The Guitar, classified as a six-string instrument, is very popular specifically the acoustic guitar, which is used in various methods of playing. It is commonly played with the left hand for the chords and right hand for plucking or strumming.
Some consider the guitar is a type of chordophone, traditionally constructed from wood with nylon or steel strings and distinguished from other chordophones by its nature and tuning.
The modern guitar was based by the gittern, the vihuela, the four-course Renaissance guitar, and the five-course baroque guitar, all of which attributed to the construction of the modern six-string instrument.
The main types of modern acoustic guitar are the classical guitar (nylon string guitar), the steel-string acoustic guitar, and the archtop guitar. Vibration is the root of the tone of the guitar strings, which is amplified by the body of the guitar that serves as a resonating tool to produce the sound of every string. The classical guitar is often played as a solo instrument using a comprehensive fingerpicking technique.
The Guitar is a very popular instrument that is commonly used by many musicians. This study focused on the factors that made the guitar more appealing to the youth in comparison to other instruments.
A semi structured, open ended questionnaire was used to collect the data essential for this study. Fifty male and 50 female college students were interviewed in this study. The data was thematically coded to acquire the results and conclusions. Purposive sampling was used in this research study and the average age of both male and female respondents is 19 years old. The results suggested that the guitar was more appealing to their generation, affordable to purchase and had a distinct image as a musician and songwriter. The study focused on acoustic guitar players and composers.
This study would be a basis for the acknowledgement, subliminally or consciously, why the guitar was and is a preferred musical instrument compared to others. This may guide musicians, parents, and educators that the youth have an interest in music and specifically the use of the guitar. This study will only limit the scope on the use of guitar, specifically acoustic guitar, and all the aspects of singing, songwriting, and the use of the instrument as an expression of their emotions.
According to a study published in Psychology of Music, a woman is more likely to give her number to a guy carrying a guitar case than a man holding a gym bag.
For the experiment, an attractive man approached 300 women and after complimenting them, asked for their phone numbers. He did this in three different scenarios: holding a guitar case, toting a sports bag, or not carrying anything at all. Over a third of the women gave their digits when the guy was carrying the guitar case, 14 percent responded positively when he was empty handed, and only 9 percent shared their number when a gym bag was in sight. Women associate musical talent with a genetic advantage and intellectual ability. Plus, there’s the coolness and fun factor. ―Music induces a positive effect, and this positive effect primes receptivity to a courtship request -‖says Nicolas Guéguen, study author and researcher at the University of South Brittany in France.
Although more studies should be conducted to further strengthen the conclusion, the researchers’ purpose was to determine a foundation in order to have a basis for this type or nature of research that hopefully would be investigated in the future. Findings of the study:
1. The guitar is popular to the youth
2. The guitar is more affordable
3. The guitar (as stated on the Literature Review) had a very big impact on the opposite sex
4. The guitar is handy
5. The guitar can be played solo or with a group
6. The most interesting is that only males see a guitar as a female’s body curves.
Many musicians, just like the respondents have a certain artistic dexterity that may serve as an outlet of their feelings and emotions. Such as listening to music and remembering certain situations in their life. The researchers acknowledge the fact that further studies or research should be conducted in order to solidify and enhance the results of this study.
SOURCE: Pelayo, J. M. III G. (2015) “Guitar as the Preferred Musical Instrument”
https://eric.ed.gov/?q=guitar+pelayo&id=ED560674