Classical Guitar Lesson #1: positioning the guitar

[haannahgracee]

why is their hate, he is just tying to help? Everyone's so rude these days...

[hkostal]

This is always the same story with that classical guys. Why do they place these funny explainations to hold a guitar in that stupid "classical" position.

These are only dogmatic reasons.

If you watch real great guitar players, they all hold the guitar in the logical position - without unleveled shoulders.

That is nonsens!

[Lutemann]

You are right. a lot of pop music players do hold the guitar is strange positions, but the purpose of these videos is to save time for the beginners. It takes about 10,000 hours to learn the classical guitar; why stretch it out.?

[Pinsel486]

@hkostal classical position is not for dogmatic reasons, for example you can reach the higher notes better that way.

[jershhh07]

Your Classical Guitar videos are great. Thank you!

[DannyZack7]

I didn't know Colonel Sanders was a guitarist.

[parkwaydrive25]

foot stand.....reallly...?

[bhabooshka]

@parkwaydrive25 dude, gtfo

[sismyfavouriteletter]

@parkwaydrive25 My guitar teacher, who I received just 1 lesson from, sings lead in his band while playing extremely difficult guitar solos with the guitar behind his back. He usually has his eyes closed. He usually uses a foot stand.

[brokenheartbob02]

nice

[Agumon5]

I don't see the purpose of this position, could hold it like a traditional guitar if you are a very tall person with long arms and legs lol.

[aghoster9]

u know what.... from this momment i hate guitars

[cf725b]

Perfect first lesson - just what I was looking for. Thanks.

[evnmck]

thank you

[colyzee]

very good first leson

[Andsetinn]

Really nice teaching videos. Clearer on the whys and hows than most I've seen. Good work, thanks.

[tinjulangit]

thanks mister....

you talking about the basic of basic classic guitar...

and i need it...

thanks again

[fb101786]

@tinjulangit Yeah me too i just got my classical so much to learn

[maximus83iq]

Mono was or stereo.. who cares!!?

The man making a fabulous efforts..

I salute you sir and thanks alot!

[vjfky]

Is it my headphone, or is the audio on mono?

[blueguitar77]

i had the same doubt but now i think is the audio and not my earphones uffff thanks God

hehe

[Grumme3]

i guess mono :(

[nachube]

Well, if it was on MONO, it would actually sound the same on both sides... This is definitely on STEREO, but one side is empty... ;-

[Kal99]

Same here. It's only coming out of the left side.

[Lutemann]

It's good to hear from a believer.

[alsayed20]

you,re such a complicated man

[stepminestepminestep]

I am a guitar teacher also. I say at least one hour of practice. Then one hour of freestyle. You can repeat this process as many times as you want. The brain can only digest so much new information so break it up. Freestyling opens up your ears to compositions based on scales and chords. Joe Satriani would practice technique for 1 hr in A.M. In P.M. he would jam with friends. But, Segovia practiced for many many hours a day so...

Too much practice can hurt hands so get correct position first.

[hkbaby1985]

Despite different opinions, this video is useful to me.

[aytias69]

I tried this way of positiong the guitar and my right foot is not stable because only the front part(fingers) is touching the ground.Anyone any idea of correcting this?

[chinesemilkman]

Though, as a steel stringed guitarist I've found while strumming harmonies/chords in rhythm guitar style, it's much better to rest the body of the guitar on my right leg (under my strumming arm) because then my left hand is free to just rest there and hold down chord fingerings. When playing melodies/scales in finger picking I find, at least sometimes, it's better to place the guitar in a classical posture. So, to be fair, I don't think you should discount other methods of holding the guitar.

[Emomoz]

thanx that was amazing :)

[Lutemann]

You know, I'm 62 years old and have just taken up the saxophone and I'd like to know the same thing. How long will it take before I'm good? The secret is to get a good teacher and you will surprise yourself in couple of years.

[hilan1973]

i have a question i'm 13,i wan't to know how many years i have to learn guitar for being good at it???

