The typical classical guitar position

[Mr. Buzzard]

I assume there are some classical/flamenco players here and I was wondering if I can get a bit of advice and/or help. I see classical players propping their foot up and holding the guitar at a higher angle. I just hold mine like I would an electric or any typical acoustic. What are the benefits of holding the guitar like this? It is hard for me to tell because the position seems so different and strange at first.

 

Once you are used to it does it provide better access to the strings or is it just a matter of preference?

 

 

Gracias

[ddlingling]

i'm not classically trained on guitar, but i am on cello, which is where i'm getting most of my ideas. feel free to correct anything i say.

you probably hold the guitar by resting the middle on your right thigh. the classical position is the place the body between your thighs, with the middle on your left thigh which is raised with a footstool. the advantages to this are primarily the angle of the fingerboard, which is now 45 degrees, compared to the horizontal angle of your position. this allows your wrist to easily be perpendicular to the strings. if you try playing a scale or something that way, you'll notice it is much easier. your fingers can move without your wrist moving too much, and less movement is ideal when you're playing fast passages. to achieve this position with your horizontal style would require some awkward and painful wrist positions.

this perpendicular wrist-to-string idea also applies to the right hand, namely for classical finger picking styles. theres two styles of classical finger picking, the first which is a strong pluck, where your plucking finger is stopped by the adjacent string of hte one which is plucked. the second is a lighter pluck, where your plucking finger traces out an arc, hitting the string at the bottom of the arc and finishing the arc, not hitting the other strings at all. if you try both these styles, you'll notice its much easier when yoru wrist is perpendicular to the strings. having them perpendicular gives you greater speed and accuracy in yoru plucking. again, it would be hard to achieve this position with a horizontal fingerboard.

i think a lot of people choose the horizontal style becuase it looks cooler. "cooler". i play that way, because i'm not classically trained, and i play for fun, so i dont demand the absolute best possible technique. close enough is good enough for me. i do find, however, when i'm having trouble fingering a fast riff, if i tilt my guitar just a bit, getting it more of the 45 degree angle, it makes it easier to play. maybe something you can incorporate into your playing. althoguh changing the position of your guitar too much is bothersome and technically unsound, i have no problem doing it once in a while for when i play to impress

[Mr. Buzzard]

Excellent reply, ddlingling. What you said makes a lot of sense and I think im going to try the new position for a while and see if I can get used to it.

I guess almost every classical guitar player that I have ever seen cant be wrong, right?

[tapeman1]

I'm not classically trained (not really trained at all;) ) and that's how I sit. Once you get used to it there will be no going back. It's infinitely more comfortable and it's easier to play that way.

[ddlingling]

glad i could help

[riffmeister]

raising and angling the guitar allows better left hand position (bent wrist places the fingers over the fretboard) and also allows easier access to the upper positions on the fretboard.

[woodlakesound]

The main reason is sound. The classical position developes a chamber between the stomach and guitar back. The top resonates more freely as well.
The right hand has an easier time also of moving to the different tonal plucking areas (ie: bridge --soundhole).