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  #1  
Old 03-16-2020, 07:51 PM
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Default Classical is kicking my behind a bit

I can't play it every night for an hour and a half like I can with my steel strings. I'm listening to every note and watching out for every stupid extra noise that I don't need to make and its a bit exhausting. Plus there seem to be more stretches and whole/half notes that have to be held while melody is getting played and its tiring my left hand.

I should have started on this 40 years ago,
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Old 03-17-2020, 07:37 AM
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Old 03-17-2020, 08:37 AM
redir redir is offline
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Take your time. You will be amazed at how something you simply cannot do today will be easy in two weeks or so. Play slowly at first and then ramp it up to full speed. Don't give up! It's very rewarding and even if you think it sounds bad your friends will think you sound great
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Old 03-21-2020, 07:40 PM
jsanfilippo5 jsanfilippo5 is offline
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Try playing some very easy pieces. I feel like making very small goals goes a very long way. iT can be boring as watching paint dry sometimes but it definitely improves my accuracy and I have been able to dig into some more difficult pieces now.

Another thing that helped slot was to play a piece through with the melody only until I get that right, then play the bass by itself and slowly work it together. even leaving out the bass notes in one parts to simplify things.

fInally, sometimes it helps to step away for a day and play what you are working on on a steel strings. at least it helps for me..

tHere is a book I have been playing through often called 30 easy Spanish guitar solos, many of the tunes are familiar and slightly modified to be easier. I found this book to be really beneficial in many ways.
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Old 03-22-2020, 07:44 AM
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Thanks everyone!

I'm working on Ave Maria which I guess is pretty easy (from Brad Werner's website). I also have Canon in D from there to work on more and some other pieces from there as well. In addition to pieces I also do some exercises.
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Old 03-22-2020, 10:52 AM
Canoeman Canoeman is offline
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Many people play with way too much tension and thus put out way too much energy. When learning any new piece, there is no metronome that goes slow enough, nor should there be. So slow that you can check for tension, fingering, position angles and the works on difficult shifts, to a point that the guitar goes silent between notes. if you are putting too much grief on your left hand ring finger and pinky from stretches, pull your elbow closer to your side. Diaphragm breathing, gently and naturally and often. Watch for tension in either hand, it does nothing for you.
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Old 03-22-2020, 10:58 AM
Canoeman Canoeman is offline
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I purchased a book from David Leisner that greatly improved my own tension difficulties, "Playing With Ease". i found tensions that I did not even know I had. Plus tips on learning new pieces without learning the tension along with it. Funny how that works. I had tensions built into the Bach Chaconne that did not need to be there. I had to go back to the sheet music and relearn those parts, without the built in tension.
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Old 03-22-2020, 11:38 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunsethill66 View Post
Many people play with way too much tension and thus put out way too much energy. When learning any new piece, there is no metronome that goes slow enough, nor should there be. So slow that you can check for tension, fingering, position angles and the works on difficult shifts, to a point that the guitar goes silent between notes. if you are putting too much grief on your left hand ring finger and pinky from stretches, pull your elbow closer to your side. Diaphragm breathing, gently and naturally and often. Watch for tension in either hand, it does nothing for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunsethill66 View Post
I purchased a book from David Leisner that greatly improved my own tension difficulties, "Playing With Ease". i found tensions that I did not even know I had. Plus tips on learning new pieces without learning the tension along with it. Funny how that works. I had tensions built into the Bach Chaconne that did not need to be there. I had to go back to the sheet music and relearn those parts, without the built in tension.
Thank you, excellent advice.
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Old 03-23-2020, 07:44 PM
Canoeman Canoeman is offline
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Little note I changed my user name to Canoeman. I love wilderness canoe tripping in northern Minnesota and Canada. When I write new stuff, I usually get an idea in my head when I am trying to sleep, get up hit the key board and then when i get up in the morning I play it back. I wrote this one out, added lyrics and converted it to classical guitar, played through it a couple of times and hit record. The verse melody is from the year 1585, renaissance period. The reverb is the glass door on my stereo system. https://soundcloud.com/guitar1-274456524/track-05
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Old 03-28-2020, 05:16 PM
Gtrfinger Gtrfinger is offline
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I'm with you on this Barry, I've been almost 100% on the classical as opposed to my steel string now for weeks. I've been inspired by the several classical guitar podcasts I've downloaded and listen to in the car. Been working through Kitharologus, and still not finished level 1! (I recommend that book though).