[ZombieMoron]

Anywheres from 1 day to the rest of your life. Depends on your love/comittment

[chinesemilkman]

If you practice at least 30 minutes a day everyday using good instructions, then you should start making respectable progress in a couple of years. Of course, if you did it like me, you could do it 5 hours out of every day for a year and probably make progress a lot faster than otherwise. Though, that might tire you out to guitar. But like Zombie said, it really all depends on your love and commitment to playing. You will not be a pro overnight, so it takes lots of patience and dedication.

[hilan1973]

thanx

[metalmaniac767]

does anyone else get the feeling he just posted that comment so he could say "I practice 5 hours a day"?

[latenight003]

No what he means is "Hey be like me, I love playing the guitar so I practice everyday and now I'm good. You should try!"

[metalmaniac767]

dont worry i do :)

[laptopshop]

i used to practice 8 hours a day.

[Lutemann]

I think a serious student needs to work very hard just to practice a half hour a day. Once this is accomplished, he can go to two, half hour sets. Over a period of a couple of years he can progress to three hours a day. Once you are up to three hours, the trick is to improve your practicing technique, not practice more hours.

[chinesemilkman]

If you ask me, if someone really wants it that bad, then sitting there and building your calluses, coordination, strength, and agility while painstakingly yet with earnest enthusiasm practice, practice, and practice, sitting there for even 8 hours is not something you need to work hard at. You commit to mastering the craft from the start and just do it, and that's the most important thing in my opinion. And then after the basics, yes, you start working more on perfecting technique and tone.

[mentallyreality]

thank you, you look very genuine

[Lutemann]

I'm the real deal.

[agmm1985]

hey man, great lessons... thanks¡¡¡

[mrbodhranhead]

Kent: Glad to see you're still teaching and playing. Wish I'd been a better student back in Fayetteville.

"Doc" Schultz

[SarkoHamaAmin]

i have a question can u use a pick when u play a classic guitar or just by hand?

[Lutemann]

These are two different styles of playing, but to answer your question, yes, you can play pick style on the classical guitar.

[moonunits]

I have to say, that this is THE video that made me really GET the position.. I've seen the position in books and images, but it's hard to really get it before someone explains it like this! Huge help, thank you!

[bunnychap]

i would like to ask, is it ok to play an acoustic style on a classical guitar?

[xxxmiguelxxx123]

thanks , very good ...

[bodymindfitness]

thankyou. Philip

[blizzaraga]

can i ask if i can put the guitar on my right leg instead?

[CCTV9]

if you're left handed and got a left handled guitar maybe

[Lutemann]

You might need a tripod or a cushion type support instead of the foot stand.

[shulitager]

thanks for your answer

[shulitager]

hi Kent i just watched the video and i have a little question:

can i play in that position even when i have a small sised body?

[Lutemann]

Planting is useful as a teaching tool, but I don't use it as a basis for technique the way some teachers do.

[tonnaval]

hi kent murdick, i am anthony from the philippines.nway i just want to ask how do you play the righthand planting technique? is it useful for the classical guitar music? thank you very much.god bless!

[Lutemann]

It's made by a guy named James Fuller.

[organicjuice]

Your guitar looks exactly like mine? Is it a Raimundo guitar or all classical guitars look alike?

[xydiegoxy]

lan amızzz ben turkum ne mutlu turkum dıyene onu gec sen sahnede gıtar pozısyonunumu gostercen amk cal gıtarına  yat zıbar aq daha ne yapcan ezık

[sadicool15]

your right leg is bent, a german teacher told me that it`s not correct because the guitar doesn`t stand so well balanced on you...he told me to have that leg perpendicular to the floor too

[Lutemann]

It depends on your body type. The important thing is not the details but the final result. Can you cross the strings with the right hand without the forearem haning up? Can you reach the low and high notes without having to learn over? It's import that major muscle groups are not thrown out of position. Watch out for hunched shoulders.

[muratar]

senin caldıgın gitara sıçm..

[gibby6117]

Hope that you keep helping us out with the expert advise and you are a great teacher thank again

[Lutemann]

You can ask any question you like in this forum and I will try to get back to you.

Kent Murdick

[Kapa53]

Ugh! This helped me a lot, too. I'm studyin' classical guitar and i've tried to find a good position and it's true what they say: Just keep it simple! Thanks

[gibby6117]

May I ask ,is this a good position for the electric guitar also??

