| |
| |
|
Music Information |
|
|
|
Buying A Guitar
There are many things to consider when buying a new classical guitar. For instance, whether or not you are a beginner or seasoned professional will determine just what you are looking for and how much you are willing to spend. If you're a beginner to intermediate player there are many excellent online dealers that carry a good range of brands at reasonable prices. I've recently added a Guitar Store page on my website which carries merchandise from Musiciansfriend.com which I'm very happy with. These online stores "live and die" by their reputation and so can't afford to have mediocre instruments or service. As we all know, news travels very fast on the web and they'd soon be out of business if they tried to "pull a swifty" on anyone. You can pretty much trust that their instruments will be good and you can view pictures of them online so don't be afraid of buying a guitar online if you're looking for that sort of convenience. If your heart is set on going to a "bricks & mortar" store to seek out an instrument, actually getting it in your hands to get the feel, then there are a few things you should know before you go. The most important thing is of course the sound of the instrument. Is it a sound that you are happy with and feel comfortable about. The different types of wood that classical guitars are made from will give each instrument its own peculiar sound but in general, guitars with cedar tops produce a more "warm' tone whereas spruce tops are likely to be more "focused" or 'concentrated". I've been asked in the past to accompany parents of some of my students to help in the purchase of a guitar. If the instrument is new then these things aren't so important but I still check them anyway. So, one of the first things I always do is check along the neck of the instrument by looking down from the nut to the end of the instrument. That is, I physically pick up the guitar and hold it out from my body so that the headstock is pointing towards me. Then I look along the length of the neck to see if it is straight. There should be NO bowing of the neck at all. I also look behind the bridge of the instrument to see if any area of the top is buckled or bowed. I would strongly advise anyone NOT to buy an instrument that was showing any signs of these defects. It's just not worth it in the end. The third thing I do is to hold down the strings from the second fret to the twelfth fret and see if the string length touches all the intervening frets. There will be a problem with craftsmanship if you have any significant variation here. I then check the sound of the instrument to see if it has the qualities that I'm after. They are: projection; quality of tone and; comfort i.e. is it the right size for me or whoever we're buying the instrument for. Children, especially younger ones, will obviously need a smaller guitar than adults and it depends on the size of the student. Classical guitars usually come in half, three-quarter, five-eighth and full size. If you've covered all these areas you'll usually come away with a decent guitar that will last you many years of happy playing. If you're a more advanced player or have the money and inclination to buy something a little better, you know, that DREAM guitar, then you'll have to invest a little more time, money and testing to achieve it. Sharon Isbin, writing in the Classical Guitar Answer Book , suggests these areas when purchasing that "dream guitar": Beauty of Tone; Dynamic & Timbral Contrasts; Clarity & Speed of Response; Sustain; Balance; Resonance; Intonation; Projection; Condition. Phew! Talk about attention to detail! But if you're after an instrument of quality and it's worth the money then it's worth the time and effort to research. I hope this has been of help in purchasing an instrument. Trevor Maurice is an Australian, living in beautiful seaside Maroubra, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. He's been involved in playing guitar (mainly classical) for longer than he cares to remember and has also taught the instrument for many years. He is teacher trained, having a Diploma of Education (Majoring in music) He has also taught Primary (Elementary) school for many years and had a long-held dream to build a quality website for the classical guitar that is of use to anyone even slightly interested in this beautiful instrument. He has now made that dream a reality with the highly rated... http://www.learnclassicalguitar.com/index.html
MORE RESOURCES:
Music - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Inspiration Wanted - Apply Within! One of the biggest stumbling blocks for music students is knowing what to practice. In the early years students listened to their teachers and did what they told them to do, which is still of course perfectly valid. The First Step and Most Important Thing in Learning Guitar Most of the guitar lovers playing guitar for few years but still unsatisfied with their progress. They feel like still stand at the starting point and can't enjoy their playing. How to Construct Chords and Improvise How To Construct Basic Chords on the PianoThe easiest way to start learning how to build chords is to practice their constructions in the key of C Major. You're just playing all white keys. Be Your Own DJ - Digital Audio Processing Tools Overview SoundEdit Pro http://www.deprice. A Brief History Of Gibson Guitars Gibson guitars have been around forever. It's funny, but although Gibson has produced some of the most amazing guitars in history, perhaps the company's largest contribution to music has been through their advancements in pickup technology. So