History of Guitar Essay Example for Free

History of Guitar Essay Music has always been a part of the world’s culture throughout the history. Way back thousands of years ago, people utilized their body parts such as their mouth, hands and feet, in order to create sounds. However, due to people’s inventiveness and resourcefulness, they have begun to use different materials that are part of their everyday life so the creation of musical instruments has begun. One of those discovered and invented instruments is guitar. This paper endeavors to present detailed information with regards to the history of guitar. First, it will provide a definition of the term ‘musical instrument,’ and its types. Then, it will also provide a definition of the musical instrument ‘guitar. ’ Second, it will trace and narrate its history. And lastly, it will reveal its benefits to the society. Furthermore, it will give a brief knowledge its contemporary status in the society. Musical instrument, traditionally, is any sound-producing material that comes from any culture, activated in any means, and is utilized for making what is universally and frequently known as â€Å"music. † It encompasses automatic or mechanical however it also includes recording or playback device (Rice). It is classified into different types namely: (1) idiophones, which consists of cymbals, triangles, gongs, castanets, bells, xylophones; (2) membranophones, which consists of drums, a skin or membranes is extended and stretched across a reverberating cavity; (3) chordophones or instruments that produce and make sounds by way of vibration of one or more strings stretched amidst two fixed points. It can be a guitar, lupe, harp, violin, cello; (4) aerophones which are blowing devices that use vibration of the air. These include trumpets, clarinets, flutes, bagpipes, whistle (qtd. n Wade 10). Guitar is a stringed instrument, which looks like the lute or the violin, however, it is bigger in size and has six strings: three of them are silk-covered silver wire and the other three are catgut (â€Å"Guitar†). It is a globally mobile instrument by which form, tonal textures and playing strategies and techniques are result of its appropriation. It is utilized in various locally specific musical contexts (Bennett and Dawe 1). It is made of wood, akin with lute, however, it has a more box-shaped resonator—the general characteristic of the instrument. All through the history, its strings are played by either a plectrum or a finger. It possesses a circular soundhole in its center (Wade 12). The modern English terminology for ‘guitar’ came from the Spanish term ‘guittara’ and was derived from Arabic and Latin terms ‘qitara’ and ‘cithara,’ respectively. These terms were derived from ‘kithara,’ and earlier Greek word, and from the Persian term ‘sithar’. â€Å"‘Sithar’ itself is related to the Indian instrument, the sitar† (â€Å"History of Guitar†). The history of guitar is traced hundred of years ago. It has been established along with other ancestor instruments known as lyres and harps, which are mentioned in the Old Testament, Mesopotamian long-necked lutes, string instruments delineated in ancient Babylonian and Egyptian art (Wade 13). The oldest famous representation of the instrument that displays all its important features is on a 3,300-year old stone carving of Hittite bard (â€Å"History of Guitar†) found at Alaca Hoyuk (Wade 13). Throughout the Middle Ages, three, four, five-string guitars do exist. The Guittara Latina, which has curved sides, is said and thought to have originated in Spain (â€Å"Acoustic Guitar History†). It is a product per se of a long and multifaceted history of various influences (â€Å"History of Guitar†). Renaissance is the chosen period that is said to be the suitable starting point of guitar because it is during this epoch that the instrument is already in relation to music (Turnbull 2). During this period, composers wrote most of the time in tablature (â€Å"Acoustic Guitar History†), a musical notation relatively different from the modern ones. Its page usually looked flamboyant, ornate and complicated but for musicians and instrumentalists, it has been a very practical, useful and a straightforward method and manner of transforming symbols into sounds (Wade 18). Nevertheless, in this period, the guitar never possessed the respect that the lute has because it has not been regarded as a serious instrument. The first publication for guitar was recognized to have come from Alonso Muddara’s â€Å"Tres Libros de Musica en Cifras para Vihuela. † Finally, the guitar commenced to attract instrumentalists hence; there had been an increase in publication and music (â€Å"Some Guitar History†). Italy became the center of guitar in 17th century. In the late 18th century subsequent to the addition of the sixth string, the Spanish school of guitar making flourished. In the era of 19th century, there was already an enhanced and improved communication and transportation that allowed the performers to journey around the world, thus, the guitar evolved to become a widely known musical instrument (â€Å"Acoustic Guitar History†). The aspects and dimensions of the modern classical guitar were established and founded by Antonio Torres, who works in Seville in 1850 (â€Å"History of Guitar†). Guitar music then became popular in Spain. The development in guitar that was done by Torres signified alterations in appearance. The modern guitar took the form of a broadened body, the waist curve was increased and the belly was thinned. An improvement with regards to its internal bracing was designed; single string courses were replaced by double courses and the machine head replaced the wooden tuning pegs (â€Å"Acoustic Guitar History†). By the end of the 19th century, the guitar has fallen out of favor. However, it was revived by Francisco Tarrega, who was known for his â€Å"Receurdos de la Alhambra. † He performed in public and chose to perform for his friends at his home. He wrote a technique on how to teach guitar. He also transcribed a myriad of musical pieces for guitar. He was also considered as the pioneer of playing guitar with fingernails; which evolved into a tradition (â€Å"Some Guitar History†). Most of the credit and recognition regarding the development of guitar was carried on to the Europeans. Today, steel-string acoustic guitars are developed by the Americans. In the early 20th century, when European emigrants arrived in America, a number of them are highly skilled musical instrument makers, which includes those specialists in the steel-stringed guitar. There are two kinds of production that have evolved—the flat-top guitar and the arch-top guitar (â€Å"Acoustic of Guitar History†). When guitar technology has finally led and made its way to the United States in the early 19th century, it was Charles Friedrich Martin, a guitar maker who migrated in New York in 1833, who initiated it. In early 1900s, the Martin Company produced and made larger guitar instruments yet still adhered and abided with the classic model designs, especially the Spanish guitar (â€Å"How a Guitar is Made: Background†). The lineage of the guitar is huge and arduous to trace especially because there is a partial misconception that the guitar is a direct successor of the lute. The lack of reputation and prominence of guitar in history is aptly due to the fact that it attracts little heed from good composers and musicians until the 20th century (â€Å"A Contextual Background†). The creation of guitar has been of vital importance in the field of music. It is a representation and embodiment of discovery, inventiveness, imagination and expression of performing intelligence and skill. The early guitar bestowed significant contributions during the Baroque period. The guitar and guitar ancestors took hold of the attention of folk culture and the middle class way back the Baroque era as well as the Classical period (â€Å"A Contextual Background†). The instrument represents an abstract idea, a mode of thinking with regards to sound and a mode of identifying and recognizing cultures. The guitar is a fundamental icon in American culture and other cultures around the world. There are several versions of stringed instruments that are crafted and created as distant away from Japan, and are developed into the orchestra. It also forms unique variations like the Sitar of India (â€Å"The Linage of Guitar Construction†). The growth of the guitar in the course of history is in a two-fold path. The technical progression and developments have been enthralling, fascinating and fundamental. Nevertheless, nourishing and developing that evolution and development has been the social element of guitar’s reputation and recognition. The mechanical alterations that have been demanded socially contributed to its better and louder instrumentation. Thus, there have been documentations on its development and journey. The guitar’s progression in the course of time is one of the mirrors that culture indeed changes over time. It evolves just like how the guitar evolves (Kentor and Michaels 10). The guitar is not just an embodiment of one’s culture and time. It is also a representation of the status of whoever owns it especially during the ancient times because most people in the middle class owned a guitar. Its development serves a reflection that people’s ingenuity, thinking and creativity do enhance and progress, alongside with the culture that they belong. The creation of guitar has helped a lot in the music industry because it accompanies and produces sound even without the use of electricity. It is purely mechanical because only the fingers or a pick is used in playing. However, the invention of electric guitar has contrasted that fact. Compared to the classic mechanical guitar, it produces louder and better sound. On the other hand, the discovery and creation of electronic music, music that can be created even without musical instruments at hand—purely digital, has given way to the somewhat â€Å"death† of guitar industry. It is now being taken for granted little by little even though there are still some who take hold of its importance and still utilize it in composing and crafting new musical pieces.

