Description: The names for guitar include Guitarra [SP], Guitare [FR]. Guitarre [GER], Volão [PORT], Chitarra [IT}. Throughout its long history the the guitar's precises origins are obscured at best. However using organology as a field of study to determine the evolution of the guitar can be found through tracing the heritage of the musical instrument through its design and construction. Some of the commonly agreed upon sources for the for the origins of the guitar are from the Moors, Ancient Egypt, Mediterranean and later Medieval European lutes. In Greek and Latin sources a plucked lyre called a kithara bear similar spelling to the name “guitar”. Although many of these sources are fascinating them selves they are not directly related. Biblical references mention the kinor a plucked lyre played by King David. Archeologists have discovered a tanbur (lute) was buried together with the singer Har-Mose. He was entombed near the tomb of his employer Sen-Mut the architect of Queen Hatsheput 1508–1458 B.C. The type of tanbur that Har-Mose played has three strings adjusted by tension rings, a body stretched from animal hide and a plectrum strung together with the instrument. The oldest iconographic document featuring a a stone carving of a Hittite bard playing a guitar like instrument similar in its features dates back to 3,300 years.

The Early Beginnings In Continental Europe: When the Moors arrived in Southern Spain they introduced a four stringed version of the oud. In Arabic the name ud translates into English as “twig”, since the introduction of the oud into the Iberian peninsula the name of the instrument became “al ud”. The text "Ars Musica" published in 1265 by Juan Gil of Zamora. He also describes the accounts of early guitar-like lutes. During the later part of the century the medieval author and Juan Ruiz b. 1283 d.1350 describes the existence of two types of guitar, one called the "guitarra Moresca" or [Moorish guitar] and the other called a "guitarra Latina" [Latin Guitar] this type of guitar had a longer and narrower neck along with a single sound hole in his poem “El Libro de Buen Amor” [The Book of Good Love]. During the Boroque era 1600–1750 several lutes evolved from four course instruments, to five course and six course instruments including the Vehuela De Mano which rose to great popularity. The common structural features of these guitars share a waisted body having flat backs, moveable gut strings and a rigid neck. Their strings were commonly made from gut. Antonio Stradivarius [b. 1644 d. Dec 18, 1737] added a fifth course of strings to the Italian lute called the chitarra bitente [knocking guitar] being quite similar in construction to both the vehuela de mano and other similar lutes. During the latter part of the European Renaissance period, vast improvements to the construction and the design of the classical guitar were made by Antonio de Torres Juardo [b. 1897-06-13 d. 1892-11-19]. He is regarded amongst guitarists as Stradivarius is to violinist, his designs for guitars are considered to be the first recognizable in design. Much of the guitars produced after this period are considered derivatives. Since the arrival of the Spanish and the Portuguese to the new world Latin America and Brazil. The guitar arrived during the 15th century onwards.

Appreciation for the guitar is wide ranging from traditional, contemporary (popular musics) to jazz, rock n' role and so many other genres. Outside of the standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning, numerous alternate tunings are employed. The primary difference between the acoustic and electric guitars, is that electric guitars do rely on the use of an amplifier. Although the guitar is plucked, many techniques are utilized by musicians including the use of slides, violin bow to achieve different timbres. Throughout the Boroque era many composers have written pieces for this instrument in several different tunings from Italy to Spain. They include Aragonian composer Gasper Sanz (b. 1640 d. 1710), Catalonian guitarist. Fernando Sor baptized on the 14 February 1778 – died 10 July 1839. And Italian guitarist Ferdinando Valdambrini b. 1623 d. 1690. During the romantic period Francisco Tarrega (b. 1852-09-21 – d. 1909-12-15) greatly contributed through his compositions and also in methodology of playing the guitar.

Historic to Contemporary Guitar Tunings

Old Tuning / temple viejo (16th Century)	G-D-F#-B
New Tuning / temple nuevo (16th Century)	A-D-F#-B
Jaques Cellier Drawing F-Pn Fonds Fr. 9152	G-C/c-E-A-D
Vehuela De Mano 6-course	G-C-F-A-D-G
Vehuela De Mano 6-course	C-F-Bb-D-G-C
Chitarra Battente [Knocking Guitar]	A-D-B-E
Boroque guitar (c. 1600–1750)	A-D-G-B-E
Standard Tuning for 6-string guitar	E-A-D-G-B-E
Lute Tuning for guitar	E-A-D-F#-B-E

Anatomy of the Guitar: The components for the classical and acoustic guitar includes a body, braces, a bridge, fixed on classical guitars and moveable bridges. Nuts maybe made of both natural or synthetic materials. This includes materials ranging from bone, wood, plastic or even graphite. The head stock holds the tuners in place and to keep the strings in accurate position. On acoustic guitars a saddle is added to the bridge to slightly raise the action of the strings. Custom guitars are available with wooden tuning pegs however machine gears are considered the standard. Guitars are usually designed, constructed and repaired by people who are called luthiers. The saddle and the nut are hand-carved of bone; the fingerboard is ebony, or other woods. The classical guitar has up to 19 frets. Where as acoustic and electric guitars have up to 21 or 23 frets. Acoustic, 12-stringed and electric guitars often have truss rods installed into the neck to prevent warping.

Citations: New Grove Dictionary of Music G to O Page 87 by Stanley Sadie > A guide to Playing Boroque Guitar By James Tyler, Page 41 [Google Books]. Web Links - The Emergance of new approaches to plucked instruments 13th to 15th centuries Christian Rault, Michaelstein, 2001.