WEEK10 LET`S PLAY!!

Since this blog has started, we see many information of the guitar. This week, is last week at last. This week`s topic is “LET`S PLAY!!”, so let`s play the guitar. This week, I write about way of practice of the guitar.

 Beginner of playing the guitar should be careful about next three points.

・Tuning

・Remembering the way of holding chords

・Reading the music score

Let`s see upper three points more particularly.

・Tuning

When we practice the guitar, adjusting the guitar`s tuning is very important. If you practice the guitar in wrong tuning, you cannot know correct step. This interferes with you to progress in the guitar. Tuning is listening the guitar`s sound on playing and adjusting the step to comfortable step. General tuning is next.

Number of strings-name of step/ 6-E 5-A 4-D 3-G 2-B 1-E

Tuning is done with tuner or diapason. When chromatic tuner is used to adjust the tuning, you only have to turn the guitar`s peg until the finger point to correct step on sounding the guitar`s opening string. Not only do tuning 1~6 strings once but repeating doing tuning again until step`s difference decreasing is important. Diapason is a bar to get the sound of A step. A is guitar`s 5 string`s opening sound. After adjust 5 string`s sound, other string`s sound can be adjusted by depending on 5 string`s sound.

※The tuning of the guitar is various. Depending on the song you practice, the guitar`s tuning may different from general tuning.

・Remembering the way of holding chords

Chord is guitar`s basic technic. In previous week`s blog, the mechanism of chord is written. What is important is remembering the way of holding chords. It is unnecessary to remember all the chords in text book`s pages. You only have to remember the chord used in your practicing song. Until you became able to hold chord enough to play some song, you may think the guitar is dull, however, once you be able to hold chord enough to play some song, you will be fun. So please never give up holding chord.

・Reading the tab music score

After becoming able to hold some chord, let`s understand how to read the tab music score. Differing from 5 lines music score, tab score`s number of line is 6. A lot of guitarist can read tab score smoother than 5 lines score. Beginner also ought to read tab score smoother.  Tab score is the guitar`s special score resembling 5 lines score used with the piano. Differing from 5 lines score, the number written in tab score is the number of the fret which should be held. In tab score, what is written is not only the number of fret, but also the technic which should play is written. For example, Hammering, Pulling, Glissando, Trill, Harmonix, Brushing, Slide, Right Hand, and so on. These technic make your playing gorgeous.

By knowing these information, you can start playing the guitar!!

For 10weeks, I have written this blogs. By writing this blog, I could understand many information of the guitar. Thanks for reading my blog.

WEEK9 Famous guitarists

This week, I write about guitarist who made great effect to the world of guitarists. How many guitarists who I write about?

・Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is born in 1942. He is what is called the god of the electric guitar. He overturned concept of the electric guitar excessively and he pulled out potential of the guitar sufficiently. When we follow the roots of the rock music, we must reach him. Though his working term is about four years and the number of his official albums released is slightly four, the number of CDs related to him is over hundred and including bootleg, the number of his CDs cannot be grasped. The phrase he played and world view he made by the guitar don`t fade at all, and his song is still played. By hearing the guitar sound played in present music scene, we can check the influence of him. His guitar play was often experimental, but the basis took root in blues and R&B, and his play was basic by code of jazz and scale. His choice of sound and development of phrase was unique. He used Stratocaster.

・Duane Allman

Duane Allman was born in 1946. He is American session musician. He is lead guitarist of The Allman Brothers Band. He lived not only as a member of The Allman Brothers Band but also as acknowledged session musician. He took part in the opus by King Curtis and by Aretha Franklin. His impromptu play of the slide guitar made great effect to many musicians. He used Gibson SG and Les Paul.

・B.B.King

B.B.King was born in 1925. He is the most popular blues singer or guitarist. He fit tuxedo. He popularized blues to a genre of pops. For the first time, as a blues artist, advanced to the world of show business (Las Vegas and TV show). He also, as a blues friendly ambassador, visited Russia and Africa and popularized blues to world. Historically, he only became billionaire as a blues musician, but he hardly strain for the money. He was so modest artist that reliable stuff gathered to him, and they succeed. Early his play style was affected by T-Bone Walker. On loading career, he established his original play style and he made what is called squeeze chalking technique. Squeeze chalking is technique which is chalking technique as if squeezing. He didn`t appeal for his high guitar technique, and he didn`t aim to make blues pop. He calmly continued to play 50s blues. But, the continuing music was evaluated by change of age. He used ES-335.

・Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton was born in 1945. He flourished as guitarist, vocalist and composer on forefront in hard life. His life was colored by distress (death of good friends, the eternal triangle, drug and so on). But, he got over the distress and add deepness to his music. He used Stratocaster.

This week I introduced four poplar guitarists. Haw many guitarists did you know?

Thanks for reading.

Next week`s blog is the last blog!!

WEEK8 GENRE OF THE GUITAR`S MUSIC

 We can play many genre of music by playing the guitar. Talking of the genre of the guitar`s music, what genre do you imagine? This week, I write about the genre of the guitar`s music.

・ROCK

Rock is the genre of popular music borne by fusion of black and white music in America in 1950s. Rock music expanded to the world with Jazz and R&B from America. Not only affects the scene of music around the world, Rock affect pop culture as a whole, so Rock`s impact to society was too strong. The definition of Rock is ambiguous. When you think that the music is Rock, Rock the music is!

・POP MUSIC

 Pop music is the genre distinguished from classical music and folk music. Pop music is generic name of many music genres, which developed in 20 century. Pop music is soft and rhythmic music. In the narrow sense of Pop music, classical music, ENKA, Jazz and especially hard music, for example Hard rock, Punk rock and Heavy metal are eliminated. Now in Japanese pop music and Rock music, the word J-POP is penetrated.

・Blues

 Blues occurs from African American at south of America. It is said that Blues developed from Black spirituals and labor songs in 19 century. Blues has developed in various ways. There are The Delta blues, Chicago blues and Blues rock. The Delta blues bases singing to one`s own guitar accompaniment. Chicago blues is band music style. Blues rock is fusing with Rock music.

・R&B

 R&B`s feature is singing as if shouting with taking rhythm. R&B affected Rock`n`roll. R&B was developed from Black music of Jazz, Blues and Gospel.

・HEAVY METAL

 Heavy metal appeared in 1980s to 1990s. Heavy metal is evolution of Hard rock. Heavy metal respects the weight so that some playing is done under state in which tuning is lower than tuning of normal. Heavy metal`s tempo is too high. Some player tries playing music in highest tempo. In heavy metal, guitar solo is respected. Heavy metal affected the evolution of music instruments and diversification.

・COUNTRY MUSIC

 Country music is from south of America. Country music has evolved from European traditional folk song and Celtic music by effect of spirituals, gospel and anthem. Country music was formed in 1930s. Country music is played by the guitar, the mandolin, the violin, the banjo, the resonator guitar, the pedal steel guitar, the wood base, the coded zither, the accordion, harmonica, and so on.

・JAZZ

 Jazz derived at city of south of America in 19s to 20s. Jazz was born by fusion of technique and theory of west music and African American`s peculiar sense of rhythm. In Jazz, performance level considerably depends on player`s ability. That is Jazz`s feature. Its free style of expression was noticed by white musician and its technique and theory quickly developed. In 20s, Jazz was admitted as main genre of music striding various stock and formed high system which was lead today`s music theory.

 This week, we saw many genres of music.

Thanks for reading.

WEEK7 OPTIONS

 This week, I write about the guitar’s options. Electric guitar’s sound can be made by effects units. Let’s know the variety of effects unit.

EFFECTS UNIT

 Effects unit is the tool which changes the sound of the electric guitar or adds other effect to the sound of the electric guitar. Effects unit expends the range of the electric guitar’s expression. The number of kinds of effects unit is roughly divided into 5 kinds.

The five kinds are distortion, modulation, time based, filter, and other.

・Distortion

 Distortion is classified into 3 types by the level of distortion. The 3 types are Over Drive, Distortion, and Fuzz.

 

Over Drive tenderly and snugly makes sound distorting. Over Drive sound can be used in all genres of music. Over Drive is used when player simply wants distorting sound or wants to make sound’s volume higher. OD-1 (from BOSS) and T Scream (from IBANES) is famous.

