Evolution of the Electric Guitar

Beginnings: 

The electric guitar has an interesting history of evolution. Classical and acoustic guitars were what people had been using for quite some time, but as bands and orchestras grew, the need for greater volume in the guitar instruments also grew (Electric Guitar). There had been experiments with producing an electric stringed instrument as far back as the early 20th century, giving rise to instruments such as the frying pan, the first commercially produced electric-stringed instrument (Electric Guitar). However, many of these endeavors resulted in quiet instruments that weren't very practical or popular (Electric Guitar). In about 1936, Charlie Christian, a jazz guitarist, attached a pickup to an acoustic guitar, causing what some consider to be the birth of the electric guitar, despite various other developments by other people and companies during the time (The Origins of the Electric Guitar: The birth of the electric guitar).

Evolution:

Rather than using vibrations from the guitar strings to make the hollow body of the guitar produce a specific sound, a pickup sits under the strings of an electric guitar, converting the magnetic energy from the vibrating strings into an electrical signal, which is then transported out of the guitar and into an amplifier by using a cable (Ze). Without an amp to produce the sound that the pickup is converting, an electric guitar can't be played with a decent amount of sound, unlike a classical or acoustic guitar. Since electric guitars didn't need the hollow space inside them like previous guitars did, this opened the door for many different shapes and sizes of solid-bodied electric guitars to be produced (Ze). The electric aspect of this guitar also allowed for new sounds to be explored. A different amplifier, or other settings, could completely convert what one electric guitar sounded like, whereas a single classical or acoustic guitar could only produce the sounds that its size and hollow body would allow (Ze). This evolution of the usual guitar to an electric form caused new styles and sounds to become available to performers and composers to experiment with. 

Here is an example of an acoustic guitar:                 

                                                                                 Here is an example of an electric guitar: 

   

I chose to use the same song for both examples so it would be easier to compare how the electric guitar sounds different from the acoustic guitar. The song I used for these examples is Bohemian Rhapsody. It was composed in the UK by Freddie Mercury and released in 1975.  

 

Analysis:

 

The evolution of the guitar from classic and acoustic to electric caused some differences in the musical elements that were a part of each instrument. 

Timbre

The timbre, or sound quality between the acoustic guitar, and the electric guitar are quite different. While both guitars are being used to play the same song, the sounds that each guitar makes can easily be differentiated from each other. The acoustic guitar has a smoother and lighter sound quality to it, while the electric guitar tends to sound harsher, rougher, and heavier. In my opinion, the acoustic guitar also tends to sound better by itself than the electric guitar, making it a more independent instrument. Both guitars can certainly be played singularly, but the electric guitar seems to have a sound quality that makes it more dependent on backup from other instruments. This might be because of the harsher sound quality that it possesses.

Dynamics

The dynamics of each instrument are also different. The acoustic guitar is often the quieter of the two instruments, since the electric guitar evolved out of the necessity for louder stringed instruments. This would vary between different songs, but if the two different guitars were used to play the same song, the electric guitar will usually be the louder instrument, as long as an amplifier is being used (Electric Guitar). Both guitars can play within a range of dynamics, but for softer or quieter sounds, an acoustic guitar would be much more useful and widely used, while an electric guitar would be more successful for very loud music. 
Genre  

Each guitar has certain genres that it is most widely used in. Acoustic guitars are generally used mellower genres, such as country, folk, or blues, while electric guitars are used more often in rock or heavy metal (Ze). This is just a generalization though, either instrument can be used for almost any genre, but electric guitars are more successful in louder genres. 

 

Personal Reaction:

 

Personally, I don't really have a preference between an acoustic or classic guitar, or the revolutionized electric guitar. It greatly depends on what song is being performed, and how I fell the dynamics and timbre of that song would be best represented. Song songs sound better to me when they are played in a harsher, louder manner, while others I prefer played in a more gentle, or smooth way. For the examples that I used, I prefer the electric guitar to be played to Bohemian Rhapsody. I feel that this song sounds better with a harsher instrument, since it better portrays the chaotic nature of some parts of the song.

The electric guitar has come a long way in its evolution from classical and acoustic guitars. This instrument allowed for a new, rougher, and often louder sound to become part of the musical options that we experience today. It is a prominent part of many of the songs that I enjoy.

Sources:

"Electric Guitar". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2021. Web 20 Feb. 2021.

"The Origins of the Electric Guitar: The birth of the electric guitar." Yamaha. Web. 20 Feb. 2021.

Ze. "Electric, Classical, and Acoustic Guitars: What Are The Differences?". Liberty Park Music. Web. 20 Feb. 2021.