Did you ever think to know how a guitar came to be? A guitar is a fretted musical instrument with six strings. Besides, a guitar is made up of a wooden material and strung with steel string, nylon or gut from other chordophones by its tuning and construction (Alves 1). The typical body shape of a guitar is dreadnought with a bolder, more productive and louder tone. A guitar was first described as an instrument with the flat wooden soundboard, fretted neck, flat back, and ribs.
History of Guitar and its Cultural Significance
A guitar originated from Spain in the 16th century (Alves 1). Realistically, the origin of the first guitar cannot be traced back beyond the 15th century. However, people think that a guitar was invented by Malaga people (Alves 1). The first guitar was tiny and was strung with four pairs of strings. A guitar never had respect during the Renaissance. By then, a guitar was not considered a serious musical instrument. Eventually, a guitar started to attract more publications, players and music began to appear. Guitar originally had four courses of string with the top course single and the fortth course double. However, several changes occurred in the guitar instrument from the 16th to 19th century. Before 1600, the fifth course of string was added, and the sixth course of string was added by the late 18th century (Alves 1). However, before 1800, the double course got replaced by a single string tuned E-A-D-G-B-E. This remains the standard tuning of the guitar. Guitar body also changed in the 19th century which resulted in increased sonority. Currently, other forms of guitar include the cello guitar, metal strung guitar, electric and steel guitar.
My acoustic guitar came into my possession as a birthday present from my father. Since I am pursuing music studies, this was the best present my dad ever gave me during my birthday. Guitar connects with many other objects which include Piano, Microphone and music software to produce music (Alves 1). Guitar connects with places like music studios and stage music performances. The guitar is widely used in the production of rock music, roll, blues, and folk music. The guitar is also used in music faculties which train people how to play guitar and make music from it.
I use the guitar to entertain people and produce my music. The guitar is tied to musical activities and production practices. I use the guitar to play musical tunes because this changes our wellbeing in profound ways (Leisner 3). Also, I use my guitar to record my music at school and at home. When playing music, the guitar adds rhythm and flavor to my performance (Alves 2). There are various kinds of relationship I can connect to my guitar. Benefits of playing guitar include social, personal benefits, physical health benefits, mental health benefits, as well as professional benefits.
Regarding social benefits, the guitar is an instrument used to bring people together as a group. For instance, my guitar makes me enjoy benefits which include raising people's moods by playing my guitar in a theatre room (Leisner 3). Guitar has also helped me to bring new people to my world by unveiling my hidden talent. Personal benefits of guitar include helping me to improve my memory and concentration by learning to create chord shapes and read guitar tabs. My guitar enables me to handle multiple tasks by improving my listening skills, sight reading, and guitar hand coordination. Use of guitar has also helped me to achieve a sense of fulfillment and boost my confidence by creating new goals. Professional benefits of using guitar include improving time management skills by setting guitar practices time (Alves 1). Emotional benefits and mental health as a result of using guitar include gaining a form of stress relief through heavy strumming and shredding. Having a guitar session with my friends has enabled me to escape from anxiety (Leisner 3). This has boosted my creativity skills. Bringing my guitar playing talent to the public has also empowered and motivated other people. Physical health benefit of playing guitar includes strengthening hands and wrists through constant strumming and practicing chords. Furthermore, guitar helps to manage body weight by standing and performing onstage.
Guitar relates to various identity roles or social roles. Playing guitar in popular and classical music makes it one of the most rewarding instruments to learn. Guitar plays an identical role in the center of the music piece. The guitar plays a social function of uniting people. For instance, bring a guitar to a cultural celebration such as circumcision becomes the center of attention (Leisner 4). Guitar also plays a social role in bringing more people into my culture by encouraging other people to speak to me and share their culture with me. Moreover, playing guitar attracts the attention of band members. An individual with a guitar in hand can change people's impression (Alves 2). People from diverse social backgrounds come together to sing and present cultural views and opinions. Playing guitar makes me practice my talent because it is entertaining. Playing music is fun, and it can help one’s social cycle.
Works Cited
Alves, Júlio Ribeiro. "The history of the guitar: its origins and evolution." Huntington (WV): Marshall University (2015).
Leisner, David. Playing with Ease: A Healthy Approach to Guitar Technique. Oxford University Press, 2018.
