2. OVERVIEW
The Guitar and its Origin
Basics of Sound
Parts of a Guitar
Strings
Tuning Pegs
Guitar Body
Soundhole
Conclusion
Quiz
3. THE GUITAR
6-stringed instrument
played by plucking/strumming with fingers or a pick
most popular instrument of the string family
the first guitar was created over 4000 years ago
Tanbur Lute Dotar 4-String 5-String
6-String
4. BASICS OF SOUND
sound is energy in the form of waves caused by vibration
travels in longitudinal waves
a wavelength of a sound wave is one complete cycle of the
wave at two equal successive points
amplitude is the height of the wave; the higher the amplitude
the louder the resulting sound
frequency is the number of cycles that pass a certain point per
second in a sound wave; the pitch of the sound
6. THE STRINGS
made of nylon or steel
stretched from the bridge of the guitar against the nut and into the
tuning pegs, over the frets
strumming or plucking the strings causes them to vibrate, causing
the surrounding air to vibrate
the frequency of the string is determined by three factors;
mass: the heavier the string, the slower the vibration
tension: the tauter the string the higher the pitch
length: the shorter the string the higher the pitch
7. HARMONICS
when a string is plucked, there are parts of the string that don’t vibrate
(nodes) and parts that do vibrate (anti-nodes)
when the string has only two nodes (the nut and the bridge) we hear the
fundamental frequency
when you create new nodes with your fingers, the frequency and
amplitude of the sound can be manipulated; these are called harmonics.
9. GUITAR BODY
made out of wood (mahogany, maple, spruce)
the guitar body amplifies the sound of the strings
the bridge of the guitar body is in contact with the strings, causing it to
vibrate when the strings vibrate; consequently this causes the top plate
of the guitar (soundboard) to vibrate as well
the soundboard is made out of a thin plate of wood and amplifies the
sound greatly due to its broad surface area
10. SOUNDHOLE
when the soundboard vibrates the air inside the body of the
guitar vibrates as well, causing all the air within the guitar to
vibrate at the same frequency (resonant frequency)
this vibrating air escapes the guitar through the soundhole,
allowing the sound to travel to our eardrums
12. IN A NUTSHELL
strings on a guitar are fixed at either end and are what cause
the sound; frequency is affected by the mass, tension and
length of the string
different harmonics can be achieved depending on the
guitarists fingering upon the fret board
the strings vibrate the bridge of the guitar body, which cause
the entire guitar to vibrate as a system, and the sound
escapes the inside of the guitar through the soundhole.
14. QUESTION ONE
What factors affect the frequency of a guitar string?
Describe their relationships.
Answer:
mass: the heavier the string, the slower the vibration
tension: the tauter the string the higher the pitch
length: the shorter the string the higher the pitch
15. QUESTION TWO
Describe the process of how sound is produced from
the guitar (beginning from the strings).
Answer:
When plucked or strummed, the strings on a guitar begin to
vibrate. Since the bridge is in contact with the vibrating
strings, and it is attached to the top of the guitar body (the
soundboard), the vibration of the strings causes the entire
guitar to vibrate as a system.