 

Distortion violently makes sound distorting and used in hard rock and heavy metal. Distortion is often used when the used amplifier doesn’t have the function of distortion.

 

Fuzz sound is distortion which contains humidity. Fuzz is used for guitar solo or special effect. Some Fuzz makes sound too distorting to recognize what step the sound is. Fuzz is also famous as the effects unit James Marshall Hendrix the god of electric guitar used.

・Modulation

 Modulation effects unit is classified into 4 types. The 4 types are Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, and Tremolo.

 

Chorus mixes the artificial sound which is almost same to original sound with the guitar`s sound so that the sound made is thick and waver comfortably. NIRVANA (the 90s legendary band)s vocal guitar, Kurt Donald Cobain cherished Chorus.

 

Flanger makes sound waving. When Flanger is applied strongly, the sound becomes like wheeling.

 

Phaser sound is like the sound which is more metallic Flanger sound.

 

Tremolo effect is cyclic ups and downs of sound`s volume. Tremolo produces sense of special reverb.

・Time based

 Time based effect is classified into 2 types. 2 types are Reverb and Delay.

 

Reverb effect is like the echo used in karaoke. Reverb gives place depth. The famous Reverb Holy Grail (from E – Harmonix) is used by John Anthony Frusciante the guitarist of Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

 

Delay mixes sound which is little late to original sound to the sound, and the made sound is heard like echo. Delay produces the sense of reverb which is almost same to sound in large hall. Delay is famous as the effects unit the edge the guitarist of U2.

・Filter

 Filter effect is classified into 3 types. 3 types are Wow, Pitch sifter, and Whammy.

 

Wow is effects unit by whose pedal`s angle the level of frequency changes. Some guitarist uses Wow in solo. The trigger of popularization is that Wow was used among blues guitarists.

 

Pitch sifter changes step of sound. By Pitch sifter, another sound which is 3, 5, or 8 steps higher or lower than original sound can be lapped.

 

Whammy is Pitch sifter which can change the step of sound by slope of pedal.

 This week, many effects unit appeared.

 Thanks for reading.

WEEK6 PRODUCTION

 This week, I write about production of the guitar. Let’s study!

・Acoustic guitar

First, the center strip is glued to a wood board which become body's back board.




Second, the body's shape is cut out roughly and some braces is formed. Where a brace fit in, the stopper of breaking is peeled.




These braces are glued.




Braces is formed and body's back board is finished. This point is seen, when the guitar's sound hole is looked into, so that this point is polished to hide the wounds.




Next, top which become the guitar's neck is ground and stuck on book mached. Craftsman carefully checks this joint. The cross section must be glued completely. If corner-cutting is done, the cross section breaks later, so that craftsman sharpen the bread of his canna and complete this process carefully.




This wood board is corresponded to the guitar's body's side surface. This wood must bent. Bending wood board takes much time, so craftsman do this process when he can use much time. First, this wood is dipped into water, and absorb water.




This is bending iron. When it is used, the dust on it must be taken off carefully.




First, the waist is bent. Craftsman bend wood board noticing board's direction and not making wrinkle.




To fit this shape to mold of other parts, craftsman bend it more accurately.




After bending, this is held by clamp and fit to mold. This is left by drying. After it, front block and end block is glued.




Lining is stuck. Lining is substitute for glue gluing top and back to side. After lining is attached, increasingly the side become solid, but mold is useful yet.




Back is attached. Before that is done lining is shaven and surface glued is modified to fit braces.




Next, it is top. A hole is opened.




Brace is glued to bridge plate by glue.



After forming the brace, top is glued to side. When it is glued by glue, the gluing must be done only once.




After gluing.




The body become box. Next, neck is made. First craftsman decides angle of head. The wood is cut roughly.




Truss rod is made. Heel block is glued along grain. Head plate also glued.




After preparing the thickness of the neck, finger board is made and frets are carved.




After head is formed, finger board is glued by glue. It is important to work early not to move center of this parts.




After carving the body ditch of binding and purfling, cover is reeled.




Fret is hit. Grip's shape is rest.




Shave the neck.




After shaving the neck's surface, the aspect which touches the body is attached accurately.Neck's angle and center is checked.




These parts are jointed. Painting can be done whether after or before jointing.




After being painted, this guitar has Makaboni color.




Process becomes groundwork and topcoat.




After paint drying, craftsman fits nuts, attaches pegs, and stretches strings.

This is process of production of the acoustic guitar.

Next week, I will write about the guitar's options.
Thanks for reading.

WEEK5 KINDS

This week, I write about kinds of the guitar. There are various kinds of the guitar.

 Guitar is roughly classified into two types. It is whether the guitar is electric guitar or acoustic guitar. Let us know various guitars.

ACCOUSTIC GUITAR

・Classical guitar

The classical guitar varies from the "Spanish Guitar" with its construction, size, weight, wood and the sound it sound. The common factor is that classical guitars have six nylon strings against metal strings used in other acoustic and electric guitars. The name “classical guitar” means two concepts. First, the instrumental finger technique of other guitars is common to classical guitar. Second, the instrument's historic back ground. Classical guitar is used in many musical genres. Classical guitar is played in classical music, tango, jazz, country music, ENKA, and so on.

・Flamenco guitar

 A flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar, but flamenco guitar has thinner tops and less internal bracing. Flamenco guitar is used in toque, the guitar-playing part of the art of flamenco.

・Folk guitar (Steel-string acoustic guitar)

The folk guitar is a modern form of guitar that comes down from the classical guitar, but the folk guitar is strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. It is often referred to simply as an acoustic guitar, but the nylon-strung classical guitar is also sometimes called an acoustic guitar. The most common type is often called a flat-top guitar to distinguish the folk guitar from the more specialized archtop guitar and other kinds.

・Acoustic-electric guitar

 An Acoustic-electric guitar is an acoustic guitar fixed with pickups. In acoustic-electric guitars, the transducers and microphones are always used because traditional pickups are not capable of picking up vibrations of non-magnetic materials. The design is different from a semi-acoustic guitar, which is an electric guitar but with the addition of sound rooms within the guitar body.

ELECTRIC GUITAR

 An electric guitar is a guitar that uses a pickup to change the vibration of its strings into electrical signal.

・Solid body type

Solid body electric guitars have no vibrating soundboard to extend string vibration as is the case with acoustic guitars. Solid body electric guitar depends on electric pickups and an amplifier and speaker. The solid body ensures that the amplified sound will reproduce the string vibration alone, thus avoiding the wolf tones and not wanted feedback associated with amplified acoustic guitars of the period.

・Semi-acoustic type

 Semi-acoustic guitars have a hollow body and electronic pickups mounted on the body. They work in a similar way to solid body electric guitars except that, because the hollow body also vibrates, the pickups change a combination of string and body vibration into an electrical signal. On the other hand, chambered guitars are made, like solid-body guitars, from a one block of wood, semi-acoustic and full-hollowbody guitars bodies are made from thin sheets of wood. They do not provide enough acoustic volume to performance for live, but can be used "unplugged" for quiet practice.

This week’s topic was kinds of the guitar. Next week I write about production.

Thanks for reading!!

WEEK4 HISTORY

This week, I write about history of the guitar. Now, various kinds of the guitar are played. Let`s know how the guitar was created and how the guitar developed.

・The guitar`s ancestor is bow.

It is said that stringed instruments including the guitar comes derive from bow. It is thought that in order to make this bow resound, predecessor attaches nut to bow and stretches many strings to make strings resound each other. According to materials of ancient wall paintings and sculptures, it is said that before BC.3700, the instrument resembling the guitar have been born. These two types of instruments can be seen in instrumental history of Southeast Asia, Africa and India. The guitar is instrument which uses both of types of way of resounding. Concerning life style and religion, these instruments have developed and in about BC.3000, the instrument which resembles the guitar in shape was born. In Greek civilization, the instrument, which has two important characteristic was created. First characteristic, the body of the instrument is composed by boards. Second characteristic, the instrument has bridge which is glued. These two characteristics have made a big influence on developing of stringed instrument. It is said that after this event, during one thousand years, there is no new discovery in the guitars developing.

