How to identify an acoustic or classical guitar. Classical and acoustic guitar. What's the difference? Choose your option

27.04.2019

Comparison of classical and acoustic guitar.

IN modern world make large number string instruments, and they are all intended for different purposes, even if they look similar to each other. Sometimes the differences between two outwardly similar instruments are much greater than, for example, between a fox and a wolf. Today we will compare two completely different types guitars. So, what is the difference between an acoustic and a classical guitar? (In fact, both guitars are acoustic in sound properties. It’s just that over time the name “acoustics” was assigned to the pop guitar).

Appearance and structure

Sometimes external similarities These guitars cause beginners to confuse them, but first impressions can be deceiving. If you examine both instruments carefully, you will find the following differences:

1. A Western (acoustic) guitar has a slightly larger and more massive body than a classical (Spanish) one.
2. Vulture classical guitar wider, for convenient movement of the fingers of the left hand. And Western ones are narrower, which makes it easier to play chords.
3. The “Spanish flue” does not have a plastic cover on the body (however, the acoustics may not have it either, so this is not their main external difference).
4. The neck of classical guitars does not have a metal rod (truss rod), which is another reason why it is much wider and thicker.
5. Acoustics often have a cutout in the body for convenient playing on the last frets (high notes).
6. The main difference is the material from which the strings are made. Classical guitars have nylon strings, while Western guitars have metal strings.

Methods of sound extraction. Sound

“Spanish flu” is intended for finger playing; a pick is used extremely rarely, since the softness of the nylon strings does not allow playing, for example, with a variable stroke. In the history of music, there are guitarists who use everything, from fingernails to a bow, but these are all isolated cases that should not be emulated. Nylon strings combined with finger playing give a soft and pleasant timbre.

An acoustic guitar is not limited in terms of sound production methods. Everyone is allowed to play such an instrument: with fingers, a pick, fingerpicks, nails, a coin, and anything that is comfortable to hold in your hand. Metal strings and a voluminous body allow you to produce a bright acoustic sound.

Purpose and application

Acoustics are used for playing different genres music, this type of guitar is popular among rock musicians, singers of chanson, blues and others. Loud metal strings Perfect for playing accompaniment with chords and solo parts. A guitarist most often prefers to perform standing, so special straps are made for this instrument that support the instrument in a canopy.

The Spanish guitar is perfect for playing classical music. Playing such an instrument is taught in higher education institutions. musical institutions And music schools. The guitar is used in orchestras and for variety performance. In most cases, playing the classical guitar occurs in a sitting position. At this point, the guitarist holds the instrument on his left knee, and under this leg there is a stand for a comfortable position.

Technique

For the left hand, the execution techniques are almost the same, but Western still has more techniques used. In case right hand everything is much different. Classical guitars most often use the following techniques: flamenco, pizzicato, bartok, tambor, campanella and others. All these techniques are performed with the hand (fingers), without using a mediator.

Acoustic prefers: chord technique, picking, finger/fingerstyle, slap, tapping, piano technique, rasgueado, etc.

Recording notes for guitar and tablature

My subscribers often ask me if my tabs and notes of songs for guitar are suitable for classical music if I perform them on an acoustic guitar. In terms of writing notes for guitar, notations, and tabs, there is no difference between acoustic and classical guitars. Everything is the same. The differences are primarily related to sound. For example, in my transcriptions such as Behind Blue Eyes or B last autumn and some others, there is a game of combat. Nylon strings are not intended for strumming, so the sound will be less bright than metal strings.

Another nuance is the width of the neck. On an acoustic, the neck is narrower, and some chords will be easier to play than on a classical one, because the strings are located closer to each other. But there is also another side to the coin. On an acoustic guitar, due to the proximity of the strings to each other, it happens that the fingers muffle the sound of the adjacent string, touching it. The classical guitar does not have this problem. The conclusion is this. Any tabs and notes for guitar that are on my website are suitable for any guitar, by the way, even electric.

Let's summarize. Both instruments presented in comparison have their own history of origin, their own special methods of performance, as well as differences in the method of producing sound. But at the same time, these two types of guitars have a lot in common. And in some cases they may be interchangeable.
Here you can download both sheet music for acoustic guitar songs and classical transcriptions by famous composers.

Music is that beautiful thing that makes the heart happy. It appeared at the dawn of humanity, when people learned to make musical instruments. At first they were extraordinary and easy to use. But over time, the instruments were modernized and became what we see them now.

