Is classical guitar training good for acoustic guitar players?

[Aping Leo]

Yes... I studied classical for two years. If nothing else, but possibly most importantly it will teach you discipline.

[creamburmese]

I would say no! don't go there! (tongue in cheek) - I started with group classical lessons 4 years ago because I wanted a good grounding in the basics - that was then, this is now, and I pretty much play all classical.... (though I would say that many "tunes" translate directly from the classical to the steel string)

[vindibona1]

Absolutely. Classical guitar training fills in the blanks that sometimes get left out in general acoustic playing. I have always believed it best to be a well rounded player unless you're dedicated to a specific style for a specific reason. While techniques vary, it's better to have more tools in your tool box than less (IMO).

[mrkpower]

Originally Posted by A-Mac

Depends on your goals. In most cases, I would advise against it.

Can you give more details?

[JedimasterPaul]

It sure helped me out, gave me a solid foundation in right-hand technique, which I apply all the time when playing my steel string acoustics

[MrErikJ]

I have just enough classical training to be dangerous and I will admit that it improves your discipline, technique, and overall musicality. My sense of dynamics and control improved and my ability to somewhat comprehend standard notation helped me a mature quite a bit. While I don't have a passion for classical, it is pretty fun to play.

[mrkpower]

Originally Posted by creamburmese

I would say no! don't go there! (tongue in cheek) - I started with group classical lessons 4 years ago because I wanted a good grounding in the basics - that was then, this is now, and I pretty much play all classical.... (though I would say that many "tunes" translate directly from the classical to the steel string)

I guess no a bad thing since you have found your path to go.

[Rondoraymundo]

The best guitar players don't just play the notes, they also control the silences between the notes. Properly taught, learned and applied, the Segovia Method will do that for you. I think it's a huge plus. But then again, I've advocated that very thing in every post since I changed my signature a couple of years ago.

[jennconducts]

In my opinion, OF COURSE it is.

IMO, the best training for a guitarist is learning drums. Counter intuitive, but rhythm/phrasing is everything.

Classical guitar will help with a lot of techniques, though.

[muscmp]

any training is good whether it is pop, blues, classical, etc. and, doesn't matter if acoustic or electric.

play music!

[clicker7]

Yup!

Posture, left-hand technique, keyboard knowledge and fingerstyle!

[mrkpower]

Originally Posted by Aping Leo

Yes... I studied classical for two years. If nothing else, but possibly most importantly it will teach you discipline.

How many hours do you practice daily?

[jaybones]

I won't say its absolutely necessary, but when I got my minor in music the only guitar classes I took were classical.

Could read standard notation back then (used to be able to sight read piano and saxophone, and I knew both clefs).

But after a while of not doing it, and using shortcuts like TAB, "official" songbooks with chords and my ear to figure out what the guitar was doing I pretty much lost the ability to read music. I can get it back if I refamiliarize myself with the notes.

But I've been complemented on my right hand fingerpicking technique (not on classical pieces). I use the PIMA method, with the thumb plucking E, A and D, the index of G, middle on B and ring on high E.

Of course I'll modify that from time to time. Even will play bass with thumb and 2 or 3 fingers to get arpeggio runs on a certain chord.

But I play my classical at least daily. Usually pick it up and screw around with the main passage of Layenda. And some other finger picked stuff that sounds better on nylon than on steel.

[TBman]

I've always been intrigued by the classical style and envied the skills. I think its easier for a classically trained guitarist to learn to play steel, than the other way around. There's that whole different way of holding a guitar, etc. More discipline, theory involved as well it would appear.

Also I finally found a classical player that plays something many of us can relate to