Physics of Electric Guitars Essay - 1309 Words

Introduction More than any other instrument, the electric guitar has shaped and redefined music in the last century. Although popular culture did not pay much attention to it when it was first introduced in the 1930s, it has since become equated with the very essence of rock and roll music. On an international level, the electric guitar is by far the most famous instrument to come out of the United States (howstuffworks.com). Background Inventors have been playing with the idea of electrically powered musical instruments since the 1800s, but the first attempts at an amplified instrument did not come until the development of electrical amplification by the radio industry in the 1920s. One pioneer of the†¦show more content†¦* The vibrations of the strings can be quantified and calculated according to basic laws in physics. These include certain relationships between velocity, wavelength, and frequency and equations that describe the motion of a string fixed at both ends. How Pick-Ups Work: Electric guitar pick-ups work by employing principles of magnetic induction. The pick-ups are composed of small electromagnets (magnets that are wrapped with a coil of wire, thus allowing an electric current to flow through them). Because of their close proximity to the strings, these magnets induce a north and south pole on the strings. When the string is played, it begins to oscillate, or move in a wave-like fashion. This affects the field surrounding the pick-up and causes a change in the magnetic field. These changes, or fluctuations in the magnetic field are transmitted through the wires connecting the pick-up(s) to the output jack and are thus relayed to the amplifier where they are sent to the speaker and converted from electrical energy once again into motion energy (sound). (Brain, n.p.) Electromagnets can turn electrical energy into motion. Likewise the converse is true: they can turn motion into electrical energy. Such is the case with electric guitar pick-ups. Waves on a String: A guitar string is an example of a string fixed at both ends which is elastic and can vibrate.Show MoreRelatedEssay about Physics of the Electric Guitar and Amp849 Words   |  4 PagesA guitar is an instrument made out of wood or other wood like materials. Many things could affect the instruments qualities, such as the types of lacquer used or what kind of strings are used. The guitar amp is an instrument in itself just as a guitar, not all amps are created equally. An amplifier allows the guitarist to express his playing to the world. Some amplifiers are made using really simple vacuum tube circuits, and others are made from really complex solid state circuitry. Not any twoRead MoreThe Bands And Music Groups That Are Popular Today1179 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: Look at the bands and music groups that are popular today. They use many different instruments to create the songs they present to us. 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