Everything you need to know about classical guitars

It will not be wrong to say that one of the most popular musical instruments is the guitar. You will rarely meet a person who has not sat around a campfire in the evening with a group of friends, enjoying a guitar melody and singing along to famous songs.

The name of the instrument comes from the Sanskrit "kutur", which means "four-stringed". The appearance of the first analogs of guitars is attributed to the times of the existence of the Ancient East, about 2500 years ago. These were hollow, rounded objects, mostly made of wood, dried gourd and turtle shell.

Gradually, the structure of these devices developed and took on new forms. The guitar began to spread widely in the 13th century in Spain. Then the instrument had an oval shape and a rather sharp sound. More similar to the modern classical guitar, the 6-string prototype first appeared in the 16th century. A century later, the guitar gained extraordinary popularity. The first tutorials on how to play this instrument were even released.

In order not to confuse the guitar classics with other subspecies of the instrument, it is worth paying attention to its features and distinctive properties.

• The sound is amplified exclusively by the wooden case. To amplify sound in large venues and outdoors, guitarists use a microphone or perform with pickups.
• Despite the many attempts to modify and complement the design, the classical guitar remained six-string. The string-augmented models have not gained much popularity.
• The neck in the classic variation is wider than that of other types of this instrument. Because of this, playing on it costs a little more effort. On the other hand, the strings are easier to press against the fretboard. Although at the moment you can find modifications with a narrow neck, which gives a lot of freedom of movement during the game.
• Regular guitar has 12 frets, while other types have 14 frets.
• Sound amplifiers are not used in this case.
• The weight of a tool depends almost entirely on the type of wood from which it is made. But you rarely see a guitar that weighs over 4 kilograms.

Classical guitars are classified into several types. Below is a general description of each of them.

From the name it becomes clear that this type of tool is made of plywood. Outwardly, it looks like a classical guitar, but in fact, such a model serves only as the first step in mastering the classical guitar. It is distinguished by its low cost and corresponding quality. However, its body is strong enough. From everything we can conclude that for mastering the basics of guitar performance, such a guitar will be a good and at the same time a cheap assistant.

In such a tool, the bottom and shell are also made of plywood. The differences start with the deck, which is made from a solid piece of wood. Basically, spruce or cedar is taken for this, which significantly changes the overall sound, the timbre becomes softer. Musicians are accustomed to calling such a device a bardic guitar. In general, it is suitable for both amateur performances and professional playing.

Models of this classification are already considered a professional tool, which is due to the careful selection of correct and thoroughbred wood, as well as long and detailed production. The main material (wood) goes through a multi-stage path. First, the selected timber is stored in a special room for several years for natural drying. The processes taking place during this period inside the tree determine the acoustic properties and characteristics of the guitar. Further, the material is exposed. The longer it takes, the more valuable the material is considered and, accordingly, the guitar itself. For such a complex manual work, you will have to pay a considerable amount. The incredible sound quality is definitely worth the money, though.

Apart from specific types, guitars are classified by size. Dimensions are of great importance for the selection of the right model for individual preferences. Also, the size of the guitar affects the overall sound of the melodies being played. The sizes of the guitar are used to be divided into:

• 1/2;
• 1/4;
• 3/4;
• 7/8;
• 4/4.

Each value has a specific length. For example, the length of a 1/2 guitar will be 86 cm. According to special calculations, you can understand which length of the instrument is best suited for an individual person. The same parameters of the 1/2 tool will be an excellent option for children whose height is 135 centimeters. Size 4/4 is standard.

At the moment, there are hundreds of classical guitar manufacturers around the world. The beginner can easily get confused by the huge range of tools. Perhaps, to make your searches easier, you should take a closer look at the most popular and frequently purchased models.

This model is aimed at novice musicians. It features quality workmanship, open pores and attractive finishes. The mechanism of the tuning pegs is finished with a nickel plating.

The guitar has a clear and balanced sound, light weight due to the use of basswood in its creation, and an affordable price. Best for beginners and hobbyists.

Looks like a regular 6-string guitar without pickup additions. Users distinguish good sonic response, pleasant overtone and harmonious sound throughout the entire range. The model can be found in various design styles, which cannot but please lovers of the unity of beauty and quality.

This full-size guitar is constructed from high quality materials. The device feels comfortable while playing, the sound is neither too loud nor too quiet. Acoustic performance is enhanced by the top deck made from a wood blend with spruce. It has a low cost.

The model is made with the expectation of novice performers. However, the instrument is also suitable for experienced musicians. The body is made of African mahogany wood and is glossy.

Before you start learning to play the guitar, you should understand the names of the constituent parts of the instruments and study their functions. The classical guitar consists of such basic parts as the neck, body, and strings.

