Looking for more articles on Classical Guitar? |
| Creating Community the Classical Way |
| My Musical Odyssey |
| Starting Over |
| Music Offers a New Beginning |
Clicking with the Classics
By Adam Dolge
Classical guitar is one of the more advanced styles of
guitar playing, requiring a high degree of technical
precision and concentration. Advanced players must
apply an attention to detail that isn’t typical in more
relaxed styles of guitar playing.
Mostclassical guitar players consider themselves “studying” as opposed to playing, while few rock or folk guitarists actively study their style. And from a technical perspective, classical
guitar is one of the hardest styles to master.
Before you get started, it’s important to free your mind of old habits you may have developed from other styles of guitar. Classical guitar requires focus on several simultaneous musical expressions. Many classical guitar teachers tell students that learning how to move the fingers along the fretboard is merely the beginning, to truly play classical guitar is to understand each line of music as it pertains to the entire piece.
What Makes a Classical Guitar?
A classical guitar is a hollow-bodied wooden six-string guitar, not unlike an acoustic guitar, but that’s where the similarities end. On a classical guitar the three highest strings are nylon, while the lower three have nylon centers with metal coating. The neck of the classic guitar is wider, allowing the strings to be some distance apart for easier fingerpicking.
At first glance a classical guitar may seem bulky and difficult to play, when compared to other guitars, but once you learn
the basics you may want to add a classical guitar to your
instrument collection.
A Beginner’s Guide to Classical Guitar |
Sitting Position
|
Posture is important to classical guitar playing. Sit on a straight-backed chair that allows your knees to bend at a 90-degree angle. Keep your legs about shoulder width apart, back straight, and shoulders relaxed. Place the side of the guitar on your left leg, about halfway between your knee and hip. Place a footstool under your left foot, raising your leg about six inches. With the guitar resting on your leg and its bottom touching your right thigh, raise the neck so the entire guitar is in a 10 o’clock position. |
Left Hand
|
Start with your left hand and arm relaxed and dangling at your side. Bend your elbow, bringing the forearm and hand up and turning it inward. Your four fingers should be relaxed and slightly curled, while the outside of your thumb creates a smooth arch. The thumb should be resting on, but not squeezing, the back of the neck. When playing, each finger moves independently, pivoting at the large knuckle. This may take some practice, but it’s important to develop this technique. Keep your wrist relaxed, but not bent. When playing up and down the neck, keep the shoulders relaxed, but rotate them to change positions along the neck. |
Right Hand |
Classical guitar is played with the thumb and first three fingers of the right hand, which basically control the guitar’s sound. Raise your right arm in front of your guitar, and drop it toward the sound hole, keeping it relaxed. Create a natural pronounced arc positioned out from the guitar, instead of leaning in. This leaves plenty of room for your fingers to work. The right hand fingers should essentially collapse along the strings while your thumb should sweep out in front of your fingers. Your thumb should never play into your hand or the sound hole. In general, you should alternate playing fingers. When reading classical guitar music, the fingers are referred to as follows: “p” for the thumb; “i” for index; “m” middle; and “a” for ring. The pinky is meant to follow the motion of the third finger. |
Fingernails |
You can usually tell a classical guitarist by looking at their right hand. Proper technique calls for properly maintained long fingernails—extending at least 1/8-inch—on the right hand, while the left hand’s nails should be clipped short. The nails should be smoothly rounded. Any excess roughness or breaks will create unwanted noise while playing. You can experiment with length and shape in developing your playing style. |
Looking for more articles on Classical Guitar? |
| Creating Community the Classical Way |
| My Musical Odyssey |
| Starting Over |
| Music Offers a New Beginning |
