Música Brasilis

The renaissance guitar is a small plucked string instrument with a figure eight-shaped body. It features four distinct tunings and a quite high-pitched sonority. 

A bit of history...

The renaissance guitar initiates the lineage of the modern guitar, first appearing in Spain. Its shape probably comes from the vihuela, and its tuning comes from a small medieval lute called gittern or quintern. Hence the origin of the word guitar, whose Greek root is the word kithara.

However, aside from its shape, what is it that makes the renaissance guitar to be known as the "grandmother" of the modern acoustic guitar? Its tuning, featuring a fourth, a third and a fourth - the same interval pattern remains in the four high strings of the modern acoustic guitar.

Watch the video below and learn more about the renaissance guitar.