ELETRIC GUITAR

Eletric Guitar

An electric guitar is a fretted string instrument that uses a pickup to convert the vibration of its strings—which are typically made of metal, and which occurs when a guitarist strums, plucks orfingerpicks the strings—into electrical impulses. The vibrations of the strings are sensed by apickup, of which the most common type is the magnetic pickup, which uses the principle of directelectromagnetic induction.

Often the signal is modified using effects such as reverb and distortion and "overdrive", with the latter being a key element of the sound of the electric guitar as it is used in blues and rock music.

Invented in 1931, the amplified electric guitar was adopted by jazz guitarists, who sought to be able to be heard in large big band ensembles. Early proponents of the electric guitar on record included Les Paul, Lonnie Johnson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, T-Bone Walker, and Charlie Christian. During the 1950s and 1960s, the electric guitar became the most important instrument in pop music.

Electric guitar design and construction vary greatly in the shape of the body and the configuration of the neck, bridge, and pickups. Guitars have a fixed bridge or a spring-loaded hinged bridge that lets players bend notes or chords up or down in pitch or perform vibrato effects. The sound of a guitar can be modified by new playing techniques such as string bending, tapping,hammering on, using audio feedback, or slide guitar playing.