Cuban Cuisine :: Cuban Food

Cuban Cuisine Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures. Traditional Cuban cooking is primarily peasant cuisine that has little concern with measurements, order and timing. Most of the food is sauteed or slow-cooked over a low flame. Very little is deep-fried and there are no heavy or creamy sauces. Most Cuban cooking relies on a few basic spices, such as garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay laurel leaves. Many dishes use a sofrito as their basis. The sofrito consists of onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano, and ground pepper quick-fried in olive oil. The sofrito is what gives the food its flavor. It is used when cooking black beans, stews, many meat dishes, and tomato-based sauces. Meats and poultry are usually marinated in citrus juices, such as lime or sour orange juices, and then roasted over low heat until the meat is tender and literally falling off the bone. Another common staple to the Cuban diet are root vegetables such as yuca, malanga, and boniato, which are found in most Latin markets. These vegetables are flavored with a marinade, called mojo, which includes hot olive oil, lemon juice, sliced raw onions, garlic, cumin, and little water. A typical Cuban breakfast consists of a tostada and cafe con leche. The tostada is a portion of Cuban bread which is buttered then toasted on an electric grill. The cafe con leche is a combination of strong, espresso coffee with warm milk. Cubans break the tostada into pieces, then dunk them into the cafe con leche, as Americans would dunk their doughnuts into their coffee. Additionally, some may eat ham croquetas, smoky creamed ham shaped in finger rolls, lightly breaded, and then fried. For those on the run, with no time or desire to eat, a shot of cafe cubano, Cuban coffee, will revive the dead. Lunch consists of empanadas, chicken or meat turnovers, or cuban sandwiches. The sandwich could be a media noche (midnight sandwich), consisting of a slice of pork, ham, and swiss cheese and then topped with pickles and mustard on sweetened egg bread. The pan con bistec is a thin slice of palomilla steak on Cuban bread garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, and fried potato sticks. One may also order a side of mariquitas, thinly sliced plantain chips, to accompany their hearty sandwich.

