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PLAYING CLASSICAL GUITAR STANDING UP
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PLAYING CLASSICAL GUITAR STANDING UP
New York, Fall 2007
This is an idea that I had in mind for a long time. I played classical guitar for over 30 years asking myself how to develop a technique that will allow me to play standing up. Honestly, the curiosity came after viewing other performer projecting more holding the guitar the way Mr. Eric Clapton, Mr. Carlos Santana or Mr. George Benson does.
A good projection and communication with the audience is something that any performer enjoys the most. The feed back with the audience is like throwing a rubber ball against a brick wall and being able or not being able to catch it on its way back.
In 2002 I heard of a classical guitarist playing standing in Paris and also noticed his great success. But when I researched a little bit about a technique being created, I found absolutely nothing. It has been two years already that I am practicing different ways of how to hold the guitar. This is all you need to know. How to hold the instrument and how to place it on your lower chest. To start, all you need is a standard guitar strap and the desire to learn and achieve something new that will improve your playing and quality of sound.
The old fashion way of playing classical guitar sitting down, using a footstool will never disappear simply because it looks elegant especially when we appear in Concert Halls. A different story is when we have to perform in a party, or before a loud crowd of people (a festival or open space like a park) that normally will not pay much attention.
It brings tears to my eyes when I see a guitarist in a corner with his guitar and amp trying to entertain people that talk at the same time. It becomes like a pool of who sound louder, the audience or the performer? It doesn't matter how well we play, what really matters is the way we present ourselves.
In addition, by training standing up and then performing sitting down, every hard part of a particular piece becomes much easier. This is exactly the way I rehearse.
I am not saying that sitting down is in the past or in the museum. My advice is that by being able to play standing up, (considering that it is a bit harder) it helps develop a louder sound and confidence on placing the fingers on the fingerboard without missing a note.
All we need is a standard guitar strap. You will find a variety of colors and prices. If you have an Electro acoustic guitar it would be easier because we can secure the strap to the guitar neck (left) and on the endpin jack (right).
All the secret of playing this way is to find the best position when holding the guitar. The instrument should be placed in a way that not only will allow the player to move freely but also look good before an audience.
The beginning of the learning process is placing the guitar on your upper chest about five inches under the chin. This varies because every individual player will find their own way to feel comfortable with the guitar and free to move the fingers of both hands. Especially when playing bars and doing scales at the same time. This could be the most difficult exercise, but we all agree that practice makes perfect right?
Guitarist should start with arpeggios and scales in a very slow pace. Like anything new, the sound could be funny missing frets until feeling secure with the instrument.
It is very important to hold the guitar not horizontally to the ground but diagonally elevating the left arm a little bit. By doing it, placing the right arm correctly, will give the left-hand accuracy when pressing down the strings and placing the fingers on the frets.
A good tip would be for the player to start identifying the frets from the top using the marks on the fifth and seventh fret of the fingerboard. In case your guitar does not have the marks, you can do it yourself simply applying one drop of white out marker on those frets.
Very soon I will be able to display a video on Internet providing more tips and showing some tricks that will help anybody to develop this technique.
Until then, good luck colleagues and guitar friends all over the world. The best way to master it consists on performing before family members or friends. Pay attention to their reactions and comments. You will find a lot of helpful information through them and the best advice possible.
I would like to finish by sharing with you a phrase of Mr. Les Paul aired on a radio interview in New York City when the presenter asked him about his rules of playing... The maestro's answer was - Rules? what rules?
LAGUNA MUSIC & DANCE STUDIO - NEW YORK -- www.lagunaguitars.com
About the author:
A talented guitarist and composer from Junín, province of Buenos Aires , Argentina ; Horacio Laguna made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1995.
Since June 2001 Mr. Laguna appears regularly at New York City 's Public Libraries presenting a variety of programs that include tango, latin folklore, jazz, blues, ballads and love songs from around the world.
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