The Beauty Of Guitar Music
March 24th, 2008There has been a long love affair with the guitar, ever since its evolution from the lute of the Middle Ages. Classical guitar music from maestros, such as Andres Segovia and Julian Bream, has enthralled audiences. Jazz guitar too has many fans, as exemplified by Herb Ellis and Charlie Christian. It is rock and pop music that has produced the most feted heroes however.
The late 1950s introduced rock and roll to the world. Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry gave electric guitar music to the world and every teenager played air guitar in their bedrooms. Elvis burst onto the scene, ably assisted by his guitarist, Scotty Moore. As the 1960s dawned, boys formed groups and practiced in their garages and back yards.
One of the groups to make the big time were The Beatles, who learned to play their instruments by listening to imported American records and copying them. It’s a lot easier today with sheet music, guitar tabs and downloads available for the backlog of songs. Computer software and tutorials are there to help budding guitarists learn their chords. Guitar music has always been the backbone of rock music, although the 1980s was a decade in tune to the electronic sound of the keyboard and synthesizer.