Saturday, July 4, 2009

Understanding The Basics Of The Acoustic Guitar

By Fafane Caloxty

When it comes to guitars, an acoustic guitar can produce both classic and modern sounds. It differs from an electric guitar in that it does not require electric amplification to project sound. This type of guitar relies solely on acoustic methods of making the strings' sound audible.

An acoustic guitar uses a soundboard and a sound box to increase the sound produced by the vibrations of the guitar's strings. This is why the interior of the guitar is hollow. Because the soundboard is larger than that of an electric guitar, it displaces more air, which produces a significantly louder sound than strings alone can make. The vibrations filtering through the hollow sound box also increase the volume of sound projected from the guitar.

Electric guitars require an amp, while this type of guitar does not. When playing an acoustic guitar, no amplification from an outside source is necessary. This changes the sound that the guitar makes. Acoustic projection naturally amplifies the sounds created by the strumming of the strings.

This is due to the fact that the strings vibrate for a shorter period of time because of the extra energy expended in the acoustic sound projection process.

There is no lack of variety when it comes to acoustic guitars. The design and construction of this type of guitar effects the sounds produced. The largest difference in the types of acoustic guitars is the string material. Nylon/gut or steel is used for base string material. From here, this type of guitar is broken down further into subsets.

The Romantic Guitar and Flamenco Guitar are also nylon stringed. Within the category of steel strings, there is the Steel Stringed Acoustic Guitar, which is more commonly known as a "Folk" or "Country" guitar. Also in this category are the Twelve String Guitar and the Battente Guitar.

There is another special type of acoustic guitar, known as a Lap Steel Guitar. It is labeled separately, rather than as a type of steel string guitar, because of its unique construction. This type is steel stringed, as the name suggests, but it is held in the lap and the strings are raised is a unique fashion seen only in this type of guitar. Lap Steel Guitars cannot be played in the conventional fashion. They require the used of a metal slide known as a "Steel", and are the forefather of today's conventional guitars.

Acoustic guitars offer a wide variety of options, much more so than the electric guitar. This type of guitar lends itself to the musician's will and own personal style. This is the guitar for would-be composers and musicians that play from the soul.

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