Beginner Seeking Advice

[The_Valonqar]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I have been strumming an Acoustic Guitar on and off for years, purely amateur, never gigged or anything, had some group lessons. From a search I recently did I found some recommendations for books, and so I picked up Christopher Parkening Method Books volume 1 and 2.

I am working through the books and love it. Searching on Youtube I have come across some Spanish Guitar, and Flamenco Guitar that really inspired me. There is only so much singing California Stars to myself in the basement does for me. So I really want to focus on Classical Spanish and Flamenco Guitar.

As I am going through I am wondering if anyone can point me to some beginner songs or books in those genre's. Or, advice in general.

I am playing an old Yamaha Guitar my Brother, who is a professional musician, has lent me. I'll eventually invest in a Classical Guitar when I have learned a few pieces that I can judge them with.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[Tahitijack]

When the pandemic is behind us, take lessons. As often as you can and can afford. If not at least take free lessons from YouTube. Make them a regular part of your day. There are excellent coaches out there.

[Canoeman]

Aaron Shearer, start with the red book and the note speller. The paper back of David Leisner will help a lot with positioning and playing from an ergonomic stance. It has on line examples to view. It is much more difficult to un-learn tension than to learn proper playing in the first place. After that there is the Shearer exercise book along with the Green more advanced lesson book. Remember to play the chord stacks in these lessons and the scales, they are very important. Many many classical guitarist have started out with the Aaron Shearer methods. Along with the David Leisner knowledge your initial bases will be completely covered.

[TBman]

I'm getting a lot of guidance from Brad Werner's website. I just started teaching myself classical this year.

https://www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/start-here/

[6twenty7]

Scott Tenants - Pumping Nylon (Must have for all classical guitarist)
Mauro Giuliani - 120 right hand studies
Anne Carothers Hall - Studying Rhythm
Mateo Carcassi - op.60 25 Etudes

You should be set with these 4 books for classical. The only thing you cant get from book is someone to check if your form is correct. Correcting bad habits in right and left hand is really hard to correct by yourself. A teacher will help your form, alternating fingers (finger independence), dynamics/color and tonality.


Brad Werner (TheClassicalGuitar) is great on YouTube with lots of free content.

[dkstott]

The great thing about pumping nylon book is that it has the majority of the Guliani 120 exercises.

Dave

[Canoeman]

The problem with many lesson books and methods is advancement rates when dealing with beginning students. I have had students that started on the Parkening books run stuck with many issues that kept them from advancing. One was an experienced chord strummer, that thought it would be simple. The problem with knowing everything there is to know, you have nothing left to learn, was his case. it took a lot to convince him that a few baby steps were required. There is no setting on a metronome that goes slow enough when learning a new piece. Self taught people, if they are not being personally objective, tend to build mistakes into the music that they are trying to learn. Those learned mistakes are very difficult to unlearn. Pumping Nylon is good, but a bit fast for someone fresh into classical guitar. The Frederic Node and Parkening books have their place, but some things that an experienced teacher would fill in for an individual are missing. The other things mentioned here are important down the road, but basic proper technique needs to be built to use them properly.

[The_Valonqar]

Thanks for all of the advice. I am going slowly, and trying to be objective as possible, but of course, you don't know what you don't know.

When I can I will try to find a teacher, and until then I will watch some Youtube videos, work through the Parkening Books, try to learn some pieces. Also, will start using a metronome.

[ceciltguitar]

Here are 3 very good internet resources:

https://www.guitarprinciples.com/

https://douglasniedt.com/

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...2EQHOCETGghT9t

[Beanctr]

Originally Posted by Canoeman

The problem with many lesson books and methods is advancement rates when dealing with beginning students. I have had students that started on the Parkening books run stuck with many issues that kept them from advancing. One was an experienced chord strummer, that thought it would be simple. The problem with knowing everything there is to know, you have nothing left to learn, was his case. it took a lot to convince him that a few baby steps were required. There is no setting on a metronome that goes slow enough when learning a new piece. Self taught people, if they are not being personally objective, tend to build mistakes into the music that they are trying to learn. Those learned mistakes are very difficult to unlearn. Pumping Nylon is good, but a bit fast for someone fresh into classical guitar. The Frederic Node and Parkening books have their place, but some things that an experienced teacher would fill in for an individual are missing. The other things mentioned here are important down the road, but basic proper technique needs to be built to use them properly.

Very good advice. I would recommend anyone serious about playing to get some one on one instruction.

I remember when I started (1986) I had been playing a long time and started to teach myself. I basically showed up at my first classical lesson as a trainwreck! The first six months of lessons put me on the straight and narrow. Rick

[TBman]

The way I am learning is this.... I buy a lesson or score (with tab), find a video/mp3 if there is none associated with the tab and hammer at it until I get it to sound better.

Here's Canon in D that I started on a while ago, from Brad Werner's website.



And here is my first recording of it a month ago.



As you can hear, I'm not using enough nail at that point. (Plus there's a lot of extra noise that I make as well). I have gotten better and I will circle around to another recording soon.

Without taking lessons, the best I can do is try to sound like someone who plays well and mimic what they are doing. It's a lot of "hey, what am I doing wrong" analysis.

[ts1990]

Originally Posted by Tahitijack

When the pandemic is behind us, take lessons. As often as you can and can afford. If not at least take free lessons from YouTube. Make them a regular part of your day. There are excellent coaches out there.

I'm trying to take advantage of my time in insolation and learn the guitar. Getting one to one lessons are not possible for me right now so I've been using YouTube for now

[The_Valonqar]

Very Cool TBMan!

[TBman]

Originally Posted by The_Valonqar

Very Cool TBMan!

Thanks!

[dkstott]

You're sounding good!!

Just curious, have you tried holding the notes with your left hand fingers a little bit longer? Is staying on the fret for as long as possible..

I may be way off base, but my ears seem to tell me that I'm hearing notes cut short.