Classical Guitar: An Explanation and How To

• December 13, 2016
• Guitar

To a novice, a guitar is a guitar, but there are many distinct styles, like a classical guitar. A classical guitar is sometimes called a Spanish guitar, gut string guitar, or nylon string guitar.

There are some things that make a classical guitar unique. The strings are nylon or, as it is commonly called, gut string. Strings 1-3 are usually nylon and strings 4-6 are nylon but wrapped or wound. This sets the sound of a classical guitar apart as being much mellower. A classical guitar also has a wide and thick neck. Some find them very hard to play while others seem to enjoy and master it.

Just because they’re called “classical” doesn't mean they’re only for playing classical music. Every genre from pop to Latin may feature a classical guitar. A great example in country music is iconic Willie Nelson. His old Martin classical guitar has been played till there’s huge holes in the top of it. Every guitarist would be better off with an old classical guitar lying around.

Where Did Classical Guitar Come From?

You may think of the guitar as being a more modern instrument, but its roots really go back centuries. It’s widely believed the classical guitar started out with pairs of strings like a mandolin and once was just 5 strings. A sixth string was added later and the pairs of strings were turned into just single strings.

From the late 1800’s through today, there have been a whole lot of developments to guitar, but a classical guitar still seems like the base root of modern guitars. People have devoted their entire lives to mastering it and are quite content with not touching an electric guitar or even a steel string guitar.

Which Classical Guitar Would You Recommend?

There are many classical guitars on the street and in a lot of pawn shops. You can spend thousands and buy yourself a work of art or you can spend $50 and get a cheap but very sweet-sounding classical guitar.

A glance at Ebay will give you a hint as to the wide range of classical guitars you can buy. A Cordoba starter might only cost you $100 or so then there are extreme custom built classical guitars that would cost you $10,000 or more like a Greg Smallman or a Perez. The price area that seems to be common among ardent classical hopefuls is in the $2500 range and there are plenty of those out there like a Giannini, Sakurai, Ramirez or others.

If you’re just starting out, we’d recommend staying in your budget. The main thing with finding a decent classical guitar is the string height. Some of them do not have a truss rod in the neck and can’t be made to play great without a neck reset, which would cost you more than a starter guitar. Don’t just settle for the first guitar with nylon strings, but play a few and find one that has close string action.

Is A Classical Played Differently Than A Steel String Guitar?

The answer to that question is yes and no. While you might not strum a classical guitar with a pick like you do a steel string, you still would strike all the strings with your fingers while holding chords to give it a robust strum feel.

Classical guitar is primarily a fingerstyle instrument. Though Jerry Reed and other thumbpickers, including Chet Atkins, played nylon string guitars with a thumbpick and their fingers. Hardcore classical guitarists use their thumb and fingers to pluck, roll, and strike the nylon strings and, depending on the style, it can vary a great deal. Latin guitarists or Spanish musicians have a very unique flair and the Flamenco style that is just beautiful.

Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” however, sounds very beautiful in a different way when played on classical guitar. The tuning is the same as a steel string and the fretwork is very similar. The difference is mostly in technique. Classical guitars might not bend notes or tap, but some of the sweeping and cascading scale-work is just the same.

How Should I Approach Learning Classical Guitar?

The discipline of learning classical guitar is for real. We recommend you study under an accomplished classical player. There are fundamental techniques like hand placement and positioning that you will only learn correctly under a master.

You may have noticed that true classical guitarists play with the guitar on their left leg instead of the right leg like most contemporary players. This is one of many differences. There are reaches with the left hand and finger work that requires major dedication on classical guitar. Reading notation is also a dominant trait of the classical guitar family. There are some who play by ear, but most are very accomplished music readers. So if you’re going to become a classical guitarist, you will learn the discipline of reading notation right from the start.

Can you do both? Can you play contemporary steel string or electric guitar and classical guitar? Of course you can, but we bet your classical master guitar teacher will demand your undivided attention one way or another. They are serious about this and you could possibly lose your spot as a student if you don’t show the utmost discipline.

Once you’ve mastered your classical training, there’s no law that says you must be rigid about your classical guitar accomplishments. Then you can pick up an Ibanez electric with a floating tremolo and go 80’s rogue if you want. Truth is there are awesome guitar players like Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, and many others who both read and innovate by ear. You can be even better if you can read notation and be proficient enough to compose your own masterpiece.

To be a better guitar player, it always pays to take lessons from someone who really knows what he’s doing. One way to improve your playing is to take online guitar lessons. At Pro Lessons, our guitar instructors are real musicians who travel the road every week. To find out how you can take advantage of their years of experience, click on the link below.