5 Common Classical Guitar Mistakes

[@MrSF247]

00:00 - Introduction 00:56 #1 - Right Hand Alternation 07:03 #2.1 - Flat Right Hand Wrist 09:19 #2.2 - Left Hand "Violin" Position 13:57 #2.3 (#3) - Head Down to the Left 18:00 #4 - Play vs Practice 20:12 #5.1 - Left Hand Finger Position 22:51 #5.2 - Lifting Fingers 25:13 - Conclusion

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Thanks for that!

[@yogi4261]

Ty

[@___Fountain___._]

You are an incredible teacher. Every beginner should see this video.

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Thank you so much!

[@josephdelsignore219]

Dear Dr. Powis, your presentation is insightful and helpful to this older person, beyond words. Thank you for sharing.

[@docfloc]

That was a magnificent presentation. I’m an elderly beginner who has been practicing for about a year. With almost every one of your tips I found myself wanting. Many thanks for setting me straight and preventing me having to unlearn too many bad habits later on.

[@ww3032]

Hello, I hope I'm not too rude to ask this, but is it more difficult learning when you're older? I'm 33 and I find it so difficult to learn things compared to when I was younger.

[@helgamccallum7279]

Very helpful on all 5 points. I have a lovely guitar teacher and I know most of these issues do come up, however it was great to watch it laid out so well, one by one. I just started noticing that I do in fact repeat the the use of the same finger instead of alternating and usually hope my teacher does not notice. I can now work on this issue. I have issues with my thumb at back of the fret board. Many thanks.

[@charleslund6723]

Helga McCallum i

[@mikebamber8150]

Intelligent observations and excellent sound advice. Thank you. Perhaps a further point would have been to keep the left hand fingers up on the tips when depressing strings particularly the pinky which tends to have a natural tendency to curl in the left somewhat.such that the point of contact is to the side of the tip rather than the centre of as near centre as you possibly can.An examination of the string depressions on the finger tip will alert you to this problem.

[@tony89718]

One thing that would be really helpful is a follow up video or podcast on how to best film ourselves playing, especially on a budget

[@dougarnold7955]

You have a comfortable familiarity with the fretboard and strings. You make a good point, many beginners don't learn fretboard technique with the tips of the fingers and keeping the hand squared...I did when I was a kid in the late seventies and quickly learned it was hard to play some rock riffs unless one used what classical players consider 'sloppy'. These points are good and for classical playing, necessary. One technique to train the pinky is to Barre with it while running through the strings with alternating i&m...while doing this it's ideal to keep each of the other fingers flat on the fretboard 'behind the pinky' and train the pinky to feel like a part of the group so to speak. It also will build strength in the pinky.

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Thanks for the comment, Doug.

[@SmallGameHunter]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Very helpful for a beginner like myself. Increased my confident to learn the right way early on instead of guessing or developing bad habits.

[@markdrury]

Excellent presentation and content- thank you for sharing!

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Thanks, Mark!

[@bobpeticolas121]

Good coverage of common problems. I actually disagree with keeping the fingers down. By keeping fingers down, you're creating tension in your left hand. You can relax the unused finger without moving it away from the string, and that unused finger now gets to relax. I had the habit of keeping the fingers down, and a friend who studied with Pepe Romero at USC broke me of that habit. My playing has been much more relaxed since.

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Thanks, Bob. One thing to keep in mind is that the instruction to keep fingers down until they're needed again was originally taught by Fernando Sor in his introduction to the guitar for beginners. As beginners progress, it becomes necessary to learn other approaches with the left hand, including learning to relieve tension and not leave fingers down all the time. Context will be important in almost every case. We have found this to be a helpful approach (something we teach not dogmatically and not in every situation) for beginners to learn legato in the early stages. Best wishes and thanks for the comment! -Dave B

[@Edelce]

would be awesome if u talk about tendinitis, one of the most notorious problems i have seen between my fellas with +10 years of classical training.

