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→4 Basic Elements of Music
|Music Theory Basics#Harmony|Harmony
|Music Theory Basics#Melody|Melody
|Music Theory Basics#Timbre|Timbre|Music Theory Basics#Applied to Guitar|for Guitar}}
''Harmony'' is the pattern of how frequencies interact. Most natural sounds are relatively noisy - they contain a random selection of frequencies. The true definition of noise is sound with equal distribution of all audible frequencies. Consider an untuned radio or TV, which produces white noise - you cannot "zero-in" on any particular frequency, although your brain may try. Noise is chaos, and all true noise is undifferentiatable from other true noise, regardless of its source.
|Music Theory Basics#Harmony|Harmony
|Music Theory Basics#Melody|Melody
|Music Theory Basics#Timbre|Timbre|Music Theory Basics#Applied to Guitar|for Guitar}}
''Melody'' is very similar to harmony, but more concerned with sequences of single notes over time than with the combination of multiple notes. Again, it is very difficult to conceptualize harmony and melody as completely separate entities. Melodies are the lines to our favorite songs we sing - a melody can tend in a particular direction, finding resolution, and having its own rhythm (meter, accents). It doesn't require harmony, although harmony often gives it its context.
|Music Theory Basics#Harmony|Harmony
|Music Theory Basics#Melody|Melody
|Music Theory Basics#Timbre|Timbre|Music Theory Basics#Applied to Guitar|for Guitar}}
''Timbre'' is the quality of a particular sound. It is why a horn sounds like a horn and a violin a violin, even when playing the same notes. Musical instruments tend to focus on sounding particular frequencies, but not necessarily. For example, drums are not designed to focus as much on frequency as the general sound they create. Some instruments are noisier than others. Some can have a soft attack or even swell slowly louder until reaching full volume, while others might have a very noticeable, percussive attack. Some may sustain forever (synth). Some may decay immediately (sitar).
=== Applied to Guitar ===
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|Music Theory Basics#Rhythm|Rhythm
|Music Theory Basics#Harmony|Harmony
|Music Theory Basics#Melody|Melody
|Music Theory Basics#Timbre|Timbre
|Music Theory Basics#Applied to Guitar|for Guitar
}}
Guitar is such a popular instrument because of its extreme versatility. It can be percussive and rhythmic (funk playing). It can play rich harmonies, with up to 6 simultaneous notes. It has a large range, able to play most melodies. And It has a large variety of possible timbres. Various techniques can embellish traditional playing. The angle you hold the pick and where you pick the strings can affect the tone. The type of pick you use. Finger picking. And then there are loads of different effects, such as compression, volume pedals, wah pedals, distortion, delay, reverb, modulation, pitch shifting, and synth filters, that expand even further upon this. Guitar fits into band contexts as well as being sufficient for solo compositions. It can perform the work of many different instruments, reducing the size of bands, allowing such bands to play smaller and different shows.
To truly master the guitar, you must understand all the aspects 4 basic elements of music above and know how to manipulate them through the guitar.
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