A thorÂoughÂly modÂern instruÂment with an ancient herÂitage, the guiÂtar dates back some 500-plus years. If we take into account simÂiÂlar stringed instruÂments with simÂiÂlar designs, we can push that date back a few thouÂsand years, but there is some scholÂarÂly disÂagreeÂment over when the guiÂtar emerged as an instruÂment disÂtinct from the lute. In any case, stringed instruÂment hisÂtoÂriÂan BranÂdon AckÂer is here to walk us through some of the sigÂnifÂiÂcant difÂferÂences, with “sevÂen checkÂpoints along the way of the hisÂtoÂry of the guiÂtar,” he says above in a guest visÂit to Rob Scallon’s YouTube chanÂnel.
The guiÂtar is part of the lute famÂiÂly, which dates back some “5,000 years ago, in Mesopotamia.” SimÂiÂlar instruÂments existÂed all over the ancient world. Which of these evenÂtuÂalÂly becomes the guiÂtar? That is a quesÂtion, says AckÂer, for anothÂer day, but the first instruÂment actuÂalÂly idenÂtiÂfied as a guiÂtar dates from around 1500. AckÂer doesn’t toe a strict musiÂcoÂlogÂiÂcal line and begins with an oud from around 700 CE, the bowl-like stringed instruÂment still played today in Turkey, the MidÂdle East, and North Africa. Like nearÂly all guiÂtar preÂcurÂsors, the oud has strings that run in coursÂes, meanÂing they are douÂbled up in pitch as in a manÂdolin.
Strings would have been made of gut — sheep intestines, to be exact — not metÂal or nylon. The largÂer oud is not much difÂferÂent in shape and conÂstrucÂtion from the RenaisÂsance lute, which AckÂer demonÂstrates next, showÂing how polyphoÂny led to the advent of finÂgerÂpickÂing. (He plays a bit of EngÂlish comÂposÂer John Dowland’s “Flow My Tears” as an examÂple.) We’re a long way from counÂtry and blues, but maybe not as far you might think. The lute was ideÂal both for solo accomÂpaÂniÂment as an ensemÂble instruÂment in bands and helped ushÂer in the era of secÂuÂlar song.
The lute set the course for othÂer instruÂments to folÂlow, such as the RenaisÂsance guiÂtar, the first instruÂment in the tour that resemÂbles a modÂern guitar’s hourÂglass shape and straight headÂstock. Tuned like a ukulele (it is, in fact, the oriÂgin of ukulele tunÂing), the RenaisÂsance guiÂtars of Spain and PorÂtuÂgal also came in difÂferÂent sizes like the PolyÂneÂsian verÂsion. A verÂsaÂtile instruÂment, it worked equalÂly well for strumÂming easy chords or playÂing comÂplex, finÂgerÂpicked melodies, sort of like… well, the modÂern guiÂtar. Through a few changes in tunÂing, size, and numÂber of strings, it doesn’t take us long to get there.
The guiÂtar is so simÂple in conÂstrucÂtion it can be built with houseÂhold items, and so old its ancesÂtors preÂdate most of the instruÂments in the orchesÂtra. But it also revÂoÂluÂtionÂized modÂern music and remains one of the priÂmaÂry comÂpoÂsiÂtionÂal tools of singers and songÂwritÂers everyÂwhere. Ever since Les Paul elecÂtriÂfied the guiÂtar, high-tech experÂiÂmenÂtal designs pop up every few years, incorÂpoÂratÂing all kinds of keys, dials, butÂtons, and extra cirÂcuitÂry. But the instruÂments that stick around are still the most traÂdiÂtionÂalÂly styled and easÂiÂest to learn and play. Acker’s surÂvey of its hisÂtoÂry above gives us a betÂter underÂstandÂing of the instruÂmenÂt’s stayÂing powÂer.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
What GuiÂtars Were Like 400 Years Ago: An IntroÂducÂtion to the 9 String Baroque GuiÂtar
The HisÂtoÂry of the GuiÂtar & GuiÂtar LegÂends: From 1929 to 1979
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness
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