The First Guitar - The Birth of the Six-String Guitar (The Romantic Guitar)

The First Guitar - The Birth of the Six-String Guitar (The Romantic Guitar) - History of the Guitar

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2 ай бұрын

The First Guitar - The Birth of the Six-string Guitar
Presented by Polivios
This video explores the earlier history of the six-string guitar from its origin in the late 18th century, featuring a performance on a guitar from the period.
The common six-string guitar that we are familiar with today has a long history dating back many centuries. From the Renaissance to the Baroque guitar, and eventually with the so-called Romantic guitar in the late 18th century, we see the emergence of the six-string guitar that is most commonly used to this day. To follow the history and development of any instrument is a long and complicated matter, with many details and nuances; this video is a brief introduction to the early history of the guitar and aims to elucidate some of the main features of its evolution.
Presented and performed by:
Polivios
For more videos and information or inquiries about online lessons visit:
www.polivios.net
The guitar featured in this video is now held in the colllection of the Cantomano Guitar Museum Berlin:
cantomano.de/
The guitar was beautifully restored by the luthier Erik Pierre Hofmann:
www.fine-antique-and-classica...
Thank you to Jeffrey Wells and the Austin-Marie guitar collection for their outstanding work and allowing to me to use their material. It is an invaluable resource for the history of the guitar. Visit:
www.austinmarieguitars.com/
Donate:
Making such videos is very labour intensive and a time consuming - and it is given freely. If you have enjoyed this video please consider offering something in return. Every cent donated will go back into artistic productions and more content for you!
PayPal:
www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_...

Пікірлер: 305

@PoliviosMusic Ай бұрын

If you have enjoyed this video please consider offering something in return. Every cent donated will go back into artistic productions and content for you! PayPal: www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2UGKZV5QYFB7J

@ismelljello 2 ай бұрын

“This next song is called Bleed”

@davidcooke8005 2 ай бұрын

I was working in a rich guys house and he had a proto guitar from the 17th century he called a gambe, from the Latin gam = leg, because you held it upright in your lap, on your legs. He let me play it, but it wasn't tuned like a guitar, and I was mostly worried about damaging it so I plucked a few notes and handed it back. I always appreciated that cool rich guy for doing that.

@garysloan9793 2 ай бұрын

Was it a Gamba tuned mostly in 4ths but not the standard guitar tuning? The Viol de Gamba family is super interesting and the direct ancestor of the double bass (whereas the rest of the orchestra strings come from the violón, you can still see the difference on the inside after the considerable convergent evolution) and was generally tuned in fourths, different ranges depending on the size, with a third not unusual somewhere in the mix

@elliotalderson-bg6ov 2 ай бұрын

rare rich person W

@mas532 Ай бұрын

it would be so criminal to play smoke on the water with that guitar. Now im not saying you should but it would be *funny*

@dannynysus Ай бұрын

Freebird!!! 🦅🔥

@eliseobetancourt861 Ай бұрын

😂

@LeeGee 25 күн бұрын

Sometimes KZfaq throws up a real gem - what a fascinating, beautifully-produced and informative video!

@PoliviosMusic 25 күн бұрын

Thank you!

@LeeGee 25 күн бұрын

@@PoliviosMusic Thanks!

@r.l.six-musicandrecords552 2 ай бұрын

I've always been a fan of parlor guitars, typically the 00 style. So, watching this video was satisfying to see how small it is but how great the sound is.

@paulkuglitsch9285 2 ай бұрын

This!!

@keithdoeskungfu 2 ай бұрын

dude some of these licks are so metal

@buddyslowhand7647 2 ай бұрын

"Soft Metal" more relaxing to the ears...😊

@ministryofanti-feminism1493 2 ай бұрын

@2drunk2care One of the reasons that metal music is so popular amongst White people is because so much of the music is derived (whether accidentally or deliberately) from European folk or classical - White culture.

@ThePaulv12 2 ай бұрын

@@ministryofanti-feminism1493 Beethoven's 6th or Pastoral Symphony, particularly the thunderstorm is very 1970s Heavy Metal - well vice versa really.

