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