In this guitar lesson, Nate Savage takes us on a deep dive into Spanish guitar playing. The classical guitar (with nylon strings) has been a part of Spanish music for a long time and is highly recommended if you want to get the sound right. However, feel free to learn this lesson’s exercises on any type of guitar.
The techniques used for this style of playing are quite different from the standard contemporary techniques you may use to play guitar. In Spanish guitar playing, you use your fingernails to pluck the strings. This means you’ll need to grow out your nails or use fake nails to execute these techniques properly.
Each of these three Spanish guitar exercises is progressive. Starting at the most basic level, it will get more challenging as you get comfortable. Try just one exercise until you get the hang of it. Take it as slow as you need to, in order to get everything sounding clean before you speed it up.
If you enjoy this style of guitar playing, be sure to check out artists like Carlos Montoya, Jorge Marell, and Rodrigo y Gabriela.
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