Going from pick to fingers (aka A call for help)

J

JB1979

New member
Hey there esteemed colleagues.

In order to expand my horizons and break out of the powerchord+shitty blues scale licks GnR/NY Dolls style rut I've been in for the last, oh, 3/4 decade at least, I've decided to throw down a little dough and get a cheapo (as is par for course if you review my "How Many Guitars Do You Own" post) Ibanez nylon string that seems to have a ton of string spacing and try my hand at classical/fingerstyle. (Spacing seems crucial even though I don't know what I'm doing yet, I got pretty huge mitts.)

I'm already very comfortable in going pickless on a bass, but I kinda expect that it's not the same thing at all. I know there is a wealth of knowledge to cull from you fine folks, so please, lemme know how you'd approach learning fingerstyle on 6-string coming from a strictly pick background.

I've been watching some Youtube "lessons" in preparation, to kinda get a feel, but any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Congrats on the decision to go nylon.

I'm just going to give you some advice based on the way I do things; there are other methods, and doubtless some people will disagree with me. take what you wamt from this, and decide what works for you.

First things first - posture. While it's not necesary to do the 'classical pose', with your guitar nearly vertical and the headstock at eye level, it is much easier to play if you support the guitar on your left knee instead of your right. Most classical players use a footrest, and this can be helpful. You can do something as simple as raising your left leg by putting it on an empty guitar case. Raise the headstock slightly (don't hold the guitar parallel with the floor). This will give you more control, and is generally more comfortable.

As for picking itself - I 'anchor' my pinky against the guitar body, and pick with the thumb and three fingers. Again, it's an issue of control. While some guitarists disagree with this, many noted classical players also use the technique. I do it purely because it's comfortable, and it's easy to keep my playing tight. I let the thumb take care of the E and A strings, primarily, but it's important to be flexible; I also use the thumb on the D string if necessary. The first and second fingers take care of the rest of the strings, with the third finger being used mainly for arpeggiated chords. Again, please note that this is just what works for me, others do it differently.

Now, for the nails/fingertip debate. I think you should start growing your nails now. You need a good sized thumb nail, and it can be left relatively square. The nails on the other fingers need to be shaped. The edge that strikes the string (the left edge of the nails on your right hand) should be curved with a nail file. Don't file your nails into points, and don't let them grow too long - they'll break too easily. if you have problems growing nails (i.e, if you work with your hands, or just have weak nails), you can get cheap, acrylic glue-on falsies. They work surprisingly well once they are shaped.

Many players use their fingertips without nails. The sounds produced this way can be great, but I find that it lacks definition for recording. Finally, don't be afraid tio use a plectrum. Anyone who tells you that it's wrong is probably a purist. A pick on nylon strings can sound amazing - think fast flamenco runs, or even some jazz.

Good luck with it - don't worry about the guitar being a cheapie. in my experience, it's easier to get a good classical at a budget price than it is to get a good steel string.

Don't follow these guidelines too carefully - remeber, the method can't be wrong, but only the end result. This is juts the way I do things, and it works pretty well.
 
I'll argue against anchoring your pinky :D It increases strain on your right hand and can lead to tendonitis. Also, quite obviously, you can't pick with your pinky if it's being used to anchor, and you need all of your fingers to play classical guitar.

Try really simple exercises to build up right hand strength, like open chord arpeggios on strings 1-5 with one right hand finger for each string. Then get one of the basic classical guitar methods, it doesn't matter which one. Learn to sightread music, or at least read it (I can't sightread very well)! Classical guitarists are usually too snooty to stoop down to reading tab.

I find that after you get the basics, guitar methods are still too 'guitaristic' for my tastes. It's like there are classical guitar riffs just like blues riffs, so a similar boredom can set in. I recommend transcribing lute, violin, cello, and piano pieces WITHOUT transposing them, and trying to stick as close to the text as possible within the limitations of the instrument. You'll learn lots of new and interesting chord positions, and stretch your left hand in ways you didn't think possible.

As for nails, most classical guitarists have well-manicured and strengthened nails, but I play a lot of different instruments (most badly), and having nails on one hand but not the other is an irritant. So I do without. Last classical piece I recorded though, I grew out my nails for about two weeks, and it did the trick. Then I cut them!
 
I would also emphasize to NOT anchor your right hand, except with the forearm on the lower bout of the guitar. Just let the hand hover above the strings - you will soon be able to hit the desired string with the appropriate digit. By not anchoring the hand, you can move toward and away from the bridge more easily to alter the tone. Also, if you're thinking of doing any flamenco rasgueos you'll need the hand free.

Of course, besides classical and flamenco, you can use a nylon string guitar for many other kinds of music: folk, country, and blues to name a few.

There is lots of music, instruction and tabulature out there, free and for sale. Here is the tab for an easy beginner classical piece - it's one of the first ones I learned.:

http://www.azchords.com/m/misctraditional-tabs-5378/romanza1-tabs-189264.html

Here's the mp3 - it really helps me to hear a piece because I basically play by ear. The page also contains the sheet music and instruction notes.

http://www.videoprogressions.com/cruz_lesson03.php

I really suck though, so take my advice with a grain of salt. :)
 
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