Classical Guitar-How 2 (your ideas/advice helpful or atleast appreciated)

[exploringstring]

Advice for a Newly re-beginning Classical Guitarist?

 

I'm at a bit of a stand still & am wondering if someone out there might have some advice/encouragement for my particular guitar playing endeavor.

 

A little bit of history:

I was a high school violinist and dropped out my junior year to follow some other interest (other than music). In college I tryed to pick it up again by trying to fiddle and it just didn't work for me. I found that it was facinating and that all of the soul felt playing was wonderful but I didn't feel confident enough to join in with out sheet music. I hear music and am not especially great at decoding (i.e. reading music) but I just couldn't seem to get there (plus I am a little shy I guess). Anyhow, Years later I decided that Classical Guitar was what I really loved It seemed to fit my style a bit more and I began taking lessons. Soon after I moved away from where I could get lessons and I just have a few peices in me that I've memorized that look pretty impressive when I play them (and I play them over and over again) but they are all that I know... I do not even know the notes on the guitar although I can still read music and I've lost confidence and need a starting place (it has just been too long). I rarely play in front of friends but do leave my windows open for my neighbor to hear on request.

 

Where should I begin? Any Advice/:idea:ideas to this rebeginner would be appreciated

Thanx, Love to Play-exploringstring

[min7b5]

Find a good teacher

[Freeman Keller]

Find a good teacher

 

Find a good classical teacher. The techniques are different enough from the way most of us play steel string guitars that you don't want to learn bad habits.

 

I've personally had good luck using dvd and video lessons. It looks like Homespun has a few devoted to classical

 

http://www.homespuntapes.com/

 

mmm - that didn't work, try searching for Guitar, Acoustic and put Classical in the Style box

 

Since you are in the Portland area, give Mark Hanson a call. He is not primarily a classical player/teacher but I'll bet he could point you to one.

 

http://www.accentonmusic.com/

[denvertrakker]

This might be useful:

 

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/forum/

 

And this:

 

http://www.delcamp.net/forum

[riffmeister]

 

1) I decided that Classical Guitar was what I really loved. 2) It seemed to fit my style a bit more and I began taking lessons. 3) I just have a few pieces in me that I've memorized, but they are all that I know. 4)I do not even know the notes on the guitar although I can still read music.

 

 

1) Why do you like it? Have you seen people perform? Are there recordings that you like?

 

2) What teaching materials did your teacher use?

 

3) What pieces do you play?

 

4) There is a lot of music for CG, so you're ahead of the curve there. Pick up Volume 1 of the Christopher Parkening Method, it will teach you all of the notes on the guitar, give you a good foundation for technique, and get you playing some simple pieces.

 

BTW, I play quite a lot of CG, it's my favorite acoustic style.

[min7b5]

 

1) ...Pick up Volume 1 of the Christopher Parkening Method, it will teach you all of the notes on the guitar, give you a good foundation for technique, and get you playing some simple pieces...

 

 

Ditto:thu:

 

This is always the first book I have my students get. Always great to learn basic technique and to read within the context of great sounding music.

 

I would still get a good teacher to walk you through it. It's great to get a classical teacher, but many jazz/eclectic guys like me have a strong enough classical background to get you to upper intermediate level. The important thing is to find someone that is professional, articulate, etc. unfortunately, the majority of teachers, including some classical teachers, are merely great players, and haven

[exploringstring]

1) Why do you like it? Have you seen people perform? Are there recordings that you like? 2) What teaching materials did your teacher use? 3) What pieces do you play? 4) There is a lot of music for CG, so you're ahead of the curve there. Pick up Volume 1 of the Christopher Parkening Method, it will teach you all of the notes on the guitar, give you a good foundation for technique, and get you playing some simple pieces. BTW, I play quite a lot of CG, it's my favorite acoustic style.

 

I will look into the christopher Parkening Method Thanx for the suggestions everyone that responded so quickly to my inquiry I'm impressed. Even more so, I'm inspired to get going.

 

riffmeister in response to your questions:

1.Why do I like Classical guitar? Perhaps is like other things in life that attract most people intrinsically i.e. like some awesome beauty of nature that touches deeply a reality too full to express in words. I have to admit that other than an occational luck of happening to be at the right place at the right time I have not seen any famous classical guitarist perform in person (I live a pretty quiet life in the shadows of some pretty amazing places/things but I don't get out very much). My favorite recordings are of Andres Segovia playing Recuerdos De La Alhambra (Tarrega) and the Leyenda (Ablbeniz).

 

2.The teaching materials used- Mel Bay Presents 'Teaching Pieces for Classic Guitar Level 1 (this was my one and only book)

 

3.What peices I play-Allegretto (M.Carcassi), Andante Op276 (F. Carulli), Allegro Op.60 No.7 (M. Carcassi), Allegro Op. 30 No. 13 (M. Giuliani) & Andante opus 31 No.1 (F. Sor).

 

Thanx again, exploringstring

[exploringstring]

Find a good teacher

 

Thanx,

[exploringstring]

Find a good classical teacher. The techniques are different enough from the way most of us play steel string guitars that you don't want to learn bad habits. (you R right I do not want to develop bad habits)

 

Since you are in the Portland area, :Mark Hanson? (who is?) He is not primarily a classical player/teacher but I'll bet he could point you to one.

 

Hey, since it is that you have so many guitars

what is a good shop to go to in the Portland area for Classical Guitars? (do you know?) And who is Mark Hanson?

Thanx for the suggests. exploringstring

[exploringstring]

This might be useful: http://www.delcamp.net/forum

[riffmeister]

 

My favorite recordings are of Andres Segovia playing Recuerdos De La Alhambra (Tarrega) and the Leyenda (Albeniz). The teaching materials used- Mel Bay Presents 'Teaching Pieces for Classic Guitar' Level 1 (this was my one and only book). What peices I play-Allegretto (M.Carcassi), Andante Op276 (F. Carulli), Allegro Op.60 No.7 (M. Carcassi), Allegro Op. 30 No. 13 (M. Giuliani) & Andante opus 31 No.1 (F. Sor).

 

 

Ah.......Recuerdos and Leyenda........two of the most beautiful pieces in the CG repertoire! Those same pieces had a huge influence on me, too, when I first got interested in CG.

 

I don't know that particular Mel Bay book. I'll take a look at it online. But from the title I suspect that it does not teach very much about basic technique, etc. The Parkening Method vol 1 does, and vol 2 has some *really* nice intermediate level pieces in it. I would recommend vol 2, too, once you are ready.

 

Carcasi, Carulli, Giuliani, Sor........a great place to start! I particularly like the works of Fernando Sor, and I'm pretty sure I've played the Andante you mentioned (I can't recall which one it is right now). A timeless short compilation of Sor pieces which have pedagogical value is the "20 Sor Studies" edited and fingered by Segovia. Not only do the 20 short pieces reinforce a number of useful techniques, but several of them are absolute musical gems in their own right. I think that the book is available from Amazon for ~$10. Can't go wrong with that!

[riffmeister]

http://www.amazon.com/Andres-Segovia-Studies-Guitar-Book/dp/0793504368

 

the best $7.95 you'll ever spend!

 

[riffmeister]

 

This might be useful: http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/forum/ And this: http://www.delcamp.net/forum

 

 

one more:

 

http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=7

 

I hang out there quite a lot.