings; by pressing them with the fingers of the left hand on the frets, the performer obtains the desired pitch of sound.

Guitar range is almost four octaves (from “mi” of the major octave to “si” of the second octave).
Tuning: 6th string - “E” of the large octave; 5 – “A” of the large octave; 4 – “D” small octave; 3 – “sol” of the small octave; 2 – “si” of the second octave; 1 – “mi” of the first octave. The instrument sounds an octave lower than its actual musical notation.

The basic methods of producing sound on a guitar are plucking and striking the strings. There are two types of plucking: apoyando (resting on the lower adjacent string) and tirando (without support).The blow and pinch are performed with the fingers of the right hand, as well as with the help of a mediator (plectrum).

Guitarist performers use additional interesting techniques of sound production, widely used in various styles of music: barre, arpeggio, arpeggiato, legato, tremolo, ascending and descending legato, bend, vibrato, glissando, staccato, tambourine, golpe, harmonics.

Photo:

Interesting Facts :

• The National Archaeological Museum of Athens houses a sculpture dating back to the fourth century BC depicting a girl playing music on a guitar.
• Antonio Torres, who was called the “Stradivarius” of the guitar, is still considered the best master in the manufacture of these instruments.
• In the Museum of Musical Instruments, located at the Conservatory of Paris, there is a guitar belonging to the work of the Venetian master C. Coco. The example, which bears the date 1602, is the first instrument from the 17th century that has come down to us.
• Nicolo Paganini , an outstanding Italian violinist, masterfully played both the violin and the guitar. He transferred many technical guitar techniques to the violin, and according to his contemporaries, Paganini owes his incredible skill to the guitar. The maestro liked to say: “I am the king of the violin, and the guitar is my queen.” The guitar of the famous violinist is an exhibit of the Paris Conservatoire Museum.

• Such famous composers as K.M. were fond of playing the guitar. Weber, D. Verdi , A. Diabelli.
• The outstanding German composer F. Schubert was very sensitive to the guitar. The instrument that the musician played and never parted with throughout his life is now an exhibit in the museum of Franz Schubert’s apartment in Vienna.
• The famous Spanish composer and guitarist Fernand Sor, called by his contemporaries the “Mendelssohn of the guitar,” lived in Moscow for five years at the beginning of the 19th century with his wife, who served as a choreographer at the Imperial Theater. Güllen Sor staged mainly ballet performances, the music for which was written by her husband.
• The world's largest guitar was made at the Husten Academy of Science and Technology (USA). It is more than 13 meters long, which is 6-7 times human height. Since all the proportions of the instrument are respected and the thick strings made from aircraft cable are of the appropriate length, the sound is the same as on a regular guitar.

• The largest ensemble of guitarists performed in Poland on May 1, 2009 and consisted of 6,346 members.
• The American musical instrument company Fender produces about 90,000 strings per day. This is more than 30,000 km. per year, which is equal to the distance of a trip around the world.
• The world's smallest guitar was made at New York's Carnell University in 1997. The tool, which was 10 micrometers long, was made of silicon. The guitar strings vibrated at a purity 1000 times greater than the sensitivity of the human ear.
• The longest continuous guitar performance lasted 114 hours, 6 minutes and 30 seconds, which took place in June 2011. This record was set by David Brown in Dublin (Ireland) at the Temple Bar pub.
• The electrically amplified guitar was invented by George Beachamp in 1931, and in 1936 the world famous American company Gibson created its first electric guitar.
• Some of the most popular guitar manufacturers are Gibson, Dean, PRS, Ibanez, Jackson, Fender, Martin, Gretsch, Hohner, Takamine, Strunal. , “Furch”, “Almansa”, “Amistar”, “Godin” and others.

• The guitar of B. Dylan, the famous American actor, author and performer, was sold for exactly 965 thousand dollars in December 2013 through the Christie's auction house. Previously, the most expensive guitar was Eric Clapton's Blackie Stratocaster, sold in 2004 for $959,500.
• BB King is an American blues guitarist and singer, referred to by fans as the “King of the Blues,” and is the first musician to use the electric guitar in rock music.
• Monuments to the guitar were installed in Naberezhnye Chelny (Russia), in Paracho (Mexico), in Beirut (Lebanon), on the Katun River (Russia), in Aberdeen, Washington State (USA), in the village of Morskoye (Russia) , in Cleveland (USA), in Kitchener (Canada), in Chelyabinsk (Russia), in Potosi (Bolivia), in Miami (USA).

