Classical Guitar

[Florentin]

I see there are some people in here who are interested in playing classical guitar. That is great. I mean, I came to this place to learn a little about rock and folk guitar, and it is great to see that some of you have some interest for classical guitar.

I am classically trained, and hold two degrees in Classical Guitar from DePaul University, in Chicago. No, I am not braggin' :rolleye:

Here are some suggestions for those of you who have some interest:

1. Start with easy pieces! Many people start with Rennaisance pieces, like Greensleves, or even Bach. No, No, No! That is way too hard to begin with, and many people get discouraged. Just because you like the way a song sounds, it does not mean it is your level of playing. I would suggest you start with some very easy pieces by Carulli or Carcassi.


http://www.guitardownunder.com/music/cdance.html

The idea is to establish some classical technique elements, while you play some music that is not too demanding.

here's another great one
http://www.guitardownunder.com/music/studyem.html

The absolute best way, in my opinion, is to get a classical guitar method, like Carulli or Carcassi, and play from the beginning, without skipping any pages.

2. Make sure you use the right technique: body position, the way you hold the instrument, the right hand, the left hand, and so on

3. Do NOT read tablature when you play classical guitar. Most classical music is written in staff notation.

4. Listen to and watch other classical guitarists as they play. A good place to start is marthamasters.com/
There you can find pics and even video clips of her playing.


Good luck.

[PerianArdocyl]

Oh, dude, that's awesome! Know what I always say: To get an edge in your rock 'n roll, get to know the classics! Good for learning to finger-pick, right? Not that I don't know, but it'd be good to get an idea how to create a finger-picking melody. :smile:
Always wanted to learn classical, but I'm just too wrapped up in my favored musics 'n such. I didn't know before now that there was a difference, I thought that when my literature teacher said, "Oh, you're learning classic? Great!" that yes, I was learning accoustic guitar. Couple people were wondering that around me to, that what's the difference. Guess now I know!

[Poldy]

Well, you can't get much notation on internet... you can learn by tablatures too, but is a little slower.

Here (http://www.classtab.org/) you can find a lot of tabs, the easy ones are marked...

Snowflight by Andrew York is very easy... and nice.

[wildcorn]

You can get tonnes of notation on the internet for classical. Here are 6 Carcassi peices, in pdf format, and with accompanying midi files so you can hear what it should sound like.

http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/make-table.cgi?Composer=CarcassiM

Curtesy of the Mutopia project (http://www.mutopiaproject.org/)

[Florentin]

There are numerous places you can find classical guitar music online, in staff notation.

You can also buy a good book of studies, like the carcassi method, for the same price you'd buy a set of strings for.

[Acoustic Belle]

Florentine,
I have been learning simple pieces by sor and carulli, I think, I bought a simple classical book and have been studying that.
I can read the notation and find understanding the timing and notes to
play much easier to follow than tab.

Its nice to see someone interested in helping people study such a hard
aspect of guitar playing.

My stepfather and brother are both classical guitarists and tend to look
down their noses at my attempts at playing.

glad that i am doing the right thing and will keep at it.

thanks

Belle

[mishmannah]

Oh, dude, that's awesome! Know what I always say: To get an edge in your rock 'n roll, get to know the classics! Good for learning to finger-pick, right? Not that I don't know, but it'd be good to get an idea how to create a finger-picking melody. :smile:
Always wanted to learn classical, but I'm just too wrapped up in my favored musics 'n such. I didn't know before now that there was a difference, I thought that when my literature teacher said, "Oh, you're learning classic? Great!" that yes, I was learning accoustic guitar. Couple people were wondering that around me to, that what's the difference. Guess now I know!

Hey, Perian, see you have "Jareth" from Labyrinth as yer avatar...

Was my favourite film when I wuz younger...!

[mishmannah]

I see there are some people in here who are interested in playing classical guitar. That is great. I mean, I came to this place to learn a little about rock and folk guitar, and it is great to see that some of you have some interest for classical guitar.

