Reflective Journal on Work Experience Module - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1717 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Career Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? ASSESSMENT TITLE : ANALYSIS OF VOCATIONAL AREA OF CHOICE à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" INFLUENCES TRENDS à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" PO1 WORK EXPERIENCE MODULE As a part of my FETAC Level 5 Major Award (QQI) in Work Experience, I was required to do an assignment divided in 6 parts covering the Business and Office Administration sector by analysing the vocational area for the various influences and trends. PREFACE The purpose of this study is to get an overall view of the Office and Business Administration sector in Ireland. I have tried to get as much information possible in this sector, which continues to change and improve. Through this study I have tried to examine the sector and highlight the importance in broader terms. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Reflective Journal on Work Experience Module" essay for you Create order I have briefly touched the public and private sectors in Ireland and studied the career opportunities available in business and office administration. I have also tried to study the job responsibilities and the skills and qualifications one needs to have to earn a respectable salary. Business and Office skills are required by every organisation. Schools, colleges, hospitals, government offices, private businesses, medical and legal firms are few to name. These skills help run the organisation efficiently and smoothly on day-to-day basis. When choosing a career in any field, it is important to consider the specifics. What types of jobs are available, what are the qualifications needed for that particular position, what is the salary being offered, what responsibilities does the position expect to carry out. QUESTION 1 Outline the range of career opportunities within your chosen workplace sector indicating the qualifications required at each level. INTRODUCTION As a part of my assignment I was required to research and study the different career opportunities and monetary growth available to a person with the right qualifications and skills in the Business and Office Administration sector. Public sector are organizations owned and operated by the government fall under this sector. For example county offices, health care centres, Garda and prison services, local and central government departments, fire service, defence, postal services, educational institutes, bus / dart / luas and many more. For a person to make a career in the public sectors administrative department Clerical Officer (CO) is the first step of the ladder. The next level is the Executive Officer (EO). Higher Executive Officer (HEO). Administrative Officers (AO) are the next in line. Assistant Principal (AP) Principal Secretary General Third Secretary or Junior Diplomat. Private sector are those organizations that are privately owned and not owned or run by the government belong to the private sector. These usually include profit and non-profit corporations, partnerships, traders and charities. For example, retail stores, credit unions, and local businesses in the following sectors agricultural, construction manufacturing, professional services finance, medicine and law, transport, travel and hospitality, communications, other utilities such as gas, phone and mobile services, electricity. There are a number of positions one can apply to in the private sector. To name a few are Receptionist Help Desk / Call Centre / Support Staff or Customer Service Representative Accounts or Payroll Assistant Administrative Assistant Secretary à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" General Secretary, Medical Secretary, Legal Secretary Marketing Assistant Human Resource Assistant Personal Assistant Office Manager Administrator Supervisor Executive Assistant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=2798103 https ://www.careersportal.ie/sectors/sector_experts.php?client_id=17parent=12ed_sub_cat_id=34#.VRFaCEZbF5U à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“https://about.brighton.ac.uk/careersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  There are different levels that one can apply for Entry Level, Middle Level and Higher Level. Each level requires certain experience, skills and qualifications. The nature of work varies depending on the type and size of business and whether one works in the public sector or private sector. Salaries vary as per the job level. Certain criteria are taken into consideration when deciding the salary structure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" skills and years of experience, educational qualification. https://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-different-office-administration-jobs.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=2339835 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=35243786 Some Job Profiles Secretary as an essential member of any organisation handles all administrative and clerical duties and assists with the daily tasks , conducts research for long term projects, manages information and supervises other administrative employees. Only a high school diploma or its equivalent is needed to qualify for the job; on-the-job training is common. Positions also exist at the executive level and in the legal and medical fields, which could then require specialized education and/or knowledge. Proficiency in English and computers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" word processing, excel, typing, filing is what makes a good secretary. Good communication and organisation skills are the main criteria. Starting salaries can range from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬12,000 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬16,000 per year. Depending on the experience the salary can go up to 35K. Receptionist being the first person that customers come in contact with, presents a first good impression about the company by greeting, welcoming, and directing the clients, suppliers and visitors appropriately; managing the front of an office and keeping desk tidy; handling phone c alls, emails and mail. To work as a receptionist academic qualifications are not compulsory but GCSE in Maths and English is preferred. A professional approach and strong communication and customer service skills are needed. Starting from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬12,000-15,000 per year and can increase up to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬24,000 depending on the industry. The average pay for a Receptionist is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬22,461 per year. https://coverlettersandresume.com/resume/duties/receptionist-skills-qualifications-strengths-and-duties-for-resume/ https://www.jobawareness.com/receptionist-duties-qualifications.asp Clerical Officer handles general clerical duties e.g. answering/making telephone calls, dealing with correspondence, filing, photocopying, reception desk, maintaining data using computer or manual systems, and other general office duties. Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education Establi shed Leaving Certificate Examination or Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme or at least two years previous service in an office of Grade III, Grade II, Grade II typist or Grade I is all that is needed. Proficient in word processing skills Word, Excel and PowerPoint, particularly in the area of speed, accuracy and presentation; verbal/written communication/interpersonal skills as well as excellent organisation skills; excellent knowledge of the Irish Legislation are asked for the position. Salary is set in the civil service with he current scale starting at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬20,859 and going to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬33,078 (after 3 years on maximum), à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬37341 (after 6 years on maximum). https://www.impact.ie/your-sector/public-sector/civil-service/civil-service-salary-scales/merged-salary-scales-for-new-entrants/ https://gradireland.com/careers-advice/job-descriptions/clerical-assistant Human Resources Assistant is primarily responsible for maintaining employee records and documentation concerning grievances, terminations, absences and performance reports. Handle recruiting, hiring or training new employees, posting job openings, gathering information from applicants, verifying prior employment, contacting references and letting applicants know whether they got the job. As well as answering questions from employees or the public concerning the company is carried out.. With just a high school education a person can start a career in this field. Strong computer and interpersonal skills are also necessary. On-the-job training is given. Graduate entrants can start at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬25,000 and rise to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬40,000 per year with experience. The more the experience, the better the pay. Senior personnel officers, especially in large organisations, earn considerably in excess of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬100,000. Salary levels for HR officers vary considerably across sector. Salaries in large private companies tend to be higher than those for workers in local authorities. https://gradireland.com/careers-advice/job-descriptions/human-resources-manager https://www.payscale.com/research/IE/Job=Human_Resources_(HR)_Manager/Salary Marketing Assistant helps the Marketing Manager oversee the advertising, sales promotions, PR for the business. Day-to-day administrative tasks, welcoming customers and preparing reports for the company along with market researching are handled. With emphasis on computer knowledge and the ability to multi-task any graduate can become a marketing assistant but marketing and business experien ce is an advantage. Good communication and organisational skills, good team player, are considered an asset. The salary range for a marketing assistant is from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬19,000 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬35,000 per year. Accounts Assistant gives administrative support to accountants, undertaking clerical tasks such as typing, filing, making phone calls, handling mail and basic bookkeeping.ensuring all accounts including expenses and general ledges systems are under control and in perfect order. Customer service and communication skills, and excellent attention to detail are very essential. Knowledge of low-level accountancy and basic skills in book-keeping are preferable, prior to beginning the job. Experience of office-based computer systems and software is usually necessary. One must be qualified having accounting experience, if possible. A qualification relevant to accountancy would be ideal, though in-house training is often available to those working as accounts assistants . Degrees (bachelors or masters) in accounting, finance, statistics, economics or maths would be desirable. The average pay usually is around à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬25,000 per year. CONCLUSION It is important to understand the difference between the private and public sector as privacy rights differ as per the legislation the organisation is governed under. Getting into Clerical and Administrative work requires strong written and spoken communication skills, together with computer skills, organisational and time management skills, and the ability to complete tasks to a high standard. A large number of courses relevant to careers in Clerical and Administration are run in PLC and IT colleges throughout the country. Students through these courses gain experience in all aspects of the technology relevant to the smooth running of modern office environments. Courses are usually one year in duration and are full-time with work experience a mandatory part of their study. These cour ses aim to equip their students with the necessary practical and computing skills and the knowledge necessary for the dynamic world of business. Courses would typically include subject areas such as IT skills (Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Database), Business Law, Book-keeping, Communications and Business Calculations. Advanced administration courses are also available for specific sector areas. Because of the increasingly fast pace of business life today, all clerical staff must learn how to function efficiently under pressure, and in a multiplicity of ways, in a fast changing environment. The public who interact with the organisation can be very demanding. Front office staff must be able to deal with the public in a calm, but efficient, friendly manner. For this kind of career, you need to have good written and spoken English. It is becoming increasingly important to be reasonably proficient in at least one other European language. Qualities such as good organisational skil ls, keyboard and computer skills, competence in managing office requirements, good communication skills, a pleasant manner and a neat and tidy appearance are also important.

