Getting yourself to know and appreciate the history of the guitar may
not be essential in order to learn and master guitar. Although it is in
no way going to promote you into a flawless guitarist, but yet, many
people feel it is important to learn & master guitar because it gives you
a more distinct and an all-encompassing perspective about the
instrument, its evolution, and its musicians, etc all of which together explain
the meaning of being a true musician. So, when you play the guitar
next time, you do it from your soul and not mechanically, devoid of all
passion.
Experts consider guitar as one of the most ancient musical instruments
in this world that seems to have originated some 4000 years ago. In
fact, there are innumerable and interesting theories regarding the
evolution of this instrument. While some consider guitar to have originated
from the lute, there are others who believe that guitar is a modern form
of the ancient Greek Kithara. Also, the word “guitar” is believed as an
adaptation of the Greek word “Kithara” and the Spanish word
“Guitarra”. However, the fact is that none of the theories hold any substance, as
per Dr. Michael Kasha. According to him, evolution of guitar doesn’t
have any influence of lute and kithara.
Guitar belongs to stringed group of instruments. As per available
archaeological evidences, stringed group of instruments were in existence
since ancient period when people used bowl harps and tanburs. In fact,
several museums across the world have these instruments on their display
that were obtained from the ruins of ancient Sumerian, Babylonian,
Egyptian, Persian and Mesopotamian civilizations indicating that stringed
instruments were widely popular in that period too. Guitar seems to have
originated during this period only. In fact, the oldest guitar that
was identified belonged to the Egyptian singer Har-Mose who lived during
the reign of Queen Hatshepsut.
Historians believe that the ancestors of guitar came from Egypt and
Mesopotamia to Europe. Earliest guitar-like instruments present during the
medieval period used to have a four-course arrangement. These
instruments became very much popular during the later medieval or the early
renaissance period. It was during the 16th century when the five-course
string guitars or guitarra battente came into existence, primarily in
Italy and surrounding regions. A sixth course was then added to the
five-string guitarra battente in the 17th century. This trend was then
followed all over the Europe. Six-course arrangement then gradually
transformed into a six-string guitar during the 18th century. Steel string and
electric guitars were introduced by the end of 19th and starting of 20th
century.
