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Classical guitarist Penelope Shvarts performs Prelude No.3 from 6 Preludes, Op.46 by Emilia Giuliani (1813-1850). This comes via Ex-Aequo 2025 Emerging Artist Residency in Austin, TX and their Youtube (go subscribe). Video by Drew Henderson. Emilia Giuliani (1813-1850) was an Italian composer and guitarist and the daughter of the guitarist-composer Mauro Giuliani.

Excellent performance by Shvarts with wonderful contrasts between the direct-extroverted outer sections and more expressive inner section. I’ll be making an edition of the 6 preludes in the future so it’s great to hear more recordings of the repertoire.

The post Penelope Shvarts Performs Prelude No.3, Op.46 by Emilia Giuliani first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

A lesson on the concept of string spacing and ergonomics on classical guitar and how it relates to right hand fingering choices. A number of examples are examined as well as a comparison of the opening of Carcassi Etude No.1, Op.60. This is from my book: Right Hand Fingering for Classical Guitar: Concepts and Case Studies. This book aims to give students a basic criteria for justifying fingering choices and gaining confidence in deciding fingering for themselves. The combination of concepts and case studies offers a framework for approaching fingering in both logical and musical ways. Here’s the Youtube link if you want to watch it there.

This video covers Examples No.15-18 from the book (Page 12-13).

Covered in this lesson

• String spacing basics
• Ergonomics of larger spacing
• Comparison of Carcassi Etude No.1, Op.60

The post Right Hand Fingering Concepts: String Spacing and Ergonomics first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Question: How is the weight of the left arm used in classical guitar technique?

When proper technique, sitting position, and curved fingers are in use, the weight of the left arm can be used to help pull the fingertips into the strings of the classical guitar. This helps relieve the tendency of students to use a vice grip between the fingers and thumb of the left hand. Although classical guitarists primarily use this advice when discussing barre technique, it is also subtly used for general playing technique. Let’s look at some various techniques and how this tip can help.

Left arm weight during barre technique

Provided your barre technique is solid you do not need to vice grip the 1st finger and thumb to press the strings to the fret. A great way to test this is to remove your thumb from the fretboard and play the barre using only the weight of your arm to press the strings down. There is a specific angle you want to discover for this (see the video below). Your shoulder might help a bit a well which we will discuss below.

Here is a video on barre technique and at 1:50 I demonstrate this concept.

Left arm weight when playing non-barre chords and melodic notes

Just as with barre chords, if you are using good technique positions and curved fingers, the weight of the left arm can help pull the fingertips into the strings to avoid the vice grip of the left hand. However, the use and amount of weight is much less than it is for barre technique because we want the fingers to be able to reflexively move on and off the strings without weight or tension attached. The left arm is supporting the hand to allow the fingers easy on-off motions from the strings. In melodic playing not much weight or pressure is needed at all. During thick chord shapes maybe a touch more is needed but still likely not as much as students think.

My advice is to monitor tension and vice gripping in the left hand and when you feel tension during a thick or difficult chord, try using a bit of arm weight and release left hand thumb pressure.

Learning to press less hard – This brings us to a more important discussion which is directly related to this question: how much pressure is needed? Students tend to use much more pressure than is needed to press the strings to the frets. Nylon strings are super easy to press down but once weird shapes and poor technique come into the mix the natural tendency of many students is to squeeze hard to correct for buzzing. Here is a video on the topic as well as exercises to avoid tension and vice grips.

Video Times:

• 0:00 Intro and Discussion 1
• 1:28 Vice Grip and Thumb Relaxation
• 4:00 Muted and Buzz Exercises
• 8:01 Review and Right-Left Disassociation
• 9:54 Conclusion

What about shoulder use and strength?

Is it all weight from the arm or is some shoulder strength used? When I teach I don’t like to mention shoulder strength because it implies an amount of force that is not needed for playing classical guitar. However, I reluctantly agree that some shoulder strength pulling a barre finger into the strings along with the weighted arm can help in some situations.

But I caution you to not think of it as shoulder strength. Think of it as supplementary directional energy. This is a subtle technique and I would never tell a beginner student to “put shoulder into it”. Instead, focus on good technique in the hands, accuracy (close to the frets), and weight of the arm instead of shoulder strength. If you train your technique in this way you’ll be able to figure out the subtle use of the shoulder in a context that is healthy and non-destructive to your foundational skills.