The guitar is one of the most popular instruments. She can captivate people with her sound. Playing the guitar is an art that not everyone has. The most popular view This instrument has become acoustic guitars, which are too similar to the classical version. In this connection, many people do not understand how an acoustic guitar differs from a classical one.

History of origin

The guitar appeared as a musical instrument in the 18th century in Spain. Therefore, she was often called by the nickname “Spanish Flu”. This instrument did not attract listeners, since it was believed that the guitar could only be used for accompaniment. But over time, an acoustic guitar was made that was louder in sound than its predecessors, and won its place on the stage.

The guitar is a Spanish instrument that is made from selected wood. The craftsmen who create them are very meticulous about this process. It takes a lot of effort to choose the right tree. And in order for these boards to be ready for production, it is necessary to wait and dry them for about five years. Each part of the guitar is made from a different type of wood. No two instruments are the same; each one is unique. In ancient times, the strings of the ancestors of the guitar were made from animal entrails, which were stretched and produced sound.

Now there are many varieties of this instrument. There are two main types: acoustic and non-acoustic. Acoustic guitars are those that do not require an audio amplifier, but non-acoustic guitars require special equipment.

Varieties

Guitars are divided depending on the number of strings into six-string instruments (the most common), seven-string and twelve-string instruments. All of them are used for different types of compositions. The following types of guitar can also be distinguished:

Classic.
Just acoustic.
Electroacoustic.
Electric guitar.
Bass guitar.

How is an acoustic guitar different from a classical one?

The classical guitar is a subtype of the acoustic guitar. Appearance is probably the main difference between a classical guitar and an acoustic one. The photo showing both types of guitars confirms this. At first glance, it is difficult to notice, but if you look closely, you can see that the body, neck, and even the strings themselves are different.

The neck of an acoustic guitar is slightly narrower than classic version. Therefore, it is more difficult to learn to play this instrument. Accordingly, the body of the guitar is larger. It is very convenient to play such instruments by strumming and not by strumming. The strings are metal, they produce a long, drawn-out sound.

The difference between a classical guitar and an acoustic guitar is visible if you pay attention to the strings. The main difference is that classical instruments Most often they have nylon strings, less often - metal ones. Another difference between an acoustic guitar and a classical one is that classical guitars are mostly played for plays and romances. That is, they use brute force. The works of classics sound wonderful on it: Mozart, Beethoven and other composers.

This guitar is not designed to accommodate changing strings. If it was originally nylon ones, they cannot be changed, otherwise the instrument will simply deteriorate. Acoustic guitars, as a rule, have metal strings, and they can be easily replaced with nylon ones.

In a classical guitar, the emphasis is on the 3 lower strings, which produce high notes. But on an acoustic 3, the upper strings are important, since they are good for emphasizing the rhythm when playing strumming. This factor is significant and shows why acoustic guitar different from the classic one.

Which tool should you choose?

If you have a great desire to learn how to play the guitar, you need to decide which variety to purchase. The difference between an acoustic guitar and a classical guitar is small. But still, it is better for beginners to give preference to studying on a classical instrument, since it has a comfortable body and a wide neck. On such an instrument it is easier to rearrange chords, and soft strings easier to sort through. How an acoustic guitar differs from a classical guitar is not so important. The main thing, remember, to learn to play this instrument, you need to be a diligent student. It will take a lot of time to practice, but it will be worth it. After all, when you hear the first song performed by yourself, all past difficulties with learning fade into the background.

Eh, classics are also acoustics... There are many types of acoustic guitars, read them.

Differences:

Size - those guitars that most people have enough money for are dreadnoughts. Such huge banduras with a hefty soundboard. There are noticeably more classics, due to which they sound much louder with proper sound production.

The neck - on the dreadnought it is much narrower, longer, on the Western 1 in 1 as on the classic. As is customary, it is better to study in the classics. The frets are narrower, the distance between the strings is greater.

The anchor is in the neck, that is, the same height of the strings above the neck can be adjusted without much distortion

The type of strings used and the variability of tension - do not believe what they say that the strings are thin and cut your fingers. I have a baritone dreadnought with strings 17-64 in B standard, something somehow doesn’t cut it: D the dreadnought because of the anchor can be pulled in all the tunings that come to mind and the neck will not move, but with the classics you have to be careful.

Features of sound production. To swing the resonator chamber of the dreadnought, you have to try, at least with your fingers.

Resistance to various kinds of horrors of this world. Like any acoustic instrument, the guitar is very, very capricious. Nylon creeps, changes shape, etc., etc. at the slightest change in temperature and humidity. Iron is a little more stable. And the storage/transportation rules are similar. And, by the way, it’s worth following them, otherwise I have a Fender with an arched soundboard with waves. Because Zhenya is a genius, Zhenya did not remove the fender from the evaporator and battery.

