Your Questions About Classical Guitar...

Yamaha silent classical guitar?  Do you recommend the Yamaha slg130nw classical silent guitar as a good practice instrument for those living in apartments or traveling often? Hoever this ...

Schubert's Ave Maria  I have seen a video of Schubert's Ave Maria played by Michael Lucarelli. Do you know if there is sheet music or tablature available for this arrangement?...

Switching from right handed guitar to left handed  I'm right handed and began learning to play classical guitar about a year ago. I now find there are certain fingerings I have difficulty with because the ...

classical guitar/acoustic guitar  if you start to learn classical guitar on a classical guitar, but then buy an acoustic guitar, can you still continue to learn classical but on your acoustic ...

Sitting position  I am self-taught so far on the classical guitar, but the other day I had my first lesson with a tutor who said he could teach classical guitar.

I am ...

How do you compose pieces that include classical guitar in them?  I really enjoy playing guitar and have recently been interested in learning how to write classical-based guitar for acoustic.

I am fairly new to the ...

Average time to become proficient  If I am a beginner, but have some musical knowledge from other instrument, and practice 2-3 times per week, how long on average does it take to become ...

Relentless back pain! Any words of advice or encouragement?  Hi, I just began getting this terrible pain in may back for the last month. I've never had back pain before and all of the sudden it's so bad that I can'...

What is it with you Aussies?  I've been surfing around various "learn guitar" websites (this one is the best by the way). Here's something I've noticed, can you spot the connection?...

Am I supposed to learn chords to play classical guitar?  Hi! I'm a classical guitar player but I own both classical and acoustic guitars. I was wondering about what should I learn to play classical guitar? I ...

noche de estio music and tab  Hi! I love the Noche de Estio, and would like the music and tab. Where can I access this?

Thanks,
George

Hi George,

You can get it via Classical ...

adult using half size guitar  Hi Sir Trevor,

I've visited Amazon in search of the best classical guitar book which is not teacher-dependent to no avail. Most if not all of the ones ...

mastering time signatures of musical pieces  Hi again, Sir Trevor!

I know what 4/4 is vs. 3/4 and vs 2/4 but once there are several notes per scale, say a whole note with several quarter notes,...

Best Classical Guitar Book  Hi Sir Trevor,

I've visited Amazon in search of the best classical guitar book which is not teacher-dependent to no avail. Most if not all of the ones ...

Rests Under Notes  Can someone please explain why, in classical guitar, a rest is put underneath a note, where you are playing only single notes? For example, a four-beat ...

Brasila Classical Guitar  I would like to know the origin on a guitar that one of my family members has. It was bought in 1989 in Tampa, FL.

It has a label inside the guitar ...

musical symbols  What do the symbols 1/2, CII, CIII etc mean? It's always prevented me from learning because no one seems to know. Can you help?

Hi Michael,

The ...

Guitar Strings  Hi Trevor,

I just wanted to say that I greatly appreciate the efforts you have put into this website and the useful information you have shared. I am ...

Learning classical guitar on a steel-stringed acoustic?  Hi,

I recently bought an acoustic guitar and I'm not really sure where to start. I borrowed some chord books from the library and I'm working through ...

lessons  Would love to learn classical guitar. I'm an adult intermediate level, however, would be a beginner at classical.

Can you recommend a quality either ...

Chord study  Been having serious problems with some chords on a classical guitar, I have a picture chord book with over 1000 chords, starting to think that a great ...

Guitar tuning.  How do you know how to tune your guitar for a song such as Hey There Delilah?

Hi Siobhan,

Most songs/classical guitar pieces etc are tuned using ...

Does it matter about the right hand fingering of a tremolo?   Hi Trevor,

I've been getting to grips the last month’s flamenco piece, Malaguena, particularly the tremolo in the last section. This is my first attempt ...

Too old ?  Hello, I have been playing the guitar (acoustic) for a number of years and I have just bought a classical guitar with the intention of learning to play ...

what kind of music on classical guitars  Hi, I've just started learning classical guitar and I really want to know what music(genres)can we play on the classical guitar except the classic pieces?...

Playback software?  Hi. Many years ago, I took a year of classical guitar lessons. The lesson books I purchased at the time started with some simple little pieces that are ...

Guitar playing  Hello,

After much persuasion, my parents have allowed me to sign up for a guitar class. When registering, the lady there told me that I would be learning ...

Downloading videos  Hi Trevor,

I'm a sales rep and consequently have to travel around a lot. I take my old guitar with me on my trips to stop me being bored in the hotel ...

Classical or Acoustic as a start for my 9 year-old?   Hello - My daughter announced that she wanted to take guitar lessons and as insurance against this being a 10 day infatuation we borrowed a 3/4 size guitar ...

writing a score  I heard that you only use bass clef with a guitar score. So how do I go about a score when I sustain the lower strings while plucking the higher ones?

Hi ...

How many pieces should I try to learn at one time?  Hi, I was just wondering how many pieces of music should I practice at one time?

I usually just pick like 2 or 3 pieces that I want to learn and just ...

Mexican influence on classical guitar  I was wondering if there is a Mexican influence on classical guitar. Although a lot of the old spanish masterpieces are great the main reasons I want to ...

spanish guitar pieces  I ask every guitar player I meet, as I do not listen to volumes of guitar pieces. I am interested in spanish style pieces, and ask your awareness of what ...

