History of National Get Out Your Guitar Day
The history of Get Out Your Guitar day is simply unable to be recorded. Ever since the first version of a guitar was created, man has desired to escape the mundane and take some time to dream. Bards and storytellers of old became the pop stars of today.
All with the ability to make music and take us along on their adventures. Whether it is the heartache of relationships or the ringing anthems of those who seek for change, the music sweeps us up and gathers us along.
Remember that joy that you had the first time someone heard you playing and recognized the song? Yeah, that is what today is about. That pure, sweet, joy in the moment. So run up to the attic or down into the basement and get that guitar out of hiding!
The guitar probably made its first appearance in 16th century Spain. These early models only had four strings and were much slimmer than the full-bodied acoustics that we enjoy today. The instrument was probably the descendent of the Spain-specific vihuela, which was a kind of local version of the lute.
Over the following three centuries, the guitar’s basic design underwent an evolution, slowly improving it from decade to decade. In the seventeenth century, artisans added a fifth string. And by the eighteenth century, we got the sixth string we know and love today.
The shape of the pegbox changed too. In the early days, it was similar to a viola. But people realized that they could get a slightly better sound out of it if they flattered and widened it, a development that led to the modern design.
There were improvements to the tuning options too. In the 1600s, musicians had to rely on clumsy metal tuning pegs to get the right pitch. But by the turn of the 19th century, engineers had replaced them with pins, often made of ivory, which could make tiny adjustments to the tone.
Early guitars didn’t have frets either. Performers would create notes by merely pushing the strings into the wooden board. However, designers noticed that they could improve the sound with the addition of metal strips placed crosswise on the neck, corresponding to various frequencies.
The guitar was a bit of a curiosity when it first appeared. People weren’t sure what to make of it. The lute and the vihuela were far more popular. However, during the 17th century, tradition string instruments went into decline. And by the start of the 19th century, they had mostly fallen out of circulation.
Part of the shift towards guitar was undoubtedly driven by early virtuoso soloists, including Fernando Sor and Joseph Kaspar Mertz. Before long, the guitar had become a staple of modern music and the instrument of choice for bringing people together for a good old-fashioned singalong.
National Get Your Guitar Out Day is dedicated to making sure that everyone can benefit from the humble guitar. The instrument has an uncanny ability to get people pumped about music.