Okay. I've finally taken the first step to STARTING my guitar-learning experience.

Last weekend I brought my sister's old guitar, 3 strings broken, and case back with me. Other than the strings it seems to be in good condition.

First things first; I need strings. Today, went to the neighborhood music shop, Sam Ash Music , and looked over their WALL display of available strings. I'll have to string it myself since they don't do it there unless you buy the guitar there first. I'm not 100% positive they even CARRY flamenco guitar strings - I understand there are better or more appropriate strings for flamenco guitars than would be appropriate for, say, classical guitars.

The guitar has already 3 steel strings and 3 nylon strings but I believe that flamenco guitars have ONLY nylon strings. Correct? Can I even USE this old guitar or should I buy SPECIFICALLY a "Flamenco Guitar"?? Remember, I'm only starting so if I can learn the basics on this old acoustic guitar first it would probably be best.

I plan to string this thing myself and understand one can find websites which have the actual audio tone to which to tune each string. Not an EXACT "tune", I'm sure, but better than nothing for now. Do I need special tools to string the guitar? It seems simple enough but what do I know?

I had planned to take lessons from the wife of a coworker whose Masters degree is in classical guitar but she never returned any of my calls so I'm not 'persuing' her anymore. Maybe I'll get an instructional book & CD first.

Suggestions? Comments? Complaints? Criticisms? Condemnations?

MadridMan and his new/old guitar:

http://stringthis.com/howtostringu.html has a trick for keeping your strings from slipping.

I think most acoustic guitar strings are 3 nylon and three wound (metal wound around a center), like yours--but maybe it's different for Spanish guitar. My violin strings are all metal--some straight and some wound. I had to get the EXACT strings my teacher wanted--a particular brand name.

So maybe you should find a teacher and then get your strings (and get your teacher to show you how to string the guitar properly).

As for tuning--battery operated tuners are not very expensive. They are great, because they have little lights or indicators to tell you when you are too high or too low. I tune my own violin and then my teacher always retunes it--she's really picky and has perfect pitch!

You'll also probably want a metronome...you should ask your teacher about this too. There are little wind-up ones for about $20 at most music stores.

This site looks like it's all about flamenco guitar--maybe there's something there that will help: http://herso.freeservers.com/flamenco.html

¡Hola Hombre de Madrid!

I can help you out! I started studying Flamenco guitar when I was 14 and played semi-professionally for the next 15 years. . .
1) the guitar you have is definitely a NYLON stringed guitar (Classical), so YOU ARE IN LUCK! You just CANNOT play Flamenco on a steel stringed guitar (using your fingers instead of a pick). Of course, like anything, a good instrument makes things easier, but you can test the waters on your guitar. The main thing is to make sure the fretboard (where you press the strings down with your left hand) is STRAIGHT. Usually this is not a problem.

I highly recommend SAVAREZ strings. They are French (as I remember), and if you can get the yellow card, high tension, it is best, although I could only get the red card (medium tension) set when I was learning, and they do fine. Otherwise, ALVAREZ strings are cheaper and quite good. They will stretch like rubber bands when you first put them on, but eventually they will settle down and be tunable (about a week)!

Get a book on guitar chords, and learn the more common chords, major and minor especially.

Pay attention to hand position, it is easy to get lazy and form bad habits, which will limit your dexterity and speed later. Pay close attention to your fingernails, shaping them is basically an art in itself, but for starters, except for your thumbnail you should be able to just see the nail over the tip of your finger as you look at them with the palm facing you. You want to attack the strings initially with the flesh of the finger tip and snap off with the nail. This is very important to get good, crisp sound. Flamenco guitarists go to extreme lengths to take care of their nails.

By the way, the traditional flamenco guitar is constructed with the soundboard (front) made from spruce, and the sides and back from cedar, a light yellowish wood, and is a little thinner than the classical guitar. Mine had wonderful wooden tuning pegs, something rarely seen now. Personally I loved them and could tune my guitar by "creaking" the pegs to get the strings into just the right tension.

You would do well to find a teacher, as learning flamenco from a book or tape is murder. Next time you are in Madrid let me know and I can introduce you to a wonderful professional guitarrist who teaches. Also check out the school over Cafe Patatas in Barrio Lavapies.

If you have any questions you may contact me at martin AT 1stclasspinups DOT com. Be sure to put a reference to this in CAPS so I can see it above the spam!

¡Feliz tocar!
Martín de Madrid

In addition to what Martin de MAdrid has said,
there is a web site dedicated to flamenco guitar:
http://www.flamenco-teacher.com
Another interesting site is:
http://www.ctv.es/USERS/norman
The owner plays guitar and lives in Madrid.

Thank you guys for your suggestions. I've bookmarked the appropriate websites too.

Martín de Madrid wrote: These SAVAREZ or ALVAREZ strings, while NYLON, they're 3 "regular" NYLON and 3 COPPER WOUND NYLON strings, right? Or are they ALL non-copper-wound strings? It now has the 3wound and 3non-wound nylon strings.

Thanks again for your input! Saludos, MadridMan

Hi MadridMan! You will love playing the guitar I play (well trying to play!) classical guitar right now, but am hoping that I can find someone to teach me flamenco guitar next semester when Im in Granada.
So the first thing you need to get done is stringing the guitar. I will try to explain it-
-From the soundhole side of the bridge, insert the string in the hole, and then bring it back over the bridge. From there go around the long part of the string and loop it on itself twice.
-At the head, insert your sring into the hole of the tuning peg thingy. Be sure and leave enough string to wind it up at least 3-4 times. You dont have to wind the entire string though!
-Trim off the leftover string
-Now you have to bring the strings up pitch. I think it helps if you stretch them a little by GENTLY pulling up on the string at about its center a couple times.
-With a classical guitar it normally takes a week or two before the strings will hold their pitch. Especially with Nylon strings...they tend to slip and lose pitch pretty easily.

Now, tuning the guitar. You should really look into an electronic tuner...I have one and do use it. But, what I do most often is tune the guitar to itself. You can do this by matching pitch of the open tone (dont use a fret) string with the 5th fret pitch on the next lower string. The only exception to this is that for the B string, the 5th one, use the 4th fret on the G, or 4th string.
Does that make sense? It is easier to understand with a diagram. Im sure if you get a good teacher, or maybe book, they could show you how to do this. Its pretty simple once you understand it. It also helps to develop your ear.
Good Luck!!!!!
Kelly

I have an Alhambra classical Guitar and ive been playing for about two years I play every thing from Classical and Flamenco to Rock I use the same old classical Guitar strings as any other classical Guitar what you probably want to start learning is the simple G C Aminor E Eminor etc. chords later after your hand becomes stronger you go on to Bar Chords I definetly recremend a teacher because with out one it is easy to give up or it may take to much time so take your time to find a teacher PS even if you dont find a particular Flamenco guitar teacher you can probably find one which will help with the basics which are basically the same in Flamenco as well as other Guitar music. Good Luck and have Fun.