An electric musical instrument is one in which the use of electric devices determines or affects the sound produced by an instrument.
It is also known as an amplified musical instrument due to the common utilization of an electronic instrument amplifier to project the intended sound as determined by electronic signals from the mechanical instrument.
This is not the same as an electronic musical instrument, which uses entirely electronic means to both create and control sound.
As of 2008, most electric or amplified musical instruments are electric versions of chordophones (including pianos, guitars, and violins); an exception is the varitone, an amplified saxophone (part of the aerophone family) that was first introduced by The Selmer Company in 1965.
What types of electric instruments are there?
There are many different types of electric instruments, each with their own unique sound and playing style. Some of the most popular electric instruments include guitars, basses, other stringed instruments or wind instruments.
Each of these instruments has its own appeal, and is used in a wide variety of music styles. For example, guitars are often used in rock music and basses are often used in pop and R&B music.
Electric instruments have a number of advantages over traditional acoustic instruments. The first is that they require very little maintenance, as there is no need to tune them or keep them in good condition.
In addition, electric instruments produce much louder sounds than acoustic ones, which makes it easier to hear them during performances.
Finally, many electric instruments are highly portable and can be easily transported from one venue to another. This makes it easy for musicians to perform concerts in a wide variety of locations.
I'm Joost Nusselder, the founder of Neaera and a content marketer, dad, and love trying out new equipment with guitar at the heart of my passion, and together with my team, I've been creating in-depth blog articles since 2020 to help loyal readers with recording and guitar tips.
