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The guitar is a part of the lute family and is what is called a "composite chordophone." Taking its roots in Spain, it cannot be proven to have existed in a form similar to the modern guitar any earlier than the 1400's, but there are a variety of theories surrounding its origins. Some believe that it is related to the Greek instrument, the "kithara," a theory that is further supported by the relationship between the word "kithara" and the word "guitar." Other hypothesize that the long-necked lutes of Mesopotamia and the flat-backed instrument with curved sides depicted in the wall paintings of tombs in Egypt are relative enough to draw comparison. Similarly, from the First to the Fourth centuries, short-necked lutes that are decidedly shaped like guitars were played in Central Asia.

The guitar first emerged in Spain, and was most likely invented by the people in the Malaga region. The theory that the guitar may have had some Egyptian ancestors is supported by the Moors' visit in the Middle Ages. These Arabs passed through Egypt on their way towards North Africa and Spain, and probably brought their instruments with them in the later 13th Century, which were thought to be guitars with long necks, oval soundboxes and several sound holes. This type of instrument was called the "Guitarra Morsica" and is displayed in many artworks along with the other instrument, the "Guitarra Latina," with curved sides that probably most likely inspired the Malagan people to begin to develop the modern guitar.

The earliest Spanish guitar arose in the 15th Century and was what is called a "four course" guitar, which refers to the strings it possessed. This first four-string version was extremely small, and is probably what inspired guitar relatives such as the lute and the ukulele.

During the 16th Century, the lute was the favorite instrument of a majority of the European aristocracies except in Spain, where it was attached to the Moors and therefore opposed as a reminder of the oppression they had brought to the country. The Spaniards began to perfect the "guitarra," again with four strings, as a rebellion against the Moors and the popularity in other countries of the lute. However, this instrument's structure could not easily play the complex, polyphonic music that was emerging, and Spanish nobles saw the "guitarra" as an instrument associated with commoners. In an attempt to meet the demands of the music at the time, the "guitarra" became the "vihuela," a long-necked instrument with six strings. Many of the greatest compositions of the 16th Century and of the Renaissance came out of Spain and "vihuela" players.

In the 17-18th Century, the "chitarra battente" was developed. It had a rounded back as opposed to a flat one that was highly decorated with different materials. It was mostly used for folk music and is depicted more often than any other type of instrument in paintings of that century. The middle of the 18th Century brought about he most notable changes in the guitar, both in the instrument itself and the music it produced. Because the guitar was used most frequently to accompany vocalists with arpeggios, in a way similar to the harpsichord keyboard instrument, musicians began to notice they neeeded true bass notes on the guitar to achieve the best effect. The baroque guitar began to transform into the modern guitar in both sound and the way it was played, and in 1785, guitar-makers added a sixth string.

The earliest Spanish guitar arose in the 15th Century and was what is called a "four course" guitar, which refers to the strings it possessed. This first four-string version was extremely small, and is probably what inspired guitar relatives such as the lute and the ukulele.

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