# 12-string guitars usually have steel strings and are widely used in folk music and rock and roll. Rather than having only six strings, the 12-string guitar has (logically enough) twelve. Each pair of strings is tuned either in unison (the two highest) or an octave apart (the others). |
# 12-string guitars usually have steel strings and are widely used in folk music and rock and roll. Rather than having only six strings, the 12-string guitar has (logically enough) twelve. Each pair of strings is tuned either in unison (the two highest) or an octave apart (the others). They are made both in acoustic and electric forms. |
Hybrids of acoustic and electric guitars are also common. There are also more exotic varieties. |
Hybrids of acoustic and electric guitars are also common. There are also more exotic varieties, such as "double-headed" electric guitars, all manner of alternate string arrangements, and such. |
(Public domain image from Webster's Dictionary 1911. [Larger image])
The guitar is descended from the lute?. Guitars usually have 6 strings. A variety of different tunings are used. The most common by far is (low to high) E-A-D-G-B-e, which provides a good compromise providing both simple fingering for many chords, and the ability to play common scales with minimal left hand movement. Others such as E-A-D-F#-B-e (which provides the same intervals as for a lute), or D-G-D-G-B-D ("open G," commonly used for blues or slide guitar) tend to be restricted to more specialist forms of music.
Broadly speaking, guitars can be divided into 4 categories:
Hybrids of acoustic and electric guitars are also common. There are also more exotic varieties, such as "double-headed" electric guitars, all manner of alternate string arrangements, and such.
See also:
guitarist
bass guitar