subject: Acoustic Guitar Lessons: How the Acoustic Guitar Works [print this page] Acoustic Guitar Lessons: How the Acoustic Guitar Works
One of the most important parts of learning how to play an instrument is learning how it works. This important step is something many guitarists learn during their beginner acoustic guitar lessons, but some guitarists choose not to take lessons so they must find this information elsewhere. If you have chosen to invest in private lessons, your instructor should be able to help you learn about all the parts of your acoustic guitar and how they contribute to making the instrument work, but if you do not have a private instructor you can also find this information online. By taking an online acoustic guitar lesson you can learn this information quickly.Learning the parts of your acoustic guitar is an essential part in learning how it works. If you do not know which parts of the guitar perform which functions you cannot possible understand the larger picture of how the guitar produces sound. This material can be learned quickly in beginner acoustic guitar lessons and it is something that no guitarist should go without. The hollow body of the guitar contains the sound hole, the bridge to which the strings are anchored, and the saddle against which the strings rest. The neck of the guitar is the long wooden structure that stretches out from the body and contains the frets, the metal strips across the neck which, when you press down on them, results in a change of pitch of that particular string. The head, or headstock of the guitar lies at the other end of the neck from the body and it contains the tuning pegs which, when tightened and loosened, change the pitch of the string itself.Once you have learned the different parts of the acoustic guitar you will be ready to learn how they all work together. The strings of the guitar are what produce the sound and the hollow body of the guitar is what amplifies that sound to an audible level. As the strings vibrate (when you pluck or strum them), the vibrations travel through the saddle and over the bridge and to the soundboard which then vibrates. The guitar's hollow body creates a sort of sound box which amplifies the vibrations of the soundboard, creating the sound of the guitar. The tone of the guitar can change based on the size and shape of the body - to get a feel for this, visit a local music store and try out a few different guitars. The best way to gain a complete understanding of how the guitar works is to play around a bit - trying out different parts to see how they interact.