And I've been playing 35 years!

But don't you find it's easier to play? Less tension. Maybe a more forgiving instrument? The big difference I find is that you really have to work for the right tone, whereas on a steel string, it sort of happens for you if you've got a decent guitar.
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Old 03-28-2020, 07:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gtrfinger View Post
I'm with you on this Barry, I've been almost 100% on the classical as opposed to my steel string now for weeks. I've been inspired by the several classical guitar podcasts I've downloaded and listen to in the car. Been working through Kitharologus, and still not finished level 1! (I recommend that book though).

And I've been playing 35 years!

But don't you find it's easier to play? Less tension. Maybe a more forgiving instrument? The big difference I find is that you really have to work for the right tone, whereas on a steel string, it sort of happens for you if you've got a decent guitar.
You nailed it. Easier to play, but tough to get good tone consistently.
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Old 04-17-2020, 01:34 AM
optichero optichero is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
You nailed it. Easier to play, but tough to get good tone consistently.
Nail shapes and maintenance are the difficult bits to get consistent tone. I was very disturbed just a few days back and spent quite some time over several days to figure what went wrong.

Good to hear your playing and that you are still playing and enjoying it.
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Old 05-15-2020, 05:41 AM
Don W Don W is offline
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I really enjoyed this thread. I am always trying to find a piece that I can play really well and memorize that is really "classical". I now understand that it isn't so much the piece but the player. Such tiny adjustments have to be made for good tone. So much more difficult than finger style steel string which already has good tone especially when played in alternate tunings. I have now settled on a piece that I am going to work on until I have that sound I'm looking for...whatever it takes. Fernando Sor Etude in B minor beautiful piece with mega barre chord changes. Really starting to understand tension...breathing and slow analyzing of technique. Thanks for the thread.
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Old 05-15-2020, 07:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Don W View Post
I really enjoyed this thread. I am always trying to find a piece that I can play really well and memorize that is really "classical". I now understand that it isn't so much the piece but the player. Such tiny adjustments have to be made for good tone. So much more difficult than finger style steel string which already has good tone especially when played in alternate tunings. I have now settled on a piece that I am going to work on until I have that sound I'm looking for...whatever it takes. Fernando Sor Etude in B minor beautiful piece with mega barre chord changes. Really starting to understand tension...breathing and slow analyzing of technique. Thanks for the thread.
Good Don, keep at it. I had to take a break from classical. I missed just picking up a guitar and have it sound good regardless of what I did (within reason )
I have a bunch of stuff to work on with it though, I guess I should suck it up and get back to it.
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Old 05-15-2020, 08:46 AM
Ceabeceabe Ceabeceabe is offline
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It may help to think of the classical guitar, especially when used to play classical music, as a different instrument than an acoustic guitar. Would not make sense to expect to be able to play a trumpet well right off the bat because I have been playing guitar for 40 years.

To be sure, classical and acoustic guitars are closer than a guitar and a trumpet, but there are still many subtle differences.

Plus, classical music is it’s own language - similar but not exactly the same as that of other styles of music played by guitar. While learning this new language I try to remember to start with easier pieces than I would if I was playing a style I was more familiar with. If I am trying to learn a more difficult piece I give myself more time, map out a whole lot more on the music page, and try not to forget what my learning curve on a piece of music looks like; months of mishmash followed by a week of it coming together so as to play it without stopping, and then weeks of working out the smoothness and musicalities.
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