Need a Technique Book?

Check out my book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios. The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much more.

Questions & Support

If you need clarification on this particular Q&A please leave a comment below. For new and existing questions please visit the main Classical Guitar Q&A page. If you are enjoying the free Q&As you can support the site here.

The post How is the weight of the left arm used in classical guitar technique? first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

A lesson on the concept of string crossing and ergonomics on classical guitar and how it relates to right hand fingering choices. In this lesson we cover ergonomic string crossings and awkward string crossings and relate the discussion to finger alternation. This is from my book: Right Hand Fingering for Classical Guitar: Concepts and Case Studies. This book aims to give students a basic criteria for justifying fingering choices and gaining confidence in deciding fingering for themselves. The combination of concepts and case studies offers a framework for approaching fingering in both logical and musical ways. Here’s the Youtube link if you want to watch it there.

This video covers Examples No.8-14 from the book (Page 8-11).

Covered in this lesson

• Ergonomic string crossing
• Awkward string crossing
• Avoiding awkward crossings or playing through them

The post Right Hand Fingering Concepts: String Crossing and Ergonomics first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

A lesson on the concept of finger alternation on classical guitar and how it relates to right hand fingering choices. This is from my book: Right Hand Fingering for Classical Guitar: Concepts and Case Studies. This book aims to give students a basic criteria for justifying fingering choices and gaining confidence in deciding fingering for themselves. The combination of concepts and case studies offers a framework for approaching fingering in both logical and musical ways.

This video covers Examples No.1-7 from the book (page 6-7).

Covered in this lesson

• Why do we use right hand finger alternation
• What are the benefits
• Repeating fingers
• The difficulty of random fingering

The post Right Hand Fingering: Alternation first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Right Hand Fingering for Classical Guitar: Concepts and Case Studies. This book aims to give students a basic criteria for justifying fingering choices and gaining confidence in deciding fingering for themselves. The combination of concepts and case studies offers a framework for approaching fingering in both logical and musical ways. This is a pdf download.

Buy the pdf booklet from my store

• Right Hand Fingering for Classical Guitar on Werner Guitar Editions

Included in this pdf booklet

• 58 pages of text and notation examples
• Notation-only with fingering
• Text explanations and debates
• Comparisons of fingerings
• Free video lessons for each concept and example

Level – This book is for the intermediate student but can be beneficial to all levels either as an introduction to right hand fingering concepts or as a clarification of values for advanced students. Most conceptual examples are basic open string exercises attainable to beginners and all levels. However, the repertoire examples are mainly from the intermediate repertoire. Therefore, in order to gain maximum benefit from the case studies, a level of grade 4-7 is recommended.

Video Lessons and Contents

Videos to be release this January and February.

Concepts – This section forms a basic criteria for examining or choosing right hand fingering in a variety of musical textures.

• Alternation (Exercises No.1-7, page 6-7) 
• String Crossing and Ergonomics (Exercises No.) 
• String Spacing and Ergonomics (Exercises No.) 
• Rest Stroke and Free Stroke Considerations (Exercises No.) 
• Repetition of a Single Finger (Exercises No.) 
• Playing Arpeggios Across Five and Six Strings (Exercises No.) 
• Voice Separation (Exercises No.) 

Additional Thoughts – Clarity on how we approach fingering in a practical way and in the practice room.

• Spot Fingering (Exercises No.) 
• Feel vs Logic: Personal Preference and Cautionary Tips(Exercises No.) 

Case Studies and Comparisons – Using the concepts learned in the first section, multiple musical examples are examined and debated.

• Common Musical Textures (Exercises No.) 
• Alternation and Repeated Fingers (Exercises No.) 
• Playing Across the Strings
• Thumb Use and Voice Separation
• Additional Case Studies

Final Advice

• Curiosity and Exploration, a Natural Part of Learning Music

Student Q&A

If you have a question about the book leave a comment below and I’ll organize the answers here.

The post Right Hand Fingering for Classical Guitar: Concepts and Case Studies first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Shiqi Zhou performs Fantasia, Op. 19 by Luigi Legnani (1790-1877) on a 2013 Pepe Romero classical guitar. This comes via Guitar Salon International and their YouTube channel (go subscribe). Very impressive performance with amazing layered dynamics and confident articulations. The accents and weighted articulation mixed with the phrasing is incredible in terms of performance depth and feel.

