The guitar, arguably the world’s favorite instrument, is also a stringed instrument that uses these mechanisms. Before the guitar developed into the beloved instrument that we now know though, it went through various transformations from different countries from the world, throughout the centuries.

A Strum through History

The sound of a string instrument is instantly recognizable. Having been played and enjoyed throughout history, strings have made some major influences on the evolution of music. Resemblances of the modern guitar for instance, have first been placed in the third millennium B.C. The tanbur, a four-stringed ancestor of the guitar, made its way through Mesopotamia and the Middle East, being adopted and slightly altered to fit different regions’ tastes in sound.

Moving into the Renaissance era, the lute, a pear-shaped and more advanced rendition of the tanbur, had a short neck and more strings. The lute’s influence on the Renaissance art movement is depicted in several paintings and stories, and is characterized as an essential element to that era’s social scene.

In the 17^th century, the Baroque guitar took center stage. At this time, the guitar was steering away from using animal gut as strings because the stress placed on the organic strings was causing the instrument to break down more frequently.

With the increasing popularity of the guitar came the need for a more durable construction. By the 1850s, steel-stringed guitars have become more widely used for their sturdiness alongside nylon stringed guitars.

The development of steel-string guitars can be credited to Christian Frederich Martin, a German guitar maker who apprenticed under the most renowned guitar artisans of his time. Predicting a change in the taste of music, Martin set sail for America where he opened up a guitar shop in Pennsylvania. By the 1920s, Martin’s steel-string guitars were in every guitar player’s hands, further developing the sounds that would continue to shape modern music.

While the United States was going through a music transformation like this, musicians were demanding louder, higher-quality instruments that could keep pace with the generation’s upbeat music.

Shaping Modern Music with Steel

As styles of music progressed to louder, faster beats, so did guitars that needed to be heard in larger venues. Even with steel strings, the basic acoustic guitar could no longer appease musicians who were experiencing a boom in popularity.

By the 1930s, the guitar received an electric upgrade. With the ability to be plugged into speakers in amplifiers, guitar musicians could once again compete with the loud sounds of brass instruments. By the 1950s and 60s, the electric guitar had become a pivotal instrument in rock and pop music, forever being immortalized by legends like Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles.

There are now several different materials that electric guitars use for their strings. Besides the well-known steel, there are strings made of cobalt and nickel, each delivering a unique tone to the emitted sound. The acoustic guitar however, still largely uses steel for its crisp and unforgettable sound.

This is because steel strings produce louder, sharper sounds that have more twang, making steel-string guitars the perfect choice for rocking out and creating a high-energy atmosphere. Another reason is that the steel string is much more resistant to heat than its nylon counterpart. Less heat and tighter winding equate to less maintenance and tuning required.

Capturing Hearts and Imaginations with Steel-String Guitars

It is almost impossible not to enjoy and appreciate legendary acoustic axeman like Robert Johnson, Michael Hedges and Django Reinhardt harmonically slap and fret their way through entrancing rifts.

Through completely different genres ranging from classical, flamenco, jazz and rock to many others, the steel-string guitar remains the top-choice to play for the best musicians. When you turn the radio on or listen to your favorite band, you will most certainly be hearing steel-string guitars.

Steel strings can also be found on other string instruments with varying sounds and uses for specific genres of music, like the ukulele, violin, harpsichord and bass. Steel strings will continue to be used for acoustic instruments for a long time until a better, stronger material that emits a cleaner, louder sound gets discovered.

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Despite it’s fall, however, a recent start-up boom, supported by world class universities leading research into robotics, medicine and computer science, has breathed new life into the western Pennsylvania city. Bigger tech companies such as Facebook, Uber and Google have also recently set up local offices there.

Boasting a steady supply of new jobs, the city has begun to attract educated young people seeking new careers and opportunities.

This younger demographic has driven Pittsburgh’s booming food scene into the national spotlight. Zagat named the city America’s No. 1 Food Town of 2015 and Saveur called it a “beer and spirits destination.”

