Purchasing a Classical Guitar
Purchasing a classical guitar is probably the easiest of all the guitars to choose from. There are still a lot of variations from one classical to another, but not nearly as many as you will find in an electric.
There are two main reasons why starting out on a classical guitar is a good idea. If you would like to pursue music specifically written for classical, then definitely get one. Also, if you do not want an electric guitar, but the acoustic guitar strings are just too hard to play, then starting on a classical is a great choice.
Classical guitars are designed to be played a little differently than an acoustic. Flamenco and classical styles have a hand position that is quite different from the acoustic. However, most people who pick up one for rock and roll or country tend to play a classical just like any other guitar.
Even though the classical guitars generally have less variation than acoustic or electric guitars, there are some important things to consider when purchasing one.
Body Shape
Classical guitars are usually smaller than the steel string acoustic guitars. This can be a real advantage for younger students. The body style does not vary as much as an electric, but still will have minor difference. One of these is the cutaway.
As with the steel string acoustic, a cutaway is quite an advantage to own. It allows the guitarist to reach notes further up the fret board when soloing. Traditionally, the classical guitar meets the body at the 12th fret. This can really put a damper on things if you need to get to the higher notes.
Some people believe that the tone is affected enough to make it worth passing over guitars with a cutaway. That may be something to compare while at the local music store if they have both in stock.
Consider Neck Size When Purchasing a Guitar
Classical Guitar
One big difference between a classical guitar and pretty much any other guitar is the width of the neck. It may be difficult for young people to be able to get their fingers on the 5th or 6th strings on a full size classical. Buying a smaller guitar is always an option if this is the case. Classical guitars come in ¼, ½, ¾, and full size.
Classical Guitar Strings
Strings are another major area where classical guitars are much different than acoustic and electric guitars. The top three strings on a classical guitar are made out of nylon. The nylon strings produce a nice warm sound. This will also make playing a classical guitar much easier than an acoustic. This will help with the main complaint most younger guitar students have…sore finger tips.
Conclusion
There are many differences and things to look for when purchasing a classical guitar. The best thing to ask yourself is does it feel and sound good. It is important to get a quality guitar even if you decided later to purchase a steel string.
If you are considering purchasing a classical guitar and would like more information, contact Rob or Jen at Spotlight Music. For guitar lessons, please contact me, I look forward to hearing from you!
Purchasing an electric guitar for the first time is an amazing experience. There is almost an endless amount of colors, shapes, configurations, and sizes. A person could literally stay at a music store all day just trying out guitars. There are a few things I would recommend when it comes to purchasing an electric guitar.
Many of the same thoughts that I wrote about in the acoustic guitar purchase holds true with the electric as well. I will list them but feel free to click on the link “Purchasing a Guitar Part 2-The Acoustic” for more details.
Here are three areas that will apply to all guitar purchases.
- Is the guitar attractive?
- Does the guitar size fit your body?
- Does it sound good to you?
There are a few other important considerations that will apply a bit more to the electric guitar:
- Appearance: Style, Shape, and Color
- Floating Bridge/hardtail/standard tremolo/locking nut
- Electronics
Style and Shape
Style is the first thing that comes to mind when considering an electric guitar. There are many styles to choose from which sometimes will or will not match the genre you are pursuing. A person could show up with a flying V to a jazz combo, but you would probably get a few strange looks. Fender and Gibson are the industry standards but there are a lot of competing brands.
Most people love the Gibson Les Paul look. They are beautiful guitars, but I cannot get used to the neck. It seems like Fender and Ibanez have faster necks that are built for blues and rock.
One important point in the last article that is worth repeating…make sure to get a guitar that you are attracted to. This will make paying for it and playing it much more enjoyable. There are too many guitars out there to have to settle.
Another important consideration is the Flying V. This is a guitar that looks amazing to the younger generation and has been used by countless musicians. It can have a great sound and play like a dream. But the downside is if you are sitting, it may slide off your leg. You can use a strap or play classical style, however, it is awkward for a lot of guitarists.
Bridge Systems
The next thing I look for is what type of bridge do I want. There are many types of bridges, but I will focus on the three main types. First is the hard-tail which is anchored onto the guitar and does not have a whammy bar. The second is a standard tremolo that uses a whammy bar, but only moves one direction. A third common option is the floating tremolo system.
Hard Tail
The hard tail does not move and does not have a place for a whammy bar. It is nice because if you break a string, most of the other strings will stay in tune. You can also save a little money since the hard tail is less complex and therefore less expensive than other bridges.
Locking Tremolo
The second type is a non-locking tremolo system. These were originally found on guitars that were made before the late 70’s. They offered musicians a lot of cool effects like dives and vibrato. Artists like Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, and Keith Richards use this style. The problem they have is that the strings can go out of tune due to the releasing and stretching of the strings.