[Lutemann]

Often, the electric guitar players have better postioning than the classical guitarists, but only when standing and using a strap. It is difficult to sit with most electric guitars due to their shape. BTW, classical guitarists are moving toward using a guitar strap as well. But the short answer to your actual question is "yes".

[LocoPCtheoneandonly]

Great posting!!!

Check my classical guitar videos and feel free to comment on whatever you may think needs work

Peace!

[Lutemann]

You'll have to wait for someone else to do that.

[GuitarBenny]

How would you hold the guitar if you had a bad back - could you demonstrate with a A-frame or a Ergoplay support?

[matic1718]

i got the same guitar yamaha

[TheOriginalEntz]

I am teaching myself electric guitar and I eventually went to this position as I found it easier to play and feel less tired after practice. It is the most comfortable position!

[jess1541]

Thats how I found it easy.

[lilsmusic]

I am very glad I stumbled on this video. I have NEVER thought of trying to play the guitar with it resting on my left leg..lol. I have never had lessons before. I am hoping this will help me keep the neck more steady when I play. Thanks!!:D

[LFCLuffy]

Wow.. just adjusting your leg a little helped me out! :O I've always held the guitar the wrong way, at least now I'm going to look better, whilst still an amateur :P

[Lutemann]

1) you need to get the guitar neck up higher, then it will be easier to keep the thumb behind the neck.

2) with the right hand you need to tilt to the left slightly (definitely not to the right like you are doing). This will allow the thumb to follow through to the index in a staight line allowing you to get a more powerful P stroke.

[phishfollower]

I hope your back doesn't go out of wack with that footstool . . .

[Lutemann]

Me too. It hasn't so far, but that can happen to some using the foot stool. I just recommend the basic position, the foot stool itself.

[Lutemann]

Me too. I don't like th footstool.

[Lutemann]

Actually, if you tilt to the left, P must go off to the side. In the Shearer model (and this is just one model, remember).  the 'a' finger is perpendicular to the string. This allows P to move in a straight line.

[Lutemann]

I'm a math teacher and I rarely teach the guitar anymore.

[greentree24]

Do you still play the guitar? I hope so. lol

BTW, great lesson. I play classical but mainly classical stuff.

[watcherxy21]

I am sure that this position works well for some people, but it never worked for me as for me it is not "very comfortable." In fact, it is very uncomfortable and causes back pain. Over many years, such a position tends to distort the spinal column. I would recommend using a Dynarette cushion or Gitano support instead of this very unergonomic traditional method.

[PaulsTube]

Thank you for these lessons. Aaron Shearer really understood how to eliminate fatigue. I used to get back pain after a few minutes before I read his books.

[GProMangore]

A really good lesson! It help me re-enforce my knowledge and experience thanks!

I noticed that you didn't talked about having clothes all the way to the wrist of right arm. It helps as it's easier to move forearm over the guitar to get different tones. I'm basically just saying that skin against guitar is sometimes holding back right hand playing.

[Lutemann]

I agree. I was making math videos when I made this video (I'm a math teacher), and there was some time left so I made the guitar video.

[guitar0707]

without using the hands at all the guitar should be supported in 4 places:

-resting on the left thigh

-leaning against the right inner thigh

-underneath the right forearm(just below the elbow)

-the guitar back leaning on the left side of your chest.

the left leg should make a vertical line and the right leg must make room for the instrument(but I don't like positioning it to the back )

[Lutemann]

The end result is all that matters, IMO. Playing with a strap may provide the best postioning. I'ver never seen a Country Western strummer who had worse positioning than Carelvaro or Julian Bream.

[DelayLoy]

Thank you very much sir.

[Lutemann]

Youtube is wonderful! Good Luck on going on your venture.

[francoprs]

I need to go back to the basics. I have never had lessons and cannot read music and I regret it. I Hope it is not to late to start again. Your videos are very apreciated. Thank you and Thanks to YOUTUBE!

[tinopuisto]

hey these are great, im starting lessons next summer so these will get me started! thanks :)

[Lutemann]

I'm glad you got something from these videos.