The guitar is a musical instrument of (usually) six strings either strummed or plucked with the fingers or a pick. It has a body with a flat back and curves. Its back and ribs are made of maple, ash, or cherry-wood. Its sound board is made of pine. Its bridge is made of ebony wood and ivory. The neck and fingerboard are made of hard ebony, beech, or pear wood. The head has two parallel casks through which metal screws pass. A piece of metal is found on the fingerboard for exact positions for impeding intervals. The six strings of the guitar are divided into two groups, bass and treble. The bass strings are thicker and have an inner nylon core wrapped with steel. They are the three lowest strings on the instrument. The trebles are thinner strings of transparent nylon or silk covered with silver wire. The thumb is assigned at the bass, while the index, middle, and ring fingers are used to strum the treble. In playing the guitar, one has to be familiar with proper positioning of the fingers on the fret board, strumming patterns, plucking techniques, and playing guitar chords and tablatures. There are three types of guitars: acoustic, electric, and classical. Acoustic guitars can produce audible sounds without using amplifiers. Electric guitars are composed of different materials and use various gears to produce the needed sound. They are plugged in and powered by electricity. Classical guitars have a flat fingerboard and wide neck and are probably the best type for beginners because of their lighter string tension. |