Chord Roll Help  Hi Mr. Maurice,

In working on "Greensleeves," I have been attempting to get the same sound out of the "G" roll chord in bar 14 that you are getting....

Natural dexterity and lack of it  Hello Trevor,

I'd really appreciate your advice to get over my problem.

I'm an adult (over 30 yo) who's been trying to learn the gutar for the last ...

I'm a newbie, and I'm afraid I won't learn efficiently  Hi Trevor,

First of all, your site is wonderful- full of resources and useful advice. I thank you for creating a free tool to help aspiring guitarists,...

Bm Almeria  I have been offered one of these guitars are they good quality.


Hi Gary,
T found this page which you might want to look at.

It said... "B&M ...

Small Finger Control  Hi,

I have been studying classical guitar for some weeks now, and one problem causes me inability to play music: I simply cannot play some combinations....

Finger Picks  Instead of growing out my fingernails (which my wife hates) would it be ok on the guitar to use a certain type of finger picks?

If so what kind and ...

size?  What size guitar should I get? I saw a 3/4 guitar but now I am confused.

Hi joma ma,

I've answered this one before but, as a rough guide, I recommend ...

a true beginner  I am starting from absolute scratch. I know some musical notation but it is very shaky. I have looked at the lessons for beginners and I am embarrassed ...

Beginner wanting to learn Flamenco  I have a Conde Hermanos Flamenco guitar and want to learn to play Flamenco music.

I live in Huntington West Virginia and don't have any teachers that ...

Stem Up/Stem Down  I have been puzzled as to why some of the stemmed notes in music notation are sometimes pointed up or down. Is is strictly for aesthetic purposes, or does ...

Recording Classical Guitar on a Computer  Hi Trevor,

I would like to ask what you think is a good and inexpensive method for recording my own classical guitar playing on my computer.

On the ...

Jose Ramirez 125 Anos anniversary guitar  Have you ever seen or read anything on the Ramirez 125 Anos?

I have been reading a lot on it and it sounds like it would be a nice guitar. I cannot ...

Guitar Size  I have been looking at guitars online and am a beginner. I'm looking for one around $100-$150 and have found a few that I'm really interested in.

But,...

Reading music  When reading sheet music, how do I know which string to play each note on. I know how to work out notes on the strings but I don't know which string to ...

starting out   What are the parts and notes on the acoustic guitar?

Hi,

A look at this page might help you to learn and know the notes.

And for the parts ...

Free lesson & Beginner Lesson resources....  The resources provided at the site for each free lesson (and beginner lesson) are:
1. a pdf file containing sheet music, and 2. the video file.

Question:...

Request for feedback on La Patrie Etude  Hello!

I am considering the La Patrie Etude as my first classical guitar (without the pickup).

I've looked at some reviews on the Internet, but ...

strings  Which are the best strings to use for an adult(40's) beginner?

Light?

High tension?

D'addario?

Suarez?

Martin?

There are too many ...

Playability of Classical Guitar  I appreciate the opportunity to ask a question. I am an intermediate guitarist...frustrated on a plateau of age.

Nuff said, as you said in one of your ...

Dominant Left Hand  I have read and been told that a left handed person should just learn to play on a right handed guitar. Does that advice hold true with classical guitar ...

recuerdos   Hi Trevor,

I would just like to say thank you for imparting of your knowledge and your site is very good!

I practice Cavatina and a couple of others ...

Electric Classic or not?  Hi,

I am thinking about buying a classical guitar. I notice in many videos many professional guitarists do not use an electric classical style.

Is ...

Guitar buzzing  I'm having trouble with my guitar, I should proably mention that I never changed the strings, even when I bought it..

Anyway, my problem is well..yeah ...

Fret cards  I have cut out your cards but they seem back to front. I have probably got it wrong but when stuck together and read it seems more natural for the sting ...

beginner guitar  I am totally new to classical guitar. Could you suggest two or three guitars that would be good for a beginner?

I really don't want to spend over ...

expressing music while playing  Hi Trevor,

I've been playing classical guitar for the past few years but the problem I realized with my playing is I sound more technical than musical ...

Instant Fingernails  Hi, Will the instant fingernails work well for electric guitars?

Thank You

Denver

Hi Denver,

I'm not 100% sure if it will work for electric ...

String Buzzing.  Hi Trevor,

I have a question that I cannot find the answer to. When I play the first string on the 4th fret, the string buzzes, kind of a ringing bell ...

Drunken sailor  First of all I would like to thank you for the lessons. My question is: Isn't "Drunken sailor" a litle too hard for a beginner because of so much 16th ...

new classical guitar  I would like to purchase a new classical guitar. I can find several in my budget ($4000 maximum) at on-line retailers.

However, I don't know how ...

Finger and Frets technique  Dear Trevor,

I would really appreciate your input and experience about the "fourth finger" approach. Please click on the following link to see the approach:...

rest stroke  I`m studying N.Coste`s Barcarolle at the moment and I was wondering if rest stroke can be used to play it.

I study the guitar on my own and I just ...

acoustic to classical guitar conversion?  So I have an acoustic guitar that I really like that was a gift. However, I'm really into classical and flamenco guitar.

I know that eventually I will ...

