Why? Because the world of the classical guitar is definitely one worth exploring and one that will reap incredible rewards the more you explore it. A well-executed classical passage within a rock song can give an air of class and distinction to the music, not to mention adding a great break in the middle of the song. Playing classical guitar, even if you use it traditionally (playing simple fingerpicker parts, strumming and single-note lines) can help your playing take a giant leap forward.
Classical guitars are very, very similar in their construction to traditional acoustic guitars. The body is smaller, but the bracing methods and wood types are similar. The necks are wider to accommodate your fingers, the nylon strings give the classical guitar its distinctive tone, but most players with average-size hands find that this transition isn't as difficult as they first may have pictured it.
What can a Classical guitar do for you?
Well, give it a try and you'll find out a whole new world.
The Classical Guitar has the reputation of being a soft, sweet, and gentle instrument. While it deserves this reputation because it is all these things, it is also an instrument capable of tremendous fire and passion. Here is a selection of some fiery and passionate classical guitar pieces that will add power and raw emotion to your repertoire.
None of these pieces are particularly rare. Transcripts and videos of all these pieces can be readily found by doing a web search.
Spanish Guitar pieces
Villa-Lobos Prelude #1 - This piece has a great melody, is very Spanish, and has some wonderful chord phrasings that just can’t be found anywhere except in the deepest Spanish guitar pieces. It moves at a great pace, is sometimes slow and easy that burst into some great chord phrasings at a good speed. This piece will transport your audience to Spain.
Leyenda (Asturias) This is a very popular and very powerful Spanish Guitar piece. It is also one of my personal favorites. Altough it takes time to learn this piece it is well worth the effort. There are some wonderful bass runs and alternate picking patterns with this piece. It revolves around a wonderful central theme.
Zapateado – This is just another awesome Spanish piece that has some great bass lines and some terrific melodic phrasings.
Traditional Classical Pieces
Bolero by Ravel – This piece is the ultimate performance piece when it comes to passion. It isn’t a fast piece it is all about the passion. Since the movie 10 with with Bo Derek this piece has come to symbolize passion.
Fuoco by R. Dyens Just a great short piece about a minute. It is not a well-known piece but well worth the effort of learning. It burns bright and fast.
Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Everybody knows how this piece goes and it is not associated with the Classical guitar but is perfectly suited for the instrument. This piece doesn’t exhibit passion but it does exhibit fire simply by the sheer speed that it is played at.
The Classical Guitar has been called “The Little Symphony" for a reason. It is an instrument of incredible range and reach. And while it is often most associated with pretty melodies it is capable of some very fiery and passionate expressions. As you are building your classical guitar repertoire make sure you select pieces from this whole spectrum of capabilities.
Both Deen Jonse & Will Kalif are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Deen Jonse has sinced written about articles on various topics from Guide Guitar. Deen JonseGuitars from Spain, Inc.2658 Del Mar Heights Rd. #242Del Mar/California/USA92014Phone : (866)-396-1933Fax . (561)-347-0291