The post Shiqi Zhou Performs Fantasia, Op. 19 by Legnani first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Hungarian classical guitarist Zsombor Sidoo performs Partita No.2, BWV 1004 in D Minor for solo violin by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). This comes via Sidoo’s YouTube channel (go subscribe). Nineteenth century guitar by Bernhard Kresse. I really enjoyed Sidoo’s performance of Partita No.1, and it looks like he might be recording them all. A wonderful and musically balanced performance with excellent motivic attention, articulation, and pacing.

Movements and Times

• Allemanda 00:00
• Corrente 05:10
• Sarabanda 07:45
• Giga 12:00
• Ciaccona 16:27

The post Zsombor Sidoo Performs Partita No.2, BWV 1004 by Bach first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Question: Is it better to memorize pieces in music and classical guitar?

Short answer: yes.
Long answer: depends on the situation.

Yes, it is generally it is better to memorize your music for performance. Memorized music often results in a more refined performance and good experience for both you and the audience. It also promotes solid muscle memory and maximum performance concentration. Reading music can be a multi-tasking distraction and playing by memory often allows the player to focus solely on the music and the performance itself.

However, there are a number of other variables involved in the question which must be considered. Maybe you didn’t have time, it wasn’t important, or you simply didn’t want to. Let’s explore this more.

Reasons to memorize your music

A refined performance – Memorizing your music is an extra layer of preparation in practice that often leads to a more refined performance. After 35 year of playing and 20 years of teaching, I’m almost always certain a memorized piece will be performed better by my students. The mere act of memorizing the music results in more time, effort, and careful consideration of the piece which equals a better musical performance. This isn’t a rule, it’s just a consistent observation.

Good experience – Less setup, less looking away from the guitar or your audience, less distraction, less everything. It’s a good experience to just pick up the instrument and play that thing you know.

Clutter free – Without the music stand there and having to either setup your music or carry it on stage, performing my memory is a clutter-free experience.

Muscle memory and mental memory – The extra time thinking and practicing the piece both with the music and without it often results in better muscle memory and internal memory. Even when you read music you know, you are still using a lot of muscle memory to accomplish it and the act of memorizing it is an extra layer of embedded muscle memory and mental memory.

Distraction free (no multi-tasking) – Reading and playing does require a small amount of multitasking brain work. You can cut one of those elements out for a distraction free, high focus performance.

Memory can improve – The more you practice memorizing your music the better and faster you get at it. For the majority of students I’ve taught I know this is true. Memorizing music is a skill that gets developed over time and with practice.

Valid reasons to NOT memorize your music

The context of the performance or practice session is a serious consideration as well. Not every piece needs to be memorized and there are many situations where music might not be memorized for good reason. Here are a few reasons:

You didn’t have time to memorize it yet – Memory takes time and dedication and if you are on a short schedule it might not be possible. For example, because I record music for this website every week, I rarely have time to memorize it. I’m on a timeline and it isn’t my personal performance material so I learn it, record it, and move on. Sometimes we need to make the time and just do it for important pieces but that is not always possible.

It’s just one of many learning pieces you are studying short term – I don’t have my beginner students memorize every piece in my method book. It’s just too much quantity. However, I usually select three main focus works and have them memorize those while also playing through other parts of the book.

Sight reading – Obviously, when sight reading you don’t have time to memorize more than a few measures at a time. It’s important to read music as well as memorize it sometimes.

Large volumes of music being played – Sometimes the sheer volume of music you play makes memorization of all the music not feasible, at least in the short term.

The piece isn’t important – Individual works get played for different reasons. Maybe one piece is a concert piece you’ll perform in a big concert, maybe another piece is something you are just playing for fun at home. You can pick and choose what pieces are important enough for you to memorize.

The piece is not conducive to memorizing – Some pieces can be memorized very quickly whereas other works are very difficult. Pattern-oriented, repetitive, and memorable melodic works are often easy to commit to memory without much effort outside of basic practicing. An intricate and complex work without much repetition might not be as practical to memorize, at least in the short term. You’ll have to choose what you want and plan accordingly.

It doesn’t affect you much (for experienced players) – Some players will have 80-90% of their music essentially memorized but will use the score as a basic guide to remember key points. We all do this in practice at some point during the learning process. An experienced player may be able to use the score and perform at their highest level. When it comes to students though, be careful that they aren’t avoiding the skill of memorizing music. It is something that must be developed over time.

