A history of the electric guitar Andy Beck

Introduction The electric guitar is the most influential instrument in music of the last century. No other instrument has had such an effect in shaping the musical landscape. The electric guitar was initially shaped by its first inventors, Gibson and Fender. It was then shaped largely by high-profile artists seeking a revolutionary sound.

Inception and Early Developments The electric guitar was first concieved and invented in 1931 by Adolph Rickenbacker. Intitially, the electric guitar was developed to give the guitar volume in big bands of the 1930s. The first electric guitars were semihollow- they could function as an acoustic guitar as well as an electric.

Fender and Gibson In 1950, two men created companies that would shape the electric guitar: Leo Fender and Orville Gibson. Fender’s Broadcaster (later the Telecaster) was the first mass-produced electric guitar. In response, Gibson released the Les Paul. Conceived by Les Paul himself, it is widely accepted to be the finest electric guitar ever made.

Berry, Paul and Rising Popularity The electric guitar’s popularity skyrocketed due to two men: Chuck Berry and Les Paul. Paul and Berry were the first real heroes of the guitar, popularizing the still-new invention. With these champions, the electric guitar burst onto the mainstream.

Part 2 Part 2 will focus on the developments of specific guitarists. The electric guitar was developed mainly by innovations of its users- this section will reflect that. Five guitarists will be presented, in roughly chronological order- Les Paul, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, The Edge of U2, and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave.

Les Paul (1915- 2009) A pop-rock guitarist, primarily active in the1940s and 1950s, who is considered to be the first innovator of the electric guitar. Les Paul experimented with then-revolutionary methods such as overdubbing, multiple-track recording, and chorus. Selected songs- “How High the Moon”, “Lover”

Chuck Berry (1926-) Not an innovator as much as a wildly popular guitarist, Chuck Berry popularized the electric guitar as well as a new style of music- rock n’ roll. Active in the 1950s and early 1960s, Chuck Berry’s rapid, firebreathing licks in songs such as “Maybelliene” and “Roll Over Beethoven” inspired a generation of guitarists. Chuck Berry played a semihollow-body guitar- Les Paul played a solid-body guitar.

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) Jimi Hendrix is considered to be the greatest guitarist of all time. Jimi Hendrix was a wild innovator of the guitar, using effects like wah-wah and feedback to produce his signature sound. Hendrix was a revolutionary whose sound in songs such as “Purple Haze” and “The Star Spangled Banner” opened up new possibilities for the guitar. His death at the age of 28 shook the world.

The Edge (1961-) The Edge is best known as the guitarist of U2, one of the most influential bands of the 1980s and 1990s. The Edge is noted for his unique use of effects, especially chorus and reverb. The Edge’s use of chorus and reverb creates his trademark spacey, lush tone in songs like “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “With or Without You”

Tom Morello (1964-) Tom Morello, the guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, was a true innovator of the guitar. Tom Morello’s innovative use of sampling, wah-wah, feedback, and distortion mixed elements of hip-hop and rock and built on Jimi Hendrix’s unique sound. Morello’s groundbreaking techniques are apparent on “Bulls on Parade” and Audioslave’s cover of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”

Conclusion The impact of the electric guitar is indisputable. Like any invention, the electric guitar has changed many times through the years. The impact of the users of the guitar is more significant than other inventions.

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