BEGINNER'S
Guitar Lesson Online #1
If you're going to learn to play guitar, you'd better learn first some interesting facts about guitar.
It's been said that knowledge is an asset.
Some guitar history
Guitar is a musical instrument that, in one or another form, seems to have been with mankind for quite a long time. We may be talking, here, for about five thousand years.
And, in some parts of the world, it was very popular, too.
There's evidence that string fretted and plucked instruments, that can be considered very old forms of guitars, where known in early Persia, India, Arabia and Egypt.
Those instruments evolved through the centuries until they saw the days of the Renaissance period, more precisely in the sixteenth century, which can be considered the time of the foundation of actual guitar.
Among the most famous guitar players and composers, to name just a few of them, were:
- Francesco Corbetta (1615-1681)
- Robert de Visée (1660-1720)
- Gaspar Sanz (1640-1710)
- Mauro Giuliani (1781–1829)
- Fernando Sor (1778–1839)
- Ferdinando Carulli (1770–1841)
- Matteo Carcassi (1792–1853)
- Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909)
- Andrés Segovia (1893–1987)
- Narciso Yepes (1927-1997)
- John Williams (1941- )
- Julian Bream (1933- )
Now, this is a guitar ...
These are the main characteristics of your classical guitar:
The sound is produced by plucking strings, and is amplified by the body cavity of the guitar, which acts as a resonator. So, we say that the guitar s an acoustic instrument.
It has six strings (most commonly). Guitar strings are named (upwards):
- 1st string
- 2nd string
- 3rd string
- 4th string
- 5th string
- 6th string
The 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings are called "treble strings", and are made from nylon.
The other three strings are called "bass strings", and are wound with metal, commonly silver plated copper.
Classical guitar players use their right hand fingers to pluck the strings. Strumming (spanish "rasgueo") is not so common in classical guitar playing.
Parts of a classical guitar:
- 1 Headstock
- 2 Nut
- 3 Machine heads (or peg heads)
- 4 Fret wires
- 5 Truss rod (not shown)
- 7 Neck and 20 fretboard
- 8 Heel
- 9 Body
- 12 Bridge
- 14 Bottom deck
- 15 Face (top deck)
- 16 Body sides
- 17 Sound hole, with Rosette inlay
- 18 Strings
- 19 Bridge saddle (Bridge nut)
- 20 The Fretboard
Guitar shopping (what to look for when buying a guitar)
With so many classical guitar models today, it's not so easy make a choice. I’ll give you a few tips to help you to find the classic guitar that meets your needs, in the case, of course, that you haven't yet bought it.
In first place, it depends on whether the person who will be learning is an adult or a child. For a child, there are 1/2 size or 3/4 size guitar. For an adult there are regular size guitars.
More than the look of the guitar, you should pay attention to the features.
Look for die-cast machine heads, so you'll be able to tune your guitar better, and it'll stay in tune longer.
A solid top (two solid pieces glued together side by side) is also quite important. It's always better than a laminated top (several wood pieces glued together on top of each other).
Ask for wood types and quality.
As you're the one who'll be playing, buy a guitar that feels good and comfortable to you. Spend some time testing the guitar before making a decision.
Never buy a guitar according to how it looks. Buy it for how it feels and, most important of all, for how it sounds. Check general sound quality, tuning, and tuning balance across the whole fretboard. Bottom line: SOUND!
I said nothing about price. Though it is, of course, a mayor concern, be advised to spend the most you can for best quality.
Finally, if you really want to easily and quickly grab the skills needed to play like a pro, I warmly reccomend you to visit the Guitar Alliance Website. You need to take a look!. (Click here).
Now, let's go for Guitar lesson Online #2!
Other very useful guitar links you shouldn't miss:
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Please, visit the Beginner Guitar Lessons Online Squidoo Lens to let us know what would you like to find in this website so you can learn to play guitar more easily.
You may also visit Project Ever Guitar Lessons Website for Guitar Lessons Tips.
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