Lehigh Valley Folk Music Society
Instruments
Acoustic Guitar (6-String and 12-String)

Martin Classical....Gibson Dove....Martin D-28

6-String Guitar
The 6-string acoustic guitar is the most common and popular instrument used by modern folk and country artists in America, and is a regular rhythmn accompaniment to all of the Society's musical reportoire. The instrument emerged as the staple instrument of folk music at the turn of the 20th century where it was the solo instrument of the early Delta blues artists who perfected its application in a number of sophisticated finger-picking styles. The instrument became the primary accompaniment to solo voice performers like Jimmie Rodgers and Woodie Guthrie, whose simplistic strum while fingering only a few dominant chords (e.g., G, C and D7), formed the instrumental basis of many early 20th century folk songs. In the 1920s, Maybelle Carter brought the country-style of 6-string guitar to perfection with her creation of the famous "Carter style pick" which has formed the basis of most of today's country music styles. In the 1960s, during the Folk Revival era, the acoustic guitar sound, either solo or in concert with other guitars, was the mainstay of nearly every folk musician and folk song performed. The LVFMS guitarists play a range of brands of acoustic guitars including Alvarez, Takemine, Epiphone, Martin and Gibson.

12-String Guitar
The 12-string acoustic guitar adds a harmonic richness to the solo folk performer and became a very popular instrument of the folk musicians during the Folk revival period. Though tuned similar to the 6-string guitar, each of the 6 strings is paired: the lower three strings (E, A and D) are paired as an octave while the 3 higher strings (G,B, and E) are paired at the same pitch. The 12-string's pairing of strings creates a unique brightness and depth to the solo guitar performer, which gives the instrument t's unique character. We use it regularly to add harmonic enrichment to our acoustic guitar accompanient.

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