You Want to be President? Learn to Play a Musical Instrument! President Harry S. Truman, the man in the White House when the United States intervened on behalf of the millions of innocent people who were being displaced and massacred by Hitler's Nazi Germany, claimed to have practiced his piano lessons for two hours every morning during his childhood. Solid-Bodied Gretsch Corvette Guitar The Solid-bodied Corvette (not to be confused with the Corvette hollow-body arch-top electric, produced from 1955-1959) was Gretsch's answer to the Les Paul Jr. by Gibson. Common Thoughts That Kill Inspiration Do you sit down at the piano and feel anxiety or peace? Are you anxious to begin creating or does the thought of being at your instrument bring you a sense of well being? It all begins with what you're telling yourself. If you think that what you are doing is not good enough, it's sure to kill off that quiet little motor of inspiration. Musicians Injuries: OUCH, It Hurts When I Play (But Please Dont Tell Me To Stop!) This article takes a look at musicians' injuries. For an expert perspective, I interviewed Dr. Beginner Guitar Lessons - Learn Guitar without Ever Leaving Your Home! So, you think you'd like to learn to play guitar, but you're put off by the high cost of lessons? You don't want to put up with a teacher showing you a bunch of theory and boring songs that you don't want to learn and won't get you where you want to go? Look no further, online instruction is now available that provides comprehensive beginner guitar lessons to anyone who wants to learn to play guitar quickly and easily.Do I need to read music? No! Most online programs use a very visual approach, using picture diagrams and videos that actively demonstrate techniques so you hear what you need to play, not read it. Thomas Jefferson and the Chinese Gong While Richard Nixon's diplomatic visit to China may have created a minor thaw in Sino-US relations, he was not the first President to try to get in sync with the Chinese. Thomas Jefferson preceded him by close to two centuries. Legend Vega Releasing New Pop CD Legend Vega is scheduled to release her newest CD this summer, Personal Space. Fans characterize Legend's style as a cross between Mariah Carey and a female version of Ricky Martin. George Winston and New Age Piano Playing The first time I heard George Winston play back in the early 1980's I was blown away. I didn't know why I liked this music. Name That Tune - Tips For When You Can't Remember The Song Title Or Artist For years, you have been searching for a song lodged in your brain that is driving you nuts. Unfortunately, you have forgotten both the song title and the artist and all you remember are a few words. Musicians: What Chords Do You Absolutely, Positively Have To Know? As you probably know, there are thousands and thousands of different chords in music - everything from basic major chords to minor 7ths to 13ths to suspensions to poly-chords. Someday, you might want to learn all those chords if you don't already know them. Home Run Gigs Are you still playing your heart out to small audiences on gigs at unappreciative dives (excuse me, I meant to say nightclubs) that feel paying you a couple of hundred dollars for a 3-4 hour gig is also paying you about $150 too much?Unless you are a masochist, why do you continue to take such beatings? Is it due to laziness, complacency, cynicism, your now being jaded, or a combination of any of the above?Are you aware that you could dramatically improve your live performance income by making simple changes in the types of performances that you accept?For instance, see the below list of gig types and the average earnings possible, compared to traditional nightclub work:* Weddings ($1,000 *minimum* for 2-3 hours work)Instead of working yourself to death, so to speak, by chasing wedding performance opportunities on an individual basis, consider approaching a number of area caterers and offering your services to them as an add-on to their own services as, obviously, they will have significantly more client opportunities.Not only will your music service now give catering companies more value, as the client can now also purchase the wedding entertainment through a single source as opposed to contracting performers separately, but this single joint venture alone will dramatically increase your income, and on a more consistent basis. Painting with Sound Whenever I go to a Borders bookstore here in San Diego, I make it a point to look at the art instruction books. I'm not a visual artist, but I've always enjoyed the step-by-step approach authors of the better books take to teach students how to create a finished painting. An Interview with Angus Young of ACDC - Why He Plays a Gibson SG Steven: Maybe more than any other guitarist ever, you're inextricably linked to the Gibson SG? What was the evolution that brought you to this particular instrument?Angus: I started playing on banjos and re-strung them up with six strings. [But] an acoustic guitar, an old bang up little ten-dollar job, that was probably the first thing I started playing on. Songwriting - The Art of Writing a Good Song Did you know that good songwriting is often the key to establishing a successful music career? But more than that, it can be fun! When you write a song you are able to express yourself in new and creative ways. Whether you're sad, happy, angry, or in love. Buying A Guitar - Do You Know What To Look For? Buying a guitar is an important decision that my students have often asked me about. They want to know what they should be looking for.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
