Five Tips for Beginners Learning Classical Guitar
by Eddie Perez, guitar player and writer at MusicianAuthority.com
Wheter
you’ve got an impressive history of playing electrical or acoustic guitar or
you’re just now foraying into guitar playing, classical guitar is bound to
feel like a whole new world at first. Previous experience with other styles of
guitar playing might set you up for success in certain areas, but you’ll still
have plenty to learn! Here are 5 tips that beginners learning classical guitar
should keep in mind while they get started.
1. Start with the right instrument (and hold it properly).
No matter how comfortable you are with other types of guitars, you’ll
want to start fresh with the right high-quality instrument when you learn to
play classical guitar. While they may look similar, classical guitars differ
from acoustic guitars in that they have shorter and wider necks and feature
nylon instead of steel strings. One perk of those nylon strings is that
they’ll be a bit easier on your fingers during those long, dedicated practice
sessions!
3. Choose practice pieces appropriate for your level.
If you’re a self-taught musician, then this tip is especially important.
You don’t want to jump the gun and get in over your head by trying to play
pieces that are too complicated. If you do, you’re bound to get frustrated and
then struggle to keep up your motivation to practice.
If you attend guitar
lessons with a professional and find yourself struggling even after practicing like you’re supposed to (for real--no cutting corners), then
you might need to discuss your struggles with your teacher. They’ll probably
have some good advice on how to troubleshoot your technique, or they might agree
to a different practice piece to help you really get the hang of it.
4. Balance technicality with feeling.
Classical music is complicated, without a doubt. Every change in tempo or
picking style is laid out for a reason, so you’ll need to put in tons of time
practicing various aspects of form and learning the technicalities of different
ways to play. While they might be tedious and unexciting to practice repeatedly,
they truly are the foundation upon which you’ll build your entire musical
skill set.
However, once you’ve dedicated yourself to your practice exercises for the
day, remember to give yourself time to really feel the music. Take a break for a
minute to loosen up after all your hard work, and really let your passion for
music flow while you reconnect with your instrument.
5. Get reacquainted with your fingers and nails.
In order to excel at playing classical guitar, you'll need tp the tome to
familiarize yourself with a new ser of terms for you fingers. If you speak a good bit of Spanish, you might already be ahead of the
game as you learn these terms:
p (pulgar) = thumb
i (index) = index finger
m (mayor) = middle finger
a (annular) = ring finger
c, e or x (chiquito) = pinky finger
As a side note: You may not use that pinky finger much. Some musicians do and
others don’t, but it’s good to know the terms regardless! You might find the
dexterity and finger strength required by classical guitar to be taxing at
first, but stick with it and you’ll develop the strength you need over time.
In addition to knowing what the Spanish finger terms mean, you’ll want to
prepare your fingernails for more effective playing as well. The nails on your
fretting hand should be kept short so that they don’t get in the way. However,
the nails on your picking fingers should be grown out a little bit to afford you
greater freedom with expression and tone while you play.
Remember:
As you’re getting started with beginner classical guitar, there are a lot of
things to remember. The way that you hold your classical guitar and maintain
your nails can have big effects on how it sounds when you play. On top of that,
it’s critical to learn your sheet music and the proper terminology as
thoroughly as possible--and never skimp on practice sessions.
However, even though these technicalities are extremely important to learn
thoroughly while you’re getting started, don’t forget to relax and simply
let the music flow now and then. After all, classical guitar is meant to be
enjoyed!
Copyright François Faucher 1998-20
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