@factchecker6674 2 ай бұрын

Yeah, listen to Kreutzer violin studies, he stole his best kicks from Van Halen.

@albinoviper2876 2 ай бұрын

yup you slap sum distortion on it and i think he played a Randy riff

@maugog 15 күн бұрын

Excellent piece of work, man! Congratulations and thank you for this contribution

@jmcastromattos 10 күн бұрын

Congratulations from Brazil! Excellent video! Congratulations!

@jogmas12 Ай бұрын

I can’t afford a good guitar but I have a $50 Rogue RA 090 acoustic and I changed the plastic bridge and nut with bone and it made a world of difference. So sweet sounding now

@blackola7559 2 ай бұрын

This guitar sounds so beautiful, I prefer this sound to the modern classical guitar, sweet, round, warm sound that flows like magic

@gustabartok 2 ай бұрын

What a great and complete video! Thank you!

@chrisalluna6733 2 ай бұрын

Great information, the instruments are awe inspiring. heart attack at 8:02😳

@diogo_barros 2 ай бұрын

😂

@Ithorn110 2 ай бұрын

I wonder who owns this guitar

@marioratnaraja719 2 ай бұрын

Excellent, informative presentation. Many thanks.

@falqar1.6 2 ай бұрын

This is a beautiful video, i can feel your passion for the instrument through the screen.

@almord9357 2 ай бұрын

An excellent video in so many ways. Bravo!

@morrelljw 2 ай бұрын

Stunning instruments and your playing is amazing. Very informative video. Than you for the history lesson.

@Transterra55 2 ай бұрын

Bravo! Thank you for a fascinating history of the guitar.

@RileyReneau Ай бұрын

I enjoyed this tremendously! Thank you!

@toccar1 2 ай бұрын

Very good and interesting presentation , thanks !

@robertstewart4953 2 ай бұрын

Great video, glad this made on my recommended. Could listen to him play for hours, truly gifted.

@Exercise-01 Ай бұрын

That was beautiful and informative at the same time.

@bradsims5116 2 ай бұрын

Such a well done video. Your narration is lucid and your playing is charming. Thank you.

@justinclifton5521 2 ай бұрын

What a fantastic video! Bravo! 😀

@kurikokaleidoscope 2 ай бұрын

Thank you very much for this stunning and imperative episode .

@PoliviosMusic 2 ай бұрын

Thank you for your comments, you have always taken the time to write and it is much appreciated!

@laurennesideen 2 ай бұрын

Wow, what a beautiful instrument! Very informative video 👏👏👏

@ladyhawk5245 2 ай бұрын

Brilliant as always. Great to see you posting more videos.👍☺️

@PoliviosMusic 2 ай бұрын

Thank you Ladyhawk! Yes, it has been a long while since I have posted public videos. I have some ambitious ideas for future productions.

@zensational. 2 ай бұрын

Plot twist, _he's_ *older* than The Romantic Guitar. 🦇🧛🏻‍♂️

@gxruiz1 2 ай бұрын

I play an anonymous mid 17th century guitar that was converted to 6 string at the Guadagnini shop in the late 18th. I decided to leave the Guadagnini headstock, bridge, and fretboard rather than do a full restoration, but it’s back to double strung five course. Maybe the oldest functioning guitar in North America at least. Amazing sound, box opened at least three times but never beefed up. The playing on this video was very nice

@mabs9503 Ай бұрын

That old of a conversion is worth keeping. Trying to convert it back and deleting its history would kinda ruin its charm imo.

@davidbaise5137 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for this! Astonishing that this humble instrument lends itself to such varied styles from Parkening to Wes Montgomery to Jimi H. Wow.

@rolandmueller7218 Ай бұрын

Thank you for making this video. It’s interesting to see and hear how the first 6 string guitars were built and sounded.

@joejonesguitar Ай бұрын

Great video. Love the history!

@VA-lo4ul 2 ай бұрын

A very interesting and well documented account. Thank you!

@ricardovital 2 ай бұрын

Awesome! Nice video, nice research, very nice playing. Congratulations!

@alandana 2 ай бұрын

An absolutely wonderful video! The best! ❤

@PoliviosMusic 2 ай бұрын

Thank you Alan! Much appreciated kind sir!