The body consists of four parts: back, front or top deck, two shells. The soundboard in the upper section has a great influence on the properties and quality of sound. In its central part, a hole is cut out like a circle, called a rosette. Shells are side pieces that connect the decks to create a complete structure.

The strings are also different. There are metal strings, nylon and carbon coated options. As mentioned, the neck is usually made from cedar, spruce, or mahogany. Its upper part is flat, and the upper has a semicircular shape. The neck is attached to the body with a keel.

Now every record store offers a huge assortment of classic guitars, from cheap and stamped to expensive professional instruments. It is very easy for a beginner in the field of music to get confused by such a wide selection. In order not to be mistaken and choose the right model, you should inspect every detail of the device. Below are some small tips for aspiring performers.

The first step is to inspect the guitar for defects. There should be no snags, scratches or irregularities. The neck should be absolutely flat, and the grain of the wood on the body should go straight along. The frets are parallel to each other. The tuning pegs rotate smoothly, without jamming or crunching. After a detailed external examination, you can begin to test the sound.

Sound quality is judged by three parameters: timbre, register balance, and clarity. Timbre is determined by checking the sound of each individual string. You should also try playing a small melody.

In classical guitar, sound clarity plays an important role. If during the game overtones and background echoes were found, then it is better to abandon the selected model. In addition, at the first stages, it is important to choose a tool that will be convenient to use. This means that before buying, you should definitely hold the guitar in your hand for a while and make sure it feels comfortable while playing.

After choosing the right model, the question of tuning the guitar remains unfinished. In music stores, it is customary to immediately tune customers to their instrument.However, it often happens that the guitar gets upset unexpectedly. Walking to a dedicated guitar tuning site will take much longer than doing self-service.

So, There are many ways to adjust the sound of your guitar. The first - the traditional option includes tuning by ear. The left hand grabs the peg of the first, thinnest of all strings. At this time, the right one begins to extract sound from the string.

Next, you need to carry out similar work with other strings. The second string at the 5th fret should sound like the first open string. The third is at the fourth fret in the same manner as the second open. The rest are configured in exactly the same way. The second method is tuning using a wind tuning fork. The third way is done with a guitar tuner. Equipment becomes especially indispensable during a performance, when it is almost impossible to catch sounds in a noisy hall.

Before you start mastering the existing techniques of playing the guitar, it is worth taking some time to study the scales. This will help build a solid foundation on the path to professional melody performance and songwriting.

The most common of the existing techniques. It consists in sliding the fingers of the left hand along the strings. The sound is pleasant and melodic. There are no pauses in the execution process.

In the process of performing this technique, the note sounds for a long time and as if with a slight tremor. Basically, the technique is used on the first string, making the composition brighter and richer. It is better to be able to extract vibrato with all fingers of the hand, but most often it is played with the middle finger. The speed can be adjusted.

The technique consists of frequent repetition of the sound. At the same time, four fingers are involved in the game: the thumb provides the bass, and the other three fingers moving alternately play the tremolo directly.

It is not hard to guess that the technique involves pulling the string with your finger or several fingers as you play. This technique can be carried out both ascending - up, so that the melody goes one tone higher, and descending - down to move the tone to a lower frequency.

This is an unusual technique that is embodied through the extraction of sounds using pinching with your fingers. This should produce muffled, but clearly distinguishable sounds. To achieve this mono sound, the outside of the right palm must be pressed against the strings just in front of the stand itself. However, the strings are not allowed to sound at their full power. All notes are played exclusively with the thumb.

This technique enhances the resonance of the instrument. To be most effective, you must play it on open strings. Thus, the notes will have a longer duration. Keep in mind, however, that not every note sequence can be played in this style.

This technique is carried out by tuning one or several strings at once to an uncharacteristic tone. British composer John Dowland was famous for the use of dissonance in his performances. You can find many variations of this technique on the Internet. As they gain experience, musicians often develop their own designs.

Taking into account the fact that after the 19th century, interest in tonal colors increased, the above effects became widespread, if not in all, then in many musical works. The word "tambor" in translation from Spanish means "drum". Accordingly, such a performance technique provides for obtaining sounds with the use of clear strikes on the strings. Strikes are performed mainly with the left edge of the thumb. This manipulation will have the greatest effect if it is played about 2-3 centimeters from the stand. Sounds with this performance are impetuous and measured, similar to a drumbeat.

The given performance technique was named after the Hungarian performer Béla Bartok, who lived from 1881 to 1945. When it is played, the string is pulled away from the guitar with the fingers, after which it is rapidly released and, accompanied by a piercing ringing, hits the neck. The peculiarity of this manipulation is that the note retains its own shade. This means that whole musical phrases are played using the above technique. This technique leads to the greatest effect in the performance of the string, including the guitar melody due to the metal frets of the device, which add additional colors to its sound. Based on the fact that notes with this technique acquire a very characteristic sound, the use of this technique should be agreed in advance.