I am classically trained, and hold two degrees in Classical Guitar from DePaul University, in Chicago. No, I am not braggin' :rolleye:

Here are some suggestions for those of you who have some interest:

1. Start with easy pieces! Many people start with Rennaisance pieces, like Greensleves, or even Bach. No, No, No! That is way too hard to begin with, and many people get discouraged. Just because you like the way a song sounds, it does not mean it is your level of playing. I would suggest you start with some very easy pieces by Carulli or Carcassi.


http://www.guitardownunder.com/music/cdance.html

The idea is to establish some classical technique elements, while you play some music that is not too demanding.

here's another great one
http://www.guitardownunder.com/music/studyem.html

The absolute best way, in my opinion, is to get a classical guitar method, like Carulli or Carcassi, and play from the beginning, without skipping any pages.

2. Make sure you use the right technique: body position, the way you hold the instrument, the right hand, the left hand, and so on

3. Do NOT read tablature when you play classical guitar. Most classical music is written in staff notation.

4. Listen to and watch other classical guitarists as they play. A good place to start is marthamasters.com/
There you can find pics and even video clips of her playing.


Good luck.

This is great! Well done for the two degrees...I guess that you are a technical type...

I am studying English classical music and Celtic folk stuff, Irish and Welsh airs...and am being rather hard with myself...make a mistake, start all over again until I have got it right.

Classical music for guitar is an excellent way to work up the dexterity of one's fingers!

I believe it is good to go back and study music in its classical forms...I was taking classical singing lessons until recently, and the techniques apparently are transferrable.

[Florentin]

My stepfather and brother are both classical guitarists and tend to look
down their noses at my attempts at playing.

glad that i am doing the right thing and will keep at it.

thanks

Belle

listen, classically trained musicians will do that sometimes...
:smile:

ignore it, smile, and keep playing your stuff.

I would probably get the same reaction from a jazz band, if I sat down and played a couple of tunes with them... What're ya' gonna do? we all do the best that we can.

:smile:

[Florentin]

I guess that you are a technical type...

I am studying English classical music and Celtic folk stuff, Irish and Welsh airs...and am being rather hard with myself...make a mistake, start all over again until I have got it right.

yes, I am the technical type, and I love to practice technique. But I also love to just pick up my guitar and play whatever...

sounds like you're working pretty hard yourself...
:smile:

[ReverendFoghorn]

I started learning Classical guitar long before I started using the internet with a book called The Baroque Guitar. Coming from this period, the music tended to be
translations from other instruments, as the classical guitar as we know it is an instrument of the later 19th century.

I still play using a Yamaha, but I have an acoustic now also and I'm having a hard time holding it without putting my thumb behind the neck classical style.

[Florentin]

...as the classical guitar as we know it is an instrument of the later 19th century...


well, the guitar goes back even to the rennaisance. Back then, it was called the Vihuela, and later the Baroque Guitar. Of course, the tunning was a little different, but it was a guitar allright.

The guitar that uses six strings and our tunning, goes back to the end of the 18th century.

there's nothing wrong with transcriptions - pianists play transcriptions all the time - as long as they are good ones :)

Bach transcribed his own works for the harpsichord and violin unto the lute.

I come in peace... :smile:

[Acoustic Belle]

Hi everybody, especially florintine,
I have been learning the study in e minor by carulli, and decided that i needed to hear it, (very important,i think), anyway to cut a long story short, i have searched the net and i cant find a midi of it anywhere.
Do you know if any famoust guitarists have recorded it or does someone here have a midi version of it to send me.

if so let me know and i will pm my msn address.

hope someone will help me and so far it sounds lovely. even with my awful fingers doing the playing.

Belle

i could ask my brother but he would take too long lol.

[Acoustic Belle]

Hi again, everyone,
I managed to find a midi of carulli's piece, but its awful fast for me to play
its going to take ages to get it up to speed.
my picking is ok, its just the long stretch on the D# thats catching me at the
moment, but practice makes perfect.
Had to stop tonight it was starting to hurt.

Belle

[Florentin]

Belle:

your left hand is going to hurt some, but is should NOT hurt too much! It is a good idea not to play while your left hand hurts. Here's what you do:

- stop
- look at the passage you're playing
- finger it slowly, without playing with the right hand
- see if you can hold the "painful" chord down while you relax your hand
- put it back into the song

playing these classical pieces will help both hands get better. It will also help improve your musicianship.

