fretboard

The long area of the guitar under the strings where the player applies pressure with his or her non-strumming in order to produce different notes; the long, flat area on the front of a guitar neck

Wow, that guitar player is fast! His fingers were really flying up and down the fretboard.

by Bill M. July 27, 2004

upright bass

Another term for a double bass, acoustic bass, or bass fiddle. It's the largest of the string instruments (resembling a giant violin) and lowest-sounding instrument found in an orchestra. Can be played with a bow or plucked with the fingers. The word "upright" means that it is to be played while standing up while holding the instrument upright, as opposed to how a bass guitar is held (on the lap or at a 45 degree angle). Also not to be confused with the cello, which is smaller and played while sitting down.

Paul Chambers and Ron Carter each played the upright bass at one time or another for Miles Davis.

by Bill M. August 27, 2004

reverb

A special effect applied to an audio signal to make it sound as if you're now hearing that sound in a tunnel or some other different room, with some depth and a bit of echo.

Many guitar amplifiers have a "reverb" knob.

by Bill M. August 27, 2004

acronym

An abbreviation for a phrase created by taking the first letter or so of each word, AND is pronounced as a word itself.

"USA" is technically NOT an acronym, because people don't pronounce it as "You-Sah". However, "MADD" (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is an acronym because it's pronounced exactly as it's spelled.

by Bill M. July 28, 2004

tuner

1. A electric device used for tuning a musical instrument to its proper pitch
2. One who professionally tunes a musical instrument

1. My tuner indicates that this guitar string is too sharp (high)
2. The piano sounds really bad. We should call in a piano tuner some day.

by Bill M. July 27, 2004

madonna-whore complex

The seemingly conflicting desires that some (but certainly not all) men have for a woman who is experienced in the bedroom and unashamed of showing sexual prowess ("whore"), but at the same time a woman who is wholesome, clean and nuturing ("madonna"), particularly enough to not be branded a "slut".

This concept is due to having a large population of sexually frustrated people (both men AND women) who were raised to believe that sexual activity or just being sexy is a dirty and shameful act, and a society where both men and women have been led to believe that women have to either be complete prudes or totally promiscuous.

"Dick is an ex-quarterback with a madonna-whore complex. Jane is an equally confused prude who needs to drink a quart of whisky to release her sexual inhibitions guiltlessly. They were made for each other."

by Bill M. September 21, 2004

acoustic

1) A musical instrument that is not electric
2) A musical performance that uses no electric instruments (aside from microphones and similar amplification)

1) Jimi Hendrix played an electric guitar on the song "Purple Haze", but Paul Simon played an acoustic guitar on Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson". Techno and dance music uses electric drums, but rock music typically sticks to acoustic drums.

2) Eric Clapton's band did an acoustic show on "Mtv Unplugged".

by Bill M. August 27, 2004