Floating Tremolo
The third type is a floating tremolo system that locks at the head nut. One popular brand is the Floyd Rose. This is the type I have used over the years and have mixed feelings about it. The advantage are all the tricks a guitarist can do such as fluttering and diving without going out of tune. The big disadvantage is if a string breaks, the whole guitar goes out of tune. This is due to uneven tension on the bridge. Once a string breaks and the bridge moves, you have to switch out the guitar.
Electronics
The next thing to check for are the electronics. There are truly too many variables to cover all of it in this article. However, I will hit on the important one. Should you get a guitar with active or passive pick-ups?
Active pick-ups are powered by a battery and passive pick-ups are not. The advantage of an active pick-up is that it is a bit more powerful and the tone can be a little more even when adjusting the volume. You will need to unplug the guitar when you are done playing or it will drain the battery. Which brings me to the disadvantage. If the battery dies, you may have to change the guitar out or have a fresh battery ready.
Passive pick-ups are less powerful, but have more tonal options. Most songs throughout history are recorded using passive pickups. However, my favorite guitarist, David Gilmore of Pink Floyd, uses active pickups. Deciding which pickup is right for you is decision that may come down to tone and whether you want to deal with a battery. Active pickups are more expensive, but are quieter, have more sustain, and have no loss of high frequency with a long cable. Yet passive pickups are more affordable, natural sounding, and have better dynamic response.
Conclusion
These are just some areas to consider and research when looking into purchasing your first electric guitar. The bottom line is the feel, look, and sound. An amp can compensate for a lot of the weaknesses in a guitar, but it won’t be able to polish a turd.
If you are interested in taking lessons, please contact me, I look forward to hearing from you!
Three Main Guitar Categories
Buying your first guitar can be an exciting and daunting task at the same time. There are so many choices, options, styles, and types to choose from. It is always a lot of fun helping my students pick out their first instrument, something they will have for a long time.
The very first step in buying a new guitar is to find out what type you want. The three main guitar categories are electric, classical, and acoustic. Some acoustic and classical guitars can be plugged into an amplifier, but I will look at the guitars without that option. Then we will weigh out the advantages and disadvantages.
Should Your First Guitar Be an Acoustic
Arguably, the most popular guitar people purchase for their first guitar is an acoustic. These generally have steel strings and a large body that uses the vibration of the string through the wood to create the sound.
Advantages
The advantage of the acoustic is that all you need is the guitar to play. This can save a person some money since it does not require an amp, cables, etc. An acoustic guitar can be ready to play in a classroom or at a campfire in no time. They are so nice to sing with since the warm tones work very well with vocals. Acoustic guitars also tend to sound better as they age. Personally, I prefer the acoustic sound to an electric clean sound, but there are limitations as well.
Disadvantages
The disadvantage of an acoustic guitar is that it is probably the hardest guitar to learn on. Generally, the strings are much tougher to push down than the electric or classical guitar since they are thicker. This can stop young players from continuing to play because it can hurt their fingertips. Acoustic guitars are also much larger in size than both classical and electrics. If you get a cheaper one, it can make playing the guitar miserable because they are harder to play. This can lead to a beginner feeling like they do not have the skills to play.
Finally, an acoustic guitar is built for the sound produced by the types of woods and finishes they use. If you try to use overdrive with an acoustic/electric guitar, chances are it will squeal very loudly.
Thinking on Buying a Classical Guitar for Your First Guitar?
The first guitar I ever played was a classical. Classical guitars have nylon strings which produce a much warmer sound than the acoustic. The guitar has a very distinct shape and used a lot in flamenco and classical music.
Advantages
The advantage of the classical guitar is that the strings are easier to play on. The nylon strings are softer than the steel strings which will not hurt as much. The bottom strings are nylon wrapped in steel which are a bit more comfortable since they have less tension.
Classical guitars are generally a little smaller than the typical acoustic. This can help tremendously with an early teen who is too big for a ¾ size but too small for a full-size acoustic guitar. One more advantage is that the tuners are all facing toward the back which means they turn the same direction when increasing or decreasing pitch. Acoustic guitar tuners reverse directions depending on the string.
Disadvantages
The disadvantage of a classical guitar is that the wide neck makes them difficult to play. The distance the fingers must travel is much further and can make it hard to reach if you have small hands. If you are playing rock or country, the positions used on a classical guitar can make that harder as well. For instance, using the thumb over the top of the neck to create a chord is much more difficult and not intended to be done on a classical guitar.