The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Is Writing To You To

The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus is writing to you to discuss our concerns regarding the content of Ohio’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan and the proposed submission date of the plan on April 3, 2017. The purpose of ESSA is to fully prepare all students for success in college and careers, which consists of rigorous and comprehensive state developed plans designed to close achievement gaps, increase equity, improve the quality of instruction, and increase outcomes for all students. Ohio is currently creating an ESSA State Plan for how our local, state and federal programs are aligned to help all our students be successful. The state has invited the public to review and provide comment on the draft state plan and technical†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ The class of 2027 are present day 2nd graders. Schools have the indicators which identify the students who are not on the path to graduate high school, this is the moment where intensive intervention should be provided to assist our children to have a successful academic experience. †¢ Every child should have multiple routes to receive a high school diploma. Students that have not successfully passed the standardized test but have completed four years of course work with passing grades, should qualify to uniquely demonstrate proficiency to receive a diploma and participate in the graduation ceremony. Schools and Districts Identified for Support †¢ The state needs to provide all technical equipment, support and troubleshooting for all mandatory state testing. †¢ Teaching is moving from an individual to a collective activity. The level of agreement and alignment across classrooms around powerful practices are increasing. The school is aligning its organizational resources around support for instructional improvement. AnShow MoreRelatedNsl Final Exam Study Guide7447 Words   |  30 PagesCourt to declare legislation, laws, bills, acts, and executive orders unconstitutional. b. Explain how judicial review empowers the Supreme Court within the system of checks and balances. Judicial review gives the Supreme Court power over the legislative and executive branch because the Court can declare something that either branch wants to do unconstitutional. c. Describe the process through which the Court grants a writ of certiorari. The court will order a lower court to send up a certainRead MoreAmerican Civil Rights Movement Essay15820 Words   |  64 Pages1. American Civil Rights Movement THE BLACKS 1865 and 1870 - Three Constitutional amendments: The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, the Fourteenth Amendment gave blacks the rights of citizenship, and The Fifteenth Amendment gave them the right to vote. Until the modern civil rights movement (1950s) blacks were denied access to public places such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, and schools. There were separate facilities marked colored only, which was sanctioned by the courts. 1896Read MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 PagesPROJECT MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES, SECOND EDITION - PROJECT MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES, SECOND EDITION HAROLD KERZNER, Ph.D. Division of Business Administration Baldwin-Wallace College Berea, Ohio John Wiley Sons, Inc. This book is printed on acid-free paper. @ Copyright O 2006 by John Wiley Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

Enlightenment Essay Example For Students

Enlightenment Essay During the eighteenth century, Europeans experienced the dawning of an age ofknowledge, reasoning, and of great scientific achievements. Their views towardnew discoveries and advancements were optimistic. People began to turn toscience for a better understanding of their world and their society. Literatureand essays were commonly used to express their hopes for further developments insociety, politics, economy, and education. I. Individuals A. John Locke 1) EssayConcerning Human Understanding (1690) a) Regarded the human mind of a person asa blank slate. b) Did not believe in intuition or theories of innate conceptions2) Two Treatise of Government. a) Attacked the theory of divine right of Kings. b) Argued that sovereignty did not reside in the state but with the people. 3)Some thoughts concerning education. a) Recommended practical learning to preparepeople b) Lockes curriculum included conversational learning of foreignlanguages, especially French, mathematics, history, physical education, andgames. B. Rene Descartes 1) Descartess philosophy, sometimes calledCartesianism. a) Elaborate explanations of a number of physical phenomena. 2)Physiology a) Part of human blood was a subtle fluid, that he called animalspirits. 3) Study of Optics a) Fundamental law of reflection: that the angle ofincidence is equal to the angle of reflection. b) Paved the way for theudulatory theory of light. 4) Mathematics a) Systematization of analyticgeometry. b) First mathematician to attempt to classify curves according to thetypes of equations that produce them. c) Made contributions to the theory ofequations. d) First to use the last letters of the alphabet to designate unknownquantities and the first letters to designate known ones. e) Invented the methodof indices (as in x2) to express the powers of numbers. f) Formulated the rulefor finding the number of positive and negative roots for any algebraicequation. C. Sir Isaac Newton 5) Mathematics a) Calculus: Generalized methodsbeing used to draw tangents to curves and to calculate the area swept by curves6) Optics a) Opticks: Sunlight is a heterogeneous blend of different rays?eachof which represents a different color -and that reflections and refractionscause colors to appear by separating the blend into its components. b)Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica 7) Also showed interest in alchemy,mysticism, and theology D. Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet) 1) La Henriade (TheHenriad) 2) Two essays, one on epic poetry and the other on the history of civilwars in France. 3) Lettres Philosophiques (The Philosophical Letters, 1734) 1. Acovert attack upon the political and ecclesiastical institutions of France. 4)?lements d e la philosophie de Newton (Elements of the Philosophy of Newton) 5)Po?me de Fontenoy (1745), describing a battle won by the French over theEnglish during the War of the Austrian Succession. 6) Si?cle de Louis XIV, ahistorical study of the period of Louis XIV. 7) Essai sur lhistoire g?n?raleet sur les moeurs et lesprit des nations (Essay on General History and on theCustoms and the Character of Nations, 1756) a. Decries supernaturalism anddenounces religion and the power of the clergy, although he makes evident hisown belief in the existence of God. 8) Le d?sastre de Lisbonne (The LisbonDisaster, 1756); a number of satirical and philosophical novels 9) He rejectedeverything irrational and incomprehensible and called upon his contemporaries toact against intolerance, tyranny, and superstition. E. Denis Diderot 1) Pens?esphilosophiques (1746), which stated his deist philosophy. 2) Encyclop?die oudictionnaire raisonn? des sciences, des arts et des metiers, which is usuallyknown as the Encyclop?die a) French translation of the English Cyclopaedia byEphraim Chambers b) Used the Encyclop?die as a powerful propaganda weaponagainst Ecclesiastical authority and the superstition, conservatism, andsemifeudal social forms of the time. 3) La religieuse (The Nun, 1796), an attackon convent life. 4) Le neveu de Rameau (1805; translated as Rameaus Nephew) F. .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 , .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .postImageUrl , .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 , .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2:hover , .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2:visited , .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2:active { border:0!important; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2:active , .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2 .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uebba17a1b94433e29de10acfb5ea71e2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Twan EssayJean Jacques Rousseau 1) French philosopher, social and political theorist,musician, botanist, and one of the most eloquent writers of the Age ofEnlightenment.) 2) Discourse on the Origin of Inequality Among Mankind 3)Expounded the view that science, art, and social institutions have corruptedhumankind and that the natural, or primitive, state is morally superior to thecivilized state 4) The Social Contract 5) Developed a case for civil liberty andhelped prepare the ideological background of the French Revolution by defendingthe popular will against divine right. 6) ?mile a) expounded a new theory ofeducation emphasizing the importance of expression rather than r epression toproduce a well-balanced, freethinking child. 7) The New Heloise and Confessionsintroduced a new style of extreme emotional expression, concern with intensepersonal experience, and exploration of the conflicts between moral and sensualvalues. The Age of Enlightenment proposed ideas of reformation, and greaterhuman advancement. Europeans ideas of education, society, and politics wereoptimistic. Their works of art, literature, and science, helped pave the way forfuture advancements. BibliographyAge of Enlightenment, Microsoft? Encarta? Encyclopedia 99 ReneDescartes Microsoft? Encarta? Encyclopedia 99 John Locke Microsoft?Encarta? Encyclopedia 99 Sir Isaac Newton Microsoft? Encarta? Encyclopedia99 Buckler, John, Bennett D. Hill and John P. McKay. A History of WesternSociety, A. 6th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999. Age ofEnlightenment http://www.EuroHist.org

THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR Essays - String Instruments, Guitar

THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR The guitar is a fretted, stringed instrument, and is a member of the lute family. It originated in Persia and reached Spain during the twelth-century, where it?s versatility as both a solo and accompanying instrument were established. The theory of the guitar was discovered in the early centuries. They found that the sound of a bowstring could be enhanced by attaching a resonating chamber -most like a tortiseshell- to the bow. From the bow came essentially three main types of stringed instruments: the Harp family, which was the sound of plucked strings indirectly transmitted to an attached sound box. The second was the Lyre family, which was strings of a fixed pitch are attached to the directly to a sound chamber. And the third was the Lute family, this was were the pitch of strings was altered by pressing them against a neck that is attached directly to a sound chamber. Within the Lute family came two groups. The lutes proper which had rounded backs and the guitar type instruments w ith their flat backs. Guitar-shaped instruments appear in stone bas-relief sculptures of the hittites in northern Syria and Asia Minor from as far back as 1350 B.C. The word guitar also has origins in the middle and far east, deriving from gut, is the Arabic word for four, and tar, the Sanskrit word for string. The earliest European guitars did have four courses of gut strings. A 2 course is a pair of strings tuned in unison. These early guitars were distinguished from lutes by body sides that curved inward to form a waist and by four courses of strings. Some but not all early guitars had a flat back, while lutes always had a flat back. