Guitar Research Papers

Usually, when someone thinks of a guitar they think along the lines of Slash playing a solo or some pop star strumming chords, but the reality is that the guitar is used for far more than just making music fans happy. Playing the guitar can be a pastime or even therapeutic. I have two guitars of my own, but I mainly use my Yamaha APX500ii. I've been playing guitars since 2011 when I received my first one. I started out playing guitar just for the novelty of being able to play it, not realizing how important it would become to me.One main thing I learned in my first few years of playing is that the guitar can be used as a stress and anxiety reducer. It has become my therapist in a sense. Although it may just be another musical instrument to

most, to me the guitar is a way to distract myself from problems and soothe stress.
My first guitar, an Applause, was given to me by my grandfather. It is an old guitar, so old the age of it is not known due to the peeling tag. The paint on the fret-board is slowly peeling away giving the guitar a rustic look and feel. Featuring a plastic back and wooden face, the body has a classic dark brown sunburst finish that is littered with unsightly cracks. It plays just how it looks. The bulky body is hard to put an arm around. The frets are rough and chipped from the years of playing the guitar has been through, leaving its users fingers spotted with calluses. The stiff old strings make it a pain to play. The strings are hard to push down, slowing down my playing. It is constantly out of tune and tough to get back into tune. When strummed, it gives a metallic twang sound because of its plastic cover and its old rusty strings. I played short, poorly executed songs on this guitar. Most of the time it did not sound good. It was a rough starting place but my first guitar launched me into my obsession with them. I spent months trying to learn to play it. Weeks would go by with very little to show for my effort. It was frustrating to say the least. The difficulty I was facing only fueled me more to be able to play. This old guitar helped me to focus on other things besides the psychological bullying from my classmates in middle school. I could come home from school and pluck away on the strings for hours. It provided a way that I could let out my emotions and it took my mind off of whatever was bothering me.
My second guitar was far nicer than the Applause. The Yamaha APX500ii was bought new, straight from Guitar Center. Differing from the Applause, the Yamaha guitar has a shiny black body that is made of spruce wood. The rosewood fretboard is in perfect condition and offers a much smoother playing experience. The strings are easy to push down allowing me to play quicker songs. This new guitar features a built in tuner and as well as that, this guitar has a pickup in the body which allows it to be played through an amplifier. The strings on the Yamaha paired with its superiorly constructed body give it a much fuller sound than the Applause. This guitar could play nicer sounding music and smooth chords and the small body is easier to maneuver around. This was an enormous improvement from my first guitar and it propelled me to take on tougher skills. Whenever I feel overwhelmed I can play the guitar and forget about everything, even just for a minute or two.
The APX500ii is acoustic and electric, meaning that it gets most of its sound from the reverberation in the body. This is different than electric guitars in which the body is made of solid wood, getting all of its sound from the electric pickups on the bridge or neck. The hollow body allows the guitar to play anywhere the user is and can be used without an amplifier. The guitar also has a jack to plug a speaker into, giving it the opportunity to be a performance guitar. Compared to other guitars, the APX500ii has a thin body, called cut-away, giving it a slimmed down look and reducing its weight. The dark brown neck features inlaid frets and a diamond shape at the top of the head. This beautiful instrument is the tool I use to relax. The peaceful progressions of notes and chords lulls me away from reality.
One reason I chose to start playing my guitar over other instruments is because of its versatility.

On many other instruments such as the saxophone, trumpet or flute, it is possible to play only one note at a time. These instruments are limited to playing only the melody of a song. The guitar has multiple strings that can all be played at the same time, because of that, both chord progressions and solos can be played. This gives its user the ability to play different parts of a song. Another property that makes the guitar versatile is that it is a string instrument. Unlike brass and woodwind players, guitarists can sing while playing. This was attractive to me because I enjoy both singing and being my own accompaniment. Along with what parts can be played, the guitar can play a wide range of music styles. Some of the styles include: bluegrass, country, pop, rock, classical, and jazz. The Yamaha can do all of these styles and more when played

correctly.
Playing the APX500ii is more than just a hobby, it can be a get-away from stress and depression.

When one is occupied playing a song, they do not have the focus to think about things that might stress them out, whether it be loan payments, careers issues, an upcoming paper for class, or other problems. Personally, I get overwhelmed by having a part-time job, high school sports, and full time college classes. I had to go to the hospital recently because of a stress induced medical issue. My guitar helps me get away from all of this for a while and recuperate for the next task, much like going to a therapist would. I have even joined a small band that plays at fundraisers because I have enjoyed the benefits of it. My guitar is an essential part to reducing my anxiety about all of my classes. As well as playing on my own, performing boosts my self confidence. I have only played a few shows, one being a solo performance at a talent show. When I am waiting to step up on the stage I feel incredibly nervous to perform and let the members of the crowd judge me. The anxiety builds higher and higher as I get called out. Glancing out into the crowd, there are hundreds of gazing eyes all trained on the stage. Then tension suddenly releases once I get into the song and forget everyone is there. At this point it is just me and my guitar. As soon as the song is over, I snap out of my trance to see the audience applaud and my emotions

sympathized.
The guitar has been used to help many others as well. Music therapy is a popular way of psychologically healing people. Patients improve their mental or physical condition through either listening or playing music. Studies have shown that music therapy can relieve stress, alleviate pain, enhance memory and even help heal physically. The guitar is used as one of the main instruments for it. In one study, 56 college students were exposed to a stressor. Then the students were exposed to five minutes of different types of music. Those who listened to classical or their own relaxation songs experienced a massive decrease in stress and anxiety while having a boost in relaxation levels (Labbe, Schmidt, Babin and Pharr 166-167) This study furthers supports the ideas that music from the guitar can be a tool to help relax people.
One reason why my guitar is so effective at reducing stress is that it is always available. Unlike therapists where one has to make an appointment, the guitar is always where ever it was put last. It does not require any planning, one can just pick it up anytime that they need it. Another thing that comforts the guitarist is that when they play, they can express any emotion that they may have at the time. One can choose an existing song or express their feelings through writing a song with the guitar. The view of the guitar being one of the coolest instrument for a music star has also helped it to be a popular way of making music. Many people start playing because of how they would look playing it and I was one of them. Just by thinking that one looks cool while playing their instrument drives them to play it more and makes them more self-confident. In turn, their happiness results in less depression.
It is amazing how simply plucking strings over a wooden box can change one’s mood. Playing music has emotional effects on everyone. Even history has been affected by it. Music could be heard in the American Revolution as the rebels beat their drums while marching into battle. Music has played a part in protesting for peace as well. “Imagine” by John Lennon is a perfect example of wanting peace during the Vietnam War. On the opposite end, “Born in the U.S.A” by Bruce Springsteen promoted going into battle by singing of an American pride. This sound and lyrics of these songs evoke emotions from its listeners, which is how they can change the mood of a crowd as a whole. On a personal level, the guitar has helped me express my own feelings and has gotten me away from situations where I have been overwhelmed. The Yamaha is much more than a guitar, it’s a second home where I can find relief from all of the outside problems. It doesn't judge and is always there when it’s needed. The guitar takes on more properties than just a musical instrument.