The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

228 Par t 6:Arranging

Guitars and Other Plucked Instruments

The guitar is technically part of the string family, although most folks differen-

tiate it from the violin-type instrument. That’s because the guitar is never

bowed; it’s always plucked or strummed. (The guitar also has six strings, com-

pared to the four strings of the violin instruments.)

There are several other instruments that fit within the guitar category. The

mandolin and ukulele are smaller and higher pitched than the guitar, whereas

the electric bass is more like a traditional double bass, but in a guitar-like con-

figuration with just four strings.

Guitars, of course, can be either acoustic or electric—and the electric ones can

have either solid or hollow bodies. The different configurations produce different

types of sound, although the notation is the same for all the different guitars.

Guitar parts can be notated with notes on staves or, if you just want a strummed

rhythm, by using chord notation. You can also spell out the fingering of each

chord by using guitar tablature, as shown in the following.

Guitar tabs can

be automatically

derived from tradi-

tional chord nota-

tion when you use a

computerized music nota-

tion program, such as those

discussed in Chapter 19.

Tip

Guitar tablature.

Oh, and while we’re talking about plucking strings, we can’t forget the harp.

The harp isn’t really a guitar (it’s kind of like a piano, but more vertical), but it

does work when you pluck its strings.

Woodwinds

Some woodwinds are made of brass; some are made of wood. But all (except the

flute) use a wooden reed to produce their sound; you put the reed in your mouth

and blow until it vibrates.

The flute produces sound when you blow across an open hole; kind of like blow-

ing across a soda bottle. But it’s still classified as part of the woodwind family,

probably because it has a similar valve structure and fingering for determining

individual notes.

There are lots of different woodwind instruments. You have flutes and piccolos;

at least four different types of saxophones; a variety of clarinets; those odd-

sounding oboes and bassoons; and even the not-so-common English horn

(which isn’t a horn and isn’t even English—it’s an alto version of the oboe).

Woodwind instruments primarily use the treble clef, although the bassoon and

contrabassoon both use the bass clef.