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  #46  
Old 01-26-2017, 11:13 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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I would imagine the population of people playing "classical" on a nylon string is pretty small compared to "guitar in general."

As for just the type of instrument, location matters. Steel string rules the US, but head to Latin America, or Brazil...
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  #47  
Old 01-26-2017, 11:46 AM
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The % numbers are meaningless. You friend has to choose what he wants to do based on his musical preferences. What everyone else does means nothing.
I always felt that if I had classical training I would be 10 times better than I am now.
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  #48  
Old 01-26-2017, 12:03 PM
jaybones jaybones is offline
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OP, what kind of music will your friend like to learn? That would easily sort out the steel vs nylon question.

@ island texan I believe that many beginners gravitate towards nylon strings for the fact that the strings are easier to play. Not discounting the wider neck of the classical, just pointing out that its possible to string a steel stringer with nylons, provided the truss rod is adjusted and the guitar setup properly.
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  #49  
Old 01-26-2017, 03:52 PM
Mivo Mivo is offline
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Surprised at the view expressed in some posts that the classical guitar is easier to learn. The 52mm nut of the CG gave me more trouble than the 44.5mm (1.75") nut of my steel string guitar, even with basic chords like G (middle, ring, pinky version).

I think the choice should depend on sound preference. If a student likes the sound of the instrument, they'll be more likely to stick with it. CGs and steel string guitars are rather different there.
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  #50  
Old 01-26-2017, 05:46 PM
Steel and wood Steel and wood is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mivo View Post
Surprised at the view expressed in some posts that the classical guitar is easier to learn. The 52mm nut of the CG gave me more trouble than the 44.5mm (1.75") nut of my steel string guitar, even with basic chords like G (middle, ring, pinky version).

I think the choice should depend on sound preference. If a student likes the sound of the instrument, they'll be more likely to stick with it. CGs and steel string guitars are rather different there.
Yep, surprised also. (That neck and string spacing is not conducive to the sort of thing an eventual steel string player wants to learn and eventually play on).

Funnily enough when holidaying in Argentina (like others have said) the guitars I came across were pretty much always classical guitars and players would play mostly folk with their fingers. (The only steel string guitars I saw were in a music shop). Handing me a classical guitar to play without a flat pick, thumb pick or fingerpicks presented little joy for me unfortunately.

Last edited by Steel and wood; 01-26-2017 at 05:55 PM.
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  #51  
Old 01-26-2017, 11:38 PM
Paraclete Paraclete is offline
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Originally Posted by wdean View Post
Yes, I believe his new guitar teacher approaches it exactly the way you started. She teaches the basics of guitar playing i.e. a "D" chord is the same on a classical as on an acoustic. For pure beginners learning the basics I guess it's her belief its easier and quicker to learn on a classical guitar...as said before she rents them to her students so if they want to switch later their not out a lot of dough.

Nice to hear that this is a viable method from someone that has done it!!

Thanks!
I'm not sure that I'd characterize classical as being "easier" to learn. It is way more difficult, for example, to play barre chords on a classical. (Yes, my first barre chords were F and Bb on a classical). The discipline of classical is much more rigorous. But that's how I learned. It made learning to play an electric and acoustic guitar incredibly easy though. I didn't have an option to start on steel strings. Perhaps the nylon strings are less harsh on uncalloused fingers.
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  #52  
Old 01-27-2017, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by jaybones View Post
OP, what kind of music will your friend like to learn? That would easily sort out the steel vs nylon question.

@ island texan I believe that many beginners gravitate towards nylon strings for the fact that the strings are easier to play. Not discounting the wider neck of the classical, just pointing out that its possible to string a steel stringer with nylons, provided the truss rod is adjusted and the guitar setup properly.
My friend I don't think has really decided what kind of music he wants to end up playing...just wants to learn how to basically play the guitar for now. He has listened to me play. Like I have said I'm just a solid intermediate player singer. But I have done him my examples of my stuff....folk, rock, country, pop. Blown in the Wind (Joan Baez), Heaven (Brian Adams), From This Moment On (Shania T), My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion)....how can you tell I'm Canadian, eh!!

I told him the first song my guitar teacher taught me way back when I first took lessons was Tom Dooley.

Anyway...I think his guitar teacher as maybe part of her "marketing" sfor beginning guitarists starting on classical guitar for "mechanical" ease reasons only...if I was even more skeptical it is because she also makes money on the rental of classical guitars to her students. But having heard here that learning on classical to start is not unreasonable makes me think that's not the case.
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  #53  
Old 01-27-2017, 03:12 PM
musicman1951 musicman1951 is offline
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A74MxUBweG0

Check out guitar solo about 1:43 in, pick on classical.

