The electric guitar is an iconic instrument.

Invented in the early 1930's, the electric guitar has grown and transformed in many many ways. First used in big band and a!! settings, but then brought into a roc" and roll setting by artists such as #uddy $olly and %huc" #erry ust to name a few. &s the idea of the electric guitar 'rogressed, several styles and genres of music develo'ed. It is sim'ly a household name now. There was a long list of non(believers in the early stages of the )lectric *uitar. *uitar 'layers would attach a magnet attached to a micro'hone wire to the bridge of their guitars, thus am'lifying it as a micro'hone would do to your voice. $owever, this sound was not ideal as it was a wea" signal+ it was only 'ic"ing u' vibrations from the bridge. &s technology advanced, the guitar ''ic"u'' was invented. It consists of a magnet, mounted under the guitars strings, and it ,'ic"s u', the vibrations of the string, thus am'lifying it, louder and more clear then 'revious designs. This technology allowed the guitars to get louder, more ca'able to "ee' u' with big bands, or soon to be roc" bands. -es .aul was the first to invent the solid body electric guitar, and without him, the face of music would be com'letely different. In the early /0's -es .aul created this machine that musicians li"e #uddy $olly and %huc" #erry e0'loited in their music, to then ma"e the electric guitar a mainstream 'roduct. These artist too" the )lectric *uitar to new levels, 'ushing them to the limits with little care, bringing tons of showman shi' and flash to their style. 1oc" and 1oll is beginning to develo' into was most of us thin" of when we mention 1oc" and 1oll. 2sing cris', more distorted sounds, it brought a new wave of music. 3ids in this era, seeing this new style for the first time too" interested into it heavily, as it went against everything that their 'arents

were into. They didn't want to be li"e their 'arents, they wanted something different. In the 1940's and before, 'eo'le conformed, they didn't ste' out of line very often and were ,'ro'er, 'eo'le. These new artists were showing the "ids that they didn't have to be that way. &s the develo'ment in 1oc" n 1oll 'rogress, we saw changes in the way the electric guitar was used, and sometimes abused. In the 1950's and 1960's, the )lectric *uitar is seen to be in it's 'rime. In this era there were many events ha''ening in the world such as the 7ietnam war, and other 'olitical and social confrontations that left the youth confused, and in search of an outlet for their feelings and confusion. The electric guitar 'rovided them with an outlet to get those feelings out, through 1oc" and 1oll music. &rtist's li"e 8imi $endri0, )ric %la'ton, and 8eff #ec" were u' and coming, searching for new and im'roved ways to use their electric guitars. The youth growing u' around this new music too" accustom to it, and as'ired to be li"e their ins'irations. In this strive for new music, followed the same rebellious, roc" n roll attitude. 9'ea"ing out about current events, e0'ress o'inions and feelings about the matter without caring the conse:uence. The )lectric *uitar was growing :uite 'o'ular in 'un" bands, as they would usually end u' destroying their instruments, and the stage as a set. This was 'art of the no care attitude of this era. &lot of "ids would go through guitar after guitar because they would smash them, thus being li"e their idols. The guitar became a tool for these "ids to release their emotions, you can 'ic" u' a guitar, learn 3 chords and be in a roc" band ust li"e the main stream artists. This eru'ted a huge underground roc" and roll or ,'un", scene consisting of bands li"e The %lash and the 9e0 .istols. &fter these

bands came into the s'otlight, the s:uea"y clean image of their ,'ro'er, 'arents had be demolished com'letely, which is what this generation wanted. ;hat's to do now< Their goal was com'lete. =ow it was time for artists such as #.#. 3ing to bring bac" the blues, and allow the )lectric *uitar to evolve into new genres and styles of music such as 1eggae, .o', and early $i' $o' and 1a'. =ow that the rebellious attitude has s:uashed what was to be s:uashed, music was develo'ing once again. In the >0's and 90's, the electric guitar was seen as a more ,cool, instrument rather then a necessity of world destruction. $owever the attitude and anti(establishments is still there. *uitarists li"e )ddie 7an $alen, would start writing music in a more fun as'ect, targeting the 'arty 'eo'le. This new direction started moving towards early 'o' roc", or 'glam metal'. $owever, the youth of the >0's and 90's too" accustom to 7an $alen's style of high distorted, blistering solos. &t this 'oint, the s'otlight was drifting away from the develo'ment of the electric guitar, as it has been the same for many years. The technology has grown to a 'oint where everything had been invented, the electric guitar was here and an essential tool for any roc" and roll musician. From the very beginning, the )lectric *uitar has been an e0tension of the musical range. Through its develo'ment, its been used for many styles of music by many styles of music. It has gone through very im'ortant times in history, and still remains as an icon for as'iring musicians.