Buying Your First Electric Guitar
Probable the best way to go, in my opinion, is to start out with an electric guitar. They are incredibly versatile and easy to learn on. My first time plugging into an amp was amazing. I see the same excitement in a lot of my students that I had when they first try the studio amp. The electric guitar really comes to life when we engage the overdrive channel. There is something hypnotizing about the sound the strings make when the gain is turned up.
Advantages
The advantage of an electric guitar is that the strings are a lot lighter and easier to push down than both the acoustic and classical guitars. One of the biggest reasons young people stop playing is because the strings hurt their fingers. If the student cannot produce a note that does not thump or buzz, they tend to get discouraged. When that happens they stop practicing, and before you know it, they stop altogether. Another advantage to an electric guitar is that there are endless sounds it can produce. With today’s technology, electric guitars can create the sound of similar to almost any instrument. Plus, with a small battery powered amplifier, it can even go with you camping.
Disadvantages
The disadvantage of starting with an electric guitar is that it can be more expensive. You will need an amplifier and cables to be able to hear it properly. The amplifiers can run anywhere from $15 for a used starter to as much as you would like to spend. For a decent amp, you would not want to go under $100 though. It is well worth the investment to get something with at least a clean channel and a dirty channel. Effects can be optional, but these days it is very affordable to get an amp with effects.
What type of guitar is best really depends on your personal taste, but for younger students, my vote would be to get them an electric.
If you would like to take lessons and need some more information, please shoot me a message.
Fingers or a Pick?
One of the questions I get asked the most as a guitar instructor is “should I use a pick?”
For someone who is just starting out, I would recommend trying one. It is also important to use your fingers to strum or pluck a melody as well. As you become more comfortable, try using a pick at the same time as plucking with your fingers…this is known as hybrid picking.
Sometimes it is more difficult to start with a pick since plucking with the thumb can feel natural and much easier. However, I would give it a few months to get used to. You may find that you will need both to really be a versatile player.
Versatility
The short of it is that there are things that are very difficult to do without a pick like pinch harmonics and sweep picking. There are also things that are much easier to do using your fingers instead such as arpeggios, double stops and even some solos.
Tone and Dynamics
Tone is usually completely different using a pick verses your finger. The thickness of a pick will make a huge difference in tone and playing speed. Try using multiple thicknesses when experimenting. The thin picks will take more time to snap back into place after plucking a string so it may be slower than a thicker one when soloing. Additionally, you may also be able to get more volume.
Dynamics can be easier as well with the fingers due to tactile feedback. The ability to use the fingernail and the fleshy part of the skin will provide more variety and color.
Advantages of Finger-style
Another reason you will want to become proficient at using your fingers is that at some point you will inevitably drop your pick while playing. If you’re in front of other people, you will need to continue on without one. This is a great time to be able to switch to finger-style.
Sometimes it just makes more sense to solo without a pick. The lead at the end of Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing” is actually much easier to play finger-style.
Advantages of Using a Pick
The advantage of using a pick is that you can do those cool tricks like fast tapping. Specifically, the solo in Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” taps with a pick at the 3 minute mark. Also, pinch harmonics, sweep picking, palm muting, and fast single string passages are much easier with a pick. Some of these tricks can be done without, but it is more difficult for new guitarists.
If you are interested in lesson, please contact me. I teach online as well as in person.
The First 10 Minutes
A lot of people have no idea of what to expect when going into their first guitar lesson. Most people are very nervous and usually have never touched a guitar before. For many students, they have never played an instrument before either.
The very first thing I like to do is find out what the student is interested in musically. This includes asking about their goals and what inspired them to pick up the guitar. It is also very important to know what style of music they enjoy. Almost everyone would rather play their favorite song than mine-although I have great taste in music ?!
After finding out about their goals, the next step is to see what type of experience they have in music and on the guitar. For this post, I will focus on what the new students will learn on the first day.
Hands On
If you are brand new, then I like to take a couple of minutes to go through the guitar and explain how it works. This includes what all of the knobs are for, what the frets are, how to use the tuning pegs, the names of the strings, etc. Then I demonstrate how to hold the guitar and why the hand position is a certain way for different styles.
Once the student is comfortable with the hand position on the guitar, the next step is tuning. This is sometimes tough for the younger kids, so I have them try a single string and I tune the rest for them. It is really fun to watch how each week they improve on their tuning skills. In just a few lessons, they are experts!
Finally, we learn how tablature works and they play a simple melody on the first day. This is where each student realizes how incredibly easy guitar is to learn. It is fun to see them light up after that part of the lesson, and they are ready to pursue music.
Why I Teach
The part I like the most is when a new student wants to try a lesson to see if they even like it and end up becoming totally inspired. The parents immediately pick up on it…that is so rewarding! My goal is to keep learning along with the student. There are always new songs and new ideas to try.
