Guitar 6

Question 0

The magic number to use in positioning frets is

Answer 0

17.817. Let’s say that the scale length for a guitar is 26 inches. The first fret should be located (26 / 17.817) 1.46 inches down from the nut, or 24.54 inches from the saddle. The second fret should be (24.54 / 17.817) 1.38 inches down from the first fret, or 23.16 inches from the saddle. The 12th fret should be exactly halfway between the nut and the saddle. The following table shows all of the fret positions and the frequency of each note on the first string (assuming a scale length of 26 inches).

Question 1

The frets are spaced out so that the proper frequencies are produced when

Answer 1

the string is held down at each fret.

Question 2

Let’s say that the scale length for a guitar is 26 inches. The first fret should be located

Answer 2

(26 / 17.817) 1.46 inches down from the nut, or 24.54 inches from the saddle. The second fret should be (24.54 / 17.817) 1.38 inches down from the first fret, or 23.16 inches from the saddle. The 12th fret should be exactly halfway between the nut and the saddle.

Question 3

An acoustic guitar generates its sound in the following way:

Answer 3

When the strings on a guitar vibrate, they transmit their vibrations to the saddle.
The saddle transmits its vibrations to the soundboard.
The soundboard and body amplify the sound.
The sound comes out through the sound hole.

Question 4

The particular shape and material of the sound board, along with the shape of the body and the fact that a guitar uses strings, give a guitar

Answer 4

its distinctive “sound.”

Question 5

There are a number of different ways to modify sounds to get the particular voice of the instrument. For example,

Answer 5

One modification that a guitar makes to that tone is to add harmonics to it.

Question 6

For example, when you pluck one string it plays the pure note, but the string also rings

Answer 6

at harmonics like two-times, three-times and four-times the pure tone.

Question 7

Other strings also pick up the vibrations from the saddle and add their own vibrations as well.

Answer 7

Therefore, the sound you hear from a guitar for any given note is actually a blend of many related frequencies.

Question 8

A guitar also adds an envelope to any note it plays. The note doesn’t just

Answer 8

start and stop abruptly – it builds and trails off. Over the course of the note, the amplitude (loudness) of the note changes.