Pittsburgh’s recent transformation has enabled the city to once and for all shake its lingering reputation as a smoggy, blue collar steel town. But it has not forgotten its roots.

Blast Furnace Fun

In an effort to continue to revive the city, tourism officials and preservationists are now adapting defunct factory sites to tell the story of how Pittsburgh made its name.

The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is one example. This attraction has transformed the non-functioning Homestead Steel Works site, which at its peak produced a third of the nation’s steel, into an area that commemorates the rich history of the industry. Perhaps the highlight of the attraction is the guided tour of the Carrie Blast Furnaces.

Constructed in 1906, Carrie Furnaces 6 and 7 stood at the heart of U.S. Steel’s Homestead Works until 1979. At one point, the furnaces and the steelworkers who labored in them produced more than 1,000 tons of iron per day. These 28-meter-tall structures presently stand as sentinels to Pittsburgh’s steel heritage.

On the tour of the furnaces, guides—some of whom are former steel mill workers—lead visitors through the iron-making process, sharing the story of the site’s technology, workers and culture from its prime to the post-industrial present.

Visitors to the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area can also explore other converted industrial facilities, cycle the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail and admire numerous public artworks crafted from steel.

Symbolic Steel

Steel art can also be found in other parts of the city, with The Workers being one of the more famous installations.

Originally commissioned as a small project in 1997 by the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of City Planning, this collection of sculptures now stands big and tall, celebrating the Steel City’s heritage in an unconventional but impactful way.

The 6-meter-tall sculptures of steel men at work were fashioned from leftover scrap metal from abandoned Pittsburgh steel mills, an iron hot-metal ladle donated by another mill, and the ties from bridges that once carried steel’s raw materials across the city’s rivers. For 15 years, the creators of the project—24 artists of Pittsburgh’s Industrial Arts Co-op—collaborated with industrial, foundation and political entities to make this massive artwork a reality.

The mediums and techniques utilized to create The Workers are a testament to the unions that have set Pittsburgh in motion: unions between its people, workers and capital; between the land and the rivers that run through it; unions of the past, present and future.

The Workers commemorates the rich industrial steel heritage of the Pittsburgh region and honors the individuals who contributed to it, but also celebrates the modern evolution of one of the country’s rust belt and industrial cities into a contemporary, lively metropolis for people to live, work, create and contribute.

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Steel City Highlight: Kaohsiung, Taiwan

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The Beginning of Amusement Rides

Mauch Chunk “Gravity Road” Railway (Image: http://bit.ly/1EkDvI3)

Roller coasters are the culmination of all amusement park rides. Though the exact origin of the very first roller coaster is uncertain, the idea of riding cars on tracks came from coal mining. Coal miners would ride wooden delivery carts filled with coal downhill, and they found it reduced their stress. And so, the concept of the modern roller coaster was born.

In the 1850s, a mining company in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. constructed the Mauch Chunk gravity railroad. It was a brakeman-controlled, fourteen-kilometer downhill track, used to deliver coal. By 1872, it became known as the “Gravity Road”, and it was providing rides to thrill-seekers for 50 cents per ride. Railway companies also began using similar tracks for amusement rides.

The Rise and Fall of Roller Coasters

Thompson’s Gravity Switchback Railway, 1884  (Image: http://bit.ly/1L32wiD)

Using the same basic idea, LaMarcus Adna Thompson began work on a gravity switchback railway that opened at Coney Island in New York in 1884. Passengers boarded a car at the top of a platform, riding the 180m track to the top of another tower where the vehicle was then switched to a return track, and the passengers returned to the original platform.

This switchback track design was soon replaced with a continuous circuit. In 1885, Phillip Hinkle introduced the first complete-circuit coaster with a lift hill, the Gravity Pleasure Road, which was soon the most popular attraction at Coney Island. In 1886, LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented his design of roller coaster that included tunnels and painted scenery. These “scenic railways” were to be built in amusement parks across the county. About 2,000 roller coasters were installed in U.S.A. during the 1920s. 