How to know if it's Classical  I was given a guitar and I am new to the whole thing, how do I know if it's classical or just a regular acoustic?

Hi Gary,

Claasical and plain acoustic ...

How often should one change strings?  Hi Trevor.

I've had the same strings on my guitar for about 15 years (I'm still using my old friend I told you about in my last post, see : "Aug 17,...

Tremolo Study  Hello! Mr. Maurice. I have picked up the tremolo technique for quite some time now but playing the Recuerdos de la Alhambra seems to be problematic.

One ...

Turkish March by Mozart   Can somebody please tell me where I can locate the sheet music or tablature for this piece of music on guitar. I would like the sheet music/tablature for ...

Buying Guitar  What size gutair do I need? I'm about 5' tall and about 15'' wide. Please answer!

A good "rule of thumb" way to check for the right size guitar is if ...

Screeching sound during chord changing  How do you minimize screeching sound during chord changing?

Hi,

The best way to stop the screeching sound is to dis-engage from the strings. That ...

Two notes played at once on the same string  Looking at a church hymnal, I see two notes on top of one another and they are on the same string? Can you explain that?

How can you play 5th string ...

Is it time for my old guitar to retire?  My guitar must be at least 30 years old (my dad bought it for me second-hand about 25 years ago).

I've no idea of the make or model as there are no ...

Thumb and finger picks  Is it acceptable and practical in the classical world to use thumb picks and finger picks?

I love classical guitar and its sound, but I absolutely ...

Beginner Questions  1. What are the differences between classical and acoustic and also the other 4 types of guitar?

They have a different type of construction altogether....

Bad Habit  Hi
I'm Adnan.

I'm having serious problems with my arpeggio technique. In pima,pami,pimami arpeggios when my "a" finger starts to play my "m" finger ...

reply to knowing scales  Knowing all forms of major and minor scales (natural, melodic and harmonic) provides you with the building blocks of melodic and harmonic theory.

This ...

guitar positions  Dear Sir,

I cannot keep my thumb on back of guitar neck, it keeps wandering . Can you suggest ANYTHING?

RON.

Hi Ron,

Initially,...

music theory  Hello!

I've some difficulty in reading music.I can just read simple stave. How can I improve it?

Hi John,

Sounds to me like you really need to ...

Left-Hand  Hi,

I just want to ask you about the left hand. I'm a beginner and l'm having a problem with my left hand.

Are there any exercises I can do to make ...

triplets  This is not so much a question as (I hope) an answer. I had difficulty getting the three notes of a triplet to sound the same.

I live in France and ...

Is knowing as many scales as you can important?  I know that all scales come from the major scale, so in reading sheet music would knowing the scale before hand be helpful or could I just pick up on the ...

Guitarist with hand tremors  I took classic guitar lessons in high school but had to stop because of an inherited condition called BET, or benign essential tremor.

I had DBS, deep ...

Do you need nails?  I am a grade 10 piano student and am just now trying to learn classical guitar. Your site looks fabulous; I look forward to learning the songs on it.

Just ...

chords and musical notation  How can you translate chords from sheet music is there a pattern??

Hi,

I'm not sure how to do it from sheet music from a pattern but know you'd have ...

Spanish Style Playing  Hi,

I just started playing classical guitar, i really enjoy it and i'm getting pretty good. I would like to know if there are any books or other teaching ...

chord changing  It's difficult to change chords one from each other. Please advise me on the best way.

Hi Kelum,

Yes, it can be difficult to do chord changes especially ...

What guitar do you use?  I was just wondering what type of guitar you use in the videos? Is it an expensive one?

Hi Jeff,

I use a Yamaha "Grand Concert" classical guitar....

nails  Is it a practical possibility to play classic style, with short nails on the right hand? I hate other than short nails.

Hi Mike,

Yes, it is possible ...

Etudes & Level of Proficiency  What level of proficiency or virtuosity should we strive for in studying etudes. Etudes such as Sor's Etude No 9, Bach's Bourree (E minor), Sor's Andantino,...

What does pont and lv mean in clasical guitar  What does pont mean? What does lv mean?

Hi Mary,

"Pont" is short for the Italian term "sul ponticello" which means to play the strings closer to ...

What can I play on a classical guitar?  Ok, so I wanted to buy a guitar, but I didn't want the classical one because I can't play pop songs, So I was wondering can I play any pop songs on a classical ...

What does it mean?  What does Dm Am Gm Cm Bm and etc mean on the guitar?? I always see it when I'm trying to play a song but I dont know what it means. I am just learning ...

my guitar. who made it?  I have a guitar that I just bought and I cant find any information about it. It's a classical guitar and it has a label inside that says MARIO handcrafted ...

Can you play a classical guitar with other guitars?  I'm playing in an acoustic worship band and my regular acoustic has been broken. I was wondering if the classical would sound right with the other acoustic ...

How to play trills?  Could you please explain various thrills by showing its respective musical notation and an explaining video.

Hi Reny,

I do have a page on trills ...

study no.8 Fernando sor  I am going to play study no.8 by fernando sor.
I dont Know which items are more important in this study...

tnx for your help.

mohammad from iran....

guitar for left handed  I'm left handed! Will it be the same if I play the guitar for right handed people, I mean - not switching the strings so that the guitar head will be pointing ...

