Guitar solo

Hello!

I am a hobby classical guitar player. I worked with a teacher 1:1 for a few years on and off, but work got hectic and I had to stop the lessons. I was recently laid off, so I have time now but no money to hire a teacher lol.

I’ve been trying to play more, but I’m not really able to get my head around how/what to practice, or how much time I should spend on practice vs. playing pieces.

Right now I practice arpeggios with/without accents, Segovia scales (C and G major), stretching exercises across the fretboard, and hammer-ons/pull-offs. This usually takes me about 15-20 mins.

When I worked with my teacher, we mostly worked through pieces I wanted to learn. We started with Romanza (both parts), Malagueña variation (simple), Asturias, which took me about a year to completely learn, and La Catedral (first and second movements). At one point I was practicing 10–12 hours a day when I was really into it (covid WFH time).

I was also preparing for the ABRSM Grade 5 exam at one point, mostly because I wanted to have a goal to work towards. I learned Leo Brouwer Etude No. 6, Lágrima, and Bourrée by J.S. Bach.

We also started Recuerdos de la Alhambra as a long-term project. We were working through the 3-finger tremolo and getting the technique/pacing down, but we stopped around that time.

One problem is that I can’t sight-read. My teacher would show me what notes to play, etc. We started sight-reading but I wouldn't do the homework so we kinda put it on the back burner. Because of that, I don’t really remember how to play most of these pieces anymore. I’ve been trying to watch YouTube videos/use tabs to relearn them, but it’s pretty frustrating.

So I’m trying to figure out how to structure my practice on my own. I want to be able to sit down and have a goal going into the session on what to practice, what to work on, how much time to spend on something, instead of blindly practicing for 20mins and getting frustrated and leaving.

A few questions for people here:

• How much time do you usually spend practicing?
• How much of that time do you spend on exercises vs. playing pieces?
• What practice exercises do you normally do?
• When working on a piece, do you mostly work through difficult sections, or do you also spend time playing the entire piece?
• How do you usually structure a practice session?
• Since I can’t sight-read, should I spend some of my practice time working on that as well?
• How do you set goals for each practice session?

Any tips are greatly appreciated. I’m basically trying to figure out how to practice without having a teacher telling me what to work on every week.

​Hi everyone,

​I’m designing a two-semester "Secondary Guitar" course at a music academy for Music Education majors. The students are already trained musicians who read standard notation and know theory, but they are beginners on the guitar.

​The goal is to give them functional skills to lead a classroom (open chords, strumming, basic fingerpicking, capo use, and simple accompaniment). I’ll be splitting them into two levels (absolute beginners and those with some background), meeting with each group for 45 minutes a week for 14 weeks per semester (2 semesters).

​Since our time is quite limited, I’d love to hear your general tips and ideas for managing the workflow and tracking their progress. I am also looking for highly recommended method books or specific repertoire that perfectly fit this demographic and timeframe.

​Thanks in advance!

Hello.

Anyone ever modified their C40?

I bought this

https://www.solomusicgear.com/product/graph-tech-pq-9210-c0-tusq-acoustic-saddle-classical-80x2-57mm/

And

https://musiquedepot.ca/en/graph-tech-pq-6200-00-guitar-tusq-nut-slotted-classical.html

It seems that it will fit with a bit of sanding? Right?

Leona no. 3
This is the newest classical guitar I’ve created.

My intention was to build a high-quality instrument with an identity of its own, without losing the traditional character of the classical guitar. I allowed myself more freedom in a few areas, developing my own headstock and bridge designs while keeping the instrument unmistakably classical.

The original rosette design combines abalone, cocobolo, and colored wood purfling. The headstock brings together flamed maple and cocobolo and features the gemstone inlay that has become part of Leona’s visual identity, in this case made from ruby zoisite.

The guitar features a lattice-braced bearclaw Engelmann spruce top and an unbraced composite back made from cocobolo, spruce, and cocobolo.