Performance nerves – Although I recommend people work through performance nerves (separate conversation), some people need the music to play the piece under pressure. Often the music is just there to give hints as to which part comes next. When it comes to students I’m usually of the opinion that the student just needs more preparation time and more practice performing the piece by memory. So it I still think it’s better to perform by memory even if a student has performance nerves.

You don’t want to – We could dive into a conversation about making music special and not being lazy about memorization but I’m a realist and know that not everyone is into music for the same reasons. If you play music as a hobbyist, or even as a professional, you have a personal choice and no one can force you to memorize your music. Special note here: If your teacher is asking you to memorize your music please follow their advice, they are trying to help you improve, develop, and discover new skills within yourself. Please listen to them.

Recommendation

Don’t worry too much either way. That said, I highly recommend you always be memorizing three or more works just to keep the skill going and/or development of the skill. Even if you don’t perform by memory, at least practice it.

One more tip, if your performance piece is memorized perform it by memory. Take more preparation and practice time and more test-performances for friends and family. You can do it! If you need to use the music, practice it with the music for a few weeks so the way you’ve been practicing it at home matches the way you’ll perform it. It can be disorienting to look back at the score after weeks or months of playing it solely but memory.

Questions & Support

If you need clarification on this particular Q&A please leave a comment below. For new and existing questions please visit the main Classical Guitar Q&A page. If you are enjoying the free Q&As you can support the site here.

The post Is it better to memorize my music? first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Classical guitarists SoloDuo (Lorenzo Micheli & Matteo Mela) perform Intermezzo Op. 118, No.2 by Johanes Brahms (1833-1897). Arranged for two guitars by Lorenzo Micheli. This comes via SoloDuo’s YouTube channel (go subscribe). Filmed in Geneva, Switzerland, Salle Caecilia, November 2025 by Lilium SoundArt. Beautiful performance by SoloDuo with gorgeous phrasing, melodic work and wonderful balance between the parts.

The post SoloDuo Perform Intermezzo Op. 118, No.2 by Brahms first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Canadian classical guitarist Simon Farintosh has a new album of Christmas song arrangements in all 24 major & minor keys titled A Well-Tempered Christmas. Farintosh has completed such a creative and challenging project but also tastefully listenable as holiday album. With a span of influences from jazz, early music, and traditional Christmas fare, this is certainly one of the best holiday albums for classical guitar I’ve heard.  

A Well-Tempered Christmas: Listen on Spotify or Apple Music

Here’s a small note from Simon on the album:

“A Well-Tempered Christmas” is a collection of Christmas reharmonizations I made over the course of several years. The title is a nod to Bach’s “Well-Tempered Clavier,” a famous cycle of preludes & fugues in every key. Each arrangement is a sort of character piece, exploring a certain musical style, mood, or technique. A variety of styles are represented in these arrangements; numbers like “The Christmas Song,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” and “My Favourite Things” have a clear jazz influence, echoing the whimsical chord melody arrangements of Joe Pass in his iconic album “Six String Santa.” While numbers such as “Silent Night” and “Greensleeves” feel cozy and familiar, others such as “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “O Come O Come Emmanuel” feel more dark and obscure, reflecting their Gregorian chant origins.

Video Performances

This comes via Simon’s YouTube channel (go subscribe). 

The post A Well-Tempered Christmas by Simon Farintosh first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Music Theory Lesson No.3a: The Staff and Introduction to Clefs. In this lesson we will learn about the staff and the idea of clefs as well as how we map out pitches and musical time on the staff. You can find all the lessons at the Music Theory Lessons page. Here’s the Youtube link if you want to watch it there.

The staff (plural staves)

Music notation is written on a staff. The staff has five lines and four spaces.

Notes and rhythms can be placed on the lines and spaces of the staff to indicate pitch and musical time.

Ledger lines can extend the range and pitch of the staff. In short, ledger lines create more lines and spaces to place notes on which extends the pitch range of the staff.

The staff is a visual grid that we use to orient musical time (horizontally) and the highness and lowness of pitch (vertically). Musical time on the staff reads from left to right based on what note or rest is indicated. Notes higher on the staff are higher in pitch. Notes lower on the staff are lower in pitch. Notes on ledger lines extend the pitch range of the staff

Line Notes – For a basic orientation, here are some notes on the lines of the staff. Notice that the notehead (the circular part) goes through the centre of the staff line.