After the Great Depression of 1929 and two world wars, new forms of entertainment such as TV and movies emerged, and roller coasters lost their popularity. By 1970, 2,000 roller coasters in the U.S.A. were torn down and only 172 of them remained. But roller coasters are in the spotlight again, with the use of steel tube rails. Thanks to the development of modern steel technology, roller coasters are taller, faster and safer.

How Steel Revived Roller Coasters

A vertical loop and corkscrew on the Batman Ride at Six Flags, Great America (Image: http://bit.ly/1KeYUV1)

The first roller coasters were made of wood and had problems with corrosion when exposed to the elements. Soon after, roller coasters began to be made using iron. 
Steel is a carbon alloy of iron. This means, steel is produced by mixing iron with carbon and other materials. The strength of steel depends on the amount of carbon it contains. Steel becomes more flexible and stretchable as the amount of carbon decreases. When the amount of carbon increases, the metal becomes harder. Although it becomes very hard and strong, it is not flexible and becomes easier to break or snap. By controlling the amount of carbon, the material can be manipulated to fit the purpose of its use.

Because roller coasters must be strong but flexible, steel was the perfect material to revive the popularity of thrill rides. Steel can withstand the pressure from the weight of passengers and the force of gravity and speed. Safety is a very important issue to consider when building roller coasters.

The Difference of Steel

Corkscrew at Cedar Point, the first roller coaster with three inversions (Image: http://bit.ly/1MZoLXf)

Steel roller coasters generally feel smoother to ride than their wooden counterparts. Because of their strength, they can be more complex and make faster turns and twists without injuring riders. There are many different types of steel coasters, such as flying, inverted, floorless and suspended. Fewer supports mean features like loops, rolls, corkscrews, inversions and drops of more than 90 degrees. Almost all records for tallest, fastest and longest coasters are held by steel-made rides.

Blue Fire, an inverted roller coaster at Europa-Park, Germany (Image: http://bit.ly/1L1bGtg)

According to Roller Coaster Data Base (www.rcdb.com), 96 percent of the world’s 2,391 roller coasters are made of steel. Additionally, most other theme park rides, like merry-go-rounds are also made of steel. There is no material like steel which satisfies safety, durability and convenience. 

Košice, Slovakia: A Steel-Inspired Capital of Culture

As one of the oldest industrial hubs of Slovakia, steel production has played a vital role in the economy of the eastern city of Košice for quite some time. The main development of iron started in the 13^th century and the technology of steel production progressively improved until 1959 when a deed was signed for a modern metallurgy plant. Five decades later, the Košice mill has developed into a steel-producing plant that has managed to widely reach the markets and achieve a position among significant steel producers.

 Košice has since reforged itself into a city of the arts, and was designated “European Capital of Culture” in 2013, along with Marseille, France, for its efforts to transform dilapidated industrial structures into contemporary art galleries, performance theaters and independent culture centers. In addition to the city’s gorgeous Gothic architecture, it is also home to the renowned ice hockey team HC Košice that plays regularly at the Steel Aréna. (Image: http://bit.ly/1CjHtVM )

Visakhapatnam, India: Steelworks on the Sea

Often coined The Jewel of the East Coast, the port city of Visakhapatnam was identified as one of the fastest-growing in the world, economically and demographically, with steel playing an important role.

In the 1970s, Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, announced the government’s decision to establish a steel plant at Visakhapatnam. It has since become the only Indian shore-based steel plant and is situated on 33,000 acres, making the city a gateway for the development of the steel industry.

In addition to its flourishing economy, Visakhapatnam’s beaches, hilltop parks, caves and wildlife sanctuaries have helped the city become a significant tourist destination of natural beauty. Its serene temples, such as Simhachalam Temple, allow visitors to experience the spiritual side of India. (Image: http://bit.ly/1JR9l3k )

Pittsburgh, USA: The Original Steel City

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania became one of the most well-known steel cities in the world during the American Civil War, when the city’s economy was amplified by the increased production of iron and weaponry. By 1911, Pittsburgh was producing half of the nation’s steel, and during World War II, the city saw local mills operate 24 hours a day to produce 95 million tons of the metal.