The sound is classic with nylon, soft, but I can’t say more, even changing the position closer to the nut you get a more glassy sound, but still soft. Everything where you can pull the iron sounds bright, loud, but if desired, just as soft, the sound is more open, in my opinion. Here are examples of both soft and not very sounding, nylon is also included.

What's the best? Debatable. It depends on what for. If you need a guitar to scream songs with 3 chords - dreadnought and only it. Loud, bright, don’t stretch your fingers too far, the attack is all right.
If you study, then here big question Also. It’s easier to find and press notes on the classics; the neck is hefty, which accordingly simplifies half of the fingerings. The first month, yes, it won’t hurt as much as with iron, but after a month the fingers will already become wooden, both with nylon and with iron, so this parameter, as for me, is not very helpful.
I myself started my journey with the classics (oh, that same Honer Ts Ash 06, the first sawn guitar, to this day I take it where there is a chance that the instrument will be annihilated through a wall and drunken stupor), the flight seemed normal, but as soon as I switched to dreadnoughts and held a Western in my hands - I don’t really want to go back. Sometimes you miss soft sound, but it goes away quickly.

Although both are guitars, the difference between a classical and a regular acoustic guitar is quite significant. Let's figure out how they differ.

Main differences:

Strings
Tree
Method of attaching strings to the body
Neck width
Tool dimensions/shape
Strings

An acoustic guitar has steel strings with or without braid, while a classical guitar has nylon strings. Perhaps this is the most important thing in which acoustics and classical differ.

Naturally, the sensations when playing these guitars are completely different, nylon and steel strings also sound differently, which is why these guitars are used in different styles music. Nylon strings are softer, but it cannot be said that a classical guitar is easier to play. There are many nuances there, and any instrument will require long hours of practice before you start to get something more or less pleasant-sounding.

Iron strings are heard in popular songs. Almost everywhere. Nylon is used less often, usually if you need some kind of Spanish or oriental mood in the composition.

Of course, both sounds great, there are no rules. Whatever suits you best is what you use. Nylon sounds softer. Iron is more percussive and sounds good with strumming and picking.

Tree

Although some types of wood are used to build both acoustic and classical guitars, there are a few important differences.

The most popular types of wood for acoustic guitars are:

Sitka spruce (front)
Engelmann spruce (front)
Red Spruce (front)
Mahogany (used in both body and neck)
Entandrophragm cylindrical or sapele (used both in the body and in the neck)
Acacia or koa (front, back and sides)
Maple (back and sides)
Walnut (back and sides)
Cherry (back and sides)
Cedar (front, also used on classical guitars)
Macassar ebony (back and sides - rarely used)
Tasmanian Ebony (back and sides - rarely used)

The most popular types of wood for classical guitars:

Cedar (front)
Spruce - different varieties, but Engelman is the most popular (front deck)
Mahogany (front, back and sides)
Maple (front, back and sides)
Rosewood (back and sides)
Entandrophragm cylindrical or sapele (back deck and sides)
Cocobolo (back and sides)
Acacia or koa (back and sides)

As you can see, there are differences and this affects the sound character of the instrument.

Method of attaching strings to the body of a guitar

There are 2 main ways to attach strings to the body of a guitar, as well as 2 types of strings - with balls at the end and without balls.

Strings “with balls” are usually placed on acoustics; there are special holes in the body of the guitar into which the end of the string with a ball is inserted and then clamped with a special peg. The ball prevents the string from jumping out of the guitar body.

There are also nylon strings with balls, but they are not hidden in the guitar, but are inserted into the saddle. Usually nylon strings come without balls and are simply wrapped around the nut like this.

Neck width

On classical guitars this is usually 2” (50 mm) and above

On acoustic ones - 43 mm (1 11/16”) or 44 mm (1 ¾”). 12-string models may have a wider neck to accommodate all the strings, but these 2 sizes are the most common.

Of course, the width of the neck = the distance between the strings. The wider the bar, the greater the distance. Classical guitars have more. Therefore, many musicians love regular acoustic guitars, because they are more convenient to play.

Guitar body size and shape

There are many body types for acoustic guitars, we won’t list them all, but the main difference from classics is that classics have a more compact body than acoustics.

Of course, there are acoustic guitars with smaller bodies, but standard acoustic guitars are larger than classical guitars. This must be taken into account when purchasing a case or case for your instrument.

