Introduction To The guitar
The guitar is a plucked instrument consisting of six strings.
The sixth string on the instrument is referred to as the lowest pitched (thickest) string and the first string the highest pitched (thinnest) string.
Other types of guitars have also been developed from the six string guitar, consisting of more or less than six strings, such as bass guitars, twelve string guitars and hybrid guitars.
The body of a guitar is constructed from various types of woods, plastics or metals, with either steel or nylon strings.
The structure can either be acoustic or electric, or a combination of both (semi-acoustic).
Acoustic guitars consist of a hollow body where the sound of the instrument is produced by sound vibrations resonating inside.
The body of an electric guitar is solid, and produces sound through amplification.
The most common form of acoustic guitar today fit into two categories; the nylon string or steel string acoustic guitar.
The guitar is a plucked instrument consisting of six strings.
The sixth string on the instrument is referred to as the lowest pitched (thickest) string and the first string the highest pitched (thinnest) string.
Other types of guitars have also been developed from the six string guitar, consisting of more or less than six strings, such as bass guitars, twelve string guitars and hybrid guitars.
The body of a guitar is constructed from various types of woods, plastics or metals, with either steel or nylon strings.
The structure can either be acoustic or electric, or a combination of both (semi-acoustic).
Acoustic guitars consist of a hollow body where the sound of the instrument is produced by sound vibrations resonating inside.
The body of an electric guitar is solid, and produces sound through amplification.
The most common form of acoustic guitar today fit into two categories; the nylon string or steel string acoustic guitar.
1. Headstock
2. Tuning pegs
3. Nut
4. Fretboard
5. Neck
6. Heel
7. Sound hole
8. Rosette
9. Pick guard
10. Bridge
11. Saddle
12. Sides (lower bout)
13. Sides (upper bout)
14. Guitar face
15. Pick ups
16. Volume control
2. Tuning pegs
3. Nut
4. Fretboard
5. Neck
6. Heel
7. Sound hole
8. Rosette
9. Pick guard
10. Bridge
11. Saddle
12. Sides (lower bout)
13. Sides (upper bout)
14. Guitar face
15. Pick ups
16. Volume control
Nylon String Guitar (Acoustic)
Plucking the strings with fingers is more often used to play nylon string guitars.
Nylon strings are more suitable for plucking with fingers because of the texture and tension of the strings.
Nylon string guitars also have wider necks, which create more space between the strings, allowing for a cleaner plucking action and complex fretted fingering.
The design of the nylon string guitar influenced further development of other types of guitars, and undoubtedly produces the most authentic guitar sound. The most effective and comprehensive technical application used to play the guitar, is more often associated with nylon string guitars.
Common styles associated with nylon string guitars are classical, flamenco, some forms of Jazz.
Exposure and involvement towards other forms of instrumental accompaniment became limited, because of its limited projection.
Plucking the strings with fingers is more often used to play nylon string guitars.
Nylon strings are more suitable for plucking with fingers because of the texture and tension of the strings.
Nylon string guitars also have wider necks, which create more space between the strings, allowing for a cleaner plucking action and complex fretted fingering.
The design of the nylon string guitar influenced further development of other types of guitars, and undoubtedly produces the most authentic guitar sound. The most effective and comprehensive technical application used to play the guitar, is more often associated with nylon string guitars.
Common styles associated with nylon string guitars are classical, flamenco, some forms of Jazz.
Exposure and involvement towards other forms of instrumental accompaniment became limited, because of its limited projection.
Steel String Guitar (Acoustic)
The steel string acoustic guitar is constructed with a larger body and narrower neck from the nylon string guitar.
The use of steel strings was used to produce a louder, brighter and more metallic sound than the nylon string guitar.
The method used to play steel string guitars usually requires a “flat pick”(small piece of thin triangular plastic) used to follow through the strings.
Fingers can be used to play steel strings, but less volume is produced from the fingers than a pick and often needs amplification, microphones or finger picks.
The steel string guitar became a popular form of guitar to accompany vocals in modern musical genres such as pop, folk, rock, blues, Jazz, Country and others styles.
The steel string acoustic guitar is constructed with a larger body and narrower neck from the nylon string guitar.
The use of steel strings was used to produce a louder, brighter and more metallic sound than the nylon string guitar.
The method used to play steel string guitars usually requires a “flat pick”(small piece of thin triangular plastic) used to follow through the strings.
Fingers can be used to play steel strings, but less volume is produced from the fingers than a pick and often needs amplification, microphones or finger picks.
The steel string guitar became a popular form of guitar to accompany vocals in modern musical genres such as pop, folk, rock, blues, Jazz, Country and others styles.
Electric Guitar
The electric guitar consists of a solid body that uses a combination of amplification and magnetic pick-ups to produce its sound.
The plucking fingers are rarely used to play electric guitars; instead various types of picks are employed to define the effect, tone and weight of the sound.
