Fretted Instrument Guild of America
Encyclopedia
The Fretted Instrument Guild of America, also known as FIGA, is a non-profit (U.S. based) international musical
organization that was founded in 1957. Its membership consists of approximately 2000 people (as of 2010) who consider themselves banjo
, guitar
, mandolin
, ukulele
and related fretted musical instrument players and enthusiasts. FIGA members are musicians - of all levels - from beginner to top professional. Other non-performing members belong for the intrinsic aspects of the organization; enjoyment the music, information and camaraderie among its members.
ALL FRETS is the official bi-monthly publication of FIGA. Its primary purpose is to convey news and official information to members regarding the FIGA organization. ALL FRETS includes feature stories, product reviews along with advertising, musical event information, educational and instructional features contributed by notable and/or professional musicians and scholars who are members.
The annual FIGA CONVENTION features concerts, workshops and jam sessions as well as artist, dealer and manufacturer displays. The event location varies from year to year.
The FIGA FOUNDATION, founded in 1992, offers annual financial grants to young people interested in learning to play a fretted instrument. Additional grants for fretted instrument related projects are also available. Nominations must be made by a FIGA member.
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
organization that was founded in 1957. Its membership consists of approximately 2000 people (as of 2010) who consider themselves banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
and related fretted musical instrument players and enthusiasts. FIGA members are musicians - of all levels - from beginner to top professional. Other non-performing members belong for the intrinsic aspects of the organization; enjoyment the music, information and camaraderie among its members.
ALL FRETS is the official bi-monthly publication of FIGA. Its primary purpose is to convey news and official information to members regarding the FIGA organization. ALL FRETS includes feature stories, product reviews along with advertising, musical event information, educational and instructional features contributed by notable and/or professional musicians and scholars who are members.
The annual FIGA CONVENTION features concerts, workshops and jam sessions as well as artist, dealer and manufacturer displays. The event location varies from year to year.
The FIGA FOUNDATION, founded in 1992, offers annual financial grants to young people interested in learning to play a fretted instrument. Additional grants for fretted instrument related projects are also available. Nominations must be made by a FIGA member.
External links
- FIGA website
- Guitar Foundation