Space Notes – Notice how the notehead is placed between the two lines in the space of the staff.

Notes on lines and spaces – Here are some notes on both lines and spaces in order.

Clef

The Clef is a symbol placed on the staff to show the range of the pitch and the exact pitch represented by each line and space on the staff.

Different instruments and voices produce pitches in different ranges. The cello plays notes in a low range. The flute plays notes in a high range. There are many clefs to indicate these ranges.

We’ll be focusing on just two clefs for the first little while: the treble clef and the bass clef.

The Treble Clef

The treble clef (also called the G clef) indicates the location of G on the 2nd line from the bottom. For example, a soprano voice or a flute produce notes in a high range and use the treble clef to indicate notes on the staff. This tells use that the range is generally high and it also tells us what pitch is assigned to each line and space of the staff. 

This image shows how the treble clef indicates G on the 2nd to bottom line.

Here is the note G occurring on the same line as above.

You can see in the below image, the musical alphabet works in order when we place notes on each line and space of the staff with G as a reference point. This is a C major scale.

The Bass Clef

The Bass clef (also called the F clef) indicates the location of F on the 4th line. For example, a lower bass voice or a cello produce notes in a low range and use the bass clef to indicate notes on the staff.

This image shows how the bass clef indicates F on the 4th line from the bottom.

Here is the note F occurring on the same line as above.

You can see in this image that the musical alphabet works in order when we place notes on each line and space of the staff with F as a reference point. This is a C Major scale.

You don’t have to remember any specifics for now.

The only thing to know for now is that the clef is placed on the staff to show the general range and the specific pitch represented by each line and space on the staff. 

You won’t have to worry about it while playing guitar because you’ll only be reading the treble clef and you will simply get to know it super well without thinking about this. 

Summary

The staff, in conjunction with a clef, allows musicians to know the range and specific pitch represented by each line and space on the staff as well as musical time and rhythms reading from left to right.

In future lessons we will look at pitch classes and the grand staff to understand how the different clefs form all the commonly used pitches in music.

Hope you found that helpful. Find more theory lessons on the Music Theory Lessons page. I’m offering these lessons free of charge but feel free to support the site here. If you need any clarification on this particular lesson please leave a comment below.

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Classical guitarist Meng Su performs Where the Echo Sings by Viet Cuong (b.1990). This comes via the Omni Foundation and their Youtube channel (go subscribe). Amazing performance with such clarity and control over the texture as well as excellent dynamic phrasing. Very effective composition in a unrelenting perpetual style that can be challenging for guitar but worked very well in the hands of Meng Su.

Here’s a small bio of the composer via their Youtube description:

Described as “alluring” and “stirring” by The New York Times, the “arresting” (Gramophone), “irresistible” (San Francisco Chronicle), and “exhilarating” (Chicago Tribune) music of Vietnamese-American composer Viet Cuong (b. 1990) has been commissioned and performed on six continents by musicians and ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Eighth Blackbird, Kronos Quartet, Sandbox Percussion, Alarm Will Sound, Sō Percussion, PRISM Quartet, and Dallas Winds, among many others.

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Learn more or buy from UpGuitarbus

Review: UpGuitarbus Stand and Support for Classical Guitar – I had a great time trying out the UpGuitarbus guitar stand and support from France. This is a high quality and fully adjustable guitar stand allowing you to play while standing promoting stability, good posture, and customizable positioning. Here’s my YouTube review link if you want to watch it there. Here are some of their promotional lines:

PLAY STANDING
PLAY PAIN FREE
PERFORM AT YOUR BEST

The first stand designed entirely for classical guitarists to perform upright with perfect posture — relieve your back and elevate your music. Classical guitarists often struggle with posture and fatigue. UpGuitarbus offers an ergonomic solution: play standing, naturally, and protect your health — without sacrificing technique…the challenge was clear: create a support that doesn’t damage the guitar, doesn’t alter its natural sound, and provides a comfortable, balanced posture. – upguitarbus.com

Features

Stand and play guitar naturally – “Maintain perfect posture, reduce back pain, and rediscover the pleasure of a standing performance.” It really does feel amazing standing naturally with the guitar. However, I will admit, after 30 years of playing sitting it feels quite different. The reduced contact with the guitar feels less secure but imparts a huge freedom of movement aspect that I will continue to explore.

