Técnicas de abafamento de sons indesejados na guitarra elétrica

Abstract

The need to amplify the volume of the acoustic guitar so that it could accompany musical ensembles of high sound intensity, such as wind and percussion instruments, represented a major challenge due to its limited projection. Scientists began searching for solutions to this issue, inherent to the instrument since its earliest models. In the early 1930s, the electric guitar and the amplifier were invented, solving the problem of the instrument’s low projection. However, amplification can generate unwanted noises during performance, such as sound feedback, sympathetic string resonance, and sustained notes beyond the intended duration. These phenomena result in a dirty or less defined sound. This study presents an analysis of muting techniques for unwanted sounds on the electric guitar, performed by the musician’s hands, considering the specificities of amplified sound. In this regard, the focus lies on the use of both hands to mute the strings, preventing the instrument from producing unwanted noises and harmonics. The study found that the coordinated action of the right and left hands is essential for achieving a clean and well defined sound.