If you have any questions or would like to try a lesson, feel free to contact me. I teach at Boomer Music in Fort Collins, as well as out of my studio here in Greeley.
Advantage of Playing a Musical Instrument
Most people have heard of some of the advantages to playing a musical instrument. But did you know it is one of the few activities that works the entire brain? Recently, scientists have studied the brain using FMRI and PET scans and observed the brain lighting up when listening to music. Once they gave the person an instrument to play, the brain went into overdrive. The main areas were in the visual, motor, and auditory cortex, however almost every area of the brain was active.
Areas Improved by Playing:
- Fine motor skills-which are affected on both sides of the brain
- Mathematical and creative areas of the brain
- The size of the corpus callosum
- Volume of transmissions in the corpus callosum (which helps with creative problem solving)
- Higher brain executive functions which control planning, strategizing, and attention to detail
- Emotional and mental qualities
- Enhanced memory functions
- Abstract reasoning skills
- Eye-hand coordination
- Verbal IQ skills
- Study habits
- Self-esteem-especially in people with dyslexia because of the increased ability to focus
- The ability to focus for longer periods
- Ability to give and receive constructive criticism
- Working with other people in groups
- Attentiveness
Areas improved at the school level as a result of playing a musical instrument are:
- Higher scores on spelling tests
- Better attendance rates because students look forward to the music programs
- Students score higher on standardized tests
- Students learn a lot about the rewards of hard work since they have to work hard to play well
Scientists have also compared studying music to other art forms. When they did, it was discovered that learning a musical instrument was unique in its benefits. If you are interested in more reading with proven statistical information, Sharon Bryant wrote a great article on this. She has sited numerous studies and have shown how school children have benefited academically through their music programs.
Please contact me if you would like to learn to play the guitar, bass, or ukulele.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -Aristotle
Here is a summary of Justin Colletti’s Building the Practice Habit
which has some great ideas to help inspire guitar practice.
- Make a commitment in writing of what your goal is during guitar practice.
- Studies have shown that by writing down your goals and plans, you will have a greater chance of following through on them.
- Be realistic about guitar practice.
- By putting an unsustainable routine together, practice becomes a punishment rather than something to look forward to. Mr. Colletti uses a perfect analogy of how workout facilities in January are full of new people trying to get into shape, but after a few weeks, people give it up. This is usually due to taking on too much in the beginning.
- Make a list of things that might stop you from practicing the guitar.
- What things will prevent you from sticking to a routine? Does checking email or Facebook prior to starting your practice prevent you from following through? Try to reschedule those events to a time where they will not interrupt your practice schedule. By limiting certain triggers, more focus can be placed on the practicing itself.
- Treat Yourself.
- One way to break a bad habit is to keep the reward but use it as a motivator for practicing. One example may be to have a cup of coffee while practicing instead of reading a newspaper or watching a video.
- Social Accountability.
- Studies have shown that by committing publicly what you plan to do can be a huge motivator. This can increase follow-through dramatically, even more than writing down a goal. You may want to let your friends on Facebook know that you have picked up the guitar and are learning how to play.
- Keep track of your success.
- Watching your progress and keeping track of your success in a journal or Excel can really reinforce your commitment.
If you would like to try a guitar lessons, please contact me.
The Good and Bad of Online Guitar Lessons
If you can’t meet a teacher in person, online lessons are a great alternative. It may never replace the in-person experience, but it is useful, especially for people with limited time.
The Good
- Lessons are available from anywhere in the world as long as there is a reliable internet connection.
- There are a wider range of teachers to choose from.
- It is nice to be able to stay in the comfort of your own home.
- There can be more flexibility in scheduling, especially if the instructor only teaches online.
- The ability to avoid the frustration of commuting, especially in busy cities where there is a lot of traffic congestion.
The Bad
- It is difficult to play music together since there is usually a delay in audio and video.
- Missing out on personal interaction can really make a difference. The one on one lessons can create a warmer atmosphere.
- Without a good internet connection, the experience can be dismal at best. The dropped connections and stuttering can become too distracting with a slow internet.
- Laptop speakers dramatically decrease the quality of sound compared to in person lessons.
- For younger students who use devices with small screens, it is hard to see what the instructor is doing.
My Favorite Platform
I use several platforms to teach guitar lessons online, they all have pluses and minuses, but Zoom is my favorite. This program has a lot of versatility, but probably the best thing about it is the screen share. On one screen, the instructor can be visible while displaying the music on another. Zoom is packed with tools that help tremendously while teaching. There is also a whiteboard which can be used by both the student and the instructor. Once complete, the student can save all the information into their file. This is incredibly convenient!
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about taking guitar lessons online or in person.