Electric guitar

An electric guitar is a <a href="/facts/Guitar/QIJdTYa6">guitar</a> that requires external <a href="/facts/Electric/hNC8D65W">electric</a> <a href="/facts/Guitar_amplifier/d5sDShUH">sound amplification</a> in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard <a href="/facts/Acoustic_guitar/E9ITItBq">acoustic guitar</a>. It uses one or more <a href="/facts/Pickup_(music_technology)/Aeuuyvhm">pickups</a> to convert the vibration of its strings into <a href="/facts/Electrical_signal/41YqUJ8c">electrical signals</a>, which ultimately are reproduced as sound by <a href="/facts/Loudspeaker/tqEjnJ2z">loudspeakers</a>. The sound is sometimes shaped or electronically altered to achieve different <a href="/facts/Timbre/lVXB949E">timbres</a> or tonal qualities via amplifier settings or knobs on the guitar. Often, this is done through the use of <a href="/facts/Effects_unit/XhTKhJQC">effects</a> such as <a href="/facts/Reverb/188vPg1A">reverb</a>, <a href="/facts/Distortion_(music)/gdQ51JHv">distortion and "overdrive"</a>; the latter is considered to be a key element of electric <a href="/facts/Blues/f2WSr9QQ">blues</a> guitar music and <a href="/facts/Jazz/lmUzXGq8">jazz</a>, <a href="/facts/Rock_music/zBM2guyQ">rock</a> and <a href="/facts/Heavy_metal_music/WsIPhM9e">heavy metal</a> guitar playing. Designs also exist combining attributes of electric and acoustic guitars: the <a href="/facts/Semi-acoustic_guitar/mXcKXhAN">semi-acoustic</a> and <a href="/facts/Acoustic-electric_guitar/qrTjzpXA">acoustic-electric</a> guitars.
Invented in 1932, the electric guitar was adopted by <a href="/facts/Jazz_guitar/D5MSY778">jazz guitar</a> players, who wanted to play single-note <a href="/facts/Guitar_solo/75F1IxS5">guitar solos</a> in large <a href="/facts/Big_band/5PNVN80e">big band</a> ensembles. Early proponents of the electric guitar on record include <a href="/facts/Les_Paul/yAlADjfb">Les Paul</a>, <a href="/facts/Eddie_Durham/QW91gVzp">Eddie Durham</a>, <a href="/facts/George_Barnes_(musician)/SfKMavmc">George Barnes</a>, <a href="/facts/Lonnie_Johnson_(musician)/2cTPhvl4">Lonnie Johnson</a>, <a href="/facts/Sister_Rosetta_Tharpe/VU91L7dJ">Sister Rosetta Tharpe</a>, <a href="/facts/T-Bone_Walker/j0GA6jYx">T-Bone Walker</a>, and <a href="/facts/Charlie_Christian/DkU9AXpc">Charlie Christian</a>. During the 1950s and 1960s, the electric guitar became the most important instrument in <a href="/facts/Popular_music/Q5yhxIwY">popular music</a>. It has evolved into an instrument that is capable of a multitude of sounds and styles in genres ranging from <a href="/facts/Pop_music/kgshFE5B">pop</a> and <a href="/facts/Rock_music/zBM2guyQ">rock</a> to <a href="/facts/Folk_music/yFHpeE7k">folk</a> to <a href="/facts/Country_music/UJM3Un98">country music</a>, <a href="/facts/Blues/f2WSr9QQ">blues</a> and <a href="/facts/Jazz/lmUzXGq8">jazz</a>. It served as a major component in the development of <a href="/facts/Electric_blues/skc1ker3">electric blues</a>, <a href="/facts/Rock_and_roll/hNDC5KwW">rock and roll</a>, <a href="/facts/Rock_music/zBM2guyQ">rock music</a>, <a href="/facts/Heavy_metal_music/WsIPhM9e">heavy metal music</a> and many other genres of music.
Electric guitar design and construction varies greatly in the shape of the body and the configuration of the neck, bridge, and pickups. Guitars may have a fixed <a href="/facts/Bridge_(instrument)/SIA0HALw">bridge</a> or <a href="/facts/Vibrato_systems_for_guitar/A70cA7nL">a spring-loaded hinged bridge</a>, which lets players "bend" the pitch of notes or chords up or down, or perform <a href="/facts/Vibrato/IIdeSJ0m">vibrato</a> effects. The sound of an electric guitar can be modified by <a href="/facts/Extended_technique/pUUJ4cgU">new playing techniques</a> such as <a href="/facts/String_bending/smHqBSwQ">string bending</a>, <a href="/facts/Tapping/NzfN7kaQ">tapping</a>, and <a href="/facts/Hammer-on/0jJVq5aq">hammering-on</a>, using <a href="/facts/Audio_feedback/NaMWquWb">audio feedback</a>, or <a href="/facts/Slide_guitar/VxsGfvTK">slide guitar</a> playing.
There are several types of electric guitar. Early forms were hollow-body <a href="/facts/Semi-acoustic_guitar/mXcKXhAN">semi-acoustic guitars</a>, while <a href="/facts/Solid_body/4pRtQsY9">solid body</a> guitars developed later. String configurations include the <a href="/facts/Six-string_guitar/QIJdTYa6">six-string guitar</a> (the most common type), which is usually tuned E, A, D, G, B, E, from lowest to highest strings; the <a href="/facts/Seven-string_guitar/L1G7YQqe">seven-string guitar</a>, which typically adds a low B string below the low E; the <a href="/facts/Eight-string_guitar/wd13aKhe">eight-string guitar</a>, which typically adds a low E or F# string below the low B; and the <a href="/facts/Twelve-string_guitar/CNprTjkq">twelve-string guitar</a>, which has six two-string <a href="/facts/Course_(music)/weowusLh">courses</a> similar to a <a href="/facts/Mandolin/IRpwRJDY">mandolin</a>.
In rock, the electric guitar is often used in two roles: as a <a href="/facts/Rhythm_guitar/WFcg4fXC">rhythm guitar</a>, which plays the <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chord</a> sequences or <a href="/facts/Chord_progression/zrB3N8Fc">progressions</a>, and <a href="/facts/Riff/VgNk7JRt">riffs</a>, and sets the <a href="/facts/Beat_(music)/xJrxPJfS">beat</a> (as part of a <a href="/facts/Rhythm_section/tXJI24kX">rhythm section</a>); and as a <a href="/facts/Lead_guitar/ETbV6FAS">lead guitar</a>, which provides instrumental <a href="/facts/Melody/5TR3IE3Y">melody</a> lines, melodic <a href="/facts/Fill_(music)/QB41HajE">instrumental fill</a> passages, and <a href="/facts/Guitar_solo/75F1IxS5">solos</a>. In a small group, such as a <a href="/facts/Power_trio/0MEsJr21">power trio</a>, one guitarist may switch between both roles; in larger groups there is often a rhythm guitarist and a lead guitarist.

Electric guitar open-in-new

Electric guitar