@user-mr4gf7xt5u Ай бұрын

Wondered Alot about the things you said in your video.glad to learn .and just beautiful playing.

@brannonmcclure6970 Ай бұрын

These are questions I was wondering about. Thanks. The six string guitar is my favorite instrument.

@timcolivet7343 Ай бұрын

Very interesting video. Really nice playing too.

@funnymin111 2 ай бұрын

Very very good video! 👍🏻

@bradsmithstudios8881 24 күн бұрын

The tone of that little guitar is incredible.z

@derfdoerfler260 2 ай бұрын

This one made me a subscriber. Thank you for this. 🎉

@RobertJones-et7gh 2 ай бұрын

Excellent! Thank you!

@unwrought9757 2 ай бұрын

Thank you for a very nice video with wonderful playing! And by the way, I must have such an outfit as well when playing my old guitar.

@DienLeGuitarPro Ай бұрын

Wow what a beautiful guitar, thank you for the historical information❤

@Sheikofarabye 2 ай бұрын

Keith richards first guitar

@vintagepipesnightmares 21 күн бұрын

😂😂🤣 Yes he is that old👍

@josephkowhai9820 Ай бұрын

Such a magnificent instrument! A very worthy exploration of it's construction (love the fluting on the back of the neck) and the different sounds it can produce. Also amazingly generous of you to pass on the guitar to a wonderful museum! Once again Also a brilliant editing job done!

@PoliviosMusic Ай бұрын

Yes, a beauty indeed! Thank you for sharing your comment. Part 2 is now available - "The last guitar".

@user-su3ce1ii6b Ай бұрын

Thanks for the heads up.l love 💓 guitars

@DylanGladstoneMusic 2 ай бұрын

That was excellent! Thank you! When I started learning the lute a little over a year ago I cut my nails and realized I preferred the sound produced without nails on my classical guitar as well. Recently I replaced the treble strings on my 1967 classical guitar with gut and it’s never sounded better. Someday I’d love to own an original 19th century romantic guitar.

@PoliviosMusic 2 ай бұрын

Great to hear it, thank you for sharing. If you can acquire a good original 19th instrument it is a groundbreaker, new worlds of sound open up beneath the fingers. Now and then I part with instruments from my collection, feel free to contact me.

@roybrewer7865 2 ай бұрын

Great intonation on that thing!

@Maestro_Svyatoslavius 2 ай бұрын

very happy for you. beautiful guitar. in the future I would also like a romantic guitar)

@chuckmarfione3230 Ай бұрын

Wonderful and informative video. Being an almost exclusively Romantic guitar builder these days, I will post a link on my site. I hope there are more productions of this quality and caliber in the future!

@PoliviosMusic Ай бұрын

Thank you! Much appreciated. Indeed, feel free to share it. Yesterday I released the second part - "The last Guitar" - Which looks at the continued development and innovations of the guitar in the 19th century. I looked at your website. The Lacote models look fantastic 👍

@trevorpeters4358 2 ай бұрын

That neck joint is beautiful!

@miguelcastellanos29 Ай бұрын

Felicidades, excelente video y excelente contenido, muy bien explicado. Es un periodo de la historia de la guitarra que a mi particularmente me fascina. Ojalá puedas hacer mas contenidos de este tipo, le harias un gran bien a la humanidad.

@psycheopera 2 ай бұрын

Excellent documentary ❤ subbed🔥

@Skinny_Karlos 2 ай бұрын

That was most enlightening, though I did know some of it I was not so aware of the timing of the changes to the Renaissance Guitar at the time. I'd really like to have a Torres original or an earlier luthier's work such as you displayed and explained so well in your video. It's a pipe dream though, I'm 58, broke so I can't see it happening. I'll make do with my '71 Ramirez 1A. Great video, great work, Thank you.

@bobbyrullo9504 Ай бұрын

Great video, and wonderful playing! I really connected to a lot of excerpted pieces here and would love it if you posted what they are. I tried to find similar pieces by listening to various 19th Century guitar composers, but most things I heard were in a classical style that I just don't appreciate.

