Archaeologists discovered the oldest stringed instrument in Mesopotamian history, the lyres at Ur. They are three thousand-year-old artifacts. The earliest stringed instruments were lyres with wooden bodies and strings to be plucking and played with a stick or bow. Later harps like the violin and lyres had these devices.
The middle japanese rebecs were a breakthrough in terms of string and form, using a half-pear shape with three strings. The gittern (a four-stringed guitar precursor) and the basic lutes were used in Europe to create the first versions of violins and fiddles. Catgut (animal fur) was used as a string material in most of the devices. The design of string devices was delicate during the Renaissance period and the Baroque period (1600-1750). Violins and guitarists were designed in a more uniform way, and resembled what we play today. The Renaissance violins had intricate woodwork with stringing. Alongside the Spanish frame and Spanish quill-plucked guitars, there were also more intricate basses such as bandoras.
Wood string instruments, such as cellos and violas were now popular devices for chamber orchestras and smaller orchestras. Nineteenth century guitars were often six-stringed versions, rather than the traditional five. String devices have changed a lot in the 20th century. This is mainly because of electronic amplification, digital music and improvements to the instruments themselves.
The acoustic is a popular instrument in jazz and blues. But as an instrument that was acoustic in nature, it could not be used alone. So it was usually used to accompany the rhythm. The acoustic played chords in large bands during the 1920s. Guitar amplifiers with a speaker and amplifier built into a wood cabinet allowed jazz guitarists to play solos. Electric guitars were improved to allow them to be connected with guitar amplifiers. Electric guitars feature magnetic pickups as well as volume knobs and a jack for output.
In the 1960s, powerful amplifiers for guitars were created. These amplifiers allowed guitarists to play in rock bands in large venues, such as stadiums or outside song festivals. String units of all types, including electric guitars and violins, have been using digital amplification for years. They’ve also experimented with different timbres (tone colors) and dynamics.
