Guitar News

Jinsae Kim 김진세 performs Sonata No. 9 in D Minor by Domenico Cimarosa (1749–1801), originally for keyboard. This comes via Partita Studio in Seoul, Korea on their YouTube channel (go subscribe). Beautifully understated performance by Kim with such calm and solid pacing and rhythmic delivery.

Domenico Cimarosa (1749–1801) was an Italian composer best known for his comic operas but he also wrote keyboard and instrumental music. Although a Classical era composer he is a transitional figure and his keyboard works retain much from the Baroque style.

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Greek classical guitarist Filippos Manoloudis performs Les Grâces by French harpsichordist and composer Jacques Duphly (1715–1789) from his Troisième livre de pièces de clavecin (Third Book of Harpsichord Pieces), published in Paris in 1756. This comes via Guitar Salon International and their YouTube channel (go subscribe). Wonderful performance with a excellent ornamentation that is well paced and thoughtfully executed. I’m so impressed with his adaptation and interpretive style of the harpsichord using modern guitar technique. Very expressive and delicately ornate.

Below is a performance by Anna Homenya via Festival Komm, Bach on YouTube.

And below is a score performance via this YouTube.

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Theory Lesson No.6a: Pitch, Octave, Register, Octave Designation, and Pitch Class. In this lesson we have a more in depth discussion on pitch, the specific register of pitches and how we name them. This is an important lesson that will set us up for the next lesson on the sounding pitch of the guitar. Here’s the YouTube link if you want to watch it there.

Pitch, Frequency, Hertz

We’ve already had a basic conversation on pitch but here’s some more context on the term. 

Pitch is how high or low a sound is, determined by the frequency of its vibrations. This can occur from any vibrating body whether it’s a violin, a human voice, a clarinet reed, or a plucked guitar string. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), or vibrations per second.

When frequency increases the pitch rises (higher pitch); when frequency decreases the pitch falls (lower pitch).

On a guitar, shortening a vibrating string raises its frequency, which is why pressing a fret produces a higher pitch compared to the open string.

Examples

• 110 Hz = 110 vibrations per second → relatively low pitch
• 440 Hz = 440 vibrations per second → the A above middle C
• 880 Hz = 880 vibrations per second → an A one octave higher

Keep in mind we are not having a discussion today on tuning or historical tuning in regards to what Hz represents what pitch, so if you are knowledgable in this area you’ll have to wait for a future lesson.

Octaves

An octave is the musical interval between one pitch and another with twice or half its frequency. The two pitches sound closely related and are given the same note name.

For example, “A” vibrating at 440 Hz and the A one octave higher vibrating at 880 Hz.

Octave Designation and Register

Here’s a diagram of Octave Designations – This allows us to pinpoint which octave is in use when referring to a pitch. Middle C is referred to as C4. I know, it’s an explosive concept.

We refer to a pitch placement as its register. The register of the note tells us which “C” we are referring to, a high C or a low C.

For example, Middle C is referred to as C4, the octave below is referred to as C3. If I indicate C4, musicians will know which C I’m referring to.

The numbering system describes absolute pitch/register across instruments in a universal way. It lets us name the specific pitch we are talking about in terms of an exact register.

This will be important when discussing what pitch is used in a clef and for our next lesson on the actual sounding pitch of the guitar (hint, it’s one octave lower than written).

Here is the octave designation sections in notation and keyboard.

Pitch Class

We don’t always need to be specific about register so pitch class is a group of all pitches that share the same note name, regardless of octave.

For example, every C—low, middle, or high—belongs to the pitch class “C”.

Pitch class allows us to identify notes by name regardless of octave, making it easier to discuss scales, chords, and harmony without specifying which octave we are using. 

Keep it simple

Todays lesson helps us understand the use of the word pitch. It distinguishes between very specific pitches in a register or generalized naming of a pitch.

Octave Designation = Specific register of a note
Pitch Class = Generalized note name

The only thing you really need to know for now is the term Octave. The rest is for context so when I give you more complex lessons you’ll know what I’m discussing. 