Fits your guitar, fits your style – Adjustable for various guitar sizes, but your instrument body must be at least 85mm deep. If your guitar is slimmer, please contact them.

High quality materials – It’s super sturdy and high quality. The laminated beech wood is very strong and has felt to protect your guitar. The sturdy steel bars are over the top and I would trust my life with them. All the threaded attachments are metal so this will never wear out. The K&F aluminium tripod is amazingly adjustable. Coincidentally, it’s actually the same tripod I use for my camera.

Fully adjustable – Customize height and tilt easily in any direction thanks to the tripod and ball-head system.

Protects your guitar – “Screws with felt-covered articulated foot pads touch the reinforced edge of your instrument and preserve your tone quality while saving its flawless finish.” I trust this completely with my expensive guitars, very well thought out in this regard.

Feel the vibrations – There is almost no contact with the actual vibrating back or soundboard except around the very edge. This should allow the guitar to vibration at its full potential.

Assembly & Mounting Video What I like

• Health – Putting aside whether you like playing with it or not, it’s very likely this is a much healthier way to play. My posture and positioning was exceptional with this support. It took some time to get the right position as it feels very different than sitting but the highly adjustable tripod makes nearly any position possible.
• Quality – Super high quality build and thoughtful design.
• Standing – You can stand while playing and the guitar is perfectly stationary.
• Additional Usage – I would use this for special camera work where I need a hand free for the camera or to teach and point. The stationary aspect is perfect for recording and video applications.
• Unique – Whether you want to stand while playing or not, this has clear applications for special circumstances.
  • People with health concerns preventing them from sitting.
  • Possibly application for people with disabilities. Maybe possible for wheelchairs but I don’t know the logistics of this. A special clamp might be needed.
  • Using this with small children could be interesting. You’d be able to set them up correctly and know they would be in a good position.

Concerns

• Not much – I don’t have any concerns about the usability or quality of the product. Obviously this is a very specific device with a very specific intention.
• Aesthetics – Clearly, there is an aesthetic consideration. With the tripod and clamps it has a bit of a contraption-aspect to it. But it is a nice mix of usability and design and you can see the full guitar at least.
• Mobility is clearly limited in one way and opened up in a different way. Overall there is increased mobility due to you body being able to move around but the stationary aspect of the guitar could be limiting for some people who twist and turn with the guitar as they play. This will largely be a personal choice.
• Cost – At the moment the cost is €390.00 (please check at their website though as it is subject to change). The quality of the device and what it comes with matches the price so no worries there. But that is still a steep price for some people. Maybe in the future with expanded sales it could come down a bit or a student model could be designed at a lower cost. But don’t worry, you’re getting your moneys worth, it’s a quality product. Professional guitarists. or just those who care about their body and instrument, will enjoy the high quality of the product regardless of price.

Ideas

• Could there be a mounting option for a chair, wheelchair or other situations? I know this is not within the nature of the device as it was designed for standing but I’m interested if that could be an option in the future.
• Could the clamping attachment mechanism be on the back instead of the front for visual reasons?
• Can there be a more affordable student model below this professional model?

Summary

The UpGuitarbus is a high quality and fully adjustable guitar stand and support allowing a standing position for classical guitarists. With excellent build quality and a thoughtful design you can play in a healthy way and feel confident your guitar is well protected and resonating. It has clear implications and usages for players with health or sitting issues as well as a wide array of applications for special situations. An important contribution to the world of guitar supports and a viable option for professionals and amateurs alike.

Learn more or buy from UpGuitarbus

PhotosThe post Review: UpGuitarbus Stand and Support first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Question: Does the headstock have to be at eye level for classical guitar?

Having the headstock of the guitar at eye level is a guideline that helps to ensure a healthy 45 degree angle or steeper for your guitar position and provides an easy to remember tip for quick positioning. However, it’s only a starting point and generalized tip, not an absolute rule. Some players will have the headstock higher than eye level and some will have it lower. Variables such as the player’s height, guitar size, chair height, guitar support will decide how much this guideline is followed.

Keep in mind that I am promoting the modern classical guitar technique so there can be differences if you look back 25 years or more.

Let’s look at my playing position in the below three photos. I am quite short and as you can see the headstock is at or above eye level regardless of whether I’m using a foot stool or various guitar supports. It’s actually a bit higher with the guitar supports but not by much.