:smile:

[Acoustic Belle]

thanks florentine,
Having been playing for three years, I still get pain when i try something new,
I've dabbled with classical style since the begining and am going to get myself some proper lessons.
Long stretches are my main problem as I do have very small hands, my biggest finger is a size J, I dont know what that is in the us.
But all my children have bigger hands than me now lol.

thankyou so much for giving me something new to get my teeth into, the book i bought only had one piece of music per lesson and i needed more practice at things than that.

thanks again

Belle

[Acoustic Belle]

mishmanna,
Most of the stuff I have learned I have got off the internet, many many things are far too difficult for me to attempt even after three years of playing
everyday.
But I try to progress with the things i can do and improve them to the best of my ability. being self taught is hard.

I have learned to read music and find the timing hard when a melody and bass line is added. then i get a bit stuck. if i listen i too can get it then.

having small hands is a problem, it took me nearly two years to play a clean f chord. and "C" and "G" were also a problem.

In my eager attempts to learn i played g with my little finger and am now having to rectify that problem..

dont worry we all have the same problem if our hands are small same as it they were too big.

If i want to play a song in an awkward key i will capo and play in easier chords thats something a wise old guitarist told me, he said" if you are good enough other people will play around you"
so I aim to be good and let people play around me, but. thats a long way off.

Can i ask you a question do you get told that you play too quiet, my friend says that i am much too quiet still and wondered if it was a problem girls have.????

Belle

[mishmannah]

mishmanna,
Most of the stuff I have learned I have got off the internet, many many things are far too difficult for me to attempt even after three years of playing
everyday.
But I try to progress with the things i can do and improve them to the best of my ability. being self taught is hard.

I have learned to read music and find the timing hard when a melody and bass line is added. then i get a bit stuck. if i listen i too can get it then.

having small hands is a problem, it took me nearly two years to play a clean f chord. and "C" and "G" were also a problem.

In my eager attempts to learn i played g with my little finger and am now having to rectify that problem..

dont worry we all have the same problem if our hands are small same as it they were too big.

If i want to play a song in an awkward key i will capo and play in easier chords thats something a wise old guitarist told me, he said" if you are good enough other people will play around you"
so I aim to be good and let people play around me, but. thats a long way off.

Can i ask you a question do you get told that you play too quiet, my friend says that i am much too quiet still and wondered if it was a problem girls have.????

Belle

Hi Belle, thanks for your reply!

F barre chords are a bane!!!! If you wanna hear buzzing, hear me play an Fmajor chord!
I am hard on myself, as I want to be able to shape barre chords...

I play too quietly because of two reasons...

a) I have light gauge guitar strings, I bought them by mistake!

b) When I was a teenager, my mum used to hear me playing guitar upstairs, and because of her migraines, used to tell me to keep quiet. So, on my nylon Castilla, I would just lightly brush the strings so that it was barely audible for me to hear. I was er...determined to learn, mother's migraine or not!

It sounds like you are really good after three years. I do not think that I would have been that good after three years of playing, I was mucking about too much!

It encourages me to know that you use the internet as a source...I have been wanting to do that too, but do not know where to start!

Coming back to the question of girlie playing, I do not know. I know I have a real problem playing in front of others, which was odd, because I played in a church band before, and I know the complicated guitar pieces I have learnt do not ever get heard by others, because my hand literally freezes up in nervousness!

Could the fact that we are female and British play a part? (stiff upper lip n' all that!) I seem to be surrounded by extremely confident positive American guitarists on this forum, and their confidence is beginning to rub off on me! They just believe it, and do it.

Belle, I am going to think about this female guitarist thingie. I don't think that there are many of us around!

[Acoustic Belle]

mishmanna,
Where in the uk are you ? nice to have someone fairly local to talk to lol,
thanks for saying I must be good , but reading your posts and what you can play, I am mere beginnier.
Playing in front of others i dont know yet, I havent done that. my family and friends that call around yes, but in public not yet.
I am the only female guitarist that I know and still get funny looks in guitar shops when i ask to play a certain guitar.
Do you get funny looks in guitar shops? it seems to be a very sexist world to me and the guys dont want us to get a look in on all their secrests.(only joking guys).
yes I have to agree the folks here seem really nice and helpful, and do i need help sometimes.
Trouble with me is that i get bored and want to learn something new all the time and never learn anything completley, thats something i realized tonight.