Mr potato guitar  I have a mr potato classical six string guitar I bought from him in 2002, I was just wondering how much it's worth? Its rarely been out of the case.

I'...

Flamenco Guitar  I would like to learn to play flamenco quitar, but do not know how to play even basic quitar. Is this too much to learn as a complete beginner?

Hi Debera,...

what are the numbers under the notes?  I have a guitar book that is not tab and I have numbers under the notes, what are they?

Hi Derek,

They're most likely your left hand fingerings i....

Which is better?  Hi,

My mum recently gave me a classical guitar and actually, I want an acoustic guitar. I haven't learned the guitar yet and the reason why I want ...

What's wrong with my classical guitar?  Hi, about 2 months ago I bought a very cheap set of strings, but everything was going swell til about 3 weeks ago.

The first fret of every string was ...

problem   Hi Trevor,

I practice every day 2 or 3 hours but I don't feel that I'm Getting better. What can I do?

I started learning classical guitar one year ...

"8 Octave"  When there is an "8" under the "G" cleff (Op.60, NO.1)in this guitar music,do you still play at the first fret?
Max.

Hi Max,

Sometimes they use ...

beginners classical music  I would like to have beginners classical tunes to improve my playing and reading speed as well as maybe video's to accompany these.
thanks Max.

Hi ...

Mr Potato Accoustic Guitars  I've found a 1988 Mr. Potato 12-String for sale on-line. Any idea about the quality of construction, solid or laminated back & sides? Do know if these ...

Trouble finding link to the Classical Guitar Study Course  Hi,

Re- Classical Guitar Study Course: I am having trouble ordering this as I cant find the link might be just my computer.

Thanks.
Regards,
Kevin
...

notation in my music...  What does it mean when there is a number with a circle around it above the note? Like a 5 with a circle around it and maybe another number without a ...

technical problem  The notes of some middle frets of my accoustic guitar, metal string type, seem to be missing! The notes get higher at the top frets, then sound the same ...

guitar strings  Is a box guitar supposed to have 6 strings or 7?? or does make a difference??

Do you mean one like this?...

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/...

Guitar Practicing Habits  Guitar Practicing Habits

I've noticed a couple of interesting things about my practicing habits, and wonder whether anyone else here has had the same ...

searching for a teacher or following a disciplines self-teaching process  Hello, Thank you for designing such a site. My question is basically what your opinion and recommendation on starting learning classical guitar after a ...

classical guitar steel strings  can i still play my classical guitar after it had steel strings on it?

Hi Saby,

You probably could but I'd take it to a guitar shop to have it examined ...

Leo Brouwer Prelude with Expression  Can I have a tab or sheet music of this beautiful prelude by Leo Brouwer? It starts like this from the sixth string down the third and up again: D A D ...

Live Performances  I have been playing out live lately, and I use my classical guitar for mostly everything I play. My guitar has a pick-up, but I don't like that "scratchy"...

Tansman´s Cavatina  Hi.
I have to make a new edition of the Cavatina for my school and I would like to know about the background of this composition.

Historical, social ...

Drunken sailor  I saw your video in youtube and I subscribed here but I can't find the tabs for this song. Can you help me with them?

Hi,

That piece is now part ...

My left hand arch. Ouch!  Hi, my question is how do I fix my terrible arch in my left hand. This causes discomfort and is clearly not what you should do. Theres so much tension ...

Characteristics of Good Classical Guitars...  I'm looking for a "classical" styled guitar. What should I look for specifically? How can I tell that a guitar is better than another?

Hi Alina,

There ...

which is neccessary  Is it nesessary to learn the basic acoustic guitar with plectrum to master in classical guitar or can we directly start with classical guitar?

Hi Roshan,...

Big Belly Problems  Hello Trevor,

I recently acquired a Cordoba C7 guitar with the Spruce top, and I am having some difficulty playing it while sitting due to the fact ...

Glissando  Hello friends,

Please how would you write down a glissando slide where the destination tone is plucked as well? (After having finished sliding). So ...

Looking for the name of a piece of music  I'm sure most of ya'll are familiar with that iconic film "Crossroads" starring Ralph Machio? In the begining of the film he's playing the piece in the ...

How do you know whether the note is a flat or a sharp?  I was wondering, how do I know whether a note on the fret board is a flat or a sharp, I especially wonder this when I'm going through scales, Could you ...

Character Pieces  Hi,

I have an Audition for a college music program. I have studied guitar for 7 years, but I have primarily played electric and must play classical ...

buying a classic guitar  Hi,
I am a student and I have played classic guitar for about a year and my teacher told me that I have to change my guitar so I want to buy a good one ...

1st, 2nd , 3rd...etc positions  I do not understand what 1st position , 3rd position, 5th position etc. means. Been playing guitar forever, by ear and tabs. Just now learning to read ...

Spanish song sites  I first got into Spanish guitar and shortly after, classical. While I'm enjoying your site, I'm also wondering if you know of any (preferably free) sites ...

Concerto for Guitar and String Orchestra in D major   Hi I have been searching for sheet music for Vivaldi's Concerto for Guitar and String Orchestra in D major Largo. There appear to be different arrangements ...

arpezh speed  what's the best way to improve the speed of arpezh? or i,m apiando?

Hi Mehdi,

I've found the best way to practice apoyando is to perform short sharp ...