Yahoo Reaction Paper

On the 3rd of May, 2012, Daniel Loeb, Yahoo's largest external shareholder, who then controlled 5. % of the company through his hedge fund – Third point, launched an attack on Yahoo! And its new C. E. O. , alleging that Scott Thompson had lied on his resume about his academic qualifications. This was a result of a proxy war between Yahoo! And Loeb, who being a major stakeholder, wanted his choice Of candidates on the board and saw Thompson as an obstacle. These allegations snowballed into a huge crisis during a trying period for the organization.After rejecting a profitable takeover bid from Microsoft, steep competition from other internet giants and top level management issues, this situation weakened the company rather. Thompson, in his resume, claimed to have a college degree in accounting and computer science from Stonewall College near Boston. This â€Å"claim† was published on the company's bio and annual report, a legal document whose validity and authenticity is confirmed by the CEO- He even certified these degrees in the Securities and Exchange Commission filings.After receiving Lobe's letter stating that Thompson only had an accounting degree from Stonewall and the college didn't even offer a computer science degree at the time, Yahoo! Initiated an investigation. Upon receiving the findings of the investigation, Yahoo! Encoded that Thompson in fact only had an accounting degree and called the mistake an â€Å"inadvertent reproof. F-judging information on ones resume is something that many people indulge in, in order to make their profiles appealing especially in competitive job markets, a place where they fear loss to other capable candidates.Scott Thompson probably didn't need to lie about this particular qualification as he was in fact more than capable to lead Yahoo! Given his past experiences in technology firms like Papal and Visa. In my opinion, one of the most important methods of moral reasoning that one must adopt while making any professional or even personal decision, is the Rawlins Liberalism moral method. As Minnie Moldavia rightly suggests, one should keep in mind that the decisions you make could eventually decide your social position in the future.This future could not just have a positive or negative effect on you, but also the others who depend on and matter to you. Had Scott Thompson followed this method while making his resume as opposed to just a consequentiality approach, it is very likely he wouldn't have found himself in such a controversy. This saga did not just affect him, but also the organization, its shareholders and employees. Since Loeb first revealed Thompson padded resume, Yahoo's shares fell by around 3%. Since his tenure began, Thompson began to cut costs by laying off almost 14% of the Yahoo! Rockford, most of whom were in fact engineers and computer science graduates. Although the â€Å"Resume-Gate† seemed to some a minor error blown out of proportion, several disgruntle d Silicon Valley employees questioned how they could work for an organization where the C. E. O. Claimed to be a computer scientist and actually wasn't. Employee and share-holder morale was at an all-time low, a situation caused by a decision made many years ago, which Thompson rabble thought would never come back to haunt him. Thompson is not alone. There have been other C. E.Co's who have lied about their credentials in the past and some have almost got away with it. Ronald Carmella, C. E. O of Bausch & Lomb, admitted to his mistakes and retained his position. Others like David Edmondson from Radiograms haven't been so lucky. In the name of marketing or branding themselves, people believe they can attract aspirations jobs and seem appealing to employers. More often than not, people do not need these little lies to achieve success or the job of their dreams. David Edmondson, for example, had climbed up the company ladder and had become C. E. O. Cause of his ability and skillet, not because of the degree he showcased on his resume. Radiograms may have been too harsh when they implemented their decision, but it was definitely for the long term stability of the company. From the observations so far, understand that the active agents are the board of directors at Yahoo, Scott Thompson and Daniel Loeb. Their decisions will affect the passive agents I. E. The shareholders and the employees. So were Yahoo! And Radiograms justified in asking their prized possessions to move on? As a decision maker, the questions one must ask, according to Graham Tucker, are as follows.Is the decision Profitable? On firing Scott Thompson without cause, Yahoo! Would have to pay him a huge severance fee and stock grants of up to $million. This would seem a huge compensation and a loss for the organization in the short term, but could definitely seem profitable in the near future as the stock prices were bound to increase, which they did upon Thompson resignation. Tucker also asks if the decision is legal. The answer to that is also yes. According to the Serbians-Solely Act of 2002, violators face penalties of 20 years in prison and nines of up to $million if the data submitted to the SEC isn't authentic.Fairness of the decision is another question that Tucker asks. According to the Yahoo's code of ethics, all employees are expected to disclose fair, accurate, timely and understandable information in reports and documents filed to the S. E. C. This applies even to directors. It would be unfair to other employees if such conduct ignored what the top level management was up to. The decision of firing Thompson was also the right decision as this would not just set a strict precedent at Yahoo, but it would also salvage the company from a trying tuition.No company would want their leader lying about anything let alone something as petty as three words on their resume. Trust issues creep in and shareholders could question the transparency and openness the company has to offer. Lastly, Tucker asks if the decision taken would ensure further sustainable development. I personally believe that during this predicament, in spite of multiple changes in management a few years earlier, a good change would benefit Yahoo's future growth. A situation like this sets a bad tone at the top and beginning afresh would uplift employee and shareholder morale.

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