Essay On Electric Instruments

Electric string instruments use electrical signals and amplifiers to increase an instrument's volume and modify its sound. Composers from all genres of music have used electric instruments in their compositions. While electric instruments more commonly appear in rock and popular music the classical composer George Crumb wrote a composition for electric strings entitled “Black Angels.” Electric string instruments are not the same as semi-acoustic instruments that use a mixture of sound boxes and electric amplification to create sound.
Acoustic Instruments
Acoustic instruments use a chamber to resonate and amplify sound. They may be miked to make them act like electric instruments; however, a true electric string instrument is designed to function
The advantage of electrical amplification means real-time performance effects, such as digital samplers and reverb that alter the instrument's timbre, can be applied.
Electric Guitar
The electric guitar makes no sound without an amplifier. Magnetic pickups detect the string vibrations, sending it to the amplifier which translates them to sound. Electric guitar is the most popular electric string instrument, and there are several types of electric guitars that have as few as one string and as many as 12. Double-neck guitars also exist that convert the guitar into a regular guitar and a bass guitar.
Electric Orchestral Strings
Electric violins, violas, cellos and basses function in the same way as an electric guitar. This is different from an acoustic violin that uses a microphone to amplify the sound. The electric string instrument lacks a sound-post or chamber to amplify the vibrations produced. The electric string instrument does not resonate due to the solid body. The advantage of these instruments is the ability to use a bow and play acoustic techniques, including pizzicato and multiple stops, with the ability to digitally manipulate timbre and apply electronic