What identifies a classical guitar?

Classical guitars have a different make up than regular guitars.
They have six strings, with the bass strings made of nylon wrapped
in brass wire and the treble strings made from nylon. The wooden body
of the guitar is symmetrical. It has no
electronics.

A classical guitarist is not just a person who plays classical
music. It is also important the way she plays. A classical
guitarist plucks the strings with the fingers from the right hand
and doesn’t use any pick. There are also some things about
the position of her body that make a classical guitarist different
from other guitarists.

How We Start Learning.

The best way to learn classical guitar is definitely a private teacher. He/she will
give you personal attention and teach you all the technical
points of posture and hand position better than any other methods.
You can learn classical guitar from  a book as well, but it will
take longer and you may develop bad habits that are more
difficult to break after a long time.

The main disadvantage about taking up private lessons to learn classical
guitar is that they cost $25-$50 an hour. A solution could be to find
a teacher that teaches group lessons to 5-6 students at once. This
way you will pay less, and benefit from observing your
classmates. You can take up private lessons later if you feel the need.
 

Finding a Teacher.

Qualifications: Is he/she a performer as well? What kind of
degree do they have? What is their teaching experience, in years
and number of successful students? Are the students satisfied with their
lessons? Does he/she specializes in teaching classical guitar only?
Although these questions don’t necessarily show
whether he/she is a good teacher, you can use this information
in your decision on whether you can learn classical guitar from them.

Approach to study.

The teacher should be able to clearly
explain what you will actually learn from your lessons. If you really
want to learn classical guitar, you will surely identify a teacher who
seems to provide simple entertainment most of the lesson, one that just points
out your mistakes and gives assignments or cannot provide much advice other
than to practice harder. Be careful not to selecte a teacher who does not take
immediate and firm measures to correct any painful conditions that
you might encounter.

Some general advice, try to find a tutor whose skills you
believe in and give your best effort to learn classical guitar from him/her.
After several lessons, evaluate whether you are actually progressing – you
should actually get what you’re paying for.

Even though a professional guitar teacher is the best way to learn
classical guitar, you may choose other methods as well. If you don’t have enough
time or can’t afford private lessons, a book can also help. If you are
serious about playing, you should be able to learn classical guitar
from a well-written and informative book.