@klauswhitedreamer 2 ай бұрын

Very beautiful sound , guitar, and a great playing ! 💝💖😽

@belablackrose2967 2 ай бұрын

Hi I find your voice very relaxing, great video. Classical guitar is my passion. I would love to have some of these beautiful older guitars if I could ever afford them...

@Rambonbon Ай бұрын

great video thx for this. thing sounds amazing

@kingrobert1st 2 ай бұрын

Fascinating.

@aipsong 15 күн бұрын

GREAT!!!THANKS!!!!!!

@boatfaceslim9005 2 ай бұрын

Superb playing! I'm also surprised at the quality of the tone.

@ModestVejar Ай бұрын

man it sounds amazing

@shaffielaw 2 ай бұрын

This is fantastic content!

@PoliviosMusic 2 ай бұрын

SHAFFIE! Miss you brother. I hope you are well!

@davidanthony1440 21 күн бұрын

Thank You....

@bonitoludi 2 ай бұрын

What a sound!

@alonzovillarreal4666 2 ай бұрын

That guitar sounds amazing

@rodnyg7952 2 ай бұрын

...and then one day in 1967, at the Astoria Theatre in London, Hendrix sets fire to his guitar for the first time

@that_thing_I_do 2 ай бұрын

Because it was a Fender which never stayed in tune.

@rodnyg7952 2 ай бұрын

@@that_thing_I_do you make no sense

@greenriverrecordings8487 2 ай бұрын

@rodnyg7952 when you use the whammy bar on a fender stratocaster, the changing tension causes the tuning pegs to go out of tune. Some guitars use a locking nut to prevent this from happening but the stratocaster doesn’t have a locking nut so it does go out of tune particularly if you use the whammy bar like hendrix did. It makes perfect sense.

@rodnyg7952 2 ай бұрын

@@greenriverrecordings8487 that all depends more on how well the tremolo is set up with the correct floating system at the bridge, springs, and nut. Fact is, the Strat tremolo wasn't designed for Hendrix dive-bombs. It was intended for light flutters to mimic reverb

@greenriverrecordings8487 2 ай бұрын

@rodnyg7952 I don’t know man I prefer a hard tail bridge, they are more stable and you can still make wiggly sounds if thats whats called for. P.s. this is my first time engaging in discourse in any comments section and its a thrill. I Love reading the comments sections for all the crazy things random people on the internet say.

@tevishodgejr2809 Ай бұрын

I would love to see(and hear) his reaction to playing a 1920s or 30s National metal resonator (my main axe) which is obviously MUCH more modern. Im so used to people being blown away that my guitar is almost 100 years old, but this is another level 😂

@prodajamezzo Ай бұрын

Amazing sounds also the guitarist

@PlasticBubbleCosplay Ай бұрын

Amazing sound from that small guitar body

@ricardovital 2 ай бұрын

Your chanell will explode in numbers very soon!

@phantomdracula Ай бұрын

Bravo Maestro 👏👏👏🦇🎸

@clerawk 2 ай бұрын

Bravo.

@el.guitarmaniac295 2 ай бұрын

Pantur from grand Babylon is the first guitar. Awesome video!

@michaelreaper666 2 ай бұрын

Thanks ..very interesing .. :)

@LaMusicade4 2 ай бұрын

Excellent class. I bet insurance executives jumped when that instrument went in the air.

@RobMacKillop1 2 ай бұрын

Well done, Polivios. Very well presented. I'm curious about your bass strings. Aquila D-type? Kurschner?

@PoliviosMusic 2 ай бұрын

Thank you Rob! It means a lot from you. You are a true stalwart of the community whose work and contribution has had an inestimable impact! The bass strings are custom copper-wound silk strings from the luthier Steffen Milbradt who with Caroline Zillman run www.music-strings.de taking over from the recently passed Matthias Wagner. There is an interesting story about the gut trebles. They are actually really old original gut strings. Not too long ago I purchased a 19th century guitar from an antique dealer (who knew nothing of guitars) online, and when it arrived there was a leather satchel inside the body of the guitar completely packed with unused fully intact sets of gut strings! I have spent a good deal of time comparing them with other contemporary gut manufacturers and there has been no rival to them yet! Along with the gut strings are original silk trebles, which are very interesting with a crisp bright beautiful sound. Once cleaned up the guitar was an exceptional instrument too!

