Most people associate electric guitars with rock music. However, they are also found in country and jazz songs, reggae music, and heavy metal. This versatility makes them popular with anyone looking to learn music.
What is an Electric Guitar?
Electric guitars create sound by vibrating strings. Electromagnetic induction converts the vibrations into electrical signals, which are sent to an amplifier. The amplifier projects these sounds at the volume selected by the musician.
Playing the Electric Guitar
Most musicians use a pick when playing electric guitars from Collings and other manufacturers. They strike the strings with this pick, although they can also use their fingers. A musician can alter the timbre and tone of the instrument when playing by using the tone and volume knobs.
They may also change the sound using other devices, such as stompbox pedals. These options allow guitarists to create their unique sound and stand out from others who also play it.
How Does an Electric Guitar Differ From an Acoustic Guitar?
Electric guitars and acoustic guitars share many similarities.
However, electric guitars project sound with the help of electromagnetic induction or a non-magnetic pickup rather than a sound hole. The National Guitar Corporation created electric guitars after its success with acoustic models.
In 1932, George Beauchamp, Paul Barth, and Adolph Rickenbacker formed the Electo-Patent-Instrument Company or Ro-Pat-In Corporation. They later changed the name to Rickenbacker Electro Stringed Instrument Company.
Competitors included Slingerland and Vivi-Tone.
Charlie Christian, a jazz guitarist, used an electric guitar to amplify single-note solos like big band horn players.
Acoustic guitars couldn’t do this because the band would drown them out. However, feedback from the hollow body remained an issue. Les Paul, a guitarist, solved this issue by using a solid wood block in the center of the guitar.
His guitar was a precursor to today’s solid-body versions.
Electric Guitar Options
Electric guitars come in two basic types. Archtop guitars are similar to the one Les Paul created. They feature a semi-hollow body with a solid block of wood. This style shares certain characteristics with acoustic guitars but can be amplified without feedback issues.
Magnetic pickups within the block pick up the guitar string vibrations and send them to the amplifier. Metal stings must be used for the magnetic pickup to work correctly.
The guitarist controls the volume and tone and has a selector switch they can use to move between pickups. Guitarists love these instruments’ mellow sounds and use them frequently in jazz and blues productions, although they can be used in any musical piece.
Solid-body electric guitars are solid throughout and feature magnetic pickups to amplify the strings’ vibrations. These models also have volume and tone knobs and the pickup selector switch.
They may have an active pickup that runs on battery power, and solid-body guitars produce bright sounds when amplified but make little noise when unplugged. Rock, pop, and country guitarists often prefer solid-body guitars.
Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton both preferred solid-body versions.
How to Play an Electric Guitar
Regardless of which electric guitar a person plays, practice is essential. A person can learn a few chords and play songs but must master the basics to be an excellent guitarist. Skills to master include finger exercises, chord progression, flat picking, and two-handed tapping.
Each person must decide which skills are most important and direct their efforts to enjoy playing this instrument fully.