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the lute was the dominant fretted instrument. The lute with was pear-shaped and had five or more courses of strings was generally regarded as a higher class of instrument. By 1546 the guitar had gained enough popularity to merit the publication of a book of guitar music. By this time guitars had added another course, and modern tuning had come into existence. Chord positions were the same as they are today. The frets of the early guitars were made of gut and tied around the neck. This made placement of frets very difficult. The early guitars were also much shorter in length than todays guitars. The second most popular instrument during the Middle ages was the cittern. It was more like the modern guitar than any other during that time. It had metal strings, fixed frets, a fingerboard that extended onto the top, a flat back, and a movable bridge with strings anchored by a tailpiece; and it was played with a quill or plectrum(pick). But this modern instrument soon lost its popularity and disappeared by the late 1600?s. Through the 1600?s and 1700?s the guitar design changed very little, although interest increased around luthiers. In the 1770?s the first guitars with six single strings appeared, 3 blowing the evolutionary lid off the instrument. Within the next few decades, numerous innovations followed: body waists became narrower and body bouts changed shape, becoming circular in northern Europe and more oval shaped in southern Europe. Inlaid frets of brass or ivory replaced the tied on gut frets and the neck was extended one full octave(12 frets) clear of the body. Metal tuners with machine heads began to replace friction pegs, and strings were anchored by bridge pins, replacing the method of tying strings to the bridge. By the 1820?s most of the fingerboard extended all the way to the soundhole. As rapidly as the guitar changed so did it?s acceptance. By the 1800?s the Lute had all but disappeared. One of the best known makers of this new-style of guitar was Johann Georg Staufer of Vienna. Staufer and another maker Johann Ertel in 1822 designed a fingerboard raised off the top of the guitar, and experimented with different fret metals, settling on an alloy of brass,copper,silver, and arsenic. The first half of the 19th century was a time of great experimentation for the guitar. And many of the innovations that were credited to 20th century makers were actually tried a THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR Essays - String Instruments, Guitar THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR The guitar is a fretted, stringed instrument, and is a member of the lute family. It originated in Persia and reached Spain during the twelth-century, where it?s versatility as both a solo and accompanying instrument were established. The theory of the guitar was discovered in the early centuries. They found that the sound of a bowstring could be enhanced by attaching a resonating chamber -most like a tortiseshell- to the bow. From the bow came essentially three main types of stringed instruments: the Harp family, which was the sound of plucked strings indirectly transmitted to an attached sound box. The second was the Lyre family, which was strings of a fixed pitch are attached to the directly to a sound chamber. And the third was the Lute family, this was were the pitch of strings was altered by pressing them against a neck that is attached directly to a sound chamber. Within the Lute family came two groups. The lutes proper which had rounded backs and the guitar type instruments w ith their flat backs. Guitar-shaped instruments appear in stone bas-relief sculptures of the hittites in northern Syria and Asia Minor from as far back as 1350 B.C. The word guitar also has origins in the middle and far east, deriving from gut, is the Arabic word for four, and tar, the Sanskrit word for string. The earliest European guitars did have four courses of gut strings. A 2 course is a pair of strings tuned in unison. These early guitars were distinguished from lutes by body sides that curved inward to form a waist and by four courses of strings. Some but not all early guitars had a flat back, while lutes always had a flat back. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the lute was the dominant fretted instrument. The lute with was pear-shaped and had five or more courses of strings was generally regarded as a higher class of instrument. By 1546 the guitar had gained enough popularity to merit the publication of a book of guitar music. By this time guitars had added another course, and modern tuning had come into existence. Chord positions were the same as they are today. The frets of the early guitars were made of gut and tied around the neck. This made placement of frets very difficult. The early guitars were also much shorter in length than todays guitars. The second most popular instrument during the Middle ages was the cittern. It was more like the modern guitar than any other during that time. It had metal strings, fixed frets, a fingerboard that extended onto the top, a flat back, and a movable bridge with strings anchored by a tailpiece; and it was played with a quill or plectrum(pick). But this modern instrument soon lost its popularity and disappeared by the late 1600?s. Through the 1600?s and 1700?s the guitar design changed very little, although interest increased around luthiers. In the 1770?s the first guitars with six single strings appeared, 3 blowing the evolutionary lid off the instrument. Within the next few decades, numerous innovations followed: body waists became narrower and body bouts changed shape, becoming circular in northern Europe and more oval shaped in southern Europe. Inlaid frets of brass or ivory replaced the tied on gut frets and the neck was extended one full octave(12 frets) clear of the body. Metal tuners with machine heads began to replace friction pegs, and strings were