A—A symbol used to represent the ring finger (annular finger) on the picking hand. It is part of the pima labelling system and is an abbreviation of the Spanish word 'Anular'.

Abalam—A manufacturers term for abalone that has been cut into sheets for use as decoration.

Abalone—A manufacturers term for abalone that has been cut into sheets for use as decoration.

Accent—A symbol requesting that emphasis should be placed on a note to make it louder and more pronounced.

Accidental—A symbol used in standard music notation to indicate a rise or fall in pitch of one semitone. The symbol can be a sharp, flat or a natural sign. Once applied, an accidental remains in effect until countered by another accidental.

Acoustic guitar—A guitar that uses a hollow body to resonate sound instead of electrical amplification.

Acoustic—Short for acoustic guitar, a guitar that uses a hollow body to resonate sound instead of electrical amplification. Referring to sound or hearing.

Acoustics—The characteristics of an environment that effect its ability to transmit sound.

Acrylic—A paint that is used on guitar finishes.

Action—In the context of guitar, the action is the distance between the strings and the fretboard. However, it generally refers to the force required to produce a note on an instrument. A lower action usually makes the guitar easier play but produces less sustain.

Active pickups—Pickups that use electricity to boost the signal being sent to the amplifier. They require a battery that is located in a control cavity on back of the guitar.

Active—Refers to circuitry that alters a signal before it reaches its destination. Active electronics can be used in pickups and preamplifiers.

Alder—A type of hardwood that is used in the manufacture of solid-bodied guitars.

Alnico—Derived from the symbols for aluminum, nickel and cobalt (Al, Ni & Co). It is a magnetic alloy containing iron, aluminum and nickel, in addition to cobalt, copper or titanium. It can be used in loudspeaker construction or in the manufacture of pickups.

Altered view—Looking at modes that are derived from the same scale but having each mode in the same key. It provides a good way of seeing the different interval patterns.

Alternate picking—A strict alternation between downstrokes and upstrokes, often starting on a downstroke.

Amp Head—Contains the amplifier that passes the signal via a speaker cable to a cabinet to produce sound. It is attached to a loudspeaker cabinet to form an amplifier stack.

Amp rack—A metal frame that is used to mount amplifiers for use in large stage performances.

Amp—Short for amplifier. A device that increases the strength of the electrical signal coming from the guitars pickups. Stronger signal, louder sound. There are two main types of amplifier: the combo amp (combinations amplifier) and the amplifier stack.

Amplification—Generic term for the various forms of amplifier.

Amplifier (amp)—A device that increases the strength of the electrical signal coming from the guitar or bass pickups and is set up as either a combo amp (combination amplifier) or amplifier stack.

Amplifier stack—A form of amplifier where the signal is amplified in an amp head and then sent through loudspeakers. The loudspeakers are kept in a separate unit called a cabinet.

Amplifier—A device that increases the strength of the electrical signal coming from the guitars pickups. Stronger signal, louder sound. There are two main types of amplifier: the combo amp (combinations amplifier) and the amplifier stack.

Andante—A moderately slow tempo, approximately 70-80 bpm.

Anti-nodes—The places on the strings that dampen the sound when touched. As opposed to a node (where the harmonics are produced).

Anular—The Spanish term for ring finger (annular finger) on the picking hand. It is part of the pima labelling system, abbreviated by the symbol 'a'.

Apoyando—A technique used by classical guitarists in which a picking hand finger plucks a string and follows straight through to the adjacent string, on which, it rests.

Archtop—A steel-stringed acoustic or semi-acoustic guitar with a full body and a distinctive arched top that creates a strong, bassier sound popular with jazz musicians The archtop guitar was designed by Orville Gibson in the 1890s to modernize the guitar by enhancing the power and quality of its tones.

Arpeggiated chord—A chord sounded by rolling the thumb/plectrum across the strings. It should not sound like a strum or single-note line, more like a cross between the two. Tabs will indicate whether it is an up or down stroke via arrows.

Arpeggiation—Playing chords one note at a time in a ‘harp-like’ fashion.

Arpeggio—When each individual note of a chord is played separately, either in continuous succession or a more complex pattern. The word comes from the Italian language and means 'broken chord'.

Artificial harmonics—Generally refers to any harmonic that is produced whilst fretting a note. The term is sometimes used specifically for touched harmonics.

Ash—A type of hardwood that is used in the manufacture of solid-bodied guitars.

Ashtray—A name given to a metal plate that was used to cover the bridge on vintage Fender telecaster guitars.

Augmentation dot—An instruction in written music indicating that you should increase the duration of a note by one half. For example, an eighth note (depicted by a quaver) with an augmentation dot should last for 3 sixteenth notes (which equals one and a half eighth notes).

Augmented chord—A chord consisting of a major triad with a sharpened fifth. For example, an A major triad uses the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the A major scale (A C# E), therefore an 'A augmented' chord would contain the notes A, C# and F.

Augmented—A perfect interval that has been increased by a semitone. For example, a perfect fifth is an interval of 7 semitones, therefore an augmented fifth is an interval of 8 semitones.

Axe—A slang word for guitar. The word guitar is derived from the Spanish word guitarra. It is a stringed instrument that traditionally has 6 strings (although there are such things as 7, 8 and 12 string guitars) and can be plucked or strummed. Guitars can be acoustic, semi-acoustic or electric. Acoustics and semi-acoustics consist of a hollow body. Semi-acoustics and electrics are played with amplifiers via pickups.