Why do colleges only teach Classical Guitar? Is it something good to learn and not chords or jazz or blues?

Question

Is it recommended for me to get to advance classical guitar?

What kind of songs will I be able to play with advanced guitar?

Answer 1

I know this sounds like a cliche, but learning classically will teach you the correct fingering and give you technical skills which aims to make you an excellent musician in any genre of music you choose to perform in.

When you are learning classically you still learn chords, and if you have a good teacher they should also cater to your tastes and throw in blues and jazz pieces for you to learn for fun as well as taking you through scales to improve your fingering (that's what they are for) and other technical work to improve your fingering. Steve Vai for example has excellent technique... and can play classically.

Is it recommended to learn classically? If you were my child I would get you to classical lessons until you chose what you wished to do with your own music, assuming you just wanted to play the guitar and did not know what style you wanted to play. So yes, I would say it's recommended, but remember it's a foundation so you can go on and do whatever you want to. You would not be stuck only playing classically.

As for what kind of songs will you be able to play... you'd be able to play any kind. As long as you are well taught, can read music, have good musicianship, you'd be able to learn whatever songs you chose. Metal, emo, country, classical... but be warned that Jazz is the hardest (in my opinion) to master.

If your soul sings in Jazz and Blues then I'd find a teacher who can give you both classical and jazz lessons. This would be the best option as you'd learn the correct techniques and get a great foundation to play anything, plus you'd get Jazz skills from the word go. Again, if you were my child and you wanted to specifically do Jazz and Blues, this is the kind of teacher I'd look for.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Well, classical guitar is really in this different category from those other genres. With Classical, you mostly play solo, much as you do on many instruments which you can go to college for performance on. However, there -are- schools for those other genres. A bit of web searching will serve you well there to find one, if you wish to attend one.

With Classical guitar, you'll end up playing many things written for both lute (an ancestor to the guitar) and guitar itself. Of course, you will also end up playing many things for other instruments as well. There are arrangements of piano, clavi, harpsichord, and many other instruments' pieces. If you want to hear some wonderful Classical guitar, search for "Andrew York", "Matteo Carcassi"  and "Paul Henry."

Answer 3

OH if only I was 'CLASSICALLY' trained. I am a local acoustic solo performer. I do well playing chords and singing...and an occational blues riff...BUT BUT BUT!!! I look quite shabby as a 23 year self taught guitarist...next to another local soloist around here, Scott F...he is CLASSICALLY trained. He not only can get any gig I can get, but he can get the ones at the 'piano bars' and 5 star restaraunts etc for more money for his classical skills...and even in the local solo rock gigs...showing of some classical riffs always outshines all us other average guitarists...so HECK YEAH...get that training as long as you can...not one semester but 4 years! Just starting at one semester, may be boring, but you'll learn your chords...then just go to www.guitarnotes.com and get the tabs to your favorite songs and your own your way to gigging! Good luck!

Answer 4

Classical guitar is a good stepping stone to a lot of other styles, even if it's not instantly apparent.  Most colleges in my area offer combination classes, where part of your training is classical, and part of it is in folk, jazz, blues, and rock.  There was once an interview with Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls, who is easily one of the best modern guitarist, where she talked about taking classical guitar lessons for a while.  She creates incredible, frequently difficult songs to play, especially if you compare her to Amy Ray, her Indigo Girls co-hort who is self taught, and whose musical leanings are largely punk.  Amy is very good, as well, but the stylings are different.  The classical gives you a full range of the guitar's flexibility and multiple dimensions, and ultimately, in my experience, better skills to attack jazz, blues, and chords of all kinds.

Answer 5

Some community colleges teach various styles, even though it's listed under one title. Check with the instructor to find out what's really involved.

Answer 6

I've got a cousin that teaches and builds guitars, doctorate in classical guitar, specializes in Latin American classical,

but if you were to here him do a Jimi Hendrix tune you'd think Stevie Ray Vaughn was a 3 fingered amateur, and dont even get him going on the blues! but when you here him play his stuff theres no way to describe it, just wow!

Answer 7

I took classical guitar classes at community college - and we learned blues progressions as well as chords and scales.  The fundamentals are all the same.  There is also a jazz ensemble class for those who have learned moveable chords and site reading, so it carries over.  I know plenty of guitarists who wished they had learned site reading and classical right hand use.

If you want a spectrum of classical guitar capabilites check out the links...

Answer 8

Absolutely everything you learn in classical guitar will help you with any other style you play, but the opposite is not necessarily true.

What makes you think chords aren't learned and played????? Have you ever listened to ANY classical guitar?

Check out the samples at this link.

Answer 9

That's just how it is!