Also, when buying a case for an acoustic guitar, it is important to understand that there is no universal solution and a case for a jumbo and a dreadnought are 2 big differences.

Anchor

This is such an iron thing inside the neck that regulates its deflection. Acoustic guitars have a truss rod because steel strings create high tension and without a truss rod the neck will simply break. Classical guitars do not use a truss rod because the string tension is much lower.

Attaching the neck to the body

On most acoustic guitars, the neck is attached to the body at the 14th fret. Sometimes there are models where the neck is attached to the body at the 12th fret, but this is very rare.

On most classical guitars, the neck is attached to the body at the 12th fret. There are exceptions, but they are rare.

Pegs

The tuners on a classical guitar usually have an open mechanism, and there are special cutouts on the headstock for them.

On an acoustic guitar, as a rule, there are no cutouts; the tuners usually have a closed mechanism.

Neck cutout

Classical cutaway guitars are much less common. This is due to the high cost of producing such instruments. Making a stable classic with a cutout is much more difficult than without a cutout. Well, as a rule, access to the last frets is a requirement of a serious, experienced musician. Beginners don't need this.

Conclusions

Despite the fact that in lately The line between acoustic and classical guitar has become very blurred, it's still just two different types instruments with their characteristic sound, timbre and playing feel. All this affects the sound. Perhaps the most important difference is that these guitars simply sound different. You can't say that one is better than the other. It's a matter of taste. If you like classics, you want to learn to play notes, study spanish guitar, flamenco, romances, etc. - your choice is a classical guitar. If you want to quickly select your favorite song and you like modern music, choose acoustics

P.S. A few important notes that may help you with your choice.

The classical guitar is not played with a pick, but rather with the fingers, usually using the fingerpicking technique.
A classical guitar sounds quieter than an acoustic guitar. Accordingly, the acoustics sound louder. Because of the body and iron strings.
Nylon strings detune faster than iron strings
It's better to play acoustically
Acoustics have a thinner neck, which is more convenient for many
Acoustics suitable for more styles of music than classical
Acoustics have a longer neck and access to high frets is easier than classical ones.
Steel strings are less sensitive to temperature changes
A classical guitar needs to be tuned more often because its tuning fluctuates over time.
It is more painful for a beginning guitarist to play on iron strings. Calluses should appear and go away, after which it will become easier. The skin will become thicker.
Classical guitar sounds softer, more romantic, ideal for Latin music
The classical guitar is smaller and easier to travel with.

When potential students contact me, they usually provide some brief backstory about what brought them to the teacher. All these stories are quite different, however, during their professional activity I began to notice in them common features. In this article, I would like to dwell on one of the situations often described by potential students: “I really want to learn how to play the electric guitar, but I have a problem. I have never played an acoustic (classical) guitar, but many people say, and I myself have read various articles that Before learning to play the electric guitar, you need to master the basics of acoustic or classical. But I’m not attracted to acoustic or classical guitars at all, but the electric guitar is the opposite. How critical is the lack of ability to play the acoustic (classical) guitar in order to start learning the electric guitar?”

The fact is that the classical guitar, acoustic guitar and electric guitar are three completely different musical instruments, differing not only in sound, but also in their functionality. Consequently, they also differ in sound production techniques. To make it clearer, I will give a couple of analogies as examples. If a person wants to learn how to drive a car and comes to a driving school for this purpose, it is unlikely that the teachers there will offer him training in riding a motorcycle or a dump truck. Despite the fact that these types of transport travel on the same roads, they are still fundamentally different from each other. Likewise, people who want to take up boxing probably won't go to a Greco-Roman wrestling coach, since they are obviously two completely different martial arts. And if these statements raise virtually no doubts in anyone’s mind, then with guitars the situation is completely different.

Unfortunately, quite a large number of people really don't understand the difference between a classical, acoustic and electric guitar. Of course, quite a lot of people are aware that the above tools have little overlap. However, among them there are those who are convinced that you cannot start learning to play the electric guitar without learning to play the acoustic or classical guitar. With all responsibility, I can assure you that these beliefs are purely a stereotype and do not represent any informational value. Following these unfounded speculations is a grave mistake that will lead to nothing but wasted money and time. Where does this stereotype come from is the second question. Someone read it on the Internet, someone guessed it themselves, someone was explained this by a teacher who is either incompetent and himself believes in this nonsense, or is simply a scammer trying to keep his student for as long as possible at any cost.

In fact, there is not the slightest connection between an acoustic, classical and electric guitar, except for the number of strings (and even then not always). As mentioned earlier, each of these musical instruments has its own specifics and functionality, which impose on it certain features, expressed in the technique of sound production. That is, if a musician is good at, for example, an acoustic guitar, this does not mean that he will be able to master the electric guitar or classical guitar without preparation.

Differences between guitars in terms of sound production techniques

How does an electric guitar differ from an acoustic and classical one? Let's take, for example, such a parameter as the purity of sound production. An electric guitar, unlike an acoustic or classical one, is essentially a hypersensitive instrument, since in the vast majority of cases it is used when playing with overdrive. It is so sensitive that it requires constant total control over the damping of unnecessary strings. Pronounced dirty playing on an acoustic or classical guitar involves a direct attack of extra strings instead of/together with playing strings. With an electric guitar everything is much more complicated. Even if the pick hits the playing strings perfectly accurately, the extra strings in the absence of jamming will still resonate, which will instantly be heard from the speaker of the combo in the form of a heap of dirt and all sorts of overtones. That is why one of the main problems encountered on the path of beginning electric guitarists is clean sound production. On acoustic and classical guitars, such situations are also possible, but it will not be as obvious to people with undeveloped hearing. To learn to hear the resonance of adjacent strings on acoustics and classical instruments and the overlap of dissonant (dissonant) notes caused by collateral vibration of extra strings, you need some experience in playing these musical instruments, which beginners, of course, do not have. Consequently, your hands will work in a completely different mode when playing different types of guitars.

Obviously, you shouldn’t count on playing the electric guitar cleanly while learning only classical or acoustic guitar. This absolutely does not mean that an electric guitar is better than an acoustic or classical one - they are just different. But which one is better (or rather, it would be more accurate), everyone must decide for themselves, relying solely on taste (musical) preferences. There is no other way to answer such a subjective question.

On the versatility of teachers

The example with clean sound production is just one of many parameters, one way or another, interpreted in their own way when playing different types of guitars. And each parameter makes significant adjustments to the technique of playing these instruments. I personally felt the significance of these differences in 2003, when, having studied classical guitar for three years with one of the best teachers in Russia, Leonid Reznik, I was unable to master the electric guitar, having spent a lot of time on futile attempts to independently master this musical instrument. . Subsequently, from 2004 to 2006, I was able to take a full course of training in playing the electric guitar from one of the best and most sought-after teachers in Moscow, Yuri Sergeev.

In life, I always try to be wary of one-size-fits-all solutions. No matter how beautiful modern smartphones are, they will never record sound the way a separate good microphone will, they will never take photographs as well as a decent SLR camera will, they will not sound the way an adequate speaker system will, etc. d. No matter how cynical this may sound, in my opinion, the situation with specialists is similar. The more versatile a specialist is, the worse he performs each of his functions. This applies to both musicians and teachers. However, there may be exceptions to this rule (and I know people who have demonstrated this by personal example), but they are only possible if a number of certain requirements are met.

Of course, one of necessary requirements is the ability to play with dignity musical instrument. But, as you know, a good musician is not always a good teacher. In my understanding, the competence of a teacher lies, first of all, in the presence of a program for teaching him to play exactly the musical instrument whose lessons he offers. Let me remind you that under training program In my understanding, this means a whole complex of educational and methodological elements, the implementation of which is aimed at achieving specific results in mastering a particular musical instrument. It is not difficult to guess that since the classical, acoustic and electric guitar are so different from each other, then the programs for learning to play these instruments will have little in common.

Quite a long time ago I decided to connect my professional career with the electric guitar. Several years ago I managed to compose and skate my training program, which is the basis of my current teaching activity. Training program development in my understanding, it is painstaking work that requires a certain amount of time, teaching experience, a stable flow of students, collection of statistical data, systematic analysis of the results obtained, on the basis of which the program will be modernized, etc. etc. In my deep conviction, in order to teach on another musical instrument, without turning into another “universal” specialist in the bad sense of the word, it will be necessary to go all this way from the very beginning.

Conclusion

It is no secret that the work of a general worker is paid much less than the work of a narrow-profile specialist. Coincidence? No, rather an objective pattern. A boxer should teach boxing, an instructor with a category “B” license should drive a car... Absolutely, music and even more so teaching activity is no exception here. Therefore, if you want to learn the acoustic guitar, I strongly recommend that you contact an acoustic guitar teacher. If you want to learn classical guitar, look for a teacher who specializes in classical guitar. And if you dream of learning to play the electric guitar, then I am at your service!