Classical Guitar Lessons for Beginners

Published on: 13 September 2018 Last Updated on: 12 September 2024
Classical Guitar

Okay so you want to learn how to play the classical guitar but you have no idea where to begin. It really isn’t that hard to learn how to play as long as you have the necessary time to put into the craft and the patience to make it through the tough learning curve.

In this classical guitar lesson, I will be going over something for you to get started such as your posture and the way you hold the guitar. If you didn’t know the classical guitar is the model every other acoustic guitar is based on. The main way you can tell the two guitars apart is that the classical normally has a wider fretboard and utilizes nylon instead of the steel strings you’ll see on acoustics.

This type of guitar is designed to let the top of the musical instrument vibrate but keep the neck, back, or sides from vibrating. Try to avoid picking a classical guitar that has a laminated top since they won’t give you the quality sound you want. If you don’t mind spending a little extra money trying to get a classic guitar made out of rosewood or spruce. However, the guitars that have the plywood tops with a thin layer of cedar will do just fine.

Keep in mind though that going for a guitar with better wood will help preserve your guitar for longer since they age better. The guitars made of cheaper wood will be good when you first get them and then the quality of the guitar and sound produced will decline over time. Meanwhile, the guitars made with better woods will actually keep getting better as time goes on.

Your posture is very important when it comes to playing this hollow bodied instrument. Take a look at any professional classical guitar player and you’ll notice that they have an upright posture with their foot on a stool. With the right sitting position, you’ll be able to minimize the amount of effort you have to use and you’ll be more stable and comfortable.

The proper sitting position involves keeping your back straight and resting the guitar on the thigh that is on the neck side. You will need the help of a footstool or a support placed on the thigh to raise the head of the guitar level.

You will rest the elbow on the edge of the body of the guitar and place the hand that plays the strings over the sound hole. You will need to bring the hand up to the height of the shoulder and to do this you’ll need to bend the arm on the neck side.

Position your thumb behind the neck, below the 2nd fret, and behind the 3rd string. The key to playing the guitar properly is to relax your entire upper body from the shoulders to your hands. Now get a chair so you can support your guitar and make it more stable. Try to use a chair that will make your thigh horizontal. If your thigh is not angled correctly your guitar will keep slipping and interrupt your playing.

Once you get the grasp of holding the guitar in the proper position it’s time to start practicing pieces. You must make sure you avoid difficult pieces like Asturias or you might end up giving up on the guitar forever. Start with pieces like Fernando Carulli.

You can head to your local music store and get a book to study him. Pieces like “Waltz in E Minor” and “Country Dance” should get you started and help you build technique and confidence. If you are using tabs I would suggest that you try using sheet music. Just do a simple search for it online for some sight reading books.

One good book I know of is authored by Robert Benedict called “Sight Reading for the Classical Guitar levels 1 to 3″. Start off with the simple pieces and as your technique gets better you’ll begin to learn more complex pieces.

Not only should you learn how to play music on your classical guitar but you should also get familiar with how to string it and tune it. Many classical guitar players attempt to grow their nails to pluck the strings, while others use the flesh of their fingertips. This decision is all yours and depends on what you’re comfortable with.

Also, when you take classical guitar lessons for beginners it’ll be in your best interest to learn how to read conventional music notation. Try to learn more about half notes, whole notes, time signatures, scales, and accidental notes. Once you learn the proper sitting position and learn a few easy pieces you’ll be well on your way to becoming a pretty good classical guitar player.

Read Also:

