Back On Classical Guitar: Sor’s Opus 60 No 1 and Spanish Study

I’ve changed the furniture layout in my room and one of the happy results is I sit a lot closer to where I keep my guitar. I say this is a happy result because I am by nature lazy. But now that I am closer to the guitar I have more reason to pick it up and practice and read some theory.

I’ve been practicing quite a lot in the last few weeks.

It’s a mindless activity to play scales or arpeggios when I am watching an old film on TV or the news or the odd sports broadcast. I just let my fingers do the walking across the fretboard and build up muscle memory. But I’ve also been more actively engaged in practicing technique and playing as well. So I am pretty happy about that. Right now I am learning how to play Sor’s Opus 60 No. 1 along with Spanish Study from Noad. I also play through my repertoire about every other day to keep those songs fresh in my mind.

Both songs, Opus 60 No. 1 and Spanish Study, are coming along well. I am getting the first half of each song down but the second halves are presenting a problem, especially the triplets in Spanish Study which may be beyond my current skill range. Even though I may learn to play a song I do not always do the extra mental gymnastics to commit the song to memory. I am inclined to do that with these two songs, however, because I like them. I don’t commit every song I learn to play to memory, just the ones I like. So there! 😛

Technique is important with any musical instrument, I guess. In classical guitar technique is everything. I am reminded back in the day when I used to play golf. Okay, I played a lot of golf. But I not only played a round I really did enjoy working around the practice green chipping and putting and hitting a bucket of balls on the driving range. I could fill up two hours with a bucket of balls on the driving range (I would take my time, check my setup, my swing, work through the clubs) and the putting green. I liked that as much, if not more, than playing an actual round.

I must say either I have gotten older (although I think I would still enjoy just practicing at the golf range and I have been wanting to get back to it, but I have no time because writing is a total time sink) or something because I don’t feel that way about the guitar. I was happy enough just practicing golf as opposed to playing. I would rather play the guitar than practice. I don’t know what it says about me or about the two different activities, but there you have it.

Either way, I am practicing and playing more classical guitar than I have been recently and for my money that can only be a good thing. I am not very good, of course, but I find it relaxing and enjoyable. Those are reasons enough for me to continue pursuing the music. I’ve included two links to YouTube of Sor’s Opus 60 No 1 and Spanish Study to give you an idea what the music is supposed to sound like…as opposed to what it sounds like when I play it currently.

But practice makes perfect! Or at the least drives you bonkers….