The guitar is a stringed instrument that has 4 to 12 strings. The guitar can be played by strumming with your fingers and using a pick or plectrum. Plectrums are made of plastic, wood, metal, and bone.
Generally, guitars are made of wood. The guitar came from Persia, then brought to Arabia and Spain until it is popular until now. The guitar can also be used to play the melody of a song and can be used as an accompaniment instrument by playing chords. To calibrate the strings on the guitar, it can be done by tuning or tuning the strings.
Tuning guitar strings is done by turning the tuning peg while strumming the strings slowly to find the right tone. Currently, there are many tuner applications. This tuner application serves as a benchmark for the sound of the strings, making it easier to tune the instrument.
In general, there are several types of guitars based on their sound production, namely acoustic guitars, classical guitars, electric guitars, semi-electric guitars, and bass guitars. However, as the times progressed, guitars became increasingly diverse in shape and type, including:
1. The Accoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars do not require electricity to support the sound, because there is a hole or cavity in the middle. Generally, acoustic guitars use nylon strings which are more comfortable on the fingers and produce a softer sound.
However, there are some acoustic guitars that use steel strings for a louder sound. Acoustic guitars are available in various sizes.
The following are variations of the acoustic guitar:
- Nylon string guitars, generally these strings are used by beginners and classical guitar players.
- Steel string guitar, steel string type is generally used to play chords or chords. In addition, guitar strings made of steel produce a louder sound and are suitable for strumming.
- 12 string guitar.
Generally there are only 6 guitar strings, namely E, B, G, D, A, E strings. However, for a 12-string guitar, the strings used are the same but each has 2 strings.
2. The Classic Guitar
As the name suggests, classical guitars are used to play classical music. Playing classical guitar requires proper posture. Some classical guitar players need a footstool to elevate one of their legs.
At first glance, classical guitars and acoustic guitars look similar, but there are some differences. Classical guitars are slightly larger than acoustic guitars.
Unlike acoustic guitars, classical guitars cannot be played using a plectrum. In addition, classical guitars do not have position markers that function to mark the frets on the acoustic guitar fretboard.
3. The Electric Guitar
Electric guitars need electricity to support their sound. Electric guitars don’t have a hole in the center so they sound very small when plucked. In order to play an electric guitar, you must have an amp in order for the guitar to be connected to an electric current.
Electric guitars are suitable for playing loud music and concerts in noisy places. Some techniques on an electric guitar will be very difficult to play on a classical guitar, such as tapping (tapping the strings).
Some electric guitars are equipped with pedals to create a wider variety of sound effects.
4. The Bass Guitar
The bass guitar is actually a bass shaped like a guitar. The bass guitar came from the double bass, but over time, the double bass instrument became popular. Because it was difficult to carry around, this double bass was made in the form of a guitar as it is known today.
Bass guitars are generally used in loud music concerts such as pop, rock, and metal music. Bass or bass guitars are equipped with frets, like guitars in general. In addition, the difference between bass and acoustic and electric guitars is that the strings are thicker.
This bass guitar consists of 4 to 6 strings which are thicker than normal guitars. The bass guitar produces a low and deep sound character. This low sound allows the bass guitar to produce harmonies from drum beats. Bass guitars are also available in acoustic, electric, and semi-electric versions.
5. The Semi-Electric Guitar
Semi-electric guitars look like acoustic guitars. However, the difference is that semi-electric guitars have an equalizer that functions to adjust the frequency of the guitar sound. Semi-electric guitars are suitable for playing at events that require live music.
This type of guitar is also easier to carry and lighter than electric guitars. This guitar is also capable of producing a loud sound like an electric guitar but some techniques commonly played on an electric guitar cannot be played on a semi-electric guitar such as tapping and shredding.
6. The Flamenco Guitar
Flamenco guitars are made of thinner wood to allow for fast playing that requires high vibrations. The characteristics of the sound produced are bright and warm, so players must play this guitar more strongly in order to make the sound more audible.
In fact, the strong “growl” of a flamenco guitar is often essential for replicating the strumming pattern called “rasgueados” and the fast finger-picking technique called “picados”, which are characteristic of the sound produced by flamenco guitars.
Traditionally, flamenco guitars are made with a spruce top and cypress back and sides to achieve a bright tone.
7. The Resonator Guitar
A resonator guitar or resophonic guitar is an acoustic guitar that produces sound from vibrating strings through a bridge to one or more rotating metal cones (resonators), not the top. The resonator guitar was originally designed to sound louder than a regular acoustic guitar.
Resonator guitars are sold at a higher price because of the distinctive sound character. Resonator guitars are generally used to play songs that come from the blues genre. This guitar can also be plugged in with an amp to make the sound louder.
Resonator guitars are of two types based on how they are played:
- The rectangle neck type
- The round neck type
Many variations of all types and designs of these resonator guitars have been produced under many brand names. The body of a resonator guitar can be made of wood, metal, or other materials. Generally there are two main earpieces, positioned on either side of the fingerboard extension.
In the case of the single cone model, the earpieces are either circular or both f-shaped (f-hole), and symmetrical. Older tricone designs had irregularly shaped earpieces. The cut body style can cut or eliminate the f-hole.
8. The Parlor Guitar
Parlor guitars are guitars that are smaller than 13.5 inches. The best way to identify a genuine parlor guitar is by its shape. An authentic parlor guitar will be smaller than a concert guitar and will have an elongated body. The long form of the parlor guitar is specially designed by the maker to give volume to small guitars.
Because parlor guitars have a smaller body, they are suitable for playing songs with a mid-range, or mid-range sound. Parlor guitar sound characteristics are suitable for playing blues and folk music.
Regardless of the type of wood used in the design and size, all parlor guitars have a midrange tone due to their small body.
Parlor guitars are great for acoustic recordings if you are looking for unique sound characteristics. Parlor guitars are also great for small-scale performances. However, for larger venues, you may need to support the sound of the guitar as the volume is not as loud as a larger guitar.
But if the show is purely acoustic without a preamp system then a parlor guitar will work great for smaller venues. Due to its smaller structure and shape, parlor guitars are often used by children and beginners who are learning to play guitar.
Children have small hands and their fingers can play parlor guitar more easily because of the closer frets for easier reach and lower string tension. So that guitar parlor is more comfortable to play for beginners.
9. The Dreadnought Guitar
The Dreadnought guitar was proposed and designed by C.F. Martin and Company in 1916. As you can see in the picture, the dreadnought guitar is larger.
In addition, the resulting sound was louder than any small acoustic guitar being played at the time. The name Dreadnought is taken from the HMS Dreadnought – a contemporary giant battleship launched in 1906.
The Dreadnought guitar is rapidly gaining popularity among acoustic guitar players and is one of the most sought-after acoustic guitar variants on the market. Usually used to play music that comes from the rock, country, blues, and bluegrass genres.
The characteristic sound of the Dreadnought guitar is so loud and strong that it doesn’t need any additional support. The appearance is slightly larger to achieve sufficient sound projection.
Along with strength, Dreadnought guitars typically produce sharp lows and mids for a comprehensive sound that forms giant chords and highs for playing bluegrass genre songs.
These are the types of guitars that are popular today. In addition to the type, you can also consider the following when choosing a guitar, namely:
- Smooth pegs, making the tuning process easier.
- The neck and guitar body connection without cracks.
- The low nuts.
- Choose guitar strings where the height of the string above the fingerboard should be low so that it is easy to press.