Anyway have to go now as i'm on my sons computer and he wants some peace and quiet.
By for now
Belle

[mishmannah]

mishmanna,
Where in the uk are you ? nice to have someone fairly local to talk to lol,
thanks for saying I must be good , but reading your posts and what you can play, I am mere beginnier.
Playing in front of others i dont know yet, I havent done that. my family and friends that call around yes, but in public not yet.
I am the only female guitarist that I know and still get funny looks in guitar shops when i ask to play a certain guitar.
Do you get funny looks in guitar shops? it seems to be a very sexist world to me and the guys dont want us to get a look in on all their secrests.(only joking guys).
yes I have to agree the folks here seem really nice and helpful, and do i need help sometimes.
Trouble with me is that i get bored and want to learn something new all the time and never learn anything completley, thats something i realized tonight.

Anyway have to go now as i'm on my sons computer and he wants some peace and quiet.
By for now
Belle

Ha hah ha! I think as a parent, you deserve your own computer!

I suppose you are literally next door to me! I live quite near the Welsh Border, in a very nice part, actually. I get a little taste of the Welsh hills which makes me long to hop in the car for half an hour and head off deeper into Wales for a day on foot! I tell you, it's torture seeing them in the distance, winking at me in the summer sunshine!

Please do not get any ideas that I am any good...I am an ameteur with grand dreams! Probably makes me sound better than I am...I apologise if I do!

Yes, I get very funny looks from Guitar Shop assistants...they are either usually young, spotty and wear black T-shirts with skull designs, or old, hairy and wear black T-shirts with "Jack Daniels" logos on them!

They usually treat me patronizingly, when I ask for strings, they say something like..."You know you need six of them!" :mad:
If I try out a guitar, they stare at me as if I was about to do a gig...I bottle out, strum a D chord, and say "I'll have it!"

I had given up going into guitar shops until I read this forum...I have now the confidence to stroll in casually, pick up a guitar and say..."This is the Ibanez Artwood Series, isn't it? I can pick this up from the US for £200!"

Another thing I find annoying is thanks to stars like Avril Lavigne, you can buy "ladies" guitars...daisy designs, or pink sparkle axes....grrrr....

I am very similar to you in the way you describe your experiences in practice...you get bored quickly and want to try something new...I am like that too! I learn a really tricky part of the song, feel relieved and think that is it!

Lately, I have really been hard on myself...play the song slowly, and if I make a mistake-start again!!!!!!



My knowledge and love for the guitar has increased thanks to this forum.

[Florentin]

For the record:

I am a man

it is not Florentine (that would make me a girl) but Florentin.

you so funny. :smile:

[Florentin]

allright, a couple of comments are due here.

I think there are some great female classical guitarists out there.

The first classical guitar concert I ever attended was in Chicago, and it was Margarita Escarpa, from Spain. Since then, I heard many ladies play the classical guitar very, very well. I had buddies in college who were working on guitar degrees along with me, and some of them were girls.

enough of this "lady" stuff. You guys are tough, you guys have just as much potential as anybody holding a guitar in their hand.

So no more excuses... get your Carcassi book out, practice your scales and arpeggios, and play for someone once a month. :smile:

if you want a starting place, so I can prove my point, go visit Martha Masters' web site. I think it is at marthamasters.com/

Make sure you don't go to marthastewart.com/ :D

There you can read about her, see photos, even watch a video of her playing.

:smile:

[mishmannah]

For the record:

I am a man

it is not Florentine (that would make me a girl) but Florentin.

you so funny. :smile:

:o :o :o :eek: :o :o :o

Many many many many apologies are due, especially from myself, as it was me who mistook your gender!

Thank you for the recommendations, I will look at the sites you mentioned

[Florentin]

not necesary. It happens all the time with my mail. :)

they think a forgot to write in the e at the end and assume I am a girl.

It is especially a bummer when I get free address labels in the mail, and they say Mrs. Florentine.

