Offers a comprehensive look at the world's musical instruments from the oldest inventions of ancient and primitive societies to the most modern high-tech means of musical expression.

Traces the evolution of the traditional instrument families of woodwind and brass, strings, percussion, and keyboard, from ancient times, and offers examples of unfamiliar instruments. Entries on individual instruments provide background on their history, use, construction, and associated music, and discuss personalities and technologies that have influenced its development. Contains sections on the traditional instruments, electronic instruments, ensembles, the authentic revival, and non-Western and obsolete instruments, with color and bandw photos and illustrations on every page. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

"One of the nicest things.is that you don't have to be a musician to love it. It's a browser's delight."--The New York Times It's the best-looking musical encyclopedia ever! Using a completely visual approach, this ultimate reference has over 4,000 drawings showcasing the evolution of instruments--and music--from primitive whistles to electric guitars (complete with fuzz box and pedal). Exquisite illustrations accompany each entry, with painstaking detail and attention to structure, function, and decoration. Most extraordinary is the range of instruments included: orchestral, popular, classical, ancient, and folk. Classed by family groups, they are cross-referenced with material on geographical distribution and historical periods. Plus scores, diagrams of correct playing techniques, major figures, and other fascinating information provided by over forty researchers, writers, and illustrators, in cooperation with 200 scholars from 20 countries!

A reference guide to musical instruments.

Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia is a tour through pop-music’s most celebrated musical instrument. Covering several decades of iconic pieces, this guide describes electric guitars produced by every significant manufacturer from Alembic to Zemaitis. Alongside every model is detailed information and a host of action pictures of key players, from Chet Atkins to Joey Z. 1,200 photographs really bring each guitar to life. With 800 classic, rare and unusual instruments from all major manufacturers in studio-quality photographs, plus illustrations of key players, original ads, and memorabilia, it’s easy to get lost within these pages. Comprehensive and informative text with a unique A-to-Z guitar directory covers makers’ histories, great guitarists, and musical trends. This is the definitive guide to the electric guitar, written and researched by the world’s leading authorities on the instrument that has shaped over 50 years of popular music. In words and pictures, detailed descriptions of just why the electric guitar is the most exciting icon of modern pop music.

Spanning the musical world from the Middle Ages to the present, this authoritative guide features a history of musicmaking and the orchestra.

An illustrated encyclopedia of musical instruments that covers all sections of the orchestra, the voice, historical and non-Western instruments, plus famous players, composers, bands and conductors.