Name what you think are the ten greatest composition for the classical guitar. Only name classical compositions.

Please name both the compositions and composer.
Be specific, don’t say ‘anything by Sor’ or something like that.

Concierto de Arunjuez – Joaquin Rodrigo.
Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra – Heitor Villa- Lobos.
Preludes for Guitar 1 – 5 – Heitor Villa Lobos.

There are also those written for lute but adapted for guitar, such as Bach’s Lute Suite.

I have a classical guitar right now, but it doesn’t play very well. I don’t know if it’s just because it’s a really cheap guitar or because I’m trying to play acoustic songs on a classical guitar. Does it make a difference if I used a classical guitar or an acoustic guitar?

A classical guitar IS an acoustic guitar. There are two types of acoustic guitars, nylon string and steel string. An acoustic guitar is any guitar that is not an electric guitar. Nylon string guitars (classical) have a smaller body and a slightly wider neck and use nylon strings. Steel string (sometimes called "folk" guitars) usually have a larger body and a thinner neck and use steel strings. A steel string guitar is more common for folk, rock, blues, country, and bluegrass related styles. A nylon string is used more for classical and jazz styles. They are still the same instrument with the same tuning.

I want to learn classical and neoclassical guitar (preferably Mozart or Beethoven) but I just can’t find accurate guitar tabs for it. Most of what they have on the guitar tab website are inaccurate. If anyone can help me out, I’ll be greatful!

Unfortunately, the internet tablature community caters more for rock and metal heads and less for more refined forms of music…

I’ve been using this one for a while and most of these tabs are pretty spot on as far as I can tell.

This is from a request, i love this song, it’s simple and sounds really cool and it’s fun!:) Thank you for all of the comments, it has been quite hard to try and keep up with answering my mail all the time and replying to comments so i’d just like so say thank you here:) I read them everyday.

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My brother plays classical guitar constantly. I was wondering, what would the most comfortable, best-fitting seating be?

If you mean how to hold the guitar…For right handed players the guitar rests on the left thigh with the left foot elevated (raised) off the ground supported by a foot stand.

It’s for school. I need to find a great classical guitar piece I can play for an assembly, and it needs to be very ~cultural~. Anything that isn’t American.

For example, something very… Italian or whatever.

Rodrigo’s Concerto Aranjuez (spelling might be wrong), definitely Spanish in flavour.

Also, Piazzola (Spanish) compositions, Histoire du Tango, for instance, that have a definite nationalistic bent.

I’m playing a gig at a small restaurant/bar. i am bringing a classical and acoustic guitar and i plan on singing some too. what are some easy songs that i can play to please the audience of all ages?

this depends on the restaurant, the size and ambiance of the room, the customers, and the preference of the owner / owners. I always take a request book with me whether I play Guitar or Piano. I keep track of what the customers ask for, and it helps to keep people from interrupting in the middle of a song. You have to decide what you are willing to do of course, but it never hurts to have a couple good Real / Fake Books along for those special requests that can be so meaningful for customers and lucrative for your tip jar.

You should be ready to play at least fifty to seventy five tunes from whatever ethnic background the Restaurant features, plus standard songs for Anniversaries, Birthdays, Reunions, etc. Find out if you are a featured performer, or whether the owner/manager would prefer background music. If you are a featured performer, it is more important to pick music that you are familiar with, and that best shows off your skills as a performer. If you are playing background music, play the music that best highlights the personality of the room, and supports the atmosphere.

Another thing that works great for a friend of mine, is to have a list of your favorite, or most requested tunes. Often when a requester comes up, they will see the list and choose one from there. This eases your burden, since you don’t have to play an unfamiliar song, and gives the requester a nudge on the right direction as well. I posted a couple of links below to get you started. Hope this helps.

I am taking a guitar class next semester and have the option of classical and jazz guitar. I know that the obvious answer is that with the jazz guitar you would play mostly jazz. But what differences are there? Is it a different technique? Different focus? Is one harder than the other or are they just different?

Jazz and classical are very different styles of guitar.

1. Jazz tends to be based a lot on improvisational techniques. You should know all your scales, and some jazz theory. Classical is based on interpretation and reproduction of music that is already written. The music will be right in front of you for this style.

2. Different guitars. That’s a big one. You might want to see if you have a classical (not an acoustic, a classical) guitar. Many people don’t.

3. Complete different techniques. If you play with a pick- you should do Jazz. Classical guitar does not use a pick at all. EVER. It is all done with the fingers on your right hand. Also, most classical guitarists spend years learning correct right hand technique on guitar, it is not something you just pick up and know how to do.

4. Since I know a lot of theory, I say that classical guitar is harder than jazz. However, if you don’t know theory but do know how to read music, classical would be easier for you.

The moral of the story here, is that they are very different. It mostly depends on what type of music you like more.

Here some great classical guitar players of 20th century. (sample videos)

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I play a classical guitar. I find that even when I cut my index finger fingernail as short as possible, it’s still too long. Anyone have similar issues or tips on fingernail care?
thanks for the replies. i want to clarify that I’m interested in my left hand (the one that fingers the fretboard). I find that even when I cut my index finger as short as possible, it’s still too long.

Try filing them down. As an Electric guitarist, I have no nails, because nails get in the way when playing guitar. But I do remember my classical days. Since you are playing by your hands only, and no picks, you would want to have a little of nail to your picking hand to make picking and strumming easier, and no nail at all to your fretting hand to be able to get your intonation correctly. The person who answered that he sharpens them down to little picks, that’s very interesting, and not a very bad idea at all. The only problem I can see there, is what about when your not playing guitar? Hope this helps you out.

P.S. It might be that you are curving your fingers too much. Try curving them less and see what happens.