Differences between a classical guitar and a regular acoustic  How can you tell the differences between a classical guitar and a regular acoustic?

Hi Laney,

I've answered this question before so perhaps it would ...

Guitars and matches  On a recent documentary on the guitar, I saw a guitar manufacturer hold a lighted match in front of the sound hole, tap on the body of the instrument and ...

musical symbols or sign   What do 1/2CII, CII, IV, CIV, 1/2CII, CV, 1/2CVII, 1/2CV, etc mean in classical guitar sheet music ???

Hi there,

Those Roman numerals indicate the ...

Singing Cowboy Guitar 1940's  I have a singing Cowboy Guitar from the 1940's. What is the value? if any?


Hi Regina,

I'm not sure of the monetary value but I'm sure there must ...

Newbie to the world of classical guitar/music  Hi all :)

I was wondering if any one of you could advise me on the right approach of playing the classical guitar. As mentioned, I'm quite new to playing ...

Using the Scales  I am a complete beginner presently trying to learn the scales(major and minor) but I dont understand exaclty how I use them.

Can you show me an example ...

Reading Classical Music  I'm OK with normal notes and most Italian instructions but on some music I see 1,2,3,4 circled - Does that mean "Repeat" or what? - Larry

Hi Larry,...

Struming  Is it possible to strum without a pick and still sound professional?

Hi Ann-Marie,

The answer is a definite yes. There are many times a classical ...

Ease of chording on Classical guitar vs. steel-stringed  Is it harder to learn regular guitar chords on a classical vs. a steel-stringed acoustic?

I really love classical guitar, and hope that in time I may ...

Learning classical guitar as a music major  Hi, I have been playing guitar for about 7 years, though I am not classically trained. I have become interested in pursuing a degree in music, using guitar ...

Right hand and left hand technique  I'm looking for advice on the best training guides, CDs, books, etc for self learing technique for right hand and left hand. I studied guitar many years ...

Something by the Beatles  Hello Trevor,

I subscribe to your e-mails and love them! Very helpful and a generous thing you do for us. You once posted a bonus peice of free music ...

Guitar Position  Trevor, Even though I do not play classical guitar, I feel much more comfortable playing my acoustic guitar in the classical position as opposed to resting ...

carcassi's complete method for the guitar  I have such a book someone gave me many years ago. It's the engraved plate edition from the John Church co. of Chicago. It's quite old but I cannot find ...

How to "shred" finger style.  I'm interested in starting to play pieces like Mozart's "Rondo ala Turka", but I'm wondering how one is supposed to play the faster melodies (like the ...

agility building  How can I build up stamina and agility of both hands?

What are the best exercises to achieve that?
thanks
...

guitar position  Why is the guitar held in a different position for classical vs. non-classical, and how important is it to learn classical having the guitar on my back ...

Acoustic or Classical Acoustic Guitar?  I have a guitar that once belonged to my mother and I have recently been practicing on it but I'm not sure if it's a classical acoustic or regular acoustic....

Good Classical Guitar?  I have recently been given a 1973 Alhambra guitar. I was wondering if this was a good make and a good choice to play? Any information I would appreciate....

Numbering  In the beginner pdf #1 there are numbers on the sheet music. What do the numbers refer to?

Hi Anabelle,

The numbers refer to the use of the left ...

Practice Schedule?  How often and how much do you practice?

I am RE-beginning after about 10 years of being away from my guitar.
I feel like could easily practice 2 - 3 ...

Andalucia  Hey Trevor, I love the song Andalucia . I've been working on it for a few days now, and, like most classical guitarists, you make it look a lot easier ...

Fly Away Little Finger  I've been working on Giuliani's Allegro Etude (Lesson 4), and on your recommendation, I bought Scott Tennant's "Pumping Nylon." Great book, but one of ...

Weird body?  I was playing my classical guitar recently which I have not picked up for a long time, and then, I realised something..

I noticed the back of the body ...

Tempo  If the piece says lively and energetically and it shows a minimum equals c. 108. What should I set my speed at?

Hi Janice,

You'd set it at anything ...

piece for an exam  I'm learning classical guitar for 3 years, in a "conservatoire"( France), like old beginner(60...).

I must now choose a piece for my exam of june,...

Music from John Williams Barrios album  On side one of John Williams Barrios album he has two Barrios peices Estudio and Preludio on track 3. I was wondering if anyone might know where I can ...

octave x-headed notes  In Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, passage where bass is E, F, E, the score shows unison octave with x as the upper note head. What does that mean? It's playable ...

Need help with reading the...notes?  Okay, so I'm trying to learn a song. But I'm not sure what the line down with the dot beside it...I don't know if I should hold it a little longer or to ...

first guitar ever documented  When was the first guitar in the world ever documented, or recorded?

The answer to that question is rather "clouded" but perhaps these pages will help....

A Piece of music  I have played this piece for quite a bit but I only know the beginning of it and would be keen to play the rest of the song











Hope ...

Music Notation Question  Hi Mr. Maurice,
I just printed up your Chromatic Exercise and your study of Major and Minor Scales, to use as exercises. And I have a beginner's question ...

Buying a classical guitar  Hi there!

Would you have some advice on buyng a Classical Guitar ? I'm a beginner on classical, although Ive been playing guitar for a few years, so ...

scales learning  I have been practicing scales for a little while now and was wondering if I should continue to look at the music sheet rather than looking at my left hand ...