Today, Pittsburgh may not produce as much as it did in its heyday, but the “Steel City” still boasts more than 300 steel-related businesses and visitors can even go on steel tours. Additionally, the city’s most visited attractions, such as the Carnegie Museum, founded by Andrew Carnegie, the most influential figure in the expansion of America’s steel industry, as well as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, a stunning house that uses steel as a main building material, are a testament to the importance the metal still plays in this historical and cultural city. Sports fans shouldn’t miss out on a Steelers football game. (Image: http://bit.ly/1LPF7jt )

Newcastle, Australia: Surf & Steel

When military rule ended in 1823, the penal settlement that was originally Newcastle advanced into a pioneer town. The dawn of the 20^th century saw the city evolve into a site for steelworks, due to its abundance of coal. In 1915, a local steelworks opened, beginning a period of some 8 decades in which Newcastle’s fortunes were brought on by the steelworks and heavy industries. A deadly earthquake struck in 1989 and ten years later, the steelworks closed after 84 years of operation, having employed about 50,000 throughout its existence.

Creative repurposing has transformed the old and outdated to new and trendy, and art projects and festivals have allowed inner-city neighborhoods to prosper. It is along the sandy shores of “Best in Travel”-ranked Newcastle that bohemian culture meets surf culture and top-rated restaurants overlook an industrial port. Today, even as Newcastle embraces its rough-and-tumble industrial past, it is continuously looking to the future as a regional capital of creativity and cool.

Whether you’re traveling to the Australian coast or the cultural capital of Slovakia, these vacation destinations forged from steel and sweat have plenty to offer travelers seeking new experiences and wanting to explore unfamiliar lands. Safe travels this summer! (Image: http://bit.ly/1H6mPVJ )

In honor of his first year at POSCO, CEO Ohjoon Kwon encouraged more than 2,700 employees and board members to have a leader’s attitude and innovate even further during a speech on Feb. 28, 2015.

CEO Kwon’s Special Lecture on ‘POSCO Business Innovation and Leader’s Attitude’

During his speech, Kwon shared three lessons for the company’s future: promoting Innovation POSCO 1.0, having a leader’s attitude, and achieving management objectives and priorities.

“Many people say that the whole world is in a crisis this year, but a business that keeps its ‘top position’ can overcome such a crisis,” Kwon said.

He added that in a situation like this, the company should increase its competitiveness and not rely on outside factors to make it successful. Kwon referred to a few case studies of businesses that overcame a crisis and shared POSCO’s future direction to achieve its five priorities.

Management objectives and priority promotion direction/plan in 2015

CEO Kwon thanked all the employees who worked hard for the company in order to reach last year’s business goals. In his speech, Kwon emphasized the company’s future direction to achieve its next goals. The five main priorities include strengthening the profit structure based on solutions; accelerating business restructuring and clarifying the balance sheet; establishing a commercialization foundation of newly growing core businesses; establishing and expanding work processes based on projects; and strengthening group management efficiency and synergy.

He said to pay particular attention to a platform business model based on technology, a strategy for solution marketing that applies to “steel (hardware), application techniques and commercial support (software).”

Total Leadership and Leader’s Attitude

In order to achieve this year’s business goals and the promotion plan, CEO Kwon says the company needs to focus on “total leadership.”

In his outline of the three main principles of a total leader, Professor Stewart Friedman from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School said authenticity, integrity and creativity makes up “total leadership.” To match with POSCO’s philosophy, the company set Top POSCO, One POSCO and New POSCO as the next steps to achieve “POSCO the Great.”

CEO Kwon’s speech gave employees the opportunity to reflect on the true qualifications of a leader and where POSCO hopes to be in the future. With these principles in mind, POSCO looks forward to achieving its goal to become “POSCO the Great” based on total leadership, which encompasses Innovation POSCO 1.0.

We hope you stay with us as we strive toward our goals!