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The History of Music and Guitars in Appalachia
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An Original Guitar Patent
Tilton was granted one of the first guitar-related patents in the US. His patent, "Improvement in Guitars," aimed to improve the instrument's structural integrity and tone qualities. One remarkable element of Tilton's design was the inclusion of a metal bar or "sound bar" inside the guitar body, which reinforced the top and improved resonance. This improvement solved typical problems with early guitars, such as weak tops and limited projection, yielding a more robust and sonorous instrument. -
Early Ads for Guitar strings
One of the most notable changes was the transition from gut strings to steel strings. This shift occurred gradually, beginning in the early 1800s and gaining momentum throughout the century. Steel strings offered greater volume, sustain, and durability compared to gut strings, allowing guitars to be heard more clearly in larger performance settings. This change also influenced the construction of guitars, as builders adapted their designs to accommodate the increased tension by steel strings. -
First Woman Guitarist
These are portraits of some of the first guitarists. Emma Schubert, the woman on the left, was one of the first women to perform at The Guild convention, which included many well-known guitarists of the time. It was a huge honor to be invited to play at this convention. This is historic for the music industry because men were the primary demographic of performers at the time, and women were rarely allowed to perform. She paved the way for many other female performers during her time. -
The Cadenza
The Cadenza and The Crescendo where newspapers that were released regularly throughout the year that updated people on upcoming events, new instruments for sale, and other important information regarding the music world. This paper has everything from sheet music to articles about the latest orchestra performance. This was the main source of information for people who were interested in going to concerts and shows. Often times the front page displayed the most recent concert that occurred. -
Guitars for Sale
This text advertises 1930s guitars. The prices of guitars at this time were significantly cheaper than the ones you find today. These guitars were state-of-the art at the time and would often be overlooked now for being out of date. These guitars do not have a lot of the quality engineered bodies that newer guitars have that amplify and project sound as efficiently as we have now. rather, they were constructed to support the tight strings on the neck of the guitar to make it durable. -
Sources
“Olcott-Bickford (Vahdah) Collection.” n.d. Oac.cdlib.org. Accessed April 8, 2024. https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8zp4c79/. Pyall, Nicholas. "Guitar stringing in late nineteenth-century North America: the emergence of steel." Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society 40, no. 00 (2014): 29+. Gale Academic OneFile (accessed April 7, 2024). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A436983367/AONE?u=knox61277&sid=googleScholar&xid=c2fa5036. -
Sources
“Guitar in America PDF | PDF.” n.d. Scribd. https://www.scribd.com/document/330823012/Guitar-in-America-pdf.