West African Guitar

West African Guitar

• Europeanized
• Instrument of Africa
• 15century - the first guitars

Notes:

Long neglected by Western Ethnomusicologists who often categorised it as Europeanized or hybrid

15century - the first guitars probably came from Portugal or North Africa and were brought to Freetown by Sailors

1950’s Most Guitars were purchased in local shops and were made in Europe.

Capo

• Used extensively to bring the chords to a certain pitch, and even in modern day highlife bands electric guitarist use capos.
• Normally the capos were not commercially bought but were carved from a piece of wood and secured by elastic

Guitar Tuning:

• Standard E,A,D,G,B.E employed for most songs the favoured key of G is used for a large number of tunes
• “Full C” tuning used where the low E string is tuned one step higher to F. The F Chord can then be played with the sixth string open, the other chords are played using the thumb on the bass string
• Favoured Alternative tunings: D G D G B D, C E G C E G

The Guitar is played using the thumb and index finger of the right hand

Electric Guitar. Solid body electric Fender Stratocaster.

• Played in a similar manner to acoustic.
• Restring - Esp D string