Guitar History in Depth

The history of the guitar seen from a broader perspective

Much has been said about guitar history, and all the stars that bedeck it. What I find unfortunate, is that most guitar histories are blind to the greater context.

The guitar is a very young instrument. It has existed in its modern form -with 6 strings, and what is now standard tuning- only since the 1800s. It has been taught in conservatoires only since the 1960s.

Yet it is perhaps the most widely played instrument in the world today!

The fact is that serious study around the guitar has only recently begun. When compared to instruments like the piano (and its predecessors), or the violin (and its family), the guitar is in its baby shoes.

Yet its portability, availability, and relatively low price have made the guitar the instrument of the masses. It has become the symbol of rock music.

And -don't get me wrong- I love rock music and rock guitar, with its irreverent mood, and all of what goes with it. But seen from a musical stand point, the music is usually pretty unsophisticated.

Not that it has to be, either! What I'm trying to point out is the larger picture here:
The lack of proper training schemes, and the exponential proliferation of the guitar mean that it is not only the most widely used instrument in the world today, but also the worst played.

The world of classical guitar, due to individualism, the lack of significant repertoire, and the lack of chamber music within that repertoire, has turned into a ghetto. A ghetto with very little contact with the broader world of music, and musicians.

To my mind, this means that although it would seem like we are living the age of the guitar, what we are actually seeing is a period of stagnation. The status-quo of music making on the guitar is rarely, if ever, questioned.

By this I mean the way the guitarist interacts with, and understands music, through his instrument. Beyond very simple patterns, the guitar is often lived more as an obstacle than an aid in this respect.

And if what matters most is the iconic image of the rock star holding his strat -with his godly status- then music making on a guitar is not likely to evolve much further down that road!