Circle of Fifths1  I am trying to wrap my head around the circle of fifths. Is it something that is necessary to know, if it is can anyone explain it?

Hi Joe,

It is ...

There are levels of piano you can complete is there the same for guitar?  There are levels of piano you can complete is there the same for guitar?

Thanks,
Brad

Hi Brad,

Yes, there are levels. In the U.K. you can sit ...

minimize screeching when changing chords  how do you minimize the screeching sound made by the fingers when changing chords?

Hi,

I've answered this one before. Basically, the best way to ...

Fretboard memorization  Is there a proven method for learning where the notes and equivalent notes are on the fretboard and sight read them quickly, especially in the higher positions ...

1st Position Study Books  Hello. After several years away from playing, I have decided to rekindle my love of classical guitar. I studied the basics of 1st position in high school,...

I need help on my homework  Please help me !!!!

Here is a "fill in the blank" guestion that needs to be answered...

* The blank means to make the sound louder?

Answer: Cresendo
...

Barring technique  I'm a beginning classical guitar student and I'm having some difficulty maintaining equal pressure across all strings when applying a full barre. And I'...

I don't know how to read the notes.  I can only read guitar tab! I have no idea how to actually read guitar notes.

What are the notes???

What I'm trying to figure out is how a certain ...

Carcassi Guitar Method  I'm am a beginner and studying the Carcassi Guitar Method. The book by Mel Bay will indicate some of the right hand fingering for a piece but not for the ...

Recommend Beginner Guitar  Which Guitar can you recommend with budget in mind to start off with. There aren't any music stores that deal with classsical guitar where I live. Please ...

Classical to electrical  Would a classical acoustic be good enough to use to learn the fundamentals such as the chords used with steel string guitar since I would like to learn ...

String Order on a guitar  Found a beautiful classical guitar in the trash...not a mark on it in beautiful condition. It is a Yamaha C-40. It had NO STRINGS on it and it may have ...

tremolo pieces  I need to know how many pieces were written for tremolo apart from Recuerdos de la Alhambra and En Sueno en La Foresta.This will help in my thesis about ...

scales  Is there any difference between acoustic guitar scale playing n classical?

Please send me some scales, I need it.

Hi Jooo,

No, there is no difference....

Learn to read music  At present I'm learning to play guitar using tabs, but would like to be able to read music, can you recommend a book to learn from.

Thanks

You sent ...

mystery book  I took guitar class n high school last year and I bought a guitar to continue my learning but I cannot find the book we used n class.

It was a book ...

Bar A to B Minor Change  Hello Trevor,

I'm working on Per-Olov Kindgrens Canon in D by Pachelbel, the most beautiful arrangement I've seen of this piece.

Here is my problem:...

Are classical guitar chords/scales different from normal ones?  Hello,

I'm familiar with all the major and minor scales and chords, and am now in transition of being a classical guitarist from a regular guitarist....

Playing classical guitar using an acoustic  Hi,
I was wondering if it's good idea to learn to play the classical way on an acoustic guitar if you haven't got a classical guitar; or would it be much ...

Understanding basic notation  Some background first: I'm starting out on teaching myself a little bit of very basic fingerstyle and I have almost no musical experience other than teaching ...

Concierto de aranjuez - for solo guitar?  On holiday in Spain, I heard a busker playing the second movement of the Concierto de Aranjuez in an arrangment for solo guitar. It was very much more ...

What does 2p0 mean?  ||-0---2p0---------|-0---2p0---------|-7---7---4-------|-5---5---0-------|
||----------2------|----------2------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-0-...

Cutaway guitars - pros and cons?  Hi, Mr. Maurice
I've been enjoying your site immensely for some time now while waiting for my lessons to start, so first, thank you so much for the wonderful ...

This might be a stupid question  Dear Sir,

How long must a person practice minimum per day to have an effect on improving his skills

Yours Faithfully,
PRASANJITH

Hi Prasanjith,...

beginner - need help  Dear Sir

First of all thanks a lot for the free lessons. My problem is, I find it bit difficult to locate notes on the guitar which on your exercises ...

free and rest strokes  I know how to play the rest and free strokes but I don't know where and when. please guide me.

Hi Am,

Free strokes are often played in faster scale-...

Playing Scales  Is it important to use the rest stroke when practising scales?

Does this mean you should use a thumb rest stroke on the sixth string as it is not possible ...

Thinking about getting one.  I have been playing a regular acoustic guitar for a couple a years and am a decent player.

I would like to get a classical guitar since I do a lot ...

How to use those books?  Hello Trevor,

You very often mention/recommend 3 books: Classical Guitar Pedagogy, Pumping Nylon and The Path to Virtuosity.

I have them all. How ...

about the notes  Hi!

I bought a guitar because I always wanted to play the guitar.

So anyways I have a hard time with the notes to play songs, I don't get the notes....

Hi Please can you help me  I am looking for a classical guitar transcription of Mendelssohn's "Song without words".

I know that Julian Bream plays it on his romantic guitar cd ...

When can we use i, a or m, a fingers  I've have been learning the guitar for a few months. I need to know when can I use i,a and m,a apart from the usual i,m fingers.

