Guitarist.com

If you like Julian Bream...

2008-04-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

....listen to Ruben Seroussi playing Aguado on his Romanillos guitar.

But Can You Tuna Fish?

2008-04-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a website where you can test your ability to tune your guitar:

Tonometric.com. It also has some other fun musical tests. I scored in the 87th precentile for "adaptive pitch," which means I can probably keep my guitar in tune on a good day!

(That's a pic of someone playing an actual guitarfish, btw...)

4 million hits on YouTube

2008-03-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

Edgar Cruz playing Bohemian Rhapsody on classical guitar:

Williams, Bernabe

2007-10-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

Says here that John Williams bought a Bernabe this summer.

Julian Bream's farmhouse for sale

2007-09-22T02:25:00.000-07:00

Six-year-old guitar player -- rocks!

2007-09-09T23:43:00.001-07:00

Fingers too short?

2007-07-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard it: "My hands are too small. My fingers are too short."

Free Online Guitar Lessons

2007-07-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

First in Kent Murdick's series of online guitar lessons. Solid stuff for beginners. Free.

The new guitar with (almost) no soundhole

2007-05-01T23:58:00.000-07:00

Classical Guitar Study Group

2007-04-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

As posted on rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz.

Hello! A few of us guitar players recently started a classical guitar study group on

www.cgsg.info/phpbb

We have different backgrounds and abilities. Beginners are very welcome - we are putting together some information and videos to help people start out. Some have re-started after a long gap. The music doesn't have to be 'classical' - and we play it on whatever instruments we have (I terrorise them at times on my recorder)

The idea is to share knowledge and encourage each others' playing. The tone of the group is encouraging and constructive We take turns to choose (or vote for) pieces at 4 different levels. On the route to a musical rendition we may make some mistakes......which is often music to the ears of the others struggling with that piece. We are aiming high but know it takes time and help from your friends.

If you want to drop in and have a look, maybe join us, you are very welcome.

Free 19th-Century "Parlor Guitar" Sheetmusic Downloads

2007-04-29T05:10:00.000-07:00

Very nice old stuff scanned into PDFs. Check out this version of La Paloma.

Music and Violence

2006-09-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

A news item today suggests that playing violent video games affects self-control in teenagers. (Story here.) I wonder researchers would find if they studied playing classical guitar versus, say, rock ocarina?

A Nice Thought

2006-08-14T04:36:00.000-07:00

Four guys playing the theme from "The Simpsons." When you get to the site, click on "videos."

Should this be allowed?

2006-06-10T02:30:00.000-07:00

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performs Nirvana's
Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Muy Macho

2006-06-10T00:42:00.000-07:00

I don't know who this guy is, but John Fahey would approve. A great way of playing.

Pablo Sáinz Villegas wins the Parkening

2006-06-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

But what's up with that guitar?

Sting & Dowland

2006-06-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Rock star Sting (I'm a fan) has a recording coming out pretty soon that will feature music of John Dowland. There are some details on his website.

Lovin' Spoonful

2006-06-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Here's something you probably haven't seen in a while. Neat vid! (Click the pic.)

All you had to do was cough...

2006-06-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

...to get one of these lectures from Segovia:

'History' Teacher Gives Audience a Stern Lecture

From the NYT

"I don't like to be interrupted," says Richard Griffiths as Hector, the corpulent British teacher in the Broadway hit "The History Boys," explaining why he teaches behind a locked door. Mr. Griffiths as Mr. Griffiths doesn't like to be interrupted either. So when a cellphone went off for the third time during a crucial scene at Wednesday's matinee at the Broadhurst Theater, he stopped performing and glared at the audience. "I can't compete with these electronic devices," he said. "Now you were asked nicely by the stage manager," he continued, referring to the preshow announcement telling audience members of the 2003 City Council ban on cellphones in theaters. "You were told that it's against the law." This, he said, is "just disrespectful." Then he announced that he would start the scene for the second -- and last -- time: "I won't do it again. You've been warned." The audience vigorously clapped. Mr. Griffiths has previously halted performances in London for repeated cellphone interruptions, asking the transgressors to leave. At the matinee Mr. Griffiths left and re-entered to restart the scene with Clive Merrison, who plays the headmaster. This time when Mr. Griffith said, "I hate to be interrupted," the audience laughed. And even Mr. Griffiths couldn't contain a smile.

Do Be, Doobie, Do!

2006-06-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

When a student fails an audition, his teacher asks, "Have I failed?" Tony Morris of Classical Guitar Alive! responded on rec.music.classical.guitar:

Nobody failed at anything. You only fail when you quit. He needs to overcome his nerves, and the way to do it is for him to get his ass back on the horse and keep performing. He needs to regularly play his program at every hospital and old folks home within a 25 mile radius. And act confident. Acting is being.

To which I can't resist adding Vonnegut's comparative analysis of famous existential thinkers:

"To be is to do." -Socrates
"To do is to be." -Sartre
"Do be do be do." -Sinatra

Grace Like a River

2006-06-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Christopher Parkening's new biography. I haven't read this yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Pick & Roll

2006-05-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

Video excerpts from the premiere performance of Verdery's Pick and Roll for guitar ensemble, two violins, soprano sax -- and basketball!

Gotta Love It!

2006-05-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

If you want to be an expert guitarist, anyway. That's what it says in this New York Times Magazine article:

A Star Is Made
By STEPHEN J. DUBNER and STEVEN D. LEVITT
May 7, 2006

...when it comes to choosing a life path, you should do what you love — because if you don't love it, you are unlikely to work hard enough to get very good. Most people naturally don't like to do things they aren't "good" at. So they often give up, telling themselves they simply don't possess the talent for math or skiing or the violin. But what they really lack is the desire to be good and to undertake the deliberate practice that would make them better.