[Menvi-discuss] Guitars - Difference In Tone?

[Marda]

Very comprehensive, informative and helpful article.  Thanks.
Marda
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Data 
  To: Ddots-L at Freelists. Org ; This is for discussing music and braille literacy ; foristnights at comcast.net 
  Sent: Monday, December 26, 2011 3:33 PM
  Subject: [Menvi-discuss] Guitars - Difference In Tone?


  Friends,
      This post began as a simple response to Annabelle's request for information on the differences in sound between the nylon string and steel string guitars. Over the course of the morning, it's turned into a mini-thesis. So, here we go!

      All of this assumes that the guitar player is right-handed. No slight (of hand) is intended toward the left-handed.

      I found this link on the Internet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS8fpgZbFKA
      In this YouTube video, the instructor (an Estonian guitar professor) spells out some of the major differences between the two types of guitar. He starts by finger picking the nylon, then strumming it, switches to the steel-string strumming then finger picking, and then back to the nylon again at the end. It's sometimes hard to tell the difference between a strummed nylon and a strummed steel, but finger picking immediately reveals many acoustic differences.
      The video has words scrolling across the screen while he plays, so here's the transcript (he starts with visual and structural differences and then talks about acoustic differences). [My notes are in brackets.]:

  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
  "Acoustic versus classical guitar: What's the difference?"
  (guitarschool.ee, 2011)

  Classical headstock has slots, Tuning pegs are vertical to the head. [Note: By "vertical", he means "perpendicular".]
  Acoustic has plain headstock, Tuning pegs are parallel to the head.
  Classical nut width is 52 millimeters, String spacing may be different.
  Acoustic's nut is 43 millimeters, String spacing is fixed.
  Classical tuners have faster "transmission".
  Acoustic's machines are more sensitive and "slower".
  Classical strings have plain end, They are attached to the bridge with a knot.
  Acoustic's strings have ball end, the balls are fixed by plastic needles. [Note: These "needles" are also called "pins" or "bridge-pins".]
  Classical fingerboard has no fret dots (cheap guitars may have). 
  Acoustic's fretboard has fret dots at third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and twelfth fret. [Note: Though intended for sighted people, it's helpful to know that classical guitars often have little fret dots inlayed on the top of the fret board above the thumb. On steel string guitars, the fret markers are on the fretboard itself, under the strings, and are usually made of mother-of-pearl inlays. All of them are single pips except the twelfth fret, which has two pips to indicate the octave.]
  A knob to fix your strap: mostly acoustic guitars are played with a strap. [Note: It is generally considered "proper" technique that nylon-strings be played while seated, one foot raised on a foot-stand. The "waist" of the guitar is set upon the raised thigh, lifting the fretboard at an angle. This does condone better technique, but the Spanish guitar is nylon-string and I play it with a special strap that does not need modifications to the instrument. It has a little plastic hook that attaches to the bottom of the sound hole. The strap then wraps underneath the guitar's "waist", over my right shoulder and behind my neck to my left shoulder. It's hard to explain and sometimes even harder to figure out the first few times. But now I can hardly play without it, it's that awesome!]

  Classical has nylon strings, Sound is produced by fingers. [Note: Again, I've seen Spanish style playing with and without a plectrum. That's the music geek term for "pick". Can you say "plectrum" five times real fast? And, what's the plural of "plectrum", "plectri"?]
  Classical has a soft tone, Even good instruments are not very loud.
  Sustain is short, Even good classical guitar doesn't have a long sound.
  String action is high, in higher positions the strings are far from the fretboard.
  Classical has a percussive sound, the attack of the sound is specific. [Note: By "specific" he's talking about the timbre of the tone. There are not as many harmonic overtones as with a steel-string guitar. Nylon-strings transmit more of the fundamental.]

  Acoustic has metal strings, Tension of strings can be two times tougher than classical. [Note: String "toughness" can be relaxed by using a narrower gauge string-set, but this is at the expense of acoustic fullness of sound, and also the ability of the instrument to stay in tune. Using a very narrow gauge string-set may require the use of a locking nut, which also affects acoustics. Narrow gauge strings require a softer touch, because pressing down too hard on the string will pull it sharp.]
  Hard tension gives more sustain, Even cheap guitar like this sounds longer than good classical.
  Sound is produced with a pick, Normally the pick is used but you can play with fingers too.

  More differences:
  Music style: classical plays folk, bossa, jazz, classical, early music, flamenco, latin, etc. Acoustic plays blues, folk, rock, jazz, accompanies songs, is used in bands. [Note: These are the "proper", classic styles, but mixture and fusion can provide very nice results. I play my nylon-string as a slap-bass sometimes.]
  Origin: classical type is much older than the acoustic but both keep changing all the time.
  Makers: 100% professional players use hand made classicals but most of the acoustic pros use mass production. [Note: This depends on what you mean by "professional".]
  Popularity: the interest towards classical is 1% of all guitar business so it has generally marginal importance but is popular in certain areas. [Note: Now I think this guy is just guessing. But he's got a PhD, so what do I know?]
  Name: the classical guitar is also acoustic by construction so some call it the Spanish guitar.

  See more at www.bestguitarmethod.com and www.guitarschool.ee
  END TRANSCRIPT

  Other Notable Styles:
      Here's a steel-body resonator guitar with steel strings, played by the legendary Bo Carter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc6QQ0teOxo
      Picking styles differ and they definitely affect the timbre of the instrument. Finger picking styles include picking with fingernails, with the "pads" (without fingernails), with artificial fingernails or fingerpicks, and hammering with your fingers, a pick, dulcimer hammers, or whatever else you can find around the house with which to abuse your instrument. 
      Many strumming styles can be achieved with or without a pick. Flatpicking is kind of a cross between strumming and picking, and uses a plectrum to strum chords while still picking out individual melodic voicings within the chord (for example, bluegrass). There's also mute strumming and picking, where the meat of the hand is placed at the "quick of the string" next to the bridge while playing; this gives the instrument a much more percussive timbre.
      In any case, picks tend to bring out the higher harmonics at the expense of the fundamental.
      A fun technique now called "beat boxing" uses the body of the instrument as a drum. This is not totally a new thing, but has its roots in flamenco guitar playing (and many other ethnic styles). These days, this technique has really started to take off. 
      The two-handed "tapping" style was first made popular by the wonderfully talented and almost forgotten jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan (first Hollywood appearance: the movie "Blind Date", 1987, with Bruce Willis and Kim Basinger). Mr. Jordan is now actively involved in music therapy programs. Here he is on YouTube, playing "Eleanor Rigby": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5IcWcinULk (Notice his use of martellato--"malleting"--to produce kind of a pitched cowbell sound.)
      Jeff Healy, a fabulous guitarist and vocalist, plays his guitar flat on his lap. He frets the chords with the five fingers on the left hand while flat picking with the right. Blinded by retinoblastoma in infancy, this style allows him more flexibility and tactile response from the strings and frets, with the added benefit of five-finger chords. Here's a YouTube link to his cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xBgHcXsbGk 
      Alternately, many guitarists--me included--use the oft-scorned technique of "hooking the thumb" over the top of the fret board to fret the lowest string. (See "thumb plucking".) 
      And then there's the use of alternate string tunings, 12-string guitars, pedal steel guitars, and playing with metallic or glass slides. But, that opens up a whole new ball of wax and I'll leave it at that. But, here's Leo Kottke flatpickinging the 12-string with a slide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma0Fa9t6vh4

  I hope this helps.
  Sincerely,
  Andy English
  www.papermusic.org
  Music consultation and transcription services.



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