All About Double Tops
Classical Guitars (Buying, Care, Maintenence)
These two videos give a history of the double top, show off some of the materials involved, and talk about the benefits of a double top. It seems that the videos are more geared towards guitar builders, but it’s still pretty fascinating for the non-builder.
Read MoreRelating Movements
Classical Guitar Technique, Guitar Teaching
There are general guidelines to moving your hands correctly when playing the guitar. It’s always a challenge for a teacher to relate these unfamiliar movements to students. But there’s an easy way to do it: relate the movements to something we do every day. I’m going to explain a few things I use to relate […]
Read MoreMonday Motivation: Tamayo plays Sor
Monday Motivation
“If imagination resides in the mind, empathy is the imagination of the heart.” -Zachary Shore, in Blunder Today we feature Marco Tamayo playing Fernando Sor’s Grand Solo, Op. 14. I think he does a great job with the piece, but there are times when I want a bit more shape to the phrases. Still though, […]
Read MoreChristopher Davis
Classical Guitar Tips
cd@christopherguitar.net
Read MoreNews: Guitar Victoria Volume 2 Released
Around the Web
A while back I did a review of the Guitar Victoria method by Bradford Werner. General gist: I liked the book a lot, it’s a solid, modern guitar method. Well, Bradford has just prepped and released the second volume if you’re looking for a more advanced book. Click Here to get Guitar Victoria Vol. 2
Read MoreHow to Use Modes for Improvising
Music Theory
We’re going to step outside the normal CG realm today to talk a bit about modes and improvisation. When I first started guitar (electric), people threw around mode names and I had no clue about them. Then I looked them up and got more confused. “There are hundreds of scales out there and I have […]
Read MoreThe Art of the Day Off
Classical Guitar Practice Tips
One of the very first posts on the CG Blog was about The Six Day Week: taking one day off from practicing each week for rest and recuperation. What we do when practicing and performing is intense. It’s easy to get burnt out. So here’s three things you can do on your days off to […]
Read MoreMonday Motivation: Yates plays Bach
Monday Motivation
“You’re trying to hit emotions–you’re trying to move people.” –Derek Trucks My former teacher Stanley Yates just put a few new videos up. The footage was done for forthcoming DVD about building concert guitars by J.S. Bogdanovich.
Read MoreWhat Choice Research Can Tell You About Practicing
Classical Guitar Practice Tips
I’ve been reading a lot about choice lately. Specifically, I’m interested in how and why people make choices. And a lot of it has applications to practicing and playing a guitar (or any instrument). Satisfice for a While In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz spends a lot of time talking about maximizing and satisficing. […]
Read MoreAsk Your Teacher to Tell Stories
Guitar Teaching
In Sources of Power Gary Klein writes… The method we have found most powerful for eliciting knowledge is to use stories. If you ask experts what makes them so good, they are likely to give general answers that do not reveal much. But if you can get them to tell you about tough cases, nonroutine […]
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