Design

The design principle of stringed instruments is almost always the same and includes the body (body) of the instrument and the neck with the head.

• The lower and upper soundboards, which make up the body of the guitar, are connected to each other by shells curved in the shape of a figure eight. Depending on the type of guitar, the top is equipped with one or more sound holes, as well as a stand for attaching strings and a bridge. The widest (bottom) part of the guitar body is 36 cm, and the top is 28 cm. The body of a concert guitar is usually made of resonator spruce or white maple.
• The neck, machined from durable wood, on one side has a so-called heel attached to the shell. On the other side, the neck ends with a head with tuning mechanics, which serves to tension the strings. A fingerboard with built-in metal saddles is glued onto the fingerboard, separating the frets, which are arranged in chromatic order. Between the neck of the neck and the headstock there is a nut that affects the height of the strings.

Modern guitars usually have synthetic or metal strings.

The total length of the instrument is 100 cm.

Varieties

Currently, all guitars are divided into two types: acoustic and electric.

Acoustic guitar It has a hollow body with a resonating hole in it. She is a queen on the concert stage and a participant in simple courtyard gatherings.

The acoustic guitar is very versatile, as it has different options, here are some of them:

• Classical is a direct descendant of the Spanish guitar. It is distinguished by a wide neck and the mandatory presence of nylon strings, which sound soft and quiet. This type of guitar is used on the academic concert stage, as well as in classrooms.
• Dreadnought - has the names Country and Western. Due to the presence of metal strings, it sounds loud and ringing. On such an instrument, sound is produced using a mediator. This type of instrument is used to perform in different styles.
• Jumbo is a guitar with an enlarged body and a loud sound, most in demand in rock, pop, blues, and country music. Due to the metal strings, sound production occurs with the help of a mediator.
• Ukulele– the second name for the ukulele. A miniature instrument with four nylon strings and a playing technique similar to an ordinary guitar. Sound production occurs with your fingertips or a special felt mediator.
• Seven-string - (gypsy or Russian). It has seven strings tuned in thirds. Vladimir Vysotsky, Bulat Okudzhava and Sergei Nikitin preferred this type of guitar.
• The 12 string is a very large and massive instrument. The main difference is the presence of 12 paired strings.
• Electro-acoustic is a type of hybrid instrument in which the presence of a built-in piezo pickup makes it possible to connect to an amplifier.
• Semi-acoustic is a transitional instrument from acoustic to electric guitar. The presence of a hollow body makes it similar to an acoustic guitar, and the presence of a pickup and tone controls makes it similar to an electric guitar. The instrument has a second name - jazz guitar, as it is mainly used in jazz. A semi-acoustic guitar is shaped like a violin. It has two resonator holes like a violin - in the form of the letter “f”.
• Bass - one of the varieties of acoustic guitars. The instrument has 4 strings and is designed for playing parts in the low range.

The second type of guitar is the electric guitar, which today is an independent type of musical instrument that has the ability to process sound, which allows musicians to achieve various desired sound effects.

Application and repertoire

The scope of application of the guitar is very wide, it can do a lot. In a variety of forms of popular music, as well as in styles such as jazz, blues, rock, funk, soul, metal, country, rock music, folk, flamenco, mariachi, the main instrument is the guitar. It can accompany or act as a solo instrument.

The library of repertoire for the instrument is huge, there are even concert works with a symphony orchestra. Talented composer-performers, including: F. Tárrega, D. Aguado, M. Giuliani, F. Sor, F. Carulli, A. Segovia, M. Carcassi, left a great creative legacy for posterity. They loved the guitar very much, were fond of playing it, and such great masters as L. Spohr, G. Berlioz, F. Schubert, K. M. Weber, A. Diabelli, R. Kreutzer, I. Hummel did not ignore their compositional attention. Composers C. Monteverdi, G. Donizetti, D. Rossini, D. Verdi, J. Massenet used the sound of the guitar in their opera performances.

I would especially like to note the contribution of the legend of violin performance N. Paganini in enriching the guitar repertoire. His legacy amounts to about two hundred different compositions - these are solo pieces, as well as various ensembles for guitar and violin instruments.