[@zu0832]

Equal rights for pinkies!!! Thanks!!!Makes big difference

[@drdavid62]

Becoming overly enamored with the rest stroke early in my playing history created significant problems with my right wrist being too ‘flat’ causing me to ‘reach’ for notes on the high e string and consequently either improperly address the string - resulting in poor tone - or to swipe and miss it altogether. My play improved significantly when I quit using the rest stroke altogether.

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Thank you for sharing this David!

[@williamgiovinazzo8523]

Really good stuff. I didn't realize until watching this video how much my hand position as well as the use of my fourth finger on my left hand has improved since studying with CGC. I played a different style of music prior to joining CGC and I barely used my fourth finger. I always used the "violin position" as well. CGC has really made me conscious of these important things. I am improving but not there yet.

[@khunmoh2492]

I'm​ from​ Thailand, 71,​like​ to​ play, start​ from​ scratch!

[@__-eq9yk]

สู้ๆครับคุณ​ตา

[@paulysguitarjournal]

This video illustrates my point about the downside to online learning. It is always best to learn from a qualified teacher that can be physically in the same room with you. He or she will be able to identify and correct these problems as a student progresses through the classical guitar repertoire. Online videos, courses, etc. should only be used as supplementary information to learning process. All five points are common with beginner students (as they were common with me also and my guitar teachers were able to do identify and correct those during my lessons). that being said, this is a very good video discussing these issues and I appreciate Simmons teaching and professionalism.

[@mmarcos25]

God bless you Simon, best teacher on line. Go for a coffe little boss, take it easy..

[@dadgadfolkmusic200]

Excellent points - thank you!

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your comment.

[@Larry30102]

A lot of really great stuff here. Many thank!

[@bapaboop]

Note lifting fingers can have a nice sound and be used in some repertoire. Look at 25:07 where he lifts.

[@SirAdeno]

What do you mean?

[@user-kd9hw6vc8n]

Thank you,감사 합니다.Our teacher!

[@jjt545]

Wish I knew what to do about that right forearm on the edge cutting circulation

[@kipponi]

Good advices ! I have Matteo Carcassi 25 studies what I practicing now. Very basic but goes progressively harder to the end. I give too one mistake what you do, you use too much air when you talk. It dries vocal folds and weaken the voice as we can hear. It irritates them. So more compress and less air.

[@Michajeru]

Excellent and very helpful.

[@lancerains4185]

I like the feel of the string on my finger I could never grow my nails and pluck the string with the nail... I guess formal classical style is not for me... I did however enjoy the video outlines some solid technique...

[@TheGuitarella]

thank you. Complete, synthetic

[@khunmoh2492]

Thank​ you​ for​ your​ advice.​ Are​ you​ still​ active​ on​ youtube, I​ like​ see​ more​ of​ your​ vdo.

[@davekeith7504]

Thank you .

[@spruceguitar]

Hey CGC, At 3:40 your right hand shows you’re putting in way more movement than you need to, and these up and down movements of the right hand result in unnecessary effort and slowed performance. I know, few are those who are perfect. I am just pointing it out, since students will try to emulate your playing and may therefore end up with a less than optimal right hand technique. If you want to see an alternative to this, which I think reaches perfection, Grisha Goryachev has a video about proper right hand technique which minimizes movement and effort.

[@mackhomie6]

ironic, given that grishas right hand often looks like it belongs to a man being electrocuted by an active power line. he guy extends and retracts his pinky finger to full extension when using his _thumb_ . it's insane.

[@newtonraphsons]

Thank you

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

You're welcome. Thanks for the comment.

[@josephrizzo6157]

thank you

[@wyeth1023]

Thank you!

[@fredericputnam9066]

v. helpful--thanks!

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Glad you found it helpful, Frederic. Thanks for the comment.

[@Rockfuel-YT]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!

[@sasakatic8638]

Excellent, thank you!!

[@Apeshower]

Great tips. Thanks for vid.

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

You're welcome, Ian. Thanks for the nice comment.

[@Sr.Rakthai]

That guitar sound good! what is it?

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

It is a guitar built by Australian luthier, Paul Sheridan.

[@Philrc]

Simon, I went to your website but there is no way of contacting you there. No email. I am thinking of becoming a member but I had a question or two. How can I contact you?

