Andres Segovia has had a profound impact on every aspect of the modern classical guitar from technique, to repertoire, venue, and even the construction of the guitar. And while you can?t take lessons from him you can learn much from the wonderful legacy he has left behind.

Learn From a pupil of the master

Although you can?t take lessons from the master himself you can take lessons from one of the great guitarists that studied under him. Christoper Parkening is one of the more famous pupils that studied under Segovia and he has his own, highly acclaimed series of instructional books for the classical guitar. It is called the Christoper Parkening Method.

Add the Segovia Picking technique to your repertoire

Segovia had a very unique way of plucking the strings with his right hand. While most of the classical guitar world debated whether a guitarist should pluck the strings with the fingertips or the fingernails Segovia used both. He had the unique style of plucking the strings so both the nail and fingertip made contact with the strings. Add this technique to your repertoire. It takes effort but is worth it.

Listen to his recordings with the ears of a musician

There is an astonishingly large selection of recordings by Segovia and you can learn a lot from him just by listening to him play. But make the transition from passive listening where you enjoy the music to active listening where you try to understand what he is doing and how he is doing it. This type of listening can, in a very short period of time, dramatically improve your playing ability.

Read his books and studies

He has many publications that you can learn from including Diatonic Major and Minor Scales, Segovia: My Book of the Guitar, and Andres Segovia: An Autobiography of the Years 1893 ?1920. He also has several transcriptions that you can play including Andres Segovia Studies for Guitar 178 (Estudios fur Gitarre), and his transcription that is considered to be one of the finest guitar transcriptions ever written 20 Studies for the Guitar. Mastery of these 20 pieces is considered to be the pinnacle in classical guitar performance and ability.

Take the Segovia Approach

One of the most important lessons you can learn from the master is that of constant questioning and improvement in all aspects of the guitar. This is something he spent a lifetime pursuing and you should do this too. Always make strides in your playing, your performance, and your technique. And don?t pay too much attention to what is normal. It is through this foresight and courage to break new ground that Segovia rises above all others and this is a lesson that you can truly get a great benefit from.

While you may never be the next Andres Segovia you can dramatically improve your guitar playing by reading about and listening to the legacy that he left for us all to enjoy and emulate.

In a world that isn’t going to slow down, do something special for yourself and learn how to play classical guitar. Here is a perspective on this beautiful instrument.The classical guitar is an instrument that takes years to master. And this mastery never truly ends because it is something that will slowly grow over the full course of your lifetime. And this long-term approach is not a liability to the instrument it is an overpowering asset.We live in a world of instant gratification where we get our food, our movies, our news, and practically everything else almost instantaneously. We are programmed to believe that faster is better and that the instant reward is the best reward. The classical guitar goes against all of this and penetrates straight to the heart of what being a human being is all about. It is all about the slow development of a person over the course of decades.Much like the slow and gentle music that comes from the classical guitar so will you also be changed in a slow and gentle way. Over the years the classical guitar will be there as a companion to guide you through the changes in your life and the changes in your musical taste. This is because, much like a chameleon, it is an instrument of profound depth and variety of play. It can be comfortably played as a solo instrument, as the lead instrument in an ensemble, or as a back up instrument. And it crosses all of the genres of music; easily expressing itself, and yourself, in rock, blues, classical, spanish, flamenco, pop, or any other genre you wish to explore.There are also many less philosophical benefits such as that you will improve your eye to hand coordination, your ability to hear and appreciate music, and a new language (reading music). But don’t think of these things as goals or obstacles. They are benefits that will come to you over the course of time as you explore the possibilities of the classical guitar.I recommend you don’t run out and buy a classical guitar right away. This goes counter to the message that I am trying to convey about this instrument. I suggest you just think about it for a few days or even a few weeks. Get a classical guitar CD from the library and give it a listen. After you have let the thought of what the guitar can do for you and how it can enrich your life then go out and get one. It will be something that will bring you enormous joy for the full course of your life.

About the Author

Will Kalif has had a classical guitar as his companion for the last twenty-five years. If you would like to learn how to play or would like to hear his playing visit his website at:
The Classical Guitarist