See my full lesson: I have a full dedicated lesson on Sitting and Position for Classical Guitar so check that out first as it has tons of tips and photos with diagrams for much more context. I’ve included the video and a few pictures below.

Let’s look at some professional guitarists. Below you can see Adam Cicchillitti (left) and Steve Cowan (right). Adam’s headstock looks at eye level or below. Steve’s looks quite above eye level.

Below Hao Yang’s headstock is quite a bit above eye level.

Below, Drew Henderson also has a headstock position at or above eye level.

Below, Rebeca Oliveira has a headstock position above eye level.

Below, Lorenzo Micheli (left) and Matteo Mela (right) are a bit different. Lorenzo is a bit below eye level whereas Matteo is above.

As you can see from all these videos, the general guitar angles are all similar but the exact position of the headstock varies slightly. Continue watching the videos I post of pros on the site and you’ll see guitarists of all sorts of heights and body types. Watching all the different players will give you a generalized view of classical guitar positioning.

Questions & Support

If you need any clarification on this particular Q&A please leave a comment below. For new and existing questions please visit the main Classical Guitar Q&A page. If you are enjoying the free Q&As you can support the site here.

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Pièces caractéristiques pour guitare, Op.123 (1964) by Belgian composer Jean Absil (1893-1974). Performed by Bradford Werner. I’m trying to feature more music by modern and contemporary composers and external publishers on the site and this is a great piece to start with. I’ll be adding all ten movements to this post over the next few weeks so check back often. The sheet music is by Editions Henry Lemoine.

Jean Absil (1893–1974) was a Belgian composer, organist, and teacher known for his modernist style blending neoclassicism with modal and polytonal techniques. A student of Paul Gilson, Absil composed symphonies, concertos, and choral works, and served as a professor at the Brussels Conservatory, influencing generations of Belgian musicians.

Jean Absil wrote a good number of guitar works primarily for Nicolas Alfonso, a prominent Belgian guitarist and pedagogue. Alfonso was one of the leading classical guitarists in Belgium during the mid-20th century and collaborated with several composers, including Absil. I suspect this work was also written for him but I haven’t found any additional information yet.

Pièces caractéristiques Op.123 (Pieces and Youtube Links)

• I. Prélude
• II. Invention
• III. Pastorale
• IV. Humoresque
• V. Valse
• Cantilène
• Scherzo
• Chant du soir
• Pavane
• Tarentelle

This video was performed on a Marcus Dominelli classical guitar with Augustine Regal strings and a GuitarLift Ultimate support. All my gear here. Subscribe to the free membership newsletter and if you’re enjoying the site you can consider supporting it.

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Thomas Viloteau performs Chôro No.1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) with a Le Support guitar rest which he designed. This comes via his fantastic YouTube channel (go subscribe). As he mentions, “Heitor Villa-Lobos…composed fifteen Chôros between 1920 and 1929 for various instrumentations.”

Wonderful performance and fun interpretation with driving rhythm, beautiful phrasing, and variety of articulations and jazzy additions. The performance really breathes new life and flavour into the piece. Brilliant!

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Question: How proficient should I be at a piece before I continue to the next one? For a bit more context on this question, the actual question asked was: When using your method books without an instructor, how proficient should I try to be with the pieces in a lesson before I continue on to the next lesson?

The answer to this question has a number of variables based on the level of the student and the repertoire. Let me explore the variables and give some practical tips to help you. Here’s the YouTube link if you want to watch it there.

Accepting Mistakes Based on the Level of the Student

With beginner students in my Volume 1 and 2 method books, I don’t worry too much about mistakes as long as their sitting and hand positions are healthy and on the right track and they are playing musically. The more advanced the student is, the more I will start to require less mistakes in their playing. 

There are exceptions. If a student, regardless of level, makes a mistake in the same spot in the music every time they play it, I fully examine the cause. If you are self-learning, I highly recommend you do the same. For example, if you make a mistake every time the 4th finger is used, that is a mistake that must be corrected and examined to discover the root cause. In contrast, if a beginner student is making a few random mistakes due to the multitasking nature of music, that is more acceptable. 

The Number of Mistakes

Making one or two mistakes in a piece is fine but make constant mistakes indicates that the skill level of the music is overpowering the skills of the student.  Adjustments to both the level of the repertoire and the skills of the student must be made.

