Guitars Are The Heart And Soul Of Music Lovers and Musicians

By: David Arnold Livingston

Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Carlos Santana, Slash - what do
they have in common? In the often wild but never dull world of
music, these four are just a few of the elite set of popular
guitar-wielding musicians. Their fame and mass appeal may be
attributed to their fancy fingers, fast hands and overall
commercial packaging.

What is it about playing the guitar that has millions of people
yearning to pick up and pluck this weird-shaped, (usually)
six-stringed musical instrument? The most obvious reason for
choosing this most popular of all the stringed musical
instruments is its accessibility. A guitar is less pricey than
say, a piano. It can also hold its own, whether played alone, in
a band, or just as a musical accompaniment. And of more
significance, the guitar is a musical instrument that is
relatively easier to learn. All one needs to have is a reliable
chord chart, a pick for plucking the strings (optional) and of
course, one's own guitar. A lot of patience and interest will
surely add to the ease of learning and improving guitar-playing.

In mainstream music, there are basically two types of guitars -
the electric guitar and the acoustic guitar. Now, what makes one
different from the other? For one, the former is usually the
more expensive type of guitar. A rather more technical point of
comparison between these two types of guitar is their body.
Though both made out of wood, the body of the electric guitar is
usually a thin solid piece while the acoustic guitar's is thick
with a hollow center. Why is this so? Because of the sound they
produce. The electric guitar is solid because the sound it
produces is very faint.

The sound people hear does not come from the instrument itself.
The electric guitar uses external amplifiers to make the sound
audible. The acoustic guitar, on the other hand, does not depend
on any external amplification. The sound it produces is fairly
audible. However, in a large venue, it is not that loud an
instrument. That is why it is common to see a microphone placed
in front of an acoustic guitar. A more modern method of
amplifying an acoustic guitar is thru internal electronic
amplification placed inside its hollow body. Their most notable
difference is the sound they produce. Because of its external
amplification, the loud music of the electric guitar is usually
used for a lively, hyped and more upbeat audience. An acoustic
guitar, on the other hand, produces music that is more soulful
and soothing, usually played for a more relaxed and subdued
audience.

Therefore, if you are thinking of learning how to play the
guitar, the old adage applies: "Practice makes perfect."
However, learning to play the guitar should be done with the
noblest of intentions - making beautiful music. If you are in it
for the money, better stop before your fingers start getting
sore. Even expecting to make a decent living out of playing the
guitar is already too much of an expectation. And yet, who
knows?

But even if no one will be interested to purchase your guitar on
ebay after you have decided to put it up for retirement, it does
not mean everything you and your guitar have been through meant
nothing. There will always be those memories you will picture -
those times when you alone cannot contain all your emotions
inside and you just had to release them by picking up your
guitar and playing your own version of "beautiful music." After
all, beauty is in the eye, in this case, the ear, of the
beholder.

About the author:
David Arnold Livingston loves music, especially tunes created
with the much-loved guitar. He recommends as a resource for
lessons, music and downloads: http://www.ufguitar.com/