Amplification on the electric guitar has made it very popular to combine with other forms of instrumental accompaniment.
and can optionally be distorted and manipulated through the use of pedals.
From the many unique sounds created, musical genres such as Rock, Metal, Blues, Jazz, Soul, Pop and other styles could be specifically characterized by the vast potential of sound that the electric guitar can produce.
The electric guitar consists of a solid body that uses a combination of amplification and magnetic pick-ups to produce its sound.
The plucking fingers are rarely used to play electric guitars; instead various types of picks are employed to define the effect, tone and weight of the sound.
Amplification on the electric guitar has made it very popular to combine with other forms of instrumental accompaniment.
and can optionally be distorted and manipulated through the use of pedals.
From the many unique sounds created, musical genres such as Rock, Metal, Blues, Jazz, Soul, Pop and other styles could be specifically characterized by the vast potential of sound that the electric guitar can produce.
Fundamental Principles For Guitar Theory
Is a brief summary on theoretical topics, to gain the appropriate knowledge that is essential to read music on guitar.
Only the most relevant points to understand and interpret how guitar music is played and understood will be addressed.
Rudiments Of Music Notation
The western approach to compose music uses a system of “notation” to explain the “pitch” and "rhythm".
Note pitches can be symbolised by small (circles) “note head.” with “stems” connected with beams (when grouped) or with “flags” or “hooks” (individual).
Is a brief summary on theoretical topics, to gain the appropriate knowledge that is essential to read music on guitar.
Only the most relevant points to understand and interpret how guitar music is played and understood will be addressed.
Rudiments Of Music Notation
The western approach to compose music uses a system of “notation” to explain the “pitch” and "rhythm".
Note pitches can be symbolised by small (circles) “note head.” with “stems” connected with beams (when grouped) or with “flags” or “hooks” (individual).
A “staff” or “stave” consists of five horizontal lines parallel to each other, written across the page and is used to position the notes.
The head of the note is either placed on a line or space on the stave with notes of a higher pitch sounding at the top or above the stave and notes of a lower pitch at the bottom or below the stave.
Note pitches are indicated by the first seven letters of the English alphabet A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
Straight vertical lines called “bar lines” are then used to divide the stave into smaller equal parts.
The space between one bar line to another bar line forms a bar or measure.
Bar lines can also be used to indicate when a piece has ended or when a bar or group of bars should be repeated.
Note pitches are indicated by the first seven letters of the English alphabet A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
Straight vertical lines called “bar lines” are then used to divide the stave into smaller equal parts.
The space between one bar line to another bar line forms a bar or measure.
Bar lines can also be used to indicate when a piece has ended or when a bar or group of bars should be repeated.
To determine the note pitch on the stave, symbols called “clefs” are written at the beginning of each stave.
Clefs are used to help distinguish what note corresponds to what line or space.
The most common clef used and mostly used for guitar music is the “Treble Clef”
The treble clef is also called the G clef, because the starting point at which the clef is drawn begins on the second line from the bottom of the stave, being the note G.
The G line then tells us how to work out what the other notes are.
Clefs are used to help distinguish what note corresponds to what line or space.
The most common clef used and mostly used for guitar music is the “Treble Clef”
The treble clef is also called the G clef, because the starting point at which the clef is drawn begins on the second line from the bottom of the stave, being the note G.
The G line then tells us how to work out what the other notes are.
When we use the treble clef on a stave, the notes on each line from the bottom to the top are E, G, B, D, E.
Memory associations such as “Every Good Boy Does Fine” are good ways to help remember the order.
The notes between the lines, from the bottom to the top are F, A, C, E, and the word face is used to help remember what the notes are in the spaces.
Each note from the bottom to the top line of the stave can be worked out alphabetically, where all the notes from the bottom to the top line are; E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F.
Memory associations such as “Every Good Boy Does Fine” are good ways to help remember the order.
The notes between the lines, from the bottom to the top are F, A, C, E, and the word face is used to help remember what the notes are in the spaces.
Each note from the bottom to the top line of the stave can be worked out alphabetically, where all the notes from the bottom to the top line are; E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F.
The range of notes used within the spaces and lines of the stave are quite limited and most instruments can play notes that extend well below and above the range of the stave’s five lines.
When playing notes beyond the stave we use “ledger lines” to position the placement of the note.
The addition of ledger lines omit the process of having to notate more than five lines across the page.
When playing notes beyond the stave we use “ledger lines” to position the placement of the note.
The addition of ledger lines omit the process of having to notate more than five lines across the page.
In most instances the step between one note to the next note covers one tone.
Tones can be further divided into half tones or semitones by making a particular note a half increment higher or lower.
If the pitch of a note is made higher or lower by a semitone, an accidental is applied to the note.
Accidentals are notated by using small symbols written before the head of a note on the stave.
Western notation devised a system of equal temperament to divide all possible sound frequencies into twelve different notes.
Tones can be further divided into half tones or semitones by making a particular note a half increment higher or lower.
