Classical Guitar Approach vs. Fingerstyle Steel String

\Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 08:23:36 -0400
Subject: classical vs. fingerstyle

Hi,

Greetings George,

First, great website!
I am learning to play classical guitar. Actually, I'm relearning in my retirement after not playing for about 30 years! I would like to play "As Time Goes By" at my daughter's wedding but can only find sheet music for it in fingerstyle. Question: Will I be able to play fingerstyle music with my classical guitar skills (assuming my classical guitar skills are up to it)? What really is the difference between fingerstyle and classical guitar?

Yes, fingerstyle guitar is essentially utilizing your fingers to play...and the classical guitar approach is also synonymous to fingerstyle guitar. Only you normally only hear the reference fingerstyle as applied to steel string acoustic guitar. Classical guitar technique and approach is essentially fingerstyle guitar. Thus, you should have no problem learning "As Time Goes By" in a fingerstyle approach. If this is the Chicago song, of which I used to play many years ago, my suggestion would be to keep in simple. Essentially, this piece only requires that you play a maj7 chord with a walking bass line that moves downward...and the chords will then shift accrodingly. If I remember right, it starts off with either an Fmaj7 or a G maj7...then walks down to a minor chord such as Am or if using the Gmaj7 form, a Bm. It's an arpeggiation that just slowly plays the chord notes one at a time forwards then backwards. This piece can be played either with a flatpick or in a fingerstyle mode.

Hope this helps,

Mickey

Thanks much!
Have a really nice day!
<<george>>

George Zinsmeister