Playing A Spanish Guitar

The classic Spanish guitar, sometimes referred to as Flamenco or simply just the "classic" guitar, is not played in the exactly the same way as other guitars. The design of a Spanish guitar takes this technique into account.  While most guitars are designed to be strummed or, if playing one string at a time, using a pick, the Spanish guitar is primarily designed for finger-picking.

When finger-picking, the left hand holds the strings down in the desired pattern, while the fingers on the right hand pluck the individual strings. Such a playing technique can produce polyphonic tones with two, three or even four “voices” of music at the same time. To allow for this technique, there needs to be more room between the strings so that the fingers can comfortably pluck them. It follows that the guitar neck needs to be wider than normal.

Of course, it's not all about finger-picking - Spanish guitar music also incorporates a fair element of strumming. This strumming is usually done with the back of the fingernails and is called rasgueo. If strumming in a pattern, the term is rasgueado. The typical Spanish guitar will have a larger body than that of traditional guitars.  This is to produce more volume while the strings are being individually plucked. And with such a large body, when strumming, the resulting sound is usually rich and full.

You won't often see a Spanish guitar played while held with a strap. In most cases, the musician will be seated on a stool with the right leg propped up - perhaps on a smaller stool or on one of the rungs of the stool on which they are seated. The guitar is then positioned on the right knee and held in place by the right arm. This gives the guitarist much more control over the guitar’s position and provides for more flexibility in the movement of the right hand.

Spanish guitar strings are traditionally a mix of nylon and wound steel. The three treble strings are nylon while the remaining three bass strings are normally flat-wound steel. These strings have less tension than those on a traditional guitar, offering better vibration for improved resonance through the guitar's hollow body.

The body of a Spanish guitar is usually made from mahogany or rosewood; while the top, or soundboard, is generally made from mahogany, spruce or red cedar. This body is comparatively thin, so internal bracing is required to prevent it from collapsing under the strain of the tension of the strings. The quality of the soundboard and the placement of its internal bracing will be important factors affecting the sound quality of the guitar.