If the pitch of a note is made higher or lower by a semitone, an accidental is applied to the note.
Accidentals are notated by using small symbols written before the head of a note on the stave.
Western notation devised a system of equal temperament to divide all possible sound frequencies into twelve different notes.
The two common types of accidentals used to raise a note by a semitone are sharps and flats.
Either accidental can be used with a note to indicate the same pitch.
Every note is separated by a tone except for the notes B and E.
Playing these twelve notes semitones apart in an ascending or descending manner will cause each note pitch to gradually sound higher or lower, eventually reaching the same note letter that you began with.
However, the note will sound much higher if ascending or lower if descending from the note you started with. Two notes with the same letter are considered to be an “octave” apart when all twelve notes are played between them.
When referring to the fret board of the guitar, the step from an open string to the first fret and the next adjacent fret from that played on the same string is always equivalent to one semitone.
Either accidental can be used with a note to indicate the same pitch.
Every note is separated by a tone except for the notes B and E.
Playing these twelve notes semitones apart in an ascending or descending manner will cause each note pitch to gradually sound higher or lower, eventually reaching the same note letter that you began with.
However, the note will sound much higher if ascending or lower if descending from the note you started with. Two notes with the same letter are considered to be an “octave” apart when all twelve notes are played between them.
When referring to the fret board of the guitar, the step from an open string to the first fret and the next adjacent fret from that played on the same string is always equivalent to one semitone.
When considering the standard tuning of the guitar, the lowest note possibly played on the guitar is E being the open sixth string and the highest note played on the guitar is the note heard on the last fret on the first string.
Each open string on the guitar from the sixth to first string are the notes (6)E, (5)A, (4)D, (3)G, (2)B, (1)E.
On the guitar the first three strings (E,B,G) are considered to be the treble strings and the last three strings (D,A,E) the bass strings.
The overall amount of frets on a guitar, can vary depending on the type of guitar, but in most cases the guitar consists of roughly three and a half to four octaves.
Each open string on the guitar from the sixth to first string are the notes (6)E, (5)A, (4)D, (3)G, (2)B, (1)E.
On the guitar the first three strings (E,B,G) are considered to be the treble strings and the last three strings (D,A,E) the bass strings.
The overall amount of frets on a guitar, can vary depending on the type of guitar, but in most cases the guitar consists of roughly three and a half to four octaves.
Scales/modes
Notes that follow a particular structure of tones and semitones between each sequenced note are called scales or modes, and can begin from any note ascending or descending within an octave of twelve notes.
Playing twelve notes in sequential order of tones and semitones, ascending or descending, forms an one octave “chromatic” scale.
More common forms of scales usually contain 5 (Pentatonic), 6 (Hexatonic), 7 (Heptatonic) or 8 (Octatonic) notes.
The most frequently used scale of these types is a heptatonic or diatonic scale consisting of seven different notes.
In western classical music seven note scales consist of both a major and minor quality.
The melodic structure of the major scale is reflected by the Ionian mode.
Notes that follow a particular structure of tones and semitones between each sequenced note are called scales or modes, and can begin from any note ascending or descending within an octave of twelve notes.
Playing twelve notes in sequential order of tones and semitones, ascending or descending, forms an one octave “chromatic” scale.
More common forms of scales usually contain 5 (Pentatonic), 6 (Hexatonic), 7 (Heptatonic) or 8 (Octatonic) notes.
The most frequently used scale of these types is a heptatonic or diatonic scale consisting of seven different notes.
In western classical music seven note scales consist of both a major and minor quality.
The melodic structure of the major scale is reflected by the Ionian mode.
Every major scale has a relative minor scale which is determined by the sixth note (scale degree) of the major scale it relates to.
The sixth note of C major is A.
Therefore the relative minor scale of C is A.
The Aeolian mode determines the melodic structure of a A natural minor scale.
The sixth note of C major is A.
Therefore the relative minor scale of C is A.
The Aeolian mode determines the melodic structure of a A natural minor scale.
The major scale reflects the melodic structure of: Tone, Tone, Semi-tone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semi-tone. (T,T,S,T,T,T,S)
The natural minor scale reflects the melodic structure of: (T,S,T,T,S,T,T)
The harmonic minor scale, is the scale more preferred as the relative minor scale for major scales and reflect the same structure as natural minor scales but with a raised seventh note, forming the melodic structure: (T,S,T,T,S,T+1/2,S)
The natural minor scale reflects the melodic structure of: (T,S,T,T,S,T,T)
The harmonic minor scale, is the scale more preferred as the relative minor scale for major scales and reflect the same structure as natural minor scales but with a raised seventh note, forming the melodic structure: (T,S,T,T,S,T+1/2,S)
Many scales and modes have been created, and notes from those scales are used to give the music a particular feeling .
Scales are used as the foundation to develop intervals and chords.
Scales are used as the foundation to develop intervals and chords.