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

image001-7

4 Tips to Find the Best Voice Lessons

Are you someone who frequently finds themselves singing along to the radio? Do you play an instrument but you’ve always wanted to add singing to your list of musical skills? Have you always wanted to start a band and perform live? Has that ever inspired you to make music yourself? Have you ever found yourself wanting to learn how to sing, but don't know where to start? Sure, it's important to be able to take lessons and improve your craft, but in music, meeting people is half the struggle. Being able to find a place where you can not only learn how to be a better vocalist but also meet and collaborate with other singers and musicians who are also learning is the real first step, especially when there are so many different music schools with different advantages and disadvantages. However, there is hope: in this article, we're going to be sharing with you 4 tips to help you find the best voice lessons so you don't have to spend your valuable time navigating the market. So, without further ado, here are our tips: #1. Find a School that Fits Your Style:  Whether you're trying to find lessons in rock or pop or folk/indie, it's important to find a school that will cater to your interests. After all, you don't want to be taking lessons with someone who doesn't understand the type of music you want to play! Thankfully, many schools will list the genres their instructors teach and how much experience those instructors bring to the table. Learn more at Singers Edge — a school that prides itself on its staff of over 40 university-trained instructors, all focused on different areas of specialty. #2. Finding a Certificate Program:  Being able to sing well is one thing, but having the credentials for people to know you're a good singer before they even hear you are also incredibly beneficial. Finding a school that gives you access to a certificate program can be a great way to get your credentials. #3. Affordable Group Classes:  One of the best reasons to go attend a music school is to meet other people who are also learning, but regardless of whether you're taking lessons in rock or pop or folk/indie, some schools charge you extra for group lessons. This can be counterproductive and sometimes just too expensive, so finding a school that doesn't charge you to the network is key. #4. Find A Payment Plan Right for You:  Finding a music school with a flexible payment plan is also essential. If you needed to tour, for example, you don't want to be locked into a contract for lessons you’re not actually taking. Being able to seize the opportunity as it happens is the best way to be a musician and the best music schools will understand this. If you're somebody who is looking to find the right school to fit your style and schedule, while also offering you the opportunity to meet other enthusiastic vocalists, Singer's Edge might just be the place for you. Located in a capital city with many great venues this school allows you to meet other singers and musicians who are also learning while being able to take group lessons for free! There are also no locked in terms of contracts, allowing you to pay on a month-to-month basis. Follow these four tips, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better vocalist, while also collaborating with other musicians — all with the right set of instructors helping you along. Read Also: Headphones Vs Earbuds: How To Choose For The Best Music Experience Demystified: The Interesting Connection Between Politics And Music Omar Ascha, Inspirational Leader, On 6 Steps To Finding Mentors And Transforming Your Life

READ MOREDetails
Recording

5 Awesome Tips to Help You Sound Better When Recording

If you have ever tried to record your voice, in a studio or at home, you might have realized that the final recording sounds nothing like you thought it would. You do know that you sound great, have heard that you do, and other people have told you the same thing. So, what happened? The difference is caused by the way we hear sounds; first through the air and then as vibrations that travel through the skill. This combination can muddy how the voice sounds, Here are a few things you can do to make you sound much better when recording: 1. Practice Beforehand Recording in a studio can be very intimidating and to cut the tension, a lot of new singers rush things. This rushing can make you sound a lot worse than you did at home. The best way to overcome these feelings is to practice a lot. When practicing, record everything and listen back to it. Doing so allows you to correct anything you do not like. It also helps you establish the right key for the type of song you are recording and to work on any vocal range issues that come up. Once you have the song and the vocal technique down, recording in a studio will be easier, and you will not have to do too many takes. You will also know the melody and lyrics so well that singing in front of people will not feel intimidating as you will know exactly what you need to do. Many recording studios offer rehearsal spaces to hire too. This is something that the Los Angeles recording studio PIRATE offers for anybody who wants to get some extra hours in before jumping straight into a recording session. 2. Check Your Posture Posture is so important when recording. Slight movements and posture can distort the recording as the microphone in the studio will be very sensitive. The correct posture requires that you start by relaxing your whole body. Any tension, especially in the abdomen, can interfere with your ability to sing. Next, stand with your legs slightly apart with one foot slightly forward. This stance gives you stability while ensuring you are leaning slightly forward. Straighten your back and ensure your chin is parallel to the floor. 3. Select the Right Microphone The microphone makes a massive difference depending on the type of singer you are. Before you start recording, run through some verses using different microphones. You should record three versions of the song without changing the EQ setting and listen back. You will then be able to choose the microphone that makes you sound best. Always choose a recording studio with a condenser microphone. The diaphragms in these microphones are extremely light meaning they follow soundwaves better than dynamic microphones. The other reason why a recording studio might use a condenser microphone is that it has a much higher sensitivity which is great for lower sounds, and a lot less noise than traditional dynamic microphones. A reputable studio will also use a curtained booth to stop interference when recording vocals and ensure crispier recordings. 4. Practice Your Microphone Technique You should also know how to use the microphone you choose correctly. One of the things you should know is the microphone volume control. This involves moving close to the microphone when your voice becomes software and further if it gets loud. Doing so ensures you record at a decent volume for both loud and soft parts which reduces the need for a lot of compressions when mixing. Second, you should learn how to avoid sibilance and popping. Sibilance is the hissing you hear when you make an F or S sound. Popping happens as you pronounce B’s and P’s because these sounds create bursts of air as they are pronounced.  You can avoid both of these issues by adjusting the distance and angle from the microphone. Lastly, you should avoid getting breathing sounds in your recording. This is done by using a pop filter and moving your head to the side and out of the way when taking a breath. If you do not do this, the breath sound will need to be edited out later. Related Resource: Want to Learn How to Learn How to Play an Instrument? Here’s What Every Beginner Should Know 5. Put Emotion in Your Songs Music is meant to move your listeners while also helping them connect with the song. The best way to achieve both of these is to add emotion to your song. To do this, ensure you are communicating the lyrics and not just singing them. Use emotion to make your audience understand what you mean in each line. Remember that the emotions you add to the song will depend on the lyrics and the type of song you are doing. If you have a hard time adding the correct emotion to a song, talk to a producer and they will get you on the right track. Mistakes happen all the time when recording, and you might end up sounding nothing like you expected. Following the tips above and practicing would help you see a noticeable difference in the quality of your recordings. Read Also: Find the Required Music Lyrics at Allmusicals.com 8 Problems Only Music Lovers Will Know Demystified: The interesting connection between politics and music

