Classical Strings
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011
Play Classical Guitar
To play Classical Guitar no study is complete without the great Spanish Masters, Fernando Sor, Ferdinando Carrulli, Matteo Carcassi, Mauro Giuliani, Isaac Albeniz, Dionisio Aguado, etc. These player composers were the founding fathers of the modern era of Classical Guitar music. These great artistes all lived in the late 1700′s and early 1800′s and between them laid down most of the currently played and recognized Classical Guitar repertoire.
If you learn to play Classical Guitar you are sure to come across these composers very quickly.
Such was their mastery and skill that some of the recognized Great Classical Composers notably Beethoven and Bach wrote works specifically for the Guitar! Beethoven once commented “The Guitar is a veritable orchestra unto itself”. Fur Elise was written as a classical guitar piece for his niece who was learning to play.
In The Classical Guitar (Ariel Publications, New York, 1976). Frederick Noad wrote
“Many of the celebrated Vienna composers were familiar with the guitar and played it as an accompaniment to songs. Both Schubert and Von Weber were players and both published a number of songs with guitar accompaniment. In The Guitar and Mandolin (Schott, London. Revised edition 1954), P.J. Bone wrote, “The majority of Schubert’s accompaniments were conceived on the guitar, and only afterwards did he set them for the piano, and many of his early songs were originally published with guitar. Many of his accompaniments show clearly and indisputably the influence and character of this instrument; they are in truth guitar accompaniments.”"
The size and portability of the guitar made it a very popular instrument and early versions were played and were popular as far back as the Elizabethan era and earlier in the UK. It is hardly surprising therefore that when electricity made the amplified electric guitar a possibility the instrument began a second career as the instrument of choice for Rock Bands, Country Musicians and bands in general.
The instrument is plucked with the finger nails of the right hand and the notes are selected with the fingers of the left hand on the fret board which is usually made of a hard wood such as Rosewood or Mahogany, the body is made of softer woods to allow for the shaping, The Face Board should be solid many cheaper instruments will be plywood faced, which can degenerate with time. The strings will be nylon with the base three (typically) being wound with metal. Some brands of string wind the G and B strings with finer nylon (Saverez for one), this is to give the string a consistent width and purer sound for each note, nylon tending to stretch with age and distorting notes due to the variations in string width.
The Classical Guitar is a great choice for your or your child’s first instrument since the wider neck makes it easier to avoid left hand fingers touching the wrong strings, the nylon strings are also easier on the left hand finger tips than steel strings would be, and finally the classical guitar is played ergonomically. The position is seated on a square backed chair with the left leg supported on a foot stool, so that the guitar rests on the left thigh, the inside of the right thigh and the top back of the body rests on the lower part of the chest. The fret board making an approximately 45 degree angle to the ground, this leaves the left hand totally free to move up and down the fretboard, the left hand should play no part in supporting the instrument.
In order for children to learn to play before their fingers are fully developed Classical Guitars are made in 1/2 (4-8) and 3/4 sixes (9-12) as well as full size. There are copious amounts of guitar sheet music available on line, and even teaching and lesson systems. The biggest plus of all is if you learn to play classical guitar you can play any style of guitar music! So why not give it a try?
About the Author
The Author Stephen Parkin is a member of the Wealthy Affiliate University and the co owner, with his wife Shauna La Pierre, of Pine Grove Stable in Nova Scotia Canada. As well as the stable which is run along Classical Dressage Training lines he is interested in Internet Marketing, Photography, Classical Guitar and his two dogs (a border collie and a labrador retriever).
Stephen’s Classical Guitar site is Play Classical Guitar.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Wealthy Affiliate University is welcome to go to http://www.thedressagehusband.com/wealthyaffiliateblog to register for a free course and see a review.
The Stable website is at http://www.pinegrovestable.com and as well as information about the stable it contains web stores selling books and dvd’s as well as many photographs taken on and around the farm.
The Stable website contains a form for readers to provide comments and Stephen and Shauna welcome any constructive comments from our readers so please feel free to post any feedback there. Thank you.
Samuel Barber – Adagio for Strings
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HIGH QUALITY MDA AMS CLASSICAL NYLON GUITAR STRINGS PRICE SLASHED BRAND NEW $7.12 |
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D’ADDARIO EJ45 PRO-ARTE SILVER CLASSICAL GUITAR STRINGS $8.95 |
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10 sets classical guutar strings .028-.044 $22.50 |
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3 Sets of Fender 100 Nylon Classical Guitar Strings $10.99 |
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LOT 2: Augustine CLASSICAL STRINGS high tension BLUE $13.99 |
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Acoustic Guitar 4/4 nylon string CLASSICAL full size 39 $69.95 |
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LOT 2: Augustine CLASSICAL STRINGS high tension BLUE $13.99 |
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Acoustic Guitar 33″ 1/2 nylon string CLASSICAL student $64.95 |
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Dean Espana CS Acoustic Nylon String Classical Guitar $219.99 |
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CT api-514 PHOTO Avalon String Quartet Classical Music $15.00 |
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10 Sets of Fender Nylon Classical Guitar Strings $34.99 |
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Takamine EC132C Classical Cutaway Nylon String Acoustic-Electric Guitar $942.19 |
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Set 6 Nylon Strings for Classical Guitar 1 Meter New $0.99 |
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Set 6 Nylon Strings for Classical Guitar 1 Meter New $1.02 |
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10 sets D’Addario EJ27N Normal Tension Classical Guitar Strings $56.05 |
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Retro classical String Of Beads Flower Pendant Necklace $1.66 |
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Classical Favorites for Strings Nocturnes Songs CD!~!~! $6.99 |
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KNUCKLEHEAD CLASSICAL GUITAR NYLON STRINGS 29 – 46 REGULAR TENSION $7.70 |
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NEW – CASCADING STRINGS – Classical Music CD Album $4.30 |
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HOT PINK Acoustic Guitar SET 38 classical steel string $34.95 |
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Honey Natural Nylon string Classical Acoustic Guitar $49.95 |
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D’Addario EJ45 Pro-Arte Classical Guitar Strings $8.25 |
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Classical Guitar Black Nylon Gold-Plated Strings Set $2.59 |
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ALICE CLASSICAL GUITAR STRINGS $0.50 |
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Classical Guitar String Bridge Bone Saddle&Nut 6 String $5.49 |
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6 String Classical Guitar Bone Bridge Saddle and Nut $4.99 |
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New Classical Acoustic Guitar Nylon Steel Strings Set $0.99 |
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Ashland AC-10/PAM Nylon String Acoustic Classical Guitar NEW $119.99 |
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New 38″ Coffee Classical Acoustic Guitar 6 String + Pick $23.99 |
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PINK Acoustic Guitar SET 38+folk/classical steel string $34.95 |
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D’Addario EJ46 Pro-Arte Hard Tension Classical Guitar Strings Standard $7.99 Premium-quality classical strings. |
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GHS Nylon and Silver Classical Guitar Ball End Strings Standard $8.49 The industry standard for classical strings. |
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GHS Nylon and Phosphor Bronze Classical Guitar Ball End Strings Standard $7.99 The industry standard for classical strings. |
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Sevilla Classical Guitar Strings Ball End EMP-Coated Classical Guitar Strings Standard $19.99 At long last, coated classical strings. |