Classical on a steel string

[Le Chef]

I was too lazy to go get my Traphagen the other day, so I played a little Bach and then a little Sor and then a little Carulli on my Martin OM35, which has a 1&3/4 nut. I have really been working on it and I have to say it sounds very good. Anyone else play classical pieces on a steel string?

I am thinking of making this permanent because I have a lot of fingerstyle pieces I prefer on steel string and don't like switching back and forth.

[TBman]

I'm actually thinking about the opposite, what pieces do I play with steel that will sound better on nylon,

[Skip Ellis]

Yes, I do it all the time - most of the Irish and Scottish airs and ballads work very well on either guitar. I just bought a Godin Multiac nylon but it'll be used more for jazz/chord melody/Chet type stuff.

Listen to Stephen Wake on YT - he uses both with great results.

[Le Chef]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

Yes, I do it all the time - most of the Irish and Scottish airs and ballads work very well on either guitar. I just bought a Godin Multiac nylon but it'll be used more for jazz/chord melody/Chet type stuff.

Listen to Stephen Wake on YT - he uses both with great results.

Thanks. I'll check it out. If you own a Godin, you may know of Walter Rodrigues, Jr. I just hear his versions of Misty, in a bossa nova style, and then My Foolish Heart that had me crying.

[rick-slo]

Duplicate post

[rick-slo]

Stuff like Bach and Carulli work ok on a steel strings but more romantic and emotive classical music that benefits from more tonal control not so much.
Also more chordal note dense classical guitar music where you do not want notes over blending into each other often requires more note damping on a
steel string and that can be a chore to control.

[Le Chef]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Stuff like Bach and Carulli work ok on steel strings but more romantic and emotive classical music not so much.

Good tip, makes sense. I don't think I play anything Romantic anymore. Even Tarrega is too jazzy for me, LOL. Not really. But that's about as modern as I get.

I appreciate the feedback!

[Imbler]

I have some songs I like to play on both steel string and classical - sometimes back to back.

It can make such a big change to the sound that I enjoy hearing.

For example, Vincent is one of my favorite instrumentals, and it sounds very sweet on nylon, and takes on a little edge on SS.

[singlecoil]

Just finished my first classical piece Capricho Arabe and learned it on my recording king RO 27 because I didn't own a classical guitar until this weekend. I picked up a Takamine GC5CE just to get started with. No problems adjusting so far but I'm not sure which one sounds best but the steel strings don't sound bad by any means! Afraid I'm becoming addicted to this classical thing!

[redir]

I built myself a steel string guitar with the wide fretbaord of a classical guitar for that very purpose. But honestly I don't like it that much. I still like the guitar but not the classical stuff on it. It just lacks the depth. It is different though, I'll give it that.

[Rapido Eduwardo]

I have been playing classical for about the last 3 years and recently bought a steel string. Since Classical is basically all know, I have been playing my old pieces on the steel string (acoustic). I think it sounds ok. At the moment I am working on Bach's Bouree and Joy of Man. Also trying to re-learn a few Ragtime pieces. Great fun. Just wish I were more talented.

[PeterTaylor]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

Yes, I do it all the time - most of the Irish and Scottish airs and ballads work very well on either guitar. I just bought a Godin Multiac nylon but it'll be used more for jazz/chord melody/Chet type stuff.

Listen to Stephen Wake on YT - he uses both with great results.

The same goes for Cim Frode.

[j3ffr0]

When I have time I love moving pieces between classical and steel string guitars. Much classical works well on steel string. Much modern steel string will work on classical. In particular, I find some interesting and unexpected tones when tuning a classical to a lower, alternate tuning for a while.

I don't always take my nylons out of standard or drop D, but when I do it's fun.

[Taylor814]

Obviously most classical repertoire isn't usually played on a steel string, but there isn't reason why you can't if you prefer. Andrew York is considered a modern classical guitarist, but his most famous piece, "Sunburst" was, I believe, written on a D28, so there's that. The biggest challenge I find in going between nylon and steel string isn't the nut width, but rather the neck length difference between 12 and 14 fret. When I play a classical piece high up the neck on a 14 fret I can get a little disoriented at first. If I choose to play a classical piece on one of my steel strings, I usually choose the Taylor because it's short scale, and despite being a 14 fret it still seems a little more compact.

[6twenty7]

Steve vai for the love of god sounds better on classical XD