anchored by bridge pins, replacing the method of tying strings to the bridge. By the 1820?s most of the fingerboard extended all the way to the soundhole. As rapidly as the guitar changed so did it?s acceptance. By the 1800?s the Lute had all but disappeared. One of the best known makers of this new-style of guitar was Johann Georg Staufer of Vienna. Staufer and another maker Johann Ertel in 1822 designed a fingerboard raised off the top of the guitar, and experimented with different fret metals, settling on an alloy of brass,copper,silver, and arsenic. The first half of the 19th century was a time of great experimentation for the guitar. And many of the innovations that were credited to 20th century makers were actually tried a THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR Essays - String Instruments, Guitar THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR The guitar is a fretted, stringed instrument, and is a member of the lute family. It originated in Persia and reached Spain during the twelth-century, where it?s versatility as both a solo and accompanying instrument were established. The theory of the guitar was discovered in the early centuries. They found that the sound of a bowstring could be enhanced by attaching a resonating chamber -most like a tortiseshell- to the bow. From the bow came essentially three main types of stringed instruments: the Harp family, which was the sound of plucked strings indirectly transmitted to an attached sound box. The second was the Lyre family, which was strings of a fixed pitch are attached to the directly to a sound chamber. And the third was the Lute family, this was were the pitch of strings was altered by pressing them against a neck that is attached directly to a sound chamber. Within the Lute family came two groups. The lutes proper which had rounded backs and the guitar type instruments w ith their flat backs. Guitar-shaped instruments appear in stone bas-relief sculptures of the hittites in northern Syria and Asia Minor from as far back as 1350 B.C. The word guitar also has origins in the middle and far east, deriving from gut, is the Arabic word for four, and tar, the Sanskrit word for string. The earliest European guitars did have four courses of gut strings. A 2 course is a pair of strings tuned in unison. These early guitars were distinguished from lutes by body sides that curved inward to form a waist and by four courses of strings. Some but not all early guitars had a flat back, while lutes always had a flat back. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the lute was the dominant fretted instrument. The lute with was pear-shaped and had five or more courses of strings was generally regarded as a higher class of instrument. By 1546 the guitar had gained enough popularity to merit the publication of a book of guitar music. By this time guitars had added another course, and modern tuning had come into existence. Chord positions were the same as they are today. The frets of the early guitars were made of gut and tied around the neck. This made placement of frets very difficult. The early guitars were also much shorter in length than todays guitars. The second most popular instrument during the Middle ages was the cittern. It was more like the modern guitar than any other during that time. It had metal strings, fixed frets, a fingerboard that extended onto the top, a flat back, and a movable bridge with strings anchored by a tailpiece; and it was played with a quill or plectrum(pick). But this modern instrument soon lost its popularity and disappeared by the late 1600?s. Through the 1600?s and 1700?s the guitar design changed very little, although interest increased around luthiers. In the 1770?s the first guitars with six single strings appeared, 3 blowing the evolutionary lid off the instrument. Within the next few decades, numerous innovations followed: body waists became narrower and body bouts changed shape, becoming circular in northern Europe and more oval shaped in southern Europe. Inlaid frets of brass or ivory replaced the tied on gut frets and the neck was extended one full octave(12 frets) clear of the body. Metal tuners with machine heads began to replace friction pegs, and strings were anchored by bridge pins, replacing the method of tying strings to the bridge. By the 1820?s most of the fingerboard extended all the way to the soundhole. As rapidly as the guitar changed so did it?s acceptance. By the 1800?s the Lute had all but disappeared. One of the best known makers of this new-style of guitar was Johann Georg Staufer of Vienna. Staufer and another maker Johann Ertel in 1822 designed a fingerboard raised off the top of the guitar, and experimented with different fret metals, settling on an alloy of brass,copper,silver, and arsenic. The first half of the 19th century was a time of great experimentation for the guitar. And many of the innovations that were credited to 20th century makers were actually tried a THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR Essays - String Instruments, Guitar THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR The guitar is a fretted, stringed instrument, and is a member of the lute family. It originated in Persia and reached Spain during the twelth-century, where it?s versatility as both a solo and accompanying instrument were established. The theory of the guitar was discovered in the early centuries. They found that the sound of a bowstring could be enhanced by attaching a resonating chamber -most like a tortiseshell- to the bow. From the bow came essentially three main types of stringed instruments: the Harp family, which was the sound of plucked strings indirectly transmitted to an attached sound box. The second was the Lyre family, which was strings of a fixed pitch are attached to the directly to a sound chamber. And the third was the Lute family, this was were the pitch of strings was altered by pressing them against a neck that is attached directly to a sound chamber. Within the Lute family came two groups. The lutes proper which had rounded backs and the guitar type instruments w ith their flat backs. Guitar-shaped instruments appear in stone bas-relief sculptures of the hittites in northern Syria and Asia Minor from as far back as 1350 B.C. The word guitar also has origins in the middle and far east, deriving from gut, is the Arabic word for four, and tar, the Sanskrit word for string. The earliest European guitars did have four courses of gut strings. A 2 course is a pair of strings tuned in unison. These early guitars were distinguished from lutes by body sides that curved inward to form a waist and by four courses of strings. Some but not all early guitars had a flat back, while lutes always had a flat back. