Electric Guitar

 

An electric guitar is a guitar that converts string vibrations into electric signals through electromagnetic induction. The signal generated is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it has to be amplified before sending it to the speaker.

 

Because the output of an electric guitar is an electric signal rather than a sound wave, the signal may modified through various electronic circuits to "color" the sound.

 

Some of the various ways the signal may be modified are effects such as reverb, flange, phase, wah, echo, and distortion.

 

Reverb adds an element of dimension to the sound by a series of echoes that build and decay. This can produce an effect similar to what would be produced when playing a guitar in an empty auditorium. The reverb amount may be controlled to change the sound from that of a small room to a concert hall.

 

Without getting too technical, distortion is basically produced when the signal overdrives the amplification process. The waveform of the signal is truncated, which produces the distorted sound effect.

 

The flange effect is produced by mixing two identical signals together, with one signal delayed by a short time period with gradually shortening delays with each cycle. This produces an interesting filter effect due to harmonics produced.

 

The phase effect filters a signal by using modulation to modify the frequency spectrum of the sound produced. This creates a type of sweeping effect.