Reading Exercise: The guitar's historical background

The term ‘guitar’ entered the English language from the Spanish word ‘guitarra’, which was derived from the Greek ‘kithara’. Exploring its etymology further, it appears to have originated from the Indo-European root ‘guit-‘, meaning music, combined with the root ’-tar’, indicating chord or string. This root ‘-tar’ is shared across various languages and is also present in the word ’sitar’, another stringed musical instrument. Despite linguistic variations, these fundamental elements have been consistent in most historical terms for ‘guitar’.

B.

Although the guitar became widely popular as a musical instrument in modern times, guitar-like instruments have existed in diverse cultures worldwide for over 5,000 years. The earliest forms resembling today's acoustic guitar emerged around 500 years ago. Before this period, stringed instruments were prevalent globally, depicted visually, rather than through surviving musical compositions. Many of these depictions portray basic stringed instruments, often resembling the lute more than the guitar.

C.

The exact date of the earliest six-string guitar is still somewhat uncertain. The oldest surviving one, crafted by Gaetano Vinaccia, dates back to 1779. However, many six-string guitars claimed to precede 1790 are often doubted for their authenticity, as numerous fakes from that era have been uncovered. It's widely acknowledged that the early nineteenth century marks the period when six-string guitars began to take on their modern shape and dimensions. Consequently, for nearly two centuries, luthiers, or guitar makers, have been crafting variations of the modern acoustic guitar.

D.

The emergence of the first electric guitar didn't occur until the early twentieth century. George Beauchamp secured the initial patent for an electric guitar in 1936, leading to the co-founding of Rickenbacker, originally known as the Electro String Instrument Company. Although Rickenbacker commenced electric guitar production in the late 1930s, it gained widespread recognition in the 1960s, notably when John Lennon used one for the Beatles’ debut on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964. Subsequently, George Harrison acquired his own Rickenbacker guitar, including one of their earliest 12-string electric models. Paul McCartney also utilized a Rickenbacker bass guitar for recording purposes. The Beatles continued to favor Rickenbacker guitars throughout their career, greatly popularizing the instruments among musicians of their time.

E.

The Fender Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation were two other early pioneers in the development of electric guitars, both introducing models in the early 1950s. Fender initiated with the Telecaster in 1950 and 1951, followed by the debut of the Fender Stratocaster in 1954. Gibson started marketing the Gibson Les Paul, partly with input from jazz musician and guitar innovator Les Paul, in 1952. The majority of modern solid-body electric guitars are still heavily influenced by these three early electric guitar designs.

F.

Throughout the guitar's history, a vast number of individuals have left their mark on how the instrument was crafted, played, and perceived. While some, like the Beatles or Les Paul, are widely recognized, most of these individuals remain largely unknown to today's guitar enthusiasts. By examining the entire history of the guitar, rather than focusing solely on recent developments, which are predominantly related to electric guitars, it's possible to appreciate the contributions of earlier generations more fully.

Questions 1-7

Choose  NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from  the passage for each answer.

1. Despite  differences in 1…  , ‘guit-‘  and ‘
2. Instruments   that we would  call acoustic  guitars  have been made  and played for approximately  2… 
3. No one knows the  3…   when  the first six-string  guitar  was made.
4. The  4…  of acoustic  guitars  have not changed  much in 200 years.
5. A 5..  for an electric guitar  was issued in the mid-1930s.
6. Les Paul, the well-known  6…  guitarist,  was involved in the development   of the electric guitar.
7. Most 7…  of the guitar know little about its rich history.

Questions 8–13

Complete  the summary.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Instruments   similar  to the guitar  have been played by musicians  for over 8…  years. What  we know about  many of these instruments   comes from 9…   rather  than actual physical examples  or music played on them.  In some ways, these early stringed  instruments   were closer to 10…  than  the guitar as we know it today. We do have examples  of six-string  guitars  that  are 200 years old. However, the  11…   of six -string  guitars  made by guitar  makers  (who are also known  as 12 ) before the final decade  of the eighteenth  century  is often open to question.

Although  the electric guitar  was invented  in the  1930s, it took several decades  for electric guitars  to develop, with the company  Rickenbacker  playing a major  part  in this development. Most  13…  electric  guitars  in use today are similar  in design to guitars produced  by the Fender  Musical Instruments   Company  and the Gibson  Guitar  Corporation in the 1950s.

Answers:

1. spelling and pronunciation (Đoạn 1, “Although the spelling and pronunciation differ between languages, these key elements have been present in most words for ‘guitar’ throughout history.”)

2. five hundred years (Đoạn 2, “The earliest instruments that the modern eye and ear would recognise as a ‘normal’ acoustic guitar date from about 500 years ago.”)

3. exact date (Đoạn 3, “There is some uncertainty about the exact date of the earliest six-string guitar.”)

4. shape and dimensions (Đoạn 3, “The early nineteenth century is generally accepted as the time period during which six-string guitars began taking on their modern shape and dimensions.’)

5. patent (Đoạn 4, “The first electric guitar was not developed until the early twentieth century. George Beauchamp received the first patent for an electric guitar in 1936..”)

6. jazz (Đoạn 5, “Gibson began selling the Gibson Les Paul, based partially on assistance from jazz musician and guitar innovator Les Paul, in 1952.”)

7. fans (Đoạn 6, “Though some of these individuals are particularly well known, like the Beatles or Les Paul, the majority of these people are virtually invisible to most modern guitar fans.”)

8. five thousand (Đoạn 2, “guitar-like instruments have been in existence in numerous cultures throughout the world for more than 5,000 years.”)

9. visual depictions (Đoạn 2, “Prior to this time, stringed instruments were in use throughout the world, but these early instruments are known primarily from visual depictions”)

10. the lute (Đoạn 2, “A number of these instruments have more in common with the lute than the guitar.”)

11. authenticity (Đoạn 3, “However, the authenticity of six-string guitars alleged to have been made prior to 1790 is often suspect, as many fakes have been discovered dating to this era.”)

12. luthiers (Đoạn 3, “Thus for nearly two hundred years, luthiers, or guitar makers, have been producing versions of the modern acoustic guitar.”)