AY Honors/Guitar/Answer Key
Guitar
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Contents
This honor is the combination of the work of two divisions, SAD & NAD.
1. Research the history of guitars and how they came to your country.
2. Describe or show the difference between melody, harmony and rhythm.
Melody is the main tune of a piece of music. It is the line a single voice would follow when singing a song.
Harmony (or counter melody) is any line that fits along with the melody to enhance and broaden the music. Usually a harmony is complementary to the melody, but that is not always the case.
Rhythm describes how the notes of the melody and any harmony exist across time. The same sequence of notes will become a different tune when the rhythm changes.
3. Distinguish three different types of guitars. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
There are three main styles that guitars come in: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and classical guitar.
Acoustic Guitar: These guitars may come in various styles and sizes but for the most part they share several common features. For one they usually have a sound hole for the sound to come out of. Also, the inside of the body is hollow which allows the sound to bounce around inside the guitar. This means that you do not need external amplification in order to hear the sound of the guitar clearly. However, depending on the gauge of the string and other factors, this type of guitar might be harder to play that other styles of guitars.
Electric guitar: There is even more variation in styles when it comes to electric guitars. There are three main body types: the "Les Paul", the "Strat", and the "Super Strat." Most electric guitars (with the exception of hollow-body and semi hollow-body guitars) use a solid body. This means that in order to hear the guitar you need external amplification such as an amplifier or a PA. This means that electric guitars are not as portable as acoustic guitars. However, they are more versatile when it come to the sound it can produce. The electric guitar can be used with different pickups, amps, and effect pedals to achieve many different sounds.
Classical Guitar: Classical guitars are very similar to acoustic guitars but there are some differences. Classical guitars or flamenco guitars use nylon strings. Also, the body tends to be smaller than most acoustic guitars and the neck is thicker. The nylon strings on these guitars give an overall warmer sound than acoustic and electric guitars. This makes it ideal for classical guitar and jazz.
4. Identify the three divisions of the guitar and identify 15 different parts, explaining the function of each part.
The three major divisions are the headstock, neck and body.
5. Demonstrate the correct posture to practice guitar. Explain the importance of practicing in that position.
6. Know the names of the fingers, strings and hand positions. Demonstrate each in its proper way.
7. In standard tuning, the 6 strings on a guitar are associated with which notes?
From high string (thinnest) to low (thickest) the strings are E, B, G, D, A, E. One memory device to help remember the strings is the phrase, "Easter Bunnies Go Dancing At Easter."
On a piano keyboard your high E string is the E just above middle C with your low E being two octaves below that.
