| arp guitar is one of the most interesting variations on | | | | While the harp was invented somewhere before |
| the standard guitar, it has a very beautiful sound and | | | | recorded history began, (they are clearly shown in |
| can be found in both electronic and acoustic versions. | | | | Egyptian tomb paintings) the harp guitar seems to |
| I came across a word with an interesting sound the | | | | have made it’s appearance around 150-200 |
| other day, one I hadn't really heard before. The word | | | | years ago and was quite common around the turn of |
| was 'retronym'. | | | | the century and up to the 1930’s. After that |
| A retronym is essentially a brand new name for | | | | the instrument seemed to drift completely out of |
| something, usually required by the passage of time | | | | favor. The sound is not the same s that of the six |
| and/or new technology. The best example is World | | | | stringed guitar, and the result of difference was |
| War I, which wasn't World War I at all until World | | | | disapproval from some quarters. |
| War II came along. Another famous example, and | | | | Famous guitarist Julian Bream began his career playing |
| the reason I'm writing this, is 'acoustic guitar' a name | | | | a harp guitar, and not just any guiar, this was a |
| which didn't exist until the electric guitar came along | | | | Selmer-Maccaferri. A picture exists showing your |
| and made it necessary to distinguish between the | | | | Julian, at around 13 years of age, playing his harp |
| two. In case you're wondering, the term 'retronym' | | | | guitar. The picture was taken during a visit to Banjo, |
| was first used in 1980 by Frank Mankiewicz, an | | | | Mandolin & Guitar Magazine when Julian was just |
| American journalist, former president of the USA's | | | | about to be ‘discovered’ and |
| NPR (National Public Radio) and, incidentally (for movie | | | | appeared on the magazine’s cover in June |
| buffs) son of Herman Mankiewicz, co-writer of | | | | 1947. Julian’s first teacher, Dr Boris Perrot, |
| Citizen Kane. | | | | had owned a Russian harp guitar and advocated the |
| One of the most interesting things about the | | | | use of these extra strings, in fact Julian’s |
| acoustic guitar, as opposed to it's electric cousin, is | | | | father enjoyed the sound so much he helped build |
| that it comes in many variations, which you might | | | | the guitar into the logo of the Philharmonic Society of |
| imagine would by now be consigned to history, but | | | | Guitarists, so he was very willing to look for suitable |
| quite a few have made a come back in recent years. | | | | instrument for his talented son. His choice was a nine |
| One such is the harp guitar, an instrument with many | | | | stringed harp guitar said to have been played by |
| configurations and sounds, which can be defined as a | | | | Maccaferri himself. Despite this, when Julian Bream |
| guitar with additional strings which can be plucked but | | | | gave his first concerts, he used a conventional, six |
| which are un-fretted, in other words there are usually | | | | stringed guitar, so what happened? |
| the standard six strings which are played as normal | | | | Apparently it is all down to one man, Wilfred |
| PLUS others; one or more, which are usually lower in | | | | Appleby, a member of the Philharmonic Society of |
| pitch and which are always played open, just like the | | | | Guitarists who was partially responsible for the launch |
| strings of a harp. | | | | of Breams career. Unlike Bream senior he was not |
| Some harp guitars have treble or mid range strings or | | | | enamoured of the harp guitar, in fact he described it |
| even both. Many have one or more curved arms | | | | as a ‘freak instrument’. Appleby |
| which gives the instrument a harp like appearance, | | | | wrote that ‘no music requiring extra strings is |
| others simply have two necks. In all cases the sound | | | | really representative guitar music’ and |
| of the instrument can be amplified by pickups on | | | | demanded that Julian use a conventional guitar for his |
| both the harp and guitar strings, creating a | | | | debut. |
| completely unique sound which is very rich and has | | | | The rest, as they say, is history. Without this narrow |
| great depth. | | | | view, the world of guitar music might be very |
| Harp guitars include instruments which are truly | | | | different today, but happily the harp guitar is now |
| unique, and many which would look at home in a | | | | making a come back, in both acoustic and electronic |
| science fiction film. What they are most definitely | | | | form. There have now been seven harp guitar |
| not, are harps. The definition of a harp requires the | | | | gatherings held at various locations in the USA, the |
| strings to be at right angles to the sounding board, | | | | next, HGG8 is to be held in in Indianapolis in |
| putting harp guitars more in the zither class than harp | | | | November 12th - 14th 2010. If you’d like to |
| itself. | | | | participate, how about some acoustic guitar lessons? |