Any classical guitarists out there?

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

I'm working very hard on my classical guitar. Anyone else here play classical? Does anyone know of a source for piano with classical guitar duets? My favorite classical artist is Ana Vidovic. Check her out on the tube.
I definitely find that playing classical or electric or bass or steel seems to helps with all the other instruments, maybe fuses some brain cells together.
Classical guitar has some really cool voicings I never have thought of with my 45 yrs rock and blues background. JP
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Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Used to play a lot a LONG time ago. I could play the Back Lute suites and some Villa Lobos and such. I found that I could not make any money doing it and also that the amount of concentration of study to really do it well was more than I wanted to do. I played fingerstyle guitar from day one so the classical guitar was natural for me. I did take from that study a dicipline and a nice technique that has lasted me till even today.
I love John Williams, Bream, Parkening, and several others. Recently I discovered a flemenco player named Gerado Nunez that is stunning. Good luck to you with the classical.

G Strout · From: Carabelle, Florida

Try www.sheetmusicplus.com I have purchased several guitar/piano pieces from them.
http://www.freesheetmusic.net/Classical1.html will list several sources for free downloadable charts.
I also have a wealth of resources for Flamenco Guitar. (too many to list here) Contact me if I can help.
By the way a rasquedo technique is very interesting when applied to a pedal steel.

Richard Damron · From: Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)

It's been fourty long years since I last studied the instrument. Just recently started to tackle the PSG. Found picks to be a monster hassle (for me) so I've been making every effort to do what comes "naturally" for me - thumb pick and three fingernails. Have had the pleasure of watching Bobbe Seymour playing is his shop thusly on several occasions. Whereas some might ask "why" I simply ask "why not?". It's coming along and I find that only a small modification to the shape of the nail suffices for both instruments. Tone on the classic guitar does suffer after many hours of PSG practice but a good polish produces acceptable results. I'm chomping at the bit to become proficient enough to attempt some Bach, Scarlatti, Villa-lobos et.al. on PSG. Ambitious? Perhaps. But good music - any good music - should sound wonderful on PSG. The possibilities are truly exciting and I certainly wish you the best in your PSG endeavors.

Richard

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Richard. Do a Google search for Alaska pics. They are perfect for us guys who use our nails.

Robert Murphy · From: West Virginia

I play classical guitar in our local community college orchestra. The sight reading and musicianship are invaluable. I play acoustic steel and dobro with two guys in the orchestra at coffee houses and small shows. And now I play dobro in our church folk group. They change keys in half steps from one week to the next! That will keep you digging through your theory books.

Jim Robbins · From: Ontario, Canada

To paraphrase Mr. Dylan, "I started out on classical but soon hit the harder stuff ... "

First time around on steel I played with three fingerpicks and a thumb pick; when I went back to it I figured why let all those years of tone production go to waste and went with my fingernails -- although I've never used a rest stroke on the steel and now use the front edge of my nails (Bream style) instead of the LaGoya (or was it Presti?) back edge technique I went through major contortions to learn lo those many years ago.

It certainly comes in handy to read music & understand how to turn problems into practice routines, but I think any disciplined approach to music is transferable to other ways of playing. These days I use a Villa Lobos prelude as a right hand exercise for guitar (the Em one that has the descending diminished chords against the open E strings -- great for crosspicking with a flat pick and for 6 string tremelo and other strumming patterns). I haven't kept my classical chops up for years but the classical stuff all made much more musical sense after I played other types of music and understood a few things about harmonic rhythm and dance forms. (Those Bach suites are dances, except for the preludes, & take on a whole new dimension if you think of playing them for a bunch of dancers.)

Basically, it all comes down to fusing those brain cells, as you say. Sometimes when I'm working in unfamiliar territory on the C6 neck I can feel them start to reach critical mass ...

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Mainly learning some of the easier stuff, Tarrega, Lagrime and Vals in Re major, Pachebel,Canon in D. There is nothing like the sound of a good classical, no gimmics, just fingrs and guitar. JP
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Mike Shefrin · Posted 3 Jan 2008 10:35 pm

Many years ago I used to play classical guitar professionally. I took master classes with Andres Segovia and also with Christopher Parkening. I performed Bach fugues from memory on radio and on television, and gave recitals here in the states and also in Spain. I was also on the faculty of the American Institute of Guitar in New York city, and then one day I just gave it up entirely. I still play jazz guitar although I spend most of my free time now practicing steel guitar which is what I am most interested in. I still love classical music but don't listen to it as much as I once did. I stopped playing classical guitar because I got tired of playing the same pieces over and over, and I got interested in other music. I sure don't miss having to worry about my right hand nails all the time. I was using my left hand alot for every day stuff in order to avoid the possibility of breaking a nail on my right hand. Once or twice a year I still pull out some of my old Scarlatti transcriptions and play through them for fun though.

Me playing at my brother's wedding in 1989

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Most impressive Mike! Do you have any knowledge of classical guitar with piano duets? JP
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Mike Shefrin · Posted 4 Jan 2008 3:10 pm

Jim,
I honestly don't know of any duets for classical guitar and piano offhand although I am sure there must be some out there. Check with a good music store or on the internet would be my only suggestions. Sorry I can't be more helpful to you, and good luck.
Mike

Jim Robbins · From: Ontario, Canada

Keyboard/classical guitar duets are rare. The balance is a problem.

I've got a 1969 recording of Bream playing lute/harpsichord duets with George Malcolm. They play two Vivaldi trios for lute,violin and continuo (P.p 7 No. 2 in G and P.p. No 3 in C)omitting the violin part which apparently doubles the lute. They also do a couple of Bach trio sonatas (No. 1 in Eb, S 525, No. 5 in C, S 529; don't know the BWV numbers) which weren't written specifically for lute but adapted. The arrangements might be published somewhere by now.