You can play pretty much everything on a classical that you play on steel strings. It won't sound the same, but you can do it. Some things might work better, many will be lacking. The right hand string spacing is nice, the left is less so.

If you're going to play classical music you need a classical guitar.
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  #54  
Old 01-27-2017, 04:27 PM
Mivo Mivo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by musicman1951 View Post
If you're going to play classical music you need a classical guitar.
I play classical stuff on ukulele and steel string guitar. But I'm just a hobbyist.
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  #55  
Old 01-28-2017, 12:13 AM
Steel and wood Steel and wood is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wdean View Post
My friend I don't think has really decided what kind of music he wants to end up playing...just wants to learn how to basically play the guitar for now. He has listened to me play. Like I have said I'm just a solid intermediate player singer. But I have done him my examples of my stuff....folk, rock, country, pop. Blown in the Wind (Joan Baez), Heaven (Brian Adams), From This Moment On (Shania T), My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion)....how can you tell I'm Canadian, eh!!

I told him the first song my guitar teacher taught me way back when I first took lessons was Tom Dooley.

Anyway...I think his guitar teacher as maybe part of her "marketing" sfor beginning guitarists starting on classical guitar for "mechanical" ease reasons only...if I was even more skeptical it is because she also makes money on the rental of classical guitars to her students. But having heard here that learning on classical to start is not unreasonable makes me think that's not the case.
I too would be feeling sceptical. (Mostly likely by the sounds of it that your friend wants to play the same sort of music as yourself and there's no way that I would encourage him to go to this teacher to learn on a classical guitar ... and a rental one at that). The teacher is either going to teach your friend how to play classical guitar or steel string guitar techniques on a classical guitar and both scenarios are nowhere near ideal.

I would suggest he gets his own basic steel string guitar and a couple of flat picks (plectrums) and finds himself another teacher. (My opinion of course).
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  #56  
Old 01-28-2017, 10:24 AM
wdean wdean is offline
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Thanks everyone for all the feedback and info.

I did tell my friend this morning that "survey says" that about 90 to 95% of guitar players play acoustic guitars vs. classical.

So he basically concluded that after his beginning "learning" period that there is a 90% chance that he would be switching to acoustic (steel).

He did ask me what I thought about his favoured teachers idea about starting on a classical guitar because its easier to learn the basics (the teachers contention and suggestion!). I told him that I did get some mixed feedback on that and seemed there was no right or wrong answer. The only thing I suggested as an added question he should ask the prospective teacher is given that it was likely he would switch to acoustic (steel), when would that occur from her experience with other students. If he was satisfied with the answer I said he should sign up!!

Again thanks everyone!
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  #57  
Old 01-28-2017, 11:12 AM
Mivo Mivo is offline
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A teacher that one connects with is of tremendous value. Since your friend doesn't seem to have a preference, and just wants to learn guitar (any), I feel going with the teacher he likes is a good course of action. Even if he later decides to go with a steel string guitar, the knowledge gained from the classical guitar won't be wasted. One way or another, he'll get to Rome.
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  #58  
Old 01-28-2017, 12:09 PM
wdean wdean is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mivo View Post
A teacher that one connects with is of tremendous value. Since your friend doesn't seem to have a preference, and just wants to learn guitar (any), I feel going with the teacher he likes is a good course of action. Even if he later decides to go with a steel string guitar, the knowledge gained from the classical guitar won't be wasted. One way or another, he'll get to Rome.
Yes, my thoughts exactly...

He said he liked this teacher because she seemed to be more laid back than the two guys he interviewed. On that note he mentioned he hoped that perhaps he would meet some interesting fellow single women players....he knows my wife and I met while taking guitar lessons way back.

So, he mused "I wonder how many men vs. woman play guitar..." I told him that stat is probably out there so I'm not going there..haha!
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  #59  
Old 08-18-2017, 04:20 PM
Guitarplayer_PR Guitarplayer_PR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zhunter View Post
While I haven't run across any real statistics, my experience, in round wild guess numbers, is less than 1 in 10 play nylon string. In the US.

I think in the context of the world outside the US, there are a lot of nylon string players. I can't say more than steel but I bet the numbers are closer to 50-50.

Not including electrics of course.

hunter
Much more than 50/50
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