READ MOREDetails
Banjo

Everything You Need to Know About the Banjo

It is not very clear how the banjo came into existence. It looks like the kora, a West African instrument, where fingers pluck the strings and a hard skin covers the body of the device. The key difference between the banjo and the kora is the neck. The kora has a stick neck, while the banjo has a wider and fretted neck. The banjo has come a long way over the years. It has become a mainstream instrument, and more and more people are learning how to play the instrument. Here are some things that you need to know if you are planning to learn how to play the instrument. Different Things You Must Know While Playing The Banjo  These are some of the essential facts you must know before you play the banjo for the first time. Do not make your choices in grey while you want to play the Banjo to clear your doubts. 1. Gauging the quality If you are on the lookout for your very first banjo, it is quite easy to measure its quality. The first thing you can do is to press down on each string along the fingerboard. They should touch the frets easily without hurting the tips of your fingers. If the strings do not reach the frets when you press down on them with the right pressure, chances are you will have a hard time producing sound without getting your fingers sore. Another technique is to strum and pluck the strings. The banjo should produce clear sounds without any rattle or buzz. 2. Types of banjo There are three major types: the 4-string, 5-string, and 6-string. There is also a 12-string variety, although less common than the first three mentioned. The most popular type is the 5-string variant. These types can either be open-back or resonator-equipped. The open-back variety produces softer and more mellow sounds than the resonator-equipped variety. 3. Accessories The strap is one accessory that you need to have if you prefer to play the instrument while standing up. It supports the instrument so that your arms don’t get tired from bearing the weight of the banjo. Another accessory is the capo. It helps in producing higher pitches. The tuner makes tuning the instrument a lot easier and more convenient. And lastly, the strings. If you often use the banjo, you will have to replace them eventually. 4. Getting started If you are short on budget to pay for a banjo tutor, you have several ways of learning how to play it without having to spend any money. The Internet is an excellent source of tutorial videos that you can watch and follow. Look for free videos online that teach beginners like you how to be familiar with the instrument and how to handle and play it correctly. You only need a few days to a few weeks to thoroughly learn the ropes, and you can surprise your friends and family with your banjo playing skills. The Dueling Banjos is probably the most famous banjo piece you can play together with someone who will play the guitar. It is easy to learn how to play the banjo; with dedication and persistence in learning the ropes, you will find that in no time you will already be able to play Dueling Banjos correctly. Final Take Away    Hence, these are some of the essential facts that you need to know about handling the banjo while developing your concept in this. Do not make things complicated for yourself while you make use of the Banjo. Try to make the correct application of the most famous instrument. It will help you to achieve your objectives for learning the banjo in the best possible ways. Read Also: Classical Guitar Lessons For Beginners – Proper Sitting Position & Simple Pieces To Play  

READ MOREDetails