Is there an example ...

one guitar to another  Hi,

I'm a 'newbie', sorry if this sounds strange but I have two questions which might be some what related...

1) Can you learn chords on the Classical ...

Musical Notation - How do I play this note?  I am working on an Etude in Frederick Noad's "Solo Guitar, Vol 1". It is the one on the page right after "Greensleeves" (sorry I don't have the book with ...

soloing  Hey!

I've been playing guitar for a little over a year now but a have A LOT of knowlege of music theory along with the guitar (at least considering ...

Being A Good Musician and music grades  Hi!

I ask this question to myself because I am trying to find the right answer to what it takes to be a good musician.

This is because I believe ...

Numbered positions  IF A II is written above a G, when the previous note was an E on the open string and the following note is a F#, where must the G be played?

Hi Sasha-...

When a note has an underscore or overscore, what does that mean?   When a note has an underscore or overscore, what does that mean?

Hi Richard,

Sometimes you'll see what looks like an underscore or sometimes what ...

Learning Classical Guitar - Teacher or Self-paced?  I've been playing guitar for over 25 years and since getting a bit older (40's) I've been enjoying playing Classical/Fingerstyle.

Being an engineer ...

What is the Sakari Method?   I saw a few on-line references to the Sakari Method of learning Classical Guitar. In reading the info it's hard to tell what exactly it is other than taking ...

When to use pima vs. i and m, or other combinations  Hi. I am new to playing classical guitar. I was instructed to use my thumb (p) for the bass strings, and then my i, m, and a fingers for the first three ...

student guitars  How big is a student classical guitar?

Hi Clay,

There are several sizes of guitar for younger students. You can get a 1/2 or 3/4 size guitar and ...

confused beginner  What are the notes on guitar? Where do you place your fingers? How long can it take to play a song like "Hey There Delilah"? Do you know any other sites ...

Spanish Classical Guitar  For a beginner, what is the best classical guitar to use?

Hi BobbyJoe,

There are many good beginner guitars you could use. Have a look at my Guitar ...

which guitar?  I would like your opinion as to what guitar would be better for me. I used to play classical guitar when I was young and now I want to start playing again....

what classical guitar?  I used to have a guitar when I was in my teens but for some reason I stopped.

I want to start learning again. What classical guitar can you recommend ...

Muting  I am wanting to know how much muting is done on classical guitar and how?

I know from playing acoustic and electric guitar that the hands and fingers ...

Which finger should I use?  I've have been learning the guitar for about 2 months. My teacher always tells me to play alternate fingers with the "i" and "m" fingers.
However, I don'...

Size of the neck  Hi! My name is Bjorn.I recently picked up my guitar playing again after a very long time.

I went to a guitar school when I was about nine or ten yers ...

Guitar and Harmony.  I am trying to do some classical composition in Classic guitar but I am having a hard time to decide how the rules of harmonization works for guitar. Please ...

Guitar Strings  How often should you change your guitar strings?

Hi Bethany,

It all depends on when they're worn out. I change my strings about every three months ...

tension in the left hand and shoulder   Hello!

I am experiencing tension in the left shoulder, and to a lesser extent in the left hand when I am playing.

I haven't played in close to 20 ...

Music, Music, Music  I've been thinking of purchasing the book, "Pumping Nylon".

I find however that there are several choices.
There is one with a CD and there is one ...

how to get right hand speed  Im a bit confused. What is the best approach to develop speed?

Some say... "practice always slowly and increase speed as you feel comfortable with ...

guitar hand position  I want to ask about the left hand position. Can you send me some pictures? I want to know about what is (G)(E)(F)and many others.

Hi Ja,

It might ...

Guitar size.  How do I know what size classical guitar to get?

Hi,

It depends on how big you are of course. Children often have 1/2, 3/4 or even 5/8 size guitars ...

Steel string vs nylon string acoustic  I own a martin steel string guitar, but am interested in playing classical music. Do you think it would be ok to learn classical with my instrument or ...

pro brands of classical guitars  Looking to the future, in the $2,000- $4,000 grouping, what are the most used brands by the pros, also your opinion on the best tone guitars...who makes ...

numbered positions  I don't know if this question is related to all guitar playing or only classical playing. I am just learning and I would like to know what the 2nd 3rd ...

Right hand position  I have a tendency to tilt my right hand over toward the thumb when playing. Is this good or bad?

Hi J Harper,

It could be a bad thing as you're getting ...

Bar chords  Can you direct me to some readily accessible exercises for strengthening bar chords? I want to practice them now rather than wait until I can buy a suitable ...

Left hand techniques  What is the proper left and right hand techniques in playing the quitar?

Hi,

You might want to look at this page for the left hand and this page ...

PDF seems garbled?  When I open up the Adobe PDF files, it opens up fine, but the music notes are hollow squares instead of eigth notes, quarter notes, ect.Is there a way ...

rest stroke  Is it essential to master rest stroke in order to become a good guitarist?

I would say a definite yes! It is a stroke that you definitely want to master ...

Missing the notes  Hi,

I would consider myself reasonably capable on the guitar; however, I have one major issue that prevents me ever playing in public.

Despite having ...

fingernails  I have finally come to the conclusion that my regular nails are not going to make it for they break all the time.

What do you know about acrylics and ...