Tempo Considerations

As with mistakes, I don’t worry too much about a student’s tempo at the beginner level. At whatever tempo they can play the music well is perfectly fine. As the student becomes more advanced, I consider tempo more and more. Especially at the grade 4-6 range where I really want to start refining skills and examining any issues getting in the way of reaching desired tempos.

So, when to move from one piece to the next?  

When a piece can be played with a reasonable amount of confidence, at a comfortable tempo, with not too many random mistakes, it is likely time to move on to the next. Again, if the mistakes are occurring in the same spot each time, more examination into the cause is needed before moving forward. That said, pieces within each of my books are usually around the same level but have different textures and compositional styles so it’s not exactly true that each one is more difficult. They are just different and require new skills.  

Also, I rarely have the student stop playing the piece altogether after moving on. They will likely continue to play the previous piece as they start learning the next. In fact, I usually review all the pieces in a book with my student as they progress onward. On rare occasions I might have students leave a piece outright if I think too many bad habits have formed and the psychological outlook is negative. Then a fresh start with a similar piece might be needed but this is rare in my studio where I’m keeping a close watch on the student.

Do you have a teacher? 

Students studying with a teacher have it a bit easier. The teacher can decide if the student has reached their maximum potential with a work, or if an educational objective has been met. That said, most self-study students will know if they are comfortable and proficient with a work. They can sometimes be too easy or too hard on themselves but the above indications can still be observed. 

Performance Considerations

If a student is planning to perform the piece a much longer process of development is often needed and requires many trial and error mini-performances to work out what will be best for the piece in performance. 

Advanced Students

If a student is more advanced, let’s say grade 6 and above, the issue of refinement and technique proficiency is much more important. Ideally, students would be perfectly balanced in their skills up to this point but I have rarely if ever seen this to be the case. It’s kind of just a part of being human. Therefore, specific refinement in certain areas need to be concentrated on and practiced either with the piece or through technique and “cross-contamination” pieces. As in, there will be much practice and work to be done outside of the piece at hand. An array of technique exercises might be needed to improve a skill, more pieces with a similar texture at lower levels might be needed to raise musical skills.

Don’t Worry

You should regularly review pieces and not just move from one to the next. Therefore, you don’t have to completely done with one piece in order to start the next. You just want the overwhelming number of tasks to be reduced so you can practice proficiently without dedicating all your time to one piece. 

Questions & Support

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Hao Yang performs Music of Memory by Nicholas Maw (1935-2009). This comes via Guitars International via their YouTube channel with video and recording by Drew Henderson. Absolutely amazing performance by Hao Yang who continues to impress with a shocking combination of technique virtuosity and beautiful musical phrasing. This level of technique mastery along with expressive musicality feels like something very new in the guitar world. You can check out the other videos of Yang on the site where she is equally at home with contrasting repertoire.

You can get the score via Faber where they give this description of the work:

The work’s title, ‘Music of Memory’, refers to the long-term memory of a golden age (and the corresponding hope that it can continue to nourish our own art) represented by the Mendelssohn; the short-term ‘memory’ of an original that lies behind the variation form; and the use of the different kinds of memory-related techniques and materials during the work – ‘guitar sounds’ typical of the instrument and its repertoire, and the ‘memory recalls’ of the coda.

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Classical guitarist Sam Desmet performs Concerto pour guitare et petit orchestre, Op. 155 by Jean Absil (1893–1974) with the Casco Phil Orchestra, conducted by Benjamin Haemhouts, in Waregem, Belgium. This is a world-premiere performance bringing Jean Absil’s guitar concerto to the stage for the first time. Recorded live in concert. Video via Desmet’s YouTube (go subscribe).

It’s so great to hear this concerto which coincidentally got released while I record Absil’s little works Pièces caractéristiques, Op.123. Absil’s guitar works are very underplayed considering the excellent quality of the works. I’ve been looking at all the available solo and duo works and was delighted to now hear the concerto. As Desmet mentions, “Composed in 1971, yet never performed during Absil’s lifetime or beyond, the concerto—expressive, modernist, and vividly orchestrated—now appears for the first time in its complete form, accompanied by a full-length video release.” Read more info about the concerto here.

Movements:

• 00:00 Allegro energico
• 04:10 Andante cantabile
• 10:58 Allegro moderato

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