Classical and nylon doesn't mean the same

Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 21:14:43 +0000 (UTC)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Size: 1,184 bytes

Worth commenting - I play nylon string guitars, and other instruments. I
do not play, and have never been taught, classical guitar. The thread on
'technique' doesn't really cover the fact that most classical players
who hear my nylon-string playing do NOT immediately weigh in and
criticise the totally wrong hand position, finger articulation, guitar
position etc. To the contrary - they generally can see that it's either
a folk, or a jazz, or a latin-modern, or a lute-like baroque style
depending on what's going on.
Where they would criticise me (but don't get the chance) would be if I
started trying to hack out La Cavatina or Recuerdos de l'Alhambra,
without doing it right. If you want to do classical stuff, learn
classical technique.
I know some people find the classical interest in a studied, formal
technique a bit AR but it isn't. At one classical guitar festival
several of the concert performers grabbed my steel string (and one even
produced a banjo) after a few drinks. And played fingerstyle, pick style
and the lot with as much skill as any pub warrior. And enjoyed hearing
non-classical stuff.
Just the same way I like hearing classical!
David