Spanish Guitars
The Spanish Guitar
The Spanish guitar, or as it is more commonly referred to ‘the classical guitar’, is a 6 stringed guitar from a family of instruments that many would refer to as a string instruments. However, the correct term for this family of instruments is chordophones which includes instruments such as violins, guitars and harps.
Despite its name, the Spanish guitar is not just used for playing Spanish or classical music. It is used for playing a wide range of music, although its most common uses are for playing classical, folk, jazz and flamenco.
The name Spanish guitar doesn’t refer to the type of music played on it. Instead the name is derived from the design which was created in the nineteenth century by guitar maker Luthier Antonio Torres Jurado.
The make up of the Spanish Guitar
The Spanish guitar is made up of 6 nylon strings which are stretched over an acoustic box with a hole to amplify the vibrations. They produce a really nice sound which is much mellower than that produced by the steel strings of an acoustic guitar. The way in which a Spanish guitar is played is also different to other guitars, as the strings tend to be plucked rather than strummed, which again gives them a unique sound when played. They are typically made for people who are right handed.
Buying a Spanish guitar
As with most things in life when buying a Spanish guitar you’ll tend to get what you’ve paid for. If you’re sure you want to play a Spanish guitar then you will probably end up paying somewhere upwards of £200 for a really nice one. If at all possible it would be beneficial to take along an experience player with you when you are purchasing one. If you’re planning on taking lessons (which is highly recommended) then see if your guitar tutor is willing to go with you. The reason having a tutor for playing Spanish guitar is so highly recommended is that the plucking technique used for playing the guitar can at first feel clumsy and awkward. So having a tutor to teach you the correct technique and guide you as you play should be seriously considered.
How is a Spanish guitar different from an acoustic guitar?
Both guitars are very similar in construction; however an acoustic guitar is strung with steel strings which gives it a much rawer and louder sound when compared with the mellow sound of the nylon strings on a Spanish guitar. The strings on an acoustic guitar can also feel harsh to a new player, but this gets better with time.
Spanish guitars tend to be much lighter than an acoustic guitar, which tends to be both bulkier and heavier to accommodate the extra tension from the steel strings.
