Do you play classical guitar - beginner needing help and advice please

[sparkler1]

I have just brought down my classical guitar from the loft, covered in dust.

My grandad bought it for me about 16 years ago. I never seriously learnt to play it, I only ever learnt to strum a couple of cords and have even forgotten those now.

DDs were really excited when they saw me take it out of it's case. It's made me want to learn how to play it properly now so that they can listen to me and even learn to play themselves one day.

It's really out of tune and I have no idea how it should be tuned to sound.

Can anyone offer me any help and advice please?

TIA

You can buy a tuner (like a little set of pan-pipe type things) really cheaply from a music shop - blow each note and tune the strings to them by turning the knob at the top of each string. Or if you have a piano or other tuned instrument, the notes you are looking for (from the top as you hold it, and going up in pitch) are E, A, D, G, B, E.

You can get teach-yourself books really cheaply from places like The Works, or again from a music shop.

go five frets in from the top string, and press on that string, the second string should sound the same.

keep doing that until you get to fourth string then go back one fret, strum that it should sound the same as the string below (5th) then go back to the 5th fret, that should sound like the last string (make sense!)

You have to tune to top string with a tuner or tuning fork first

you have to play around to get it to sound right

\link{http://www.8notes.com/guitar_tuner/\here's a top E to tune from}

I mean bottom E, but it's at the top IYSWIM

this thread has made me get my old guitar down again, i had lessons when i was 26 and gave up after a few years, it's fun!

\link{http://www.8notes.com/guitar_tuner/default.asp?sstring=e1\justfoundthis} it should get me by for now.

sorry monkeytrousers just realised it's the one you've posted

thanks for all the replies!!

we could start up a MN band!!!

the mumsnetters

frets? a what? I really have a lot to learn.

frets are the little bars that get smaller as they reach the big hole. they should be marked by little spots at 5, 7, 9, 12 and 15.

That's fantastic that online tuner. I'm all tuned and ready to go.....now what? LOL!

So you guys with the tips and advice...do you play?

learn the basic chords and start with the easy songs its fun! i haven't looked at that site, wish i had a computer when i was learning, i spent a fortune on books! you can also follow tabs online which show you where exactly to put your fingers

ouch! my fingers need to harden up for this. I'd forgotten how sore they get.

me too, my fingers used to be like hard skin and my nails are too long!