Classical Guitar/Nylon string Guitar

The Classical Guitar, also known as the Spanish Guitar, Concert Guitar, or Finger-Style Guitar was the first instrument of its kind to appear on the music scene. The Classical Guitar is also closely related to the Flamenco guitar and has six nylon strings.  The back and sides of the guitar are usually constructed of a hard wood, such as rosewood, while the top is usually made of either spruce or cedar.

The modern Classical Guitar dates back to the late 18th century but it’s lineage can be traced back through the Renaissance and perhaps all the way back to the Greek kithara lyre. It is lighter in construction than its cousin, the acoustic steel string guitar (folk guitar), and has a softer, warmer sound. The Classical Guitar has found its way into almost every style of popular music including country, rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, pop, and of course a variety of classical music from the Renaissance period to the 20th century. 

The Classical Guitar is an excellent solo and accompaniment instrument, whether played in a concert hall for a large audience, or in the intimate setting of one's own study for the benefit and enjoyment of the performer.  Classical Guitar is traditionally played by plucking the nylon strings with a combination of the fingertips and the nails (finger style guitar). 

Classical or Spanish guitarists such as Andres Segovia, Julian Bream, Pepe Romero, John Williams, Manuel Barrueco, David Russell, Christopher Parkening, Odair & Sergio Assad, Dale Kavanagh  and Sharon Isbin comprise the upper echelon of the Classical Guitar world. 

Nylon stringed Classical Guitars have made their way into jazz, pop, country, rock and other finger picking guitar genres. Players like Willie Nelson, The Beatles, and Eric Clapton have had a tremendous influence on the incorporation of the Classical Guitar in pop music. 

[click here to read the Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ]

---

Acoustic/Steel String Acoustic Guitar

 Technically, any non-electric guitar sound is considered acoustic but the term is most often used today to refer to a Steel String Acoustic Guitar. Crafted mostly from various hard and soft woods, the Acoustic Guitar, sometimes referred to as a folk guitar, is a modern descendant of the Classical Guitar. Acoustic Guitars can be modified with various pickup systems (electro-magnetic or piezo) and/or small internal condenser microphones that allow the guitar to be plugged into an amplifier or a PA system. However, unlike electrical guitars, they are primarily designed to be played acoustically and project as much acoustic energy as possible.

The Acoustic Guitar’s steel strings give a much brighter and louder sound to the instrument. The added tension of the steel strings requires stronger bracing and heavier construction; it usually features a steel truss rod in its neck to keep it from bowing. The Acoustic Guitar is usually played with a plectrum (flat pick) used to strum the strings. However, finger-style guitarists use a thumb pick, individual finger picks, or their bare fingers and/or fingernails to pluck the strings individually. This picking style is comparable to that used to play Classical Guitars.

Although most Acoustic Guitars have six strings, one common variation is the 12-string guitar that has six pairs (courses) of strings.  The lower four strings are tuned an octave apart, while the high E and B strings are tuned in unison.  The popularity of the Acoustic Guitar is due to its affordability, portability, and its ability to function as both a rhythm and melodic instrument. It has become the signature instrument of country music and pop culture. It is the heart and soul of pop music of the mid to late 20th century and the current one. The Acoustic Guitar also features prominently in folk, bluegrass, country & western, rock, jazz, alternative, and pop.

The Steel String Acoustic Guitar is an excellent rhythm instrument, working with the bass guitar and drums to set the beat of the modern or dance group. It produces a brilliant, rather metallic tone, which, in addition to being suitable for rhythm section work, is also used by country, western and bluegrass singers to play simple accompaniments. This type of guitar is usually used in conjunction with one or more instruments when playing an accompaniment or solo.

Some famous acoustic guitarists who were influential in bringing Acoustic Guitar music to a wider audience include Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, Leo Kotke (12-string players), Robert Johnson, Lonnie Johnson, Eddie Lang, Django Reinhardt, Doc Watson, Johnny Cash, Jerry Read, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, John Renbourn, Richard Thompson, and Michael Hedges. 