Notes  In Hush Little Baby there are no notes given, let alone chord tablatures. How can we play this without this info?

The tab is there for the notes (no ...

P I M A  First of all, thanks a lot for this wonderful website. I like the music sheet with TAB and the videos!!! What more one can get!

While playing the music,...

Right Hand Pressure  Hi, I've been learning some flamenco, and so playing a bit harder on my rest strokes to really bring out the sound.

Unfortunately I find I tend to ...

Best "second" classical guitar  OK, you wanted a question. Here you go:

I have been taking lessons for almost a year and I love classical guitar. Especially 4-3 pull-downs and any ...

Preferred Brand Of String  What brand of string do you prefer? I have used D'Addario Pro Arte Normal Tension and had good luck.

Recently I went to a guitar store where the worker ...

Sheet Music for April, 2008 Video Lesson?  I am thrilled to be among your subscribers. As a begining student you have provided many wonderful insights and great pieces for me to learn on.

However,...

plectrum  Can we use plectrum to play a classical guitar?

No, not usually if you're playing classical but if you're just using the guitar to strum for folk or ...

strumming technique  What is the proper strumming technique for classical guitar when playing full chords instead of arppeggiated chords?

Hi!

It depends on what is required....

Right & Left Fingers "Identification"  I would like to know the fingers' code identification. Hence I am able to read and to use rightly my left fingers to their corresponding code in the music ...

How to you remember which notes/key is for which string?  Dear Sir,

I'm a new self taught beginner.

How to you remember which notes/key is for which string?

Is there a proper or the best method to read ...

How to choose the first classical guitar?  Hi,

First of all let me thank you for the website and recommending the book "Pumping Nylon". You are quite right about it.

I am from India and am ...

Choice of classical guitar  Hello,

I have a Fender Strat and Epi for blues and jazz stuff. I guess I am intermediate level. However, I should like to learn classical guitar.

I ...

aim of classical music  At last I've got a website which may help me a lot I think. But my question is that, why we learn or practice classical music?

I have some friends who ...

seated position  Whilst I practice classical guitar in the classical position sometimes, I do find it more comfortable resting the guitar horizontally across my knees. As ...

Artificial Harmonics  Hi Trevor,

I have been quite keen on learning how to play artificial harmonics. I have observed John Williams' style of playing them but my guitar teacher ...

Short Video Lessons  How about posting some short videos on techinique. (LH, RH, Slurs, Tremolo, Trills,)

Hi Andy,

I already have provided some of the drills you mentioned ...

playing the string versus hitting the string  My teacher keeps telling me to fix my right hand tone. He says that my free stroke tone doesn't match my rest stroke tone.

He says that I am hitting ...

Tone  The sound of my guitar is just not right. How do I know what the sound should be like? (I am a beginner).

Hi,

I'm not sure what you mean when you ...

barre chord problem  Dear Trevor,

I can hold the full bar on fret No.5 but when I try to reach bar 8 the full bar goes to pot to say the least. Can you please help?
Ron
...

music style  G'Day mate!
I was wondering what styles of music the classical guitar played?

Obviously classical music, but are there any other styles it can play?...

Beyond first position  I am newly learning to play guitar, and read standard music notation. So far I've come to understand all of the notes within the first three frets fairly ...

foot stool  How important is the foot stool besides maintaining the postion of the guitar?

Hi Qays,

That is really the only function of the foot stool. There ...

3rd position onwards  I am trying to find out what bass string changes from 3rd position onwards. My books only deal with the first three strings.

Hi Derek,

If it's the ...

slurs  All the books that I have none give a a good idea of how to, or show how to, play slurs.
Thank you,
RON

Hi Ron,

Slurs take a good deal of accuracy ...

reply to sitting posture  The high footstool can certainly have a lot to do with back pain. This type of position throws your hips out of alignment, and can lead to lower back discomfort....

Paganini Caprice No. 24  I'm having trouble with the first three measures of Var.1 . I know its arranged for the violin but i was wondering if you can help me out with the position ...

guitar strings  How do you replace guitar strings?

This page should help...

Guitar Stringing

Kind regards,
Trevor M.

Hand and finger size  For a male, my hands seem to be on the small size. Especially, the fourth finger is a whole inch smaller than the third.

This makes for some difficult ...

Fingers stretching  I have difficulty to stretch and hold a note further down a fret without straining the fingers. I have been playing guitar for more than 10 yrs. (but not ...

Question about how to play Siciliano  Hi, I am starting to study classical guitar and I had a question about how to play the free music for May 2008, Siciliano.

I am currently studying ...

Classical Guitar Exercises   Hi, thank you very much.

If you do not mind can you tell me some exercises to improve my classical guitar ability. I am playing finger-style guitar....

Sitting posture.  Why is it that when I use a foot stool my lower back starts to hurt but when I play using regular sitting posture or rock style posture my back doesn't ...

chords  can you tell me how to do these chords

C9

Gsus4

Dm7

Hi Miranda,

These are fairly easy chords if you want to play them in the first position ...

Syllabus for guitar students  It would be useful to have a kind of graded syllabus or road map for learning guitar and music.

There are so many aspects of technique, theory, ear ...

Upgrading to a higher quality student guitar  I have been taking classical guitar lessons for about a year and a half and I currently own a Antonio Picado model 53 guitar that I have had for about ...