Classical Guitar Mansfield

I have been playing the classical guitar since I was about 6 or 7, and whilst other instruments have come and gone in my life, this is one of the few that has remained! I now not only enjoy still playing this instrument, but also offering lessons for the classical guitar. Mansfield is one of the areas I cover.

There are so many different styles of guitar playing that it can be quite mind blowing! There are electric guitars, acoustic guitars, and then my favourite – the classical guitar.

The Classical guitar is sometimes referred to as “Spanish” guitar, and whilst there are many Spanish pieces written for the classical guitar including Flamenco guitar, this is by no means the limit of its repertoire! Villa Lobos, Andres Segovia, Joaquin Rodrigo, Francisco Tarrega are just a few well known staples of classical guitar pieces and will frequently appear in classical guitar repertoire and performances. However, perhaps one very well known piece of contemporary music for the classical guitar is Classical Gas by Mason Williams.

A quick search on www.YouTube.com for “classical guitar songs” shows the versatility of this amazing instrument, with renditions of Pirates of the Caribbean, Pink Panther, various computer game themes (Super Mario Bros!) as well as versions of popular songs and rock songs as well – imagine, sitting down to play a beautiful classical guitar and how bemused your audience would be if you gave them your own rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody!

How can you tell if the guitar you have is a classical guitar? Many people confuse an acoustic guitar with a classical guitar, but one key feature is that the classical guitar strings are made of nylon. Acoustic guitars are made from steel – also called steel string guitars. The construction of the guitar is different, even if they look similar from the outside – in some ways; it’s the differences and similarities between a Horse and a Zebra!

In the hands of a master player, there is nothing to compare with the sound of a classical guitar. I have had arguments with people who have listened to a piece of classical guitar music who have had to be shown video proof that only one person was playing at the time! Whilst the acoustic guitar can be played quite loudly, at one concert I attended in 2008 to see Mark Ashford – Classical Guitarist, in a room literally underneath the Bell Tower of Lincoln Cathedral, in the middle of one energetic piece – the cathedral bells had quite a job of being heard over Mr Ashford’s fantastic guitar playing – without the aid of electricity, amplifiers or speakers!

If you would like to give this amazing instrument the recognition it deserves, please contact me to arrange a lesson. It is not the easiest of instruments to well and truly master, you can soon be playing quite complex sounding pieces with a little practise and dedication!