[click here to read the Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ]

---

Electric Guitar

An Electric Guitar has a solid or semi-solid body that uses electromagnetic pickups to convert the vibration of the steel-cored strings into electrical current. The current may be electrically altered (effects pedals) to achieve various tonal effects before being fed into an amplifier and speaker cabinet, which produces the resultant sound.

Electronics enables guitarists to achieve volume levels and tonal variations unimaginable on Acoustic Guitars. The body and neck are mainly crafted from various woods. It is usually played with a plectrum (flat pick), used to strum and/or pick the strings. However, finger-style guitarists use a thumb pick, individual finger picks, or simply their bare fingers and/or fingernails, to pluck the strings individually.

The Electric Guitar has become the signature instrument of country music and pop culture. It is the heart and soul of most folk, jazz, blues, country & western, rock, heavy metal, funk, alternative and pop music of the mid to late 20th century and the current one. For those interested in Electric Guitar, be sure to visit our page on the “ins and out” of Electric Guitar. 

The two most popular Electric Guitars are the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Stratocaster. Some of the largest and most well known manufacturers of Electric Guitars are Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Ibanez, Paul Read Smith, Peavey, Squire, and Yamaha. However, over the last 10 to 20 years there has been a growing number of independent luthiers (guitar builders), most of whom specialize in crafting high-end, hand-made instruments, that have made inroads into the Electric Guitar market. 

Primarily strummed or finger-picked, the instrument has mostly been used to accompany singers or sometimes other instrumentalists, though it is also used as a melodic instrument, especially for blues and rock guitar solos, as well as country and jazz.  Various analog and/or digital signal processors (effects pedals) are frequently employed to alter and enhance the sound of the electric guitar. Some of these effects include distortion, overdrive, wah-wah, reverb, digital delay, flanger, phase shifter, and digital amp modelers or simulators. 

Some famous electric guitarists who were influential in bringing Electric Guitar music to a wider audience include Hank Garland, Les Paul, Edward Van Halen, B.B. King, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, John McLaughlin, Wes Montgomery, Chet Atkins, Carlos Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

[click here to read the Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ]

---

Coppell Conservatory guitar teaching staff offer the following advise to anyone interested in learning to play the guitar:

• Do not rush through the process of learning; take time to experience the thrill of truly playing the instrument.

• As any other worthwhile accomplishment, learning to play the guitar requires time and effort.

• Give yourself time to "grow" to the guitar. This is a gradual process. Students, who try to hurry the process by attempting difficult phases of technique without proper gradual development, will find learning the guitar an arduous task.

• The most productive and compensating effort is the one directed toward establishing thoughtful practice habits and applying them regularly.

• The speed of a student's progress depends, to a great extent, upon the amount of careful daily practice. Still, it takes time to develop the mind and muscles for playing this responsive instrument. So, resolve now to be patient.

• Cultivate the enjoyment of knowing that you have studied and practiced well, of being aware that you are becoming acquainted with one of the most beautiful and personal of instruments and its music.

Interested individuals often ask which type of guitar is most difficult to play. Coppell Conservatory guitar staff, having studied both types, find it impossible to say positively which is ultimately the more difficult. Each type presents its individual challenges, especially as the student reaches the more advanced stages of playing.

The difficulty involved in playing either type of guitar depends entirely upon the extent of the student's aspirations. It is comparatively easy to play simple chords or melodies using either type, but several years of serious study are required to become an accomplished guitarist using either one.

For beginning students the Classical Guitar is likely more rewarding and actually easier to play. Melodic and full sounding short solos may be played after only a few hours of good study. The reason is that the Classical Guitar, played with the thumb and fingers of the right hand, permits the execution of widely spaced harmonies of two or more notes simultaneously. It is easier to play because the strings of the Classical Guitar are softer and more flexible than are steel strings, resulting in less irritation of the left fingertips.

Which instrument is more difficult to play is a relatively unimportant question. The first consideration for a student is which type of guitar will bring the most personal satisfaction and will more fully satisfy the individual's taste.

[click here to read the Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ]