Classical
> Guitar
Musical Period |
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- It is an acoustic instrument. The sound of the plucked string is amplified by the soundboard of the guitar which acts as a resonator.
- It has six strings. A few classical guitars have eight or more strings to expand the bass range, and to expand the repertoire of the guitar.
- The three treble strings are made from nylon, as opposed to the metal strings found on other acoustic guitars. Nylon strings also have a much loWer tension than steel strings, as do the predecesors to nylon strings, gut strings (made from ox gut). The loWer three strings ('bass strings') are wound with metal, commonly silver plated copper.
- Because of the low tension of the strings the neck can be made entirely of wood, not requiring a steel truss rod.
- The interior bracing of the sound board can be lighter, because of the low tension of the strings. This can allow for more complex tonal qualities. A common classical guitar bracing pattern is the fan bracing. A center spruce brace is glued on the inside of the soundboard along the center line of the guitar to just before the bridge. Additional braces fan out on ether side of the first brace.
- A typical modern six-string classical guitar has a width of 48-54 mm at the nut, compared to around 42 mm for a modern electric guitar design. The classical fingerboard is normally flat and without inlays, whereas the steel string fingerboard has a slight radius and inlays.
- Classical guitarists use their dominant hand fingers to pluck the strings. Players shape their fingernails, much the way a clarinetist will shape their reed to achieve a desired tone.
- Strumming is a less common technique in classical guitar, and is often referred to by the Spanish term "rasgueo", or for strumming patterns "rasgueado", and utilises the backs of the fingernails. Rasgueado is integral to Flamenco guitar.
- Tuning pegs (or "keys") at the head the fingerboard of a classical guitar point backwards (towards the player when the guitar is in playing position; perpendicular to the plane of the fretboard). This is in contrast to a traditional steel-string guitar design, in which the tuning pegs point outward (up and down from playing position; parallel to the plane of the fretboard).