@RobMacKillop1 2 ай бұрын

@@PoliviosMusic Many thanks for the nice comments, Polivios. I have recently retired, so it is great to see so many good and great players coming through with no-nails playing, gut strings, etc, etc. Your playing is fantastic, and I wish you well for the future! As for those bass, strings, I will contact Steffen in the near future (once I get a house move finished!). And I loved reading your story of the guitar and the original strings. Silk trebles sounds interesting! I hope Steffen can make accurate copies of both the gut and the silk strings. Best wishes, Rob.

@kamikaze2613 2 ай бұрын

Dictate my life in words your voice and pacing is godly!

@carnagegerman 2 ай бұрын

Aguado and Carruli are my bread and butter for practicing

@olukayodeokunowo4631 Ай бұрын

God bless you for this great video. I really learned alot from you. I love guitar alot. I too have four guitars amongst them is Grand suzuki classical guitar.

@PoliviosMusic Ай бұрын

Thank you! That is very much appreciated. You can also watch part 2 here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qq6JZsigt9Swg2w.html

@fed9096 28 күн бұрын

Great video thank you! Maybe you could discuss early tuning and specifically on the one in this video.. was each guitar tuned differently, how close to concert pitch or c tuning were they and where did they start? At the low e?

@PoliviosMusic 28 күн бұрын

Thank you! Generally in practice there is an accepted standard of tuning 19th century guitars about a semitone lower at A 415. Be sure to check out part 2! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qq6JZsigt9Swg2w.html

@alkaliforever9051 Ай бұрын

We getting out of the middle ages with this one

@caliilac1429 2 ай бұрын

amazing video, i've learned a lot ! Does anyone know the name of the song he plays at 1:30?

@johnelwer3633 2 ай бұрын

Bro, I'm sure that thing is worth at least $1 million and you just throw it in the air!

@lenrichardson7349 Ай бұрын

So sad to see it hung in a museum rather than played.

@PoliviosMusic Ай бұрын

I understand the sentiment, but it is a unique situation with this museum. The instruments are readily available to be seen and played. I know the owner personally and he is a fantastic man who advocates the continued use of the instruments there. He maintains the guitars very well, and keeps them in performance ready condition.

@user-fm4mu2nr9e Ай бұрын

This sound is what led me to guitar in the first place. I had grown up on piano. Unfortunately my hands changed due to health reasons, and I never attained the ability to play real music.

@socdologer 2 ай бұрын

Your virtuosity is breathtaking.

@user-cd3tq9ye2p 2 ай бұрын

sounds realy good, imagine picking jazz bebop lines on this thing. the tone is asking for it

@a.abeyta6237 Ай бұрын

Thanks. I learned much.

@987654321012346789 2 ай бұрын

That was coo! Very well put. Yo tabs!?

@felixflatterer6646 2 ай бұрын

Hi Polivio, great video. did you bite brandon acker or the other way around?

@johncruelty1 2 ай бұрын

bro looks like he came from the middle ages

@colinreese Ай бұрын

It's the Renaissance.

@ParkerPPipe Ай бұрын

@@colinreeselol

@jameswalker4704 Ай бұрын

I think he feels he wasn't made for these timed. 😂❤😢😮😅

@jameswilliamjones 29 күн бұрын

You would make a good replacement for James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio.

@Blues2green 2 ай бұрын

Let’s not act like they didn’t shred back then! That flamenco picking with the whole hand and all the fingers in synced is bonkers!

@user-fs2nl6kt5x 2 ай бұрын

This dude can play his arse off. Damn he's good.

@AnthonyMonaghan 2 ай бұрын

Is the sound hole huge or is it just the size of the body? Sounds wonderful.

@nicksalvatore5717 2 ай бұрын

Would you possibly have the names of the guitar pieces you played throughout the film? I want to learn some of them while knowing the name. I would very much appreciate it, thank you.