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the lute was the dominant fretted instrument. The lute with was pear-shaped and had five or more courses of strings was generally regarded as a higher class of instrument. By 1546 the guitar had gained enough popularity to merit the publication of a book of guitar music. By this time guitars had added another course, and modern tuning had come into existence. Chord positions were the same as they are today. The frets of the early guitars were made of gut and tied around the neck. This made placement of frets very difficult. The early guitars were also much shorter in length than todays guitars. The second most popular instrument during the Middle ages was the cittern. It was more like the modern guitar than any other during that time. It had metal strings, fixed frets, a fingerboard that extended onto the top, a flat back, and a movable bridge with strings anchored by a tailpiece; and it was played with a quill or plectrum(pick). But this modern instrument soon lost its popularity and disappeared by the late 1600?s. Through the 1600?s and 1700?s the guitar design changed very little, although interest increased around luthiers. In the 1770?s the first guitars with six single strings appeared, 3 blowing the evolutionary lid off the instrument. Within the next few decades, numerous innovations followed: body waists became narrower and body bouts changed shape, becoming circular in northern Europe and more oval shaped in southern Europe. Inlaid frets of brass or ivory replaced the tied on gut frets and the neck was extended one full octave(12 frets) clear of the body. Metal tuners with machine heads began to replace friction pegs, and strings were anchored by bridge pins, replacing the method of tying strings to the bridge. By the 1820?s most of the fingerboard extended all the way to the soundhole. As rapidly as the guitar changed so did it?s acceptance. By the 1800?s the Lute had all but disappeared. One of the best known makers of this new-style of guitar was Johann Georg Staufer of Vienna. Staufer and another maker Johann Ertel in 1822 designed a fingerboard raised off the top of the guitar, and experimented with different fret metals, settling on an alloy of brass,copper,silver, and arsenic. The first half of the 19th century was a time of great experimentation for the guitar. And many of the innovations that were credited to 20th century makers were actually tried a THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR Essays - String Instruments, Guitar THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR The guitar is a fretted, stringed instrument, and is a member of the lute family. It originated in Persia and reached Spain during the twelth-century, where it?s versatility as both a solo and accompanying instrument were established. The theory of the guitar was discovered in the early centuries. They found that the sound of a bowstring could be enhanced by attaching a resonating chamber -most like a tortiseshell- to the bow. From the bow came essentially three main types of stringed instruments: the Harp family, which was the sound of plucked strings indirectly transmitted to an attached sound box. The second was the Lyre family, which was strings of a fixed pitch are attached to the directly to a sound chamber. And the third was the Lute family, this was were the pitch of strings was altered by pressing them against a neck that is attached directly to a sound chamber. Within the Lute family came two groups. The lutes proper which had rounded backs and the guitar type instruments w ith their flat backs. Guitar-shaped instruments appear in stone bas-relief sculptures of the hittites in northern Syria and Asia Minor from as far back as 1350 B.C. The word guitar also has origins in the middle and far east, deriving from gut, is the Arabic word for four, and tar, the Sanskrit word for string. The earliest European guitars did have four courses of gut strings. A 2 course is a pair of strings tuned in unison. These early guitars were distinguished from lutes by body sides that curved inward to form a waist and by four courses of strings. Some but not all early guitars had a flat back, while lutes always had a flat back. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the lute was the dominant fretted instrument. The lute with was pear-shaped and had five or more courses of strings was generally regarded as a higher class of instrument. By 1546 the guitar had gained enough popularity to merit the publication of a book of guitar music. By this time guitars had added another course, and modern tuning had come into existence. Chord positions were the same as they are today. The frets of the early guitars were made of gut and tied around the neck. This made placement of frets very difficult. The early guitars were also much shorter in length than todays guitars. The second most popular instrument during the Middle ages was the cittern. It was more like the modern guitar than any other during that time. It had metal strings, fixed frets, a fingerboard that extended onto the top, a flat back, and a movable bridge with strings anchored by a tailpiece; and it was played with a quill or plectrum(pick). But this modern instrument soon lost its popularity and disappeared by the late 1600?s. Through the 1600?s and 1700?s the guitar design changed very little, although interest increased around luthiers. In the 1770?s the first guitars with six single strings appeared, 3 blowing the evolutionary lid off the instrument. Within the next few decades, numerous innovations followed: body waists became narrower and body bouts changed shape, becoming circular in northern Europe and more oval shaped in southern Europe. Inlaid frets of brass or ivory replaced the tied on gut frets and the neck was extended one full octave(12 frets) clear of the body. Metal tuners with machine heads began to replace friction pegs, and strings were anchored by bridge pins, replacing the method of tying strings to the bridge. By the 1820?s most of the fingerboard extended all the way to the soundhole. As rapidly as the guitar changed so did it?s acceptance. By the 1800?s the Lute had all but disappeared. One of the best known makers of this new-style of guitar was Johann Georg Staufer of Vienna. Staufer and another maker Johann Ertel in 1822 designed a fingerboard raised off the top of the guitar, and experimented with different fret metals, settling on an alloy of brass,copper,silver, and arsenic. The first half of the 19th century was a time of great experimentation for the guitar. And many of the innovations that were credited to 20th century makers were actually tried a THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR Essays - String Instruments, Guitar THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR The guitar is a fretted, stringed instrument, and is a member of the lute family. It originated in Persia and reached Spain during the twelth-century, where it?s versatility as both a solo and accompanying instrument were established. The theory of the guitar was discovered in the early centuries. They found that the sound of a bowstring could be enhanced by attaching a resonating chamber -most like a tortiseshell- to the bow. From the bow came essentially three main types of stringed instruments: the Harp family, which was the sound of plucked strings indirectly transmitted to an attached sound box. The second was the Lyre family, which was strings of a fixed pitch are attached to the directly to a sound chamber. And the third was the Lute family, this was were the pitch of strings was altered by pressing them against a neck that is attached directly to a sound chamber. Within the Lute family came two groups. The lutes proper which had rounded backs and the guitar type instruments w ith their flat backs. Guitar-shaped instruments appear in stone bas-relief sculptures of the hittites in northern Syria and Asia Minor from as far back as 1350 B.C. The word guitar also has origins in the middle and far east, deriving from gut, is the Arabic word for four, and tar, the Sanskrit word for string. The earliest European guitars did have four courses of gut strings. A 2 course is a pair of strings tuned in unison. These early guitars were distinguished from lutes by body sides that curved inward to form a waist and by four courses of strings. Some but not all early guitars had a flat back, while lutes always had a flat back. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the lute was the dominant fretted instrument. The lute with was pear-shaped and had five or more courses of strings was generally regarded as a higher class of instrument. By 1546 the guitar had gained enough popularity to merit the publication of a book of guitar music. By this time guitars had added another course, and modern tuning had come into existence. Chord positions were the same as they are today. The frets of the early guitars were made of gut and tied around the neck. This made placement of frets very difficult. The early guitars were also much shorter in length than todays guitars. The second most popular instrument during the Middle ages was the cittern. It was more like the modern guitar than any other during that time. It had metal strings, fixed frets, a fingerboard that extended onto the top, a flat back, and a movable bridge with strings anchored by a tailpiece; and it was played with a quill or plectrum(pick). But this modern instrument soon lost its popularity and disappeared by the late 1600?s. Through the 1600?s and 1700?s the guitar design changed very little, although interest increased around luthiers. In the 1770?s the first guitars with six single strings appeared, 3 blowing the evolutionary lid off the instrument. Within the next few decades, numerous innovations followed: body waists became narrower and body bouts changed shape, becoming circular in northern Europe and more oval shaped in southern Europe. Inlaid frets of brass or ivory replaced the tied on gut frets and the neck was extended one full octave(12 frets) clear of the body. Metal tuners with machine heads began to replace friction pegs, and strings were anchored by bridge pins, replacing the method of tying strings to the bridge. By the 1820?s most of the fingerboard extended all the way to the soundhole. As rapidly as the guitar changed so did it?s acceptance. By the 1800?s the Lute had all but disappeared. One of the best known makers of this new-style of guitar was Johann Georg Staufer of Vienna. Staufer and another maker Johann Ertel in 1822 designed a fingerboard raised off the top of the guitar, and experimented with different fret metals, settling on an alloy of brass,copper,silver, and arsenic. The first half of the 19th century was a time of great experimentation for the guitar. And many of the innovations that were credited to 20th century makers were actually tried a