Classical guitar - where do I start?

[beed84]

For a few years now, I've had the urge to learn classical. Every time I hear one being played, I'm captivated and want to be able to do it. My last urge came the other day after watching Milos play his version of Girl From Ipanema on BBC breakfast news and has subsequently made want to do something about it once and for all.

My only issue is: where do I start?

Any help or suggestions would be most appreciated.

Cheers

[Dulcetjones]

There's lots of sites online but first make sure you get your right hand technique down(assuming you're right-handed). You will also benefit greatly from knowing how to sight read. Learn what rest strokes and free strokes are and use them both. One of the best books I found was "Pumping Nylon" by Scott Tennant.

[beed84]

There's lots of sites online but first make sure you get your right hand technique down(assuming you're right-handed). You will also benefit greatly from knowing how to sight read. Learn what rest strokes and free strokes are and use them both. One of the best books I found was "Pumping Nylon" by Scott Tennant.

Thanks, I'll look into this. Hoping to get started in the next couple of weeks!

[nickp]

I suggest you have some lessons - at least to get the basics ingrained. The right hand techinque as Dulcet mentioned is crucial, and getting a great tone relies a lot on almost micro-changes in the right hand position. If you are an electric or acoustic player then your left hand will need some work to move to the classical fretboard - but yep a lot of it is right hand.

oh and sight reading

I went back and had lessons last year for about 12 months and they were brilliant

nick

[mellowsun]

Thinking of learning classical as well. I have a nylon string 'silent' guitar but should get a proper one.

Free stroke I find OK, rest stroke I find very hard, particularly when combining them in a run. Making each note sound for the right amount of time is going to take a lot of practice. Left hand seems to be OK but I think my right hand is going to need a lot of work!

[DLM]

Bridget Mermikides did a classical DVD/"magazine" thing recently. I bought the Play Metal Guitar one of the same series (a great deal at six quid), and her columns in Guitar Techniques are always very clear.

[DLM]

I decided it'd be more helpful if I provided a link: http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.u...ssical-guitar/

"Bookazine" is what they call these accomphanying pamphlets, it transpires: a truly shameful portmanteau.

[beed84]

Thanks guys. Well I've secured a very nice Japanese classical I stumbled across today in an antique shop - £35!! Bargain! Yeah, I think lessons are gonna be unavoidable, I don't wanna start learning and gain a lazy technique. And thanks for the link above, I shall save it in my favourites and come back to anon. I agree, 'Bookazine' is terrible. I'll continue to call it a 'guitar mag'.

[tonyteech02]

Being a guitar teacher I would of course advise having lessons. Lots of them and lots of practice. For two reasons, I started flamenco lessons at the age of 65. nearly 3 years ago. My teacher is a nice kind man who is one of the top guitarists in the UK - a far better player than any so called "name " player. He completely cleaned up my technique by being very polite but very scathing and ego bruising. Not an enjoyable process but it has so far sorted me out and removed lots of bad habits (at least on the guitar) I also teach classical and correct tone production based on proper placement of the hands is paramount in playing nylon string guitar. Rest stroke at speed is very hard and requires hours of practice over a sustained period of time to achieve. You need to read music as well. Tab only works up to a certain point and it falls down on showing rhythms. Suggest the Frederick Noad book as a starter and the 50 Easy Classical Guitar series which has progressive pieces in tab - music notation and with a CD good luck and enjoy.

[Dulcetjones]

Suggest the Frederick Noad book as a starter

+1 , I have 3 Noad Books, all great, "Playing The Guitar" and "Solo Guitar Playing" Books one and two. For rest stroke studies look up the first couple of Julio Segreras books.