Popular works

I. Albeniz - Leyenda (listen)

Flor De Luna (listen)

Performers

Each period of development of the instrument revealed remarkable musicians-performers. They not only captivated listeners with their brilliant and virtuoso playing, but, by composing works for the guitar, made an invaluable contribution to expanding the repertoire for the instrument,

The first famous guitar virtuosos were musicians who shone at the courts of kings and nobles, among them: J. Palencia, A. Penefiel, A. Toledo, M. Toledo, R. Guitarra, F. Cabezon, L. Milan, L. Narvaez, J. Bermudo, A. Mudarra, E. Valderrabano, D. Pisador, M. Fuenyama, L. Inestresa, E. Daza, J. Amat, P. Cerone, F. Corbetta, N. Velasco, G. Granatta, D. Foscarini, G. Sanz, L. Ribaillas, R. Viseo and F. Gerau, F. Aspasi, L. Roncalli, D. Kellner, S. Weiss, F. Corbetta, R. Wiese, F. Campion, G. Sanz. The entire legacy left by these musicians is highly valued and in demand today.

The next stage in the history of the instrument, called the “golden age of the guitar,” is inseparable from the work of outstanding musicians who achieved worldwide recognition and proved that the guitar on the concert stage can worthy compete with other instruments. D. Aguado, F. Sor, F. Carulli, D. Regondi, M. Giuliani, J. Arcas, M. Carcassi, A. Nava, Z. Feranti, L. Legnani, L. Moretti - the professional skills of these concertists raised the art guitar performance to a very high level.

The development of performing art in the 19th century is closely connected with the name of the outstanding guitarist F. Tarrega, in whose hands the guitar could sound like a chamber orchestra. Having laid the foundation in the classical technique of performing the instrument, he brought up a constellation of talents, including: D. Prat, I. Lelupe, E. Pujol, M. Llobet, D. Fortea.

The 20th century gave the world wonderful guitarists, innovators in various styles and musical genres. A. Segovia, B.B. King , D. Page, D. Gilmore, S. Vaughn, D. Hendricks, P. Nelson E. Sheeran, R. Johnson, I. Malmsteen, D. Satriani, R. Blackmore left an indelible mark on the improvement of technical capabilities in the art of guitar.

Among Russian contemporary performers, I would especially like to highlight the names of such virtuosos as N. Koshkin, L. Karpov, M. Yablokov, V. Kozlov, I. Rekhin, V. Chebanov, N. Komolyatov, D. Illarionov, V. Shirokov, V. Tervo.

Story

The history of the guitar goes back to ancient times, when a hunter, pulling the string of his bow, heard a sound that he liked. He realized that this could not only provide food for himself, but also delight the soul, using it as a musical instrument. The ancestors of the guitar were known back in the 15th century BC. Archaeologists have found drawings dating back to this period depicting people with musical instruments that closely resembled a guitar. Art historians believe that her cradle is located in the countries of the Near and Middle East. The peoples of ancient civilizations: Egypt, Sumer, Mesopatamia, India and China had instruments with various names, which could be the ancestor of the guitar. Kinnor, kifara, nefer, sitar, nabla, sumerer, samblek, samblus, sambuit, pandura, koutur, gazur, mahal - there are many names, but the design principle is identical: a convex body, which was usually made from dried pumpkin or tortoise shell, and a neck with frets . And in the third or fourth century, as a result of evolution, the yuan instrument appeared in China, which has common structural elements with the guitar - it is a resonator body consisting of two soundboards connected by shells.

So who exactly was the ancestor of the guitar, and when it came to Europe is not known for certain. Historians and art historians still do not know the exact answer; perhaps it was an Arabic lute, an Asian kithara, or an ancient cithara.

The beginning of the formation of the guitar as we are accustomed to seeing it dates back to approximately the 12th century.. It, displacing other musical instruments, becomes one of the most popular in European countries. The instrument is dynamically used in France, England, Germany, but it gains special recognition in Italy and Spain.

In the middle of the 13th century information about the guitar becomes more reliable. She receives her real name and more accurate data reaches us about her participation in the musical life of various countries. In Spain, the instrument, actively used as a soloist and accompaniment, is becoming truly folk.

Renaissance, which is characterized by a rapid flowering of culture, had a very fruitful effect on the development of the guitar. In Spain, where the instrument received special popular love, its development proceeded most intensively. A fifth string was added to the four strings that previously existed on the instrument, four strings were doubled and one was left single. The system was changed, which later became known as Spanish (E, H, G, D, A). The improved guitar entered into successful competition with the vihuela and lute, known at that time, gradually displacing them from musical life.

The instrument is penetrating deeper and deeper into the masses, it sounds in the palaces of noble nobles and in the homes of ordinary people. Various “salons” are organized in cities - associations, circles, meetings, where guitar concerts are constantly held. The instrument begins a remarkable period in its development; fashion for it spreads throughout Europe. Composers for the guitar create extensive literature, the first editions of works for the instrument and teaching aids appear. Virtuoso performers demonstrate the expressive and technical capabilities of the guitar.

In the 17th century The Spanish guitar is actively spreading throughout European countries, where it is becoming one of the most fashionable instruments. The impetus for this was the passion for playing music on the guitar of the French King Louis XIV. During the same period, she crossed the Atlantic Ocean and firmly established herself on the American continent.

In Europe, the instrument continued its transformation, such as the installation of fixed frets. And in Italy, in order to achieve greater sonority, they tried to replace the existing vein strings on the guitar with metal ones.

In the 18th century The instrument is entering a new stage of its development. The emergence of new composers writing for the guitar, as well as virtuoso musicians, was a sign of the growing popularity of the instrument. At this time, the guitar underwent a number of design changes that gave it a more advanced look. The instrument's body shape was slightly changed, double strings were replaced with single ones, and a sixth string was added, thereby expanding its technical capabilities. The guitar, having taken shape in a new way and having gained truly national love, entered an era called the “golden age of the guitar.”

In the 19th century The improvement of the guitar continues. The instrument created at that time by the Spanish guitar maker Antonio Torres is what we today call a classical guitar. This period was also marked by the emergence of remarkable composers and virtuoso musicians who made an invaluable contribution to the development of the instrument. However, not everything went so smoothly in the history of the guitar.

In the second half of the 19th century, the demand for the instrument decreased, and it faded into the background, as a new instrument for that time, the piano, became increasingly popular. Of the European countries, only Spain and England remained faithful to the guitar.

Oblivion did not last long. In 20th century The guitar is regaining popularity and blossoming with renewed vigor. Newly gifted virtuoso performers, mostly of Spanish origin, are changing the general public's perception of it as an ancient instrument and bringing the guitar onto the academic stage, placing it on a par with instruments such as the violin and piano.

In the 30s of the last century, a new variety appeared - the electric guitar, the use of which radically changed the idea of ​​the instrument and its use.

The guitar is a self-sufficient, democratic instrument that is very popular and has won great love. In all its varieties, the guitar is very versatile. She feels great on large concert stages, in recording studios, at home at the holiday table and camping around the fire. Having become an integral part of the life of different peoples, the instrument has taken a strong place in the feelings of many people.

Video: listen to the guitar

The message about the guitar, grade 4, will briefly tell you a lot of useful information about this stringed musical instrument. The report “The musical instrument guitar” can be used during preparation for the lesson.

Message about guitar

Guitar is an ancient plucked string musical instrument, which is also widespread and popular all over the world. It has its own history, characteristics and sound. Thanks to the capabilities and wide range of sound of this instrument, it is used in almost all genres of modern music.

The history of the guitar

The ancestors of modern guitars appeared in the 2nd millennium BC. and their echoes are inherent in almost all world cultures. Thus, one of the ancient relatives of the guitar was the kinnor, a Sumerian-Babylonian instrument. It is the prototype of the Jewish psalter or psalter, a ten-stringed instrument on which King David performed his psalms. In India and Egypt the nabla, zither, sitar, and wine were known. In the territory of Kievan Rus, the gusli was widespread. In Ancient Rome and Greece, the cithara was popular, and in China, in the 3rd-4th centuries, stringed instruments such as yueqin and zhuan appeared. In the 15th century, a string instrument with 5 paired strings, called the Spanish guitar, was invented in Spain. It had an elongated body and a small scale. But the prototype of the modern appearance of the guitar was European stringed musical instruments of the 6th century (Latin and Moorish guitars), which influenced the formation of its characteristics and appearance. In the 16th century, the vihuela appeared, which looked very much like a classical modern guitar. In the 18th century, the appearance of the guitar took shape and many works by great composers began to be performed on it.

The classical guitar came to Russia in the 18th century, where it underwent minor changes in tuning and one string was added. This is how the Russian seven-string guitar appeared, which was popular until the twentieth century. After World War II, the six-string classical guitar began to be played more often. In the twentieth century, new types of guitars were invented, thanks to which the popularity of the instrument increased significantly.

Types of guitars

• Classical guitar

It is the ancestor of existing types of guitars. It was most popular in the 19th century. Flamenco and classical music were performed there (however, they still perform it now). In the twentieth century, it found a second life thanks to the work of A. Segovia.

It has a soft sound, a wide neck and nylon strings. Sometimes they use metal ones, but the neck may not withstand such a load. To produce sound, the finger technique of playing the instrument is used.

• Non-classical acoustic guitar

This includes the type of guitars that have a Western, Jumbo, or Dreadnought body. They have been extremely popular among guitarists since the twentieth century. It is distinguished by a relatively large body, a narrow neck, into which an anchor rod is inserted to regulate the deflection, and the presence of a pickguard (a teardrop-shaped protective plate). Only metal strings are installed on it. Produces rich, bright and powerful sound. A mediator is often used to produce sound. Non-classical guitars are most often used in blues, folk, country, and rock.

• Electro-acoustic guitar

It is a guitar with a built-in piezo pickup. It can be connected to a speaker or amp. There is often a cutout in the body for better access to the upper frets. A guitar pickup often has a tuner and equalizer built into it to tune the musical instrument.

• Semi-acoustic guitar

A guitar in the body of which there is a cavity for a tone control. The soundboard is quite large, the resonator hole has been modified and reduced. Jazzmen love this type of guitar, which is why it is also called a jazz guitar. It is played through an amplifier and using a pick.

• Twelve string guitar

The guitar is equipped with 12 strings, which are arranged in 2 strings in 6 pairs. It is made exclusively from strong wood, otherwise the neck may not withstand it and break. Used for playing in combat. It has a wide, spacious and rich sound.

• Electric guitar

The first electric guitar was patented in 1936. Lester William Polfuss introduced the world's first solid-body electric guitar in the 1950s. It influenced modern music and gave birth to new genres: rock, metal, rock and roll.

• The best guitar maker is Antonio Torres, the Stradivarius guitarist.
• In the Museum of Musical Instruments at the Conservatory of Paris there is a guitar bearing the date 1602. This is the first instrument from the 17th century that has come down to us.
• The largest guitar in the world is more than 13 meters long. It was made at the Housten Academy of Science and Technology, USA.
• In 1931, the electrically amplified guitar was invented. Its author was George Beachamp.
• The smallest guitar was made from silicon in 1997 at Carnell University of New York. Its length is 10 micrometers.

We hope that the report on the guitar, grade 4, helped you learn a lot of useful information about the plucked string musical instrument. You can add a short story about the guitar for children using the comment form below.

In the early 20th century, blues, soul and country musicians could make do with regular acoustic guitars. But already in the 30s, jazz guitarists felt the need to enhance the sound of their instruments.

A California inventor, Leo Fender owned his own radio workshop, where he created one of the first prototypes of a guitar with a solid oak body, which he rented out to musicians in 1943 in exchange for suggestions for improving the design. 1949 was a turning point in the history of electric guitars when Leo Fender released what became one of the most successful solid body guitars. The Esquire, later renamed the Broadcaster and eventually the Telecaster, had all the advantages of a Les Paul guitar, no feedback, no unwanted harmonics, long sustain, but it found few fans among jazz guitarists.

Jazz guitarists preferred a softer, rounder sound, more acoustic, like the ES-150. Despite this, the Telecaster was wildly popular among country, blues, and later in the 1950s and 1960s, rock and roll musicians.

Seeing the success of Fender's solid body guitars, Gibson management returned to the model proposed by Les Paul, and in 1952 they decided to create a guitar that would later become an industry standard. Since the main ideological inspirer of this model was Les Paul, the new instrument was named in his honor. Much of the new instrument's design was suggested by the company's new president, Ted McCarty. The design used P-90 pickups, developed in 1946, which had a warm, mellow sound. These original Les Pauls became some of the best selling models in guitar history.

Around 1961, Ted McCarthy introduced the new ES-335, a guitar with a semi-resonant body. Designed to combine the best qualities of both hollow and solid bodies, it quickly gained popularity and was used by such influential guitarists as