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JoLuck E04 Dolce Small Scale Classical Guitar Review – It was a joy to test out the JoLuck E04 Dolce which is an affordable small scale lattice braced classical guitar available in four sizes. This is the next model up from the E02 Amoroso which I previously reviewed. The Dolce I reviewed was a 615mm scale length.

Quick Summary: The JoLuck E04 Dolce is a nice step up from the E02 Amoroso and exceeds my exceptions of value at this price. The solid cedar top, Indian rosewood back and sides, and lattice bracing produce an impressive amount of sound with a full and warm tone. Amazing to have the four different sizes to ensuring you get the perfect sized instrument for your unique needs. The balance across the strings is defined but with a warmer fullness and more sustain which does reduce definition but I consider it well worth the exchange. The trebles have a nice sustain and response to touch that is also rare in this class of guitars. Highly recommended at this price point.

Learn More or Buy

• Visit JoLuck Guitars to buy or learn more
• See their dealer page to find a guitar near you

Additional Links

• My classical guitar review page
• Frano Cavallone – 10 Studies via Les Productions d’Oz
• The Carulli Piece is from my Easy Volume 2
• Here’s my YouTube review link.
• My review of the E02 Amoroso

Review

A Small Scale Guitar – An important factor about this guitar is the different available scale lengths. The modern day adult guitar standard is 650mm measured from nut to saddle. These guitars come in such a variety that children to adults looking from a smaller size can find the perfect fit. The Dolce comes in scale lengths: 520mm, 580mm, 615mm, and 630mm. For context, my usual small scale guitar you see in my videos is a 630mm. The guitar in the review was the 615mm.

Volume, Playability, Dynamic Range – This guitar design is producing a nice loud sound at this price. The lattice bracing and cedar top excels at this aspect. Minimal effort in the right hand gets a very good amount of volume from the guitar. Top marks for volume and playability. The dynamic range is also excellent compared to overbuilt guitar in this category. I was able to get some very soft levels and increase them significantly.

Sound and Tone – The tone is good across the whole guitar. Compared to the mahogany on the E02 Amoroso, this guitar is fuller, has a wider dynamic range, and is more resonant and refined. The definition between the strings is still defined but a bit less focused and clear likely due to the additional warmth and sustain. This is probably a good thing for most students as it will be a forgiving guitar in terms of tone production. The warmth and resonance of this guitar is well worth the slight price increase over of the Amoroso. The lattice bracing does have a sound slightly different than a traditional fan brace (maybe a bit less focused) but with increased fullness and sustain it’s worth the difference. Lots of factory guitar suffer from overbuilt thick tops in this price range, I’d say the Dolce design is outperforming most brands.

Workmanship and finishing – The workmanship is clean and the finishing all looked great. Glad to see the 12 hole bridge which is a joy both in terms of usability and aesthetics.

Concerns and Critiques – I don’t have any concerns or criticisms as the quality and sound go above and beyond the price. I could do without the decorative inlays on the ends of the bridge but that is just a personal preference, lots of people have mentioned they like them.

Value – The guitar exceeds my exceptions for a small scale instrument in this price range. At $649 USD (Aug 2026, check often for changes), I can’t really imagine a better value for a classical guitar. If you are debating between the Amoroso and the Dolce, I highly recommend spending the bit extra for the Dolce as you’ll get a more mature instrument capable of a wider range of sound.

Specifications

• Soundboard: Solid Canadian Cedar
• Back and Sides: Indian Rosewood
• Neck: Okoume
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Sizes: 32″, 36″, 37″, 38.5″
• Scale Lengths: 520mm, 580mm, 615mm, 630mm
• Bracing: Lattice
• Truss rod: Yes
• Bridge: 12 Hole Bridge
• Finish: High Gloss PU
• Packaging: JoLuck Deluxe Gigbag
• Price: $649 USD (Aug 2026, check often for changes)
• More Measurements:

JoLuck E02 Amoroso Photos

Feel free to ask question in the comment section below.

If you own a JoLuck please leave a short review in the comment section to help others.

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