:hmmm:

[mishmannah]

not necesary. It happens all the time with my mail. :)

they think a forgot to write in the e at the end and assume I am a girl.

It is especially a bummer when I get free address labels in the mail, and they say Mrs. Florentine.

:hmmm:

My real name confuses people...they think that I am a bloke...

[Florentin]

what is it? :)

[mishmannah]

Er...Sam!

(mind you, its Samantha, but because my name was mentioned in full only when I was naughty as a kid, you get to dislike your name!)

[Florentin]

it is nice to meet you, Sam. :)

[Acoustic Belle]

All right you too florintin and mismanna,
I've missed quite a few posts, we have two computers in our house but with several people to share them sometimes i feel guilty and get off quick.
I wasnt having a geniune moan about being female and playing just asking Sam. thanks for your real name, I'm Rachel by the way.
About her impressions of how people in guitar shops treat her.
In the beginning it was funny , now I dont care.
I love this guitar and I am going to learn to play it whatever other people think.
I'm really enjoying that carelli piece in em and am beginging to get it to sound a little bit better, but it will be weeks before its right.
I am a bit of a perfectionist as well and get despondent if things dont go right for me straight away.
Being that i'm left handed and have learned to play right, which according to my brother is the correct way and that I am lucky. so he says.
tell my hands that when i look occasional at the "deer hunter" theme, John Williams must have big hands.
One day i will learn to play it, as its one of my favouite pieces of guitar music.
I will look at those sites and get some inspiration thanks florintin.

Belle

[Florentin]

you're welcome Rachel.

the piece you are reffering to is a beautiful piece, I agree. It is called Cavatina, I think. It was written for the movie, and then John asked the composer to add some stuff, to make it into a complete piece.

It sure streches your fingers to the max, kinda like a Bach piece. :)

[Acoustic Belle]

Yes it proper name is cavatina, it is very beautiful and haunting, funny music always paints pictures in my mind.
there is no possible way that I can play it at the moment my fingers wont stretch that way.
I am sure when my knowledge developes i will be able to rearrange it to a more suitable key for my fingers, but not yet.
Florintin am I right can pieces be rearranged like that, my brother says that John Williams wrote it there as it was comfortable for him to play it, but for myself another position might be better.
please let me know if i am wrong, as my learning is important to me.
Can I ask you have you a favourite piece that you play?. and I look forward to your website somewhere else to learn wonderful music.
I just wish i took the guitar up earlier than 37, prehaps by the time I'm 50
i will be able to play the way I would like.

Rachel

[Florentin]

Rachel,

first, transcriptions.

Lots of people do transcriptions, mainly for two reasons:
- to adapt a song for a different instrument
- to make a song easier to play

It would be a great exercise to try and transcribe Cavatina to a different key, but you ought to make sure that the harmonic movement, and the bass notes do not get compromised.

second, the age factor.

Don't get started with that... :smile: all of us wish we started earlier, worked harder, blah, blah, blah. The question is what do I do NOW?

37 is definately NOT too late! Can you imagine what you would accomplish if you dedicated yourself to some serious study for the next five years? I think you would accomplish great things. You see, the years go by whether we practice or not. It is up to us to kick our own butt and get to work.

I wish I could go back a few years and try some things different, but we cannot do that. :(

[Acoustic Belle]

sorry florintin,
I wont go on about the age thingy anymore. I promise. the ability to transcribe cavatina is out of the question at the moment.
I was looking at the new world the other day the most famous part and was trying to play it from piano music and hit rather a problem.
I couldnt play the notes because i needed two on the same frett at the same time.
finding quality guitar music is quite hard in the uk. they charge about five pounds for one piece and when you want lots and lots it gets pricy.

you still havent said what your favourite piece is that you play?

Rachel

[Florentin]

My favorite pieces would be anything by Bach, I would say. I played Allemande, from the first Lute Suite in E minor, forever, it seems. I also enjoy playing his fugues. Most people (who don't play classical) enjoy listening to Boure (also from the first suite). It is a nice piece, but somewhat short.

If you try to get recordings of Bach on the guitar, do not get Segovia or Bream. I mean, I like them a lot, but not when they play Bach.

I like John Williams, Russell, Escarpa, Oscar Ghiglia.

