A Brief History of the Classical Guitar
Classical Guitar
The classical guitar has a rich history that dates back to the 18th century. There are a number of famous composers from that time period who used this type of guitar, also called the Spanish guitar or the nylon string guitar. They include Filippo Gragnani, Antoine de Lhoyer and
Ferdinando Carulli to name just three. The popularity of the Spanish Guitar continued through the 20th century and is still used to produce incredible works of music to this day. The design of this guitar goes back even further than the first instances of its use; guitars were discovered to be as old as 5000 years.
There are some differences that make the Spanish guitar different from the acoustic or electric guitar, for example. The guitar is used primarily with the right hand, allowing the player to perform intricate solos much in the way the piano is played. There are different techniques, such as the instrumental technique where strings are plucked using fingernails. Even though the name implies that classical music is played on this guitar, all different sorts of music can be played on this versatile instrument.
For example, types of music that can be played on this guitar include classical, baroque, romantic, Spanish, jazz and flamenco to name a handful. Learning this type of guitar is somewhat different from learning the traditional acoustic or electric guitars. Therefore when you decide you want to learn Spanish guitar, seek out an experienced instructor who has special experience with this type of instrument. A teacher of acoustic or electric guitar is likely to be unfamiliar with the playing styles and genres of the Spanish guitar.
You can learn classical guitar at many fine music schools. When it comes to purchasing the right guitar, students should start off with a model made for their skill level such as the Yamaha Student Series, and as their skill increases they can work up to more expensive guitars. Whether you take a class with an instructor, enroll in music school or teach yourself using instructional DVDs it is of utmost importance to study on a regular basis so you can learn the fundamentals. Without a firm grasp on the basics you will never have the skills to become a really good guitarist. Eventually many classical guitarists go on to teach others or even to write and record their own pieces of music.
