| Acoustic music | |
|---|---|
 A Spanish guitar | |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Ancient |
| Typical instruments | |
| Other topics | |
Acoustic music is music that solely or primarily usesinstruments that produce sound throughacoustic means, as opposed toelectric orelectronic means. While all music was once acoustic, theretronym "acoustic music" appeared after the advent of electric instruments, such as theelectric guitar,electric violin,electric organ andsynthesizer.[1] Acoustic string instrumentations had long been a subset ofpopular music, particularly infolk. It stood in contrast to various other types of music in various eras, includingbig band music in thepre-rock era, and electric music in the rock era.
Music reviewer Craig Conley suggests, "When music is labeled acoustic, unplugged, or unwired, the assumption seems to be that other types of music arecluttered bytechnology andoverproduction and therefore aren't aspure."[2]
Acoustic instruments can be split into six groups:string instruments,wind instruments,percussion, other instruments, ensemble instruments, and unclassified instruments.[3]
String instruments have a tightly stretched string that, when set in motion, creates energy at (almost) harmonically related frequencies.
Wind instruments are in the shape of a pipe and energy is supplied as an air stream into the pipe.
Percussion instruments make sound when they are struck, as with a hand or a stick.[4]
The original acoustic instrument was thehuman voice, which produces sound by funneling air across thevocal cords. The first constructed acoustic instrument is believed to be theflute. The oldest surviving flute is as much as 43,000 years old. The flute is believed to have originated inCentral Europe.[5]
By 1800, the most popular acousticplucked-string instruments closely resembled the modern-day guitar, but with a smaller body. As the century continued, Spanish luthierAntonio de Torres Jurado took these smaller instruments and expanded the bodies to create guitars. Guitar use and popularity grew in Europe throughout the late 18th century[6] and more acoustic instruments were crafted, such as thedouble bass. Its popularity later spread to cities and towns in the new United States.[6] In the 19th century, the guitar became a recognized instrument played in grand galas and concerts.[7]
As electric instruments took hold during the 20th century, many stringed instruments were redefined as acoustic. Instruments that involve striking or vibrating the strings, such as theviolin,viola andcello, fall under the acoustic category. The violin became popular during the 16th and 17th centuries, due totechnological advancements in building them, brought on byluthiers such asAntonio Stradivari andAndrea Amati.[8] The modern version of the instrument developed gradually from older European acoustic stringed instruments such as thelira.[citation needed]
Following the birth ofrock in the 1960s, some rock bands began to experiment with acoustic songs. This would be known asacoustic rock, and many well-known artists such asEric Clapton andNirvana performed acoustic versions of their well-known songs in the early 1990s, which were collected on theMTV Unplugged series.
Pop music artists have also experimented with acoustic music as well, with this variant sometimes being calledacoustic pop. Like acoustic rock, some acoustic pop songs have also made their way to MTV Unplugged as well. Some notable acoustic pop songs include "True" byRyan Cabrera and "Exile" byTaylor Swift featuringBon Iver.
By the 2000s, popular indie musicians began to identify their genre as "contemporary acoustic", in opposition to being classified as "folk music". Daniel Trilling wrote, "Folk is a word that strikes fear into the hearts of many aspiring pop musicians. Not only does it conjure up images of the terminally naff — woolly jumpers, beards, and so on — but it is also the journalist's catch-all term for legions of singer-songwriters too bland to merit a better definition."[9]
Some music interest groups in the United States use the term "acoustic music" alongside the genres of folk andAmericana music, like the Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music.[10]
The International Acoustic Music Awards[11] hosts an annual competition for original songs. Their rules state that a song can be considered acoustic as long as an acoustic instrument, including voices, can be clearly heard.[12]
Acoustic music is often easier for business owners to host because there is less need for amplification and the level of volume is less intrusive. In June 2021, the city ofCambridge, Massachusetts, allowed small businesses to host acoustic concerts without applying for a live entertainment permit.[13] Cambridge defined an acoustic performance as having noamplification of sound except for onemicrophone, and having no more than five acoustic performers or musicians at a single venue at one time.[13]