Some of the Beethoven violin sonatas might be interesting & the slower movements aren't that hard to read through for either guitar or piano. Try the second movement of Sonata #2 Op. 12 No. 2. Read the violin part as you would a guitar part and it will sound an 8ve lower and be playable on guitar. Your piano player better be able to play quietly, though.

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

JR, thanks for the info. Volume is not an issue anymore, so maybe I can find something, or I'll have to arrange something myself. JP
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Mike Shefrin · Posted 5 Jan 2008 11:10 pm

Jim,
I just now remembered that there is a concerto for classical guitar and jazz piano by Claude Bolling and Alexandre Lagoya which you might find interesting. I myself have not heard it nor do I know if the sheet music is available for it however I do know that Lagoya is an excellent classical guitarist. I remember the wonderful duo recordings he made with his late wife Ida Presti who was also a great classical guitarist. Below is a link for the Bolling and Lagoya recording on Amazon if you are interested.

CLICK HERE

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Thanks Mike, I'll check it out. Any recordings of you on classical? JP
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Mike Shefrin · Posted 6 Jan 2008 8:23 am

Jim,
I have now uploaded onto my webpage a few classical pieces that I recorded many years ago. If you click on my forum profile and then click on my website, you will be able to hear several classical guitar pieces I recorded. The three Scarlatti sonatas are my own transcriptions. The Weiss piece is a Christopher Parkening transcription. Enjoy!

Russ Tkac · Posted 6 Jan 2008 11:37 am

Mike,

Jazz and Classical guitar and now steel. Next, Ed Bierly will have you on a Fender 400! Very Happy

Russ

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

Studied with the Master? Awesome.... Andres Segovia was a brilliant musician.

Totally impressive!

You never know what you will learn or who will suprise you on the SGF...

Mike Shefrin · Posted 6 Jan 2008 11:49 am

Hey Russ, I know Ed and I've seen and tried his Fender. It's pretty cool, and there's a whole lot of great voicings possible on it that are not possible on a standard E9 neck. I 've pretty much got my hands full at the moment trying to learn the E9 neck but who knows.... maybe one day I'll wind up on a Fender eight string, heh heh.

Tim,
I participated in a master class with Maestro Segovia that took place at the Metropolitan Museum here in NYC many many years ago( I believe it was 1982). I was pretty nervous, and I remember Mrs Segovia sat next to Andres and kept looking at her watch to make sure that Segovia didn't spend too much time on any one student which didn't make me feel any more comfortable. Playing in front of Segovia is kind of like playing steel in front of Buddy Emmons. Nervewracking to say the least. I also took a master class with Oscar Ghiglia at the Mannes College of Music which was also quite intimidating for me. I'm so glad I don't attend master classes anymore! Smile

Russ Tkac · Posted 6 Jan 2008 12:47 pm

Mike,

Ed mentioned your Jazz guitar prowess in one of his emails and I heard your clip. Great playing!

As I see it there are two type of musicians ... guys like you and Ed who master a few instruments and guys like me who don't! Very Happy

but keep trying ...

Mike Shefrin · Posted 6 Jan 2008 3:49 pm

Thanks Russ for the compliment. I've never heard your playing but I'll bet you aren't half as bad as you claim, and probably much further along in the steel than I am. I'm basically a jack of all trades, master of none. I wish I didn't have so many diverse musical interests at times, and that I had started on the steel when I was a kid. Oh well, better late than never I always say.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Now THAT'S a RESUME!

Myself, I studied with a Cuban Orchestra Leader that defected from Castro's Cuba in 63 and gave lessons the rest of his life. Steve Antunez. What a guy. Carcassi, Sor, etc, and the Red Flamenco book. Wish I still had them.

I got to the point of local recitals with my shiny Federico Garcia, after a couple years, which is still in the case waiting for a good cost effective way to unbow the neck, and a refret.

About '71, I traded it all in for the lure of stale perfume, and gasoline/burning rubber. Then to PSG in '76 lucking into plaguing Bud C for lessons for a couple years..

I did get to see Andrez in concert here at the Paramount in 70-71, but the memory fades. HUGE hands. Very Kindly man.

I remember that my teacher, like I think it was Tarrega, believed ONLY in flesh touching the strings. His left fingertips were like wood. So were his right ones.

I get a kick out or people playing 5-10-(even 30) years being called "Masters", when I think of Segovia. That guy spanned most of a HUNDRED YEARS.

Just recently after turning once agin to guitar, and this time Tele, I am surprised at how "Bouree" "Lagrima", "Adelita" come back after not touching them for 40 years... Then the old Mickey Baker things. I'm looking for my MB book.

As before, except for a thumbpick, on guitar, I find that flesh works best. Steel strings I guess make "superglue" a necessity, except in the State of California, where it causes cancer..

Thanks, JP, for posting this and bringing back memories.

Smile

EJL

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Glad to help EJL. I started on accoustic 45 yrs ago, and always enjoy fingerstyle. I just bought a pretty decent solid wood Classical to replace my La Patrie(Godin). Tarrega stuff is my favorite, Lagrime although fairly easy , is a beautiful song that really brings out the resonance of a good guitar. I'm working on Capricho Arabe now, very difficult. It's amazing the diverse talent on this forum! JP
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Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Mike, thanks for posting those pieces. Great playing! What kind of guitar? It sounds as if the better concert guitars have just the slightest hint of dobro mids. Does anyone else here this? JP
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Mike Shefrin · Posted 6 Jan 2008 7:59 pm

Jim, Thanks. I can't really remember which classical guitar I played on those pieces. I owned alot of different ones over the years when I played. I think it was a Ramirez guitar that was made in Spain on those recordings.

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