[Florentin]

I am a lefty too, but my dad made me write with my right, so I can now write with both hands... :)

I play the guitar "righty"

I am 31 :toohappy:

[mishmannah]

I am a lefty too, but my dad made me write with my right, so I can now write with both hands... :)

I play the guitar "righty"

I am 31 :toohappy:

My primary school forced me to write right handed, and I had difficulties learning until my mother forced her way into the headmaster's office as a demonstration of my right to be a southpaw...

Ahh, I can blame those missing months! Where's me lawyer?

[Acoustic Belle]

god it sounds like I was very lucky, my primary headteacher had taught my three older brothers and allowed me to be left handed.
Also she realized quite quickley that i had dyslexia, which back in the early 1970's was very progressive in deed.
I had poor coordination and bad balance as well so any sports or instruments were out.
I tryed to learn guitar when i was eighteen, but found it too much learning with all those female hormones rushing throught me at the time.
just glad that i have returned to it now.

Sam i was very lucky my mum was and is rather remarkable she taught me that women can do anything that they want.
She started dancing in her thirties and was teaching within five years she played squash and other sports well into her fifties and now at seventy one is driving around in a mr2 sports car.

she didnt sit around and say she was old and i am the same. i act and think much younger than my 40 years and many of my friends who are years younger than me cant keep up with me on a night out.

I have six children ages 20 down to 4 although they arnt all with me permanently so i get to practice in the evenings and have a lovely husband who puts up with my playing every night

But i love this guitar and am glad to have made a new friend

Rachel

[Acoustic Belle]

I meant to say new friends, sometimes i type too quick for my own good and dont know how to edit on these stupid things.

Rachel

[Florentin]

talk about feelin' young?

My grandma is 81, and she is out there gardening. Won't let me help either... :smile:

[mishmannah]

talk about feelin' young?

My grandma is 81, and she is out there gardening. Won't let me help either... :smile:


Can you imagine being that lively at 81? I have always said to people....turn the machine off if I get to the stage where I have to sit in a chair with a blanket over my knees!!

[Acoustic Belle]

Hi Sam,
Yes the education system is all over the place and getting worse. ha ha
lets drop this now or we will have a row of the mods.
I could talk for hours over the madness of it but not here.
Although i didnt do well at school i have read extensivly and did get an
access course in science and engineering and enjoyed that so eduction
did catch up on me in the end.
But at school i was awful,

Do you teach now?

My eldest son wants to teach history or english so i will get all the info
over the next couple of years.

What are you learning now? something complicated i bet. I'm enjoying that em piece and had a little look at Spanish romanza last night.

It was really funny because my eyes went all swollen and sore and i had to take my glasses off, so I was playing blind literally. it really made me appreciate my ears.
i shall practice that way again as it was good for me even thought i found it difficult.

Rachel

[mishmannah]

My little daughter is all streamed up too today...I am pouring Piriton into her as I speak!

I am learning a piece by a local folk musician called Michael Raven. He is this old guy who spent most of his posting during WW2 in Malta playing flamenco and spanish guitar. I must state at this point that I am not interested at the moment in Spanish guitar!

Michael does English, Irish and Welsh folk music, and transcribes them to guitar. I basically whack the CD on, look at his tabs, and copy....

I am learning "Murlough Shore", "Come Live With Me" and "Lass from the Low Country"

Rachel, I am so spoilt for choice, especially when inspiring people like Florentin (e!!!!) turns up and suggests some classical stuff, saying that it is good technique for other styles!!!!!!

Arrrrrr!

Thank you for saving this thread's life...you saved me a rollicking from the mods too!

[Florentin]

I teach. I am a school teacher. I teach General Music and Chorus.

My students are definately NOT "the same". I agree with what you were saying earlier. Each student has individual needs, and needs to be taught in a way he/she understands. It's just hard to do that when you have 25 kids in your room.

[Florentin]

I teach Kindergarten through 6th grade right now.

[Florentin]

well, kindergarten is about 5-6 years old and 6th grade is about 12 years old. I teach kindergarten through 6th.

[Florentin]

yes, yes

today was their last day.

oh, it is so quiet in here ... :smile: