Steel-string acoustic guitar

The steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar that descends from the classical guitar, but is strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. It is often referred to simply as an acoustic guitar, though 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 it from the more specialized archtop guitar and other variations.

The standard tuning for an acoustic guitar is E-A-D-G-B-E (low to high), although many players, particularly fingerpickers, use alternate tunings (scordatura), such as "open G" (D-G-D-G-B-D), "open D" (D-A-D-F♯-A-D), or "drop D" (D-A-D-G-B-E).

Construction

There are many variations in construction and materials used in steel-string guitars. Different combinations of woods and construction elements (for example, how the top is braced) affect the timbre or "tone" of the guitar. Many players and luthiers feel a well-made guitar's tone improves over time. This is believed to be due to the decrease in the content of hemicellulose, crystallization of cellulose and changes to lignin over time resulting in the wood gaining better resonating properties.

Acoustic Guitars (band)

Acoustic Guitars is a Danish musical quintet influenced by Spanish, Arab and Indian music. It was formed by Mikkel Nordsø, Christian Ratzer, and Steen Kyed. Later Klavs Nordsø joined, and recently Ole Theill.

On the 1987 album Acoustic Guitars the famous NHØP appears as a guest star.

Members

Discography

On Sundance Records:

On Columbia Records:

External links

Acoustic guitar

An acoustic guitar is a guitar that produces sound acoustically—by transmitting the vibration of the strings to the air—as opposed to relying on electronic amplification (see Electric guitar). The sound waves from the strings of an acoustic guitar resonate through the guitar's body, creating sound. This typically involves the use of a sound board and a sound box to strengthen the vibrations of the strings.

The main source of sound in an acoustic guitar is the string, which is plucked or strummed with the finger or with a plectrum. The string vibrates at a necessary frequency and also create many harmonics at various different frequencies. The frequencies produced can depend on string length, mass, and tension. The string causes the soundboard and sound box to vibrate, and as these have their own resonances at certain frequencies, they amplify some string harmonics more strongly than others, hence affecting the timbre produced by the instrument.

History

Gitterns, a small plucked guitar were the first small like guitar instruments created during the Middle Ages with a round back like that of a lute. Guitar like shaped instruments were not seen until the Renaissance era where the body and size began to take a guitar like shape.