・Introduction of the Lute and to Europe and Birth of the Guitar

In 711, by Moor`s occupation of the Iberia peninsula, the lute which is ancestor of the guitar spread to Europe via Spain. In 15century, the lute become to be played in dance music and fantasia and, the lute become the most popular instrument in 15~16century. In Spain, in contrast to other European countries, the lute did not played as important instrument and, lute develop to the Vihuela. Though the lute`s shape is as pear which is cut in half, this vihuela is flat and is as today`s guitar. To be accurate, “vihuela” is the name which is express overall various form of stringed instrument. A kind of guitar and vihuela developed to the guitar which match Spanish dance.

・To baroque guitar from renaissance guitar

In 16~18century, most of the guitar ware double strings and the number of strings become five from four. Four strings guitar is named renaissance guitar and, five strings guitar is named baroque guitar. In 1700s, six strings and round sound hole guitar was invented. It is because the reeling string was invented. After this event, the guitar developed to six strings type.

・Completion of Classical guitar and Development

After invention of six strings guitar, medium and small size guitar was invented. The classical guitar was completed by Antonio de Torres Jurado in 19centry. Torres`s guitar had volume and ability of expression that can be heard in concert hall. He challenged make the guitar`s sound big. Francisco Eixea Tarrega loved this Antonio`s guitar and it make the guitar popular around the world.

・First Electric guitar

First electric instrument was invented by Loyd Loar , Electric double base. In 1931, the first electric guitar flying pan was made by Rickenbacker that is musical instrument company, but that was not popular. In 1930s, Gibson super 400 and L series which have PICK UP become popular.

THANKS FOR READING

WEEK3 MAINTENANCE

This week, I write about maintenance of the acoustic and electric guitar. If the guitar is played long time, the guitar may become trouble (for example, breaking of string, rust of fret, change of width between string and fret, curve of neck, and so on). To keep the guitar good condition Let`s know the guitar`s maintenance.

・Wiping the guitar`s blemish

If the guitar is left as it be played, dust soon attach to the guitar. When dust attaches to the guitar, the dust absorb the sound of the guitar so that the sound become retire. You may think this is problem of mood, but the sound become different if you wipe the guitar or not. So, let`s wipe the guitar.

・Changing strings

If you go playing the guitar, the string deteriorates. If the string breaks or rust, you must stretch new string. Even if the string does not break, when the strings die, you had better change the strings. “Strings die” means deterioration of string. You can play the guitar in the condition, but the sound is worse than new string`s sound. So, let`s know the way of changing the strings.

1. Loosen old strings and undo the string from spool

2. Pull the string from bridge.

3. After confirming the thickness of new string, insert the string into the hole of bride, and pull up the string until the string is fixed.

4. After inserting the string into spool, mark the best length of string by folding (Being the best length of string is that the length of rest of string extended is the length between spool and spool.)

5. Pull back the string until the mark and start rolling on pulling softly

6. On being careful about rolling the string under string rolled, roll the string

7. After finishing rolling the string, cut the rest of string.

This is basic way of changing of the guitar. The kind of way of changing is not only one, so please challenge another way.

・When you do not play the guitar long time

When you do not the guitar long time, you had better loosen strings as sound drop for half tone, because neck curves when the tension of strings is too high or too low.

・Check the curve of neck

Even if the guitar is expensive, as time passes, the guitar`s neck curves and the sound include noise called “BIBIRI” in Japanese.　Let`s know how to check the curve of the guitar`s neck.

When the neck is seen from the side, neck sagging as if dish sags is named forward bow. In contrast, Neck swelling is named backward bow. If the distortion is found, please pick the place`s fret. When the sound contain noise or sounds wrong scale sound, the neck may curve.

・When the neck curves…

To adjust the curve of neck, metal rod called truss rod must adjusted. Truss rod is implanted in the guitar`s neck. Many truss rod is adjustable rod which can adjust the curve, but, it only adjust curve caused by tension of strings. It cannot adjust hard curve. When the guitar`s neck curve extremely, we cannot adjust, so, checking the neck often is important.

Thanks for reading.