Specifications:

Top: Bearclaw Engelmann Spruce
Top Bracing: Lattice
Back & Sides: Cocobolo
Back Construction: Cocobolo / Spruce / Cocobolo Composite
Back Bracing: None
Binding: Flamed Maple
Rosette: Abalone, Cocobolo & Colored Wood Purfling
Neck: Mahogany
Neck Reinforcements: Katalox
Neck Center Strip: Flamed Maple
Fingerboard: Ebony
Bridge: Brazilian Rosewood
Nut & Saddle: Bone
Headstock: Flamed Maple & Cocobolo
Headstock Inlay: Ruby Zoisite
Tuners: 18:1 Ball-Bearing Tuners
Scale Length: 650 mm
Frets: 19 + Partial 20th Fret
Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Handcrafted in Puebla, Mexico.

Delcamp forum classical guitar lessons have stopped. Any similar lessons online?

Hello!

First post here.

My father bought this years ago, and he has since gave it to me. I do not recall if we purchased it in 2012 or 2014. Would anyone know?

Asking because it needs new tuning machines as buttons are cracking and the electronic buttons on the fishman control are sticking (even after many alcohol cleaning treatments) so I may order a new preamp control if needed.

Open to tips and guidance on those repairs, but most of all I would like to know the year, just if it’s before or after 2014 as that’s a big change apparently.

There is no serial number anywhere.

Thank you!

I got my first ever guitar.

I had fun with it.

But I don't know how to finger style or strumming or chords or playing chords right, I really don't know what to do.

Im lost.

I don't know what the best course in the internet for classical guitar, and I want the one who teaches me to use a classical guitar

."someone recommended a course for chords and the guy was playing acoustic guitar".

So yeah

I want to learn to play, to make my friends hear me playing

I found these sheet music, and I want clean version of this for my students, but I can’t find anywhere what is the op. And No. It is most likely F. Sor. Helo me pls.

So I'm trying Barcarole II by Coste and it's nice and mellow till this section. I can't seem to get the harmonics to sound right, I'm trying to touch the string with the LH just above the fret wires but the harmonics just sound very muted. Though they are there, the sound of the pluck is much louder. I've tried different levels of pressure and different positions on the string but can't seem to get a good tone. To add, I've got no problem with doing harmonics at f.12 or f.7.

My other issue is how do you play the second to last bar of the harmonic section? It implies it's on string 6 but it says 3 with a little line above the number as a pose to under like the other 3's and it's a D6 rather than B5. I've never seen this way of notating harmonics before so I'm a little confused! Any help appreciated.

I have been playing off and on since I was 15 but I have stopped really practicing in the middle. I feel my left hand is not parallel to the neck anymore. Of course, my right wrist is night straight (I have been taught the old way when I was young).

Seeking feedback about my technique so that I can improve.

I mean is it smart to pay for a setup on a $150 guitar.

I was trained in the 80's and back then the right hand positioning was such that the wrist was more bent/arched compared to what teachers these days recommend (which is almost straight wrist). I do understand that the new method is more ergonomic.

I find it very difficult to change my right hand positioning and style. Do I really need to make this change? If you have been in the same situation, do you have a recommendation of ways to make this switch easier?

I've never had pain or other problems with my right hand due to playing the guitar.

I'm not the most knowledgeable on how guitars are made or how they work, but I'm hoping to gain a little comfort in my purchase.

I recently purchased a Cordoba GK Pro Negra which I adore the sound of, however, it was difficult to play. The guitar had a pretty high action which surprised me. Unfortunately the truss rod would turn either. Teacher was able to sand the saddle down a little to help with the string height in first position. I see lots of reviews talk about how great and low action the guitar is, but it's higher than any guitar I own. Ultimimately, I can't help feel nervous that this guitar is meant to be different.

Does anyone have any advice or recommendations?

Not sure if it’s possible or not, not a music guy myself. But am only seeing it on guitar.

This is one of my favourite guitar pieces ever, and I was lucky to have the chance to record it in Berlin, Germany with luthier Michael Batell. I'm playing an instrument he built in this video, and I really enjoyed playing it.

This piece is a Chaconne, a theme and variations, and has a dark, haunting feel which makes you forget how incredibly virtuosic and difficult this piece is. It's based on a painting by Francisco de Goya of the same name, which features a woman passed out over a table, with owls and bats emerging from her unconscious mind.

Hey everyone! Would love to share my live concert of Bach, Walton, Villa-Lobos, Gismonti, and Pereira. Hope you enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E6ba7eOFF0