Most people if asked as when they think the guitar was invented, would probably answer recently... that is within the last few hundred years or so. In actuality, the history of the guitar is quite extensive. In fact, few are aware that the present day guitar is the descendant of some of the most ancient instruments often referred to as tars. The word "tar" actually means STRING in. These instruments, and the name tar, go back thousands of years to the area we have come to call "The Fertile Crescent". There are artifacts in museums around the world that prove the existence of these early guitar type instruments (some also apparently with frets), played with picks, fingers and sometimes even a bow (pointing to the tar family preceding the violin). This means not only is the guitar much older than many are aware of, but that some of our most respected instruments today might not have even come to be if not for their ancient ancestor, the tar. Keep this in mind when those who do not know say unfavorable things about your choice of an instrument... the guitar.
Craig Smith
guitar1usa.com
Creativity, and the Art of Guitar
There is just something about playing the guitar that inspires creativity. Could it be that the instrument itself performs as a channel, is it in essence a direct link to that source of all that exists. We who play the guitar know the feeling. The instrument just takes you there, pick it up and you are on your way to where all things begin.
I have played the guitar for almost my entire life. During this time, I have been to that place often. When you travel this mythic journey you bring back to this world those inspirations you encounter. These are the seeds of new music, this is the creative experience... that special gift that is yours to plant and cultivate. The guitar is a tool, a means of getting there. It is like a crystal ball, a divining rod, or a magic carpet that takes you where you are suppose to go. Then you can see with your ears, that which is yours to shape as only you can... into a new piece of music. "Believing Is Seeing", or in this case "Hearing"
Craig Smith
I have played the guitar for almost my entire life. During this time, I have been to that place often. When you travel this mythic journey you bring back to this world those inspirations you encounter. These are the seeds of new music, this is the creative experience... that special gift that is yours to plant and cultivate. The guitar is a tool, a means of getting there. It is like a crystal ball, a divining rod, or a magic carpet that takes you where you are suppose to go. Then you can see with your ears, that which is yours to shape as only you can... into a new piece of music. "Believing Is Seeing", or in this case "Hearing"
Craig Smith
Tablature, the new Dark Ages for Guitar
Many people think that Tablature on the guitar is a remarkable, new way of learning to read and understand guitar. Few are aware that Tab, as it is most frequently referred to is in reality an archaic, ancient way of marking down how to play various guitar pieces. In fact... tab was eliminated as a system several hundred years ago in preferrence of real music notation after guitarists had suffered centuries of prejudice, and rejection from the rest of the music world (who all read regular notartion).
Because guitarists were considered ill-equiped and disfunctional to play with others something had to give eventually. This big problem in the world of guitarists was finally eliminated when guitarists became literate, studing regular notation, and creating a normal system that complied with that of all the other instrumentalists. It was only then that the guitar became accepted, and really usable in the music world.
Please post your comments on your awareness of guitar and tablature... Thank You.
Because guitarists were considered ill-equiped and disfunctional to play with others something had to give eventually. This big problem in the world of guitarists was finally eliminated when guitarists became literate, studing regular notation, and creating a normal system that complied with that of all the other instrumentalists. It was only then that the guitar became accepted, and really usable in the music world.
Please post your comments on your awareness of guitar and tablature... Thank You.
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