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Hi Kha, thanks for the note! You can email us at [e-mail]. Talk to you soon!

[@momomeshtv7318]

DUDE, after signing up for your free course got alot of [Fusion errors, might be a plugin from your wordpress site, please check it ASAP! might be a security risk.

[@abhijitbillampalli6553]

Is classical fingerstyle done on nylon strings

[@zenarobinson3851]

thank you! very helpful! :-)

[@gpcgeno]

Hello. What is the brand and model for the guitar shown? Thank u.

[@LexJones207]

The only really hard part for me is reading.

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Hi Lex, we have some resources on sight reading that may help out! Check out the free lessons on our page here: www.classicalguitarcorner.com/free-lessons/ We also have another resource coming out soon that may prove very useful. Peace -Dave B

[@mingkityeung8211]

Excuse me. What is the name of the song u playing at 1:35. I played it before but i forgot the name. Thanks a lot

[@embouerv1298]

It is a sonata by scarlatti

[@duanebartlett4885]

I have always wondered how to properly play three notes that sound as if they are being strummed because they are so close together. Are they picked individually by the index, middle and ring finger successively? It has been a major stumble in learning some songs as it doesnt sound as good if they are strummed with one finger.

[@ClassicalGuitarCorner]

Hi Duane, yes, that's correct: this is usually described as "rolling" a chord and requires you to play through each string successively quite quickly, but you still have to do so rhythmically. Even were you to use one finger to strum the strings (and you could also do so by using the back of the nail of, say, the i finger to strum the strings together as one chord) it's still important to do so with a rhythmic sense. Hope this helps.

[@NeedsEvidence]

Look, Sheldon is giving classical guitar lessons!

[@BC-qi4mf]

Artists and older, more experienced teachers should introduce some countermeasures against this fad of young online-instructors listing so-called "mistakes". It really comes down to claiming undeserved privileges for certain approaches over others, merely different, with their own pros and cons, and not "mistakes". What would perhaps be more helpful is to see videos on Common Teaching Errors, of which at least two are present here. A lot of talking instead of demonstrating musicianship. And the imposition of abstract "rules", removed from the particularity of musical contexts. BTW, the so-called "violin" position so happens to be more natural than the "claw" thus leading to less injury, more stable, and allows greater reach with less strain. It is familiar classical guitar arrogance and uncritical acceptance of peer beliefs to think that a Segovian claw is superior to centuries of violinists', cellists', lutenists', and other guitarists' experience and insight, belittled as a "mistake".

[@expertranch]

I agree and not only that, but some of us who because of large biceps (mine are 19 inches) have EXTREME difficulty with the claw in the further away frets because I cannot turn my hand out to flat or horizontal without maximum flexation of my bicep which would be ok for one or two notes in a row, but when your entire practice repitior happens to be in that area, it can make for a ridiculously hard practice session. I also have very short pinky fingers so for me to use my pinky finger on the 6th string E pretty much makes certain all notes above it (or strings below it) will be muted, unless I contort my body and flex my wrist really hard. I thought the teaching of these rules were to help you play more easily, fluidly, with less fatigue, not just because that's the way you are supposed to do it.

[@Philrc]

you are an idiot. The violinists position is fine: If you are playing a violin !

[@Philrc]

drivel and nonsense

[@mackhomie6]

the guy is literally claiming his muscles are so big that if he plays guitar with his wrist turned a certain way, his body is taxed to it's limit by the sheer physics involved in getting that bicep to flex. so unbelievably stupid lol

[@greatgig1nthesky]

Mistake #1 picking up classical guitar instead of piano. Mistakes 2 through 5, see #1.

[@MsTitipool]

I made that mistake and can't fix it any way.

[@MsTitipool]

No offense, I love guitars in general, but as an adult beginner, I made a huge mistake starting with guitar

[@dariuspap1]

@@MsTitipool Can you tell us why is a mistake if guitar would be the first choice instead of piano?

[@spitsoutfeathers9990]

ii love this post !

[@markbriggs5110]

Mistake #1 your existence lol