Is a "spanish classical guitar" the same as a flamenco guitar?

Question

I'm looking to buy my husband a guitar. He has a steel string and would like to learn flamenco since we just came back from living 3 years in Spain. Can he learn to play flamenco on a Spanish classical guitar?

Answer 1

To answer your question: No. But they are similar in many aspects. The flamenco guitar is in basis a classical guitar, but with several different features that facilitate the many techniques used exclusively in flamenco guitar playing, and not classical guitar playing. Namely, left hand techniques (assuming that the player is right-handed) such as "ligado" which is the picking of strings with fingers on the left hand that are not being used at the time, thereby granting the player more elaborate harmonic possibilities. This is partly the reason why those not familiar with flamenco guitar playing often think, while listening to, for example, Paco De Lucia, Tomatito, or Rodrigo Flores, that there are 2 or 3 guitarists playing, when in fact there is just one. This is because the flamenco guitarist, using this technique and others, actually "harmonizes" with himself.

Of course, advanced use of this and other important flamenco techniques are only possible because the strings on a flamenco guitar are deliberately set much closer to the fretboard. Other differences between the classical and flamenco guitar include wooden, not ivory, plastic, or metal tuning pegs, and "golpeadores", which are basically protective plates set about the strings on the body of the guitar to protect the wood from the different kinds of slaps, knocks, and taps flamenco guitarists employ to create a percussion effect.
My advice to you is not to make this a surprise gift to your husband. If you live in a decent-sized town, you should go to a guitar shop with him and have him try out their selection. This way you know that he will like his new friend and that it will suit his abilities. Personally, I like the Guitar Center. Some people bash it because it's a "corporate giant", but they have a huge selection of acoustic guitars, many of which are real flamenco guitars from Spain.
Then again, this all depends on your husband's playing ability and his musical goals. If he's just a beginner, then I'd just recommend getting a basic classical guitar from Sears or Wal-Mart, since this will likely be a lot cheaper than a specifically-made flamenco. But if he's intermediate or advanced and is serious about learning Flamenco Gitano, you should be checking out nicer instruments, say, in the $800 to $1500 range. Of course, if you're really just rolling in dough, you should check out Conde Hermanos guitars out of Madrid. Many flamenco professionals use Conde Hermanos'. But even if you don't have stacks of $1000 bills laying around, you should still check out their website (condehermanos.com). It's pretty fun (that is, if you like guitars) and you can learn a lot more about the difference between flamenco and classical guitars there. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

No, they are not.

A flamenco is typically made from cypress with a spruce top. A classical has rosewood sides and occasionally a cedar top.

The flamenco is very light, the bracing inside is a bit different, and they're light as air. They don't have the sustain of a classical guitar, either - the thin top makes them sound very percussive.

A flamenco usually has tap plates (look like pickguards) glued on either side of the soundhole to protect the top of the guitar from the flamenco techniques.

A flamenco has much lower action than a classical as well.

Basically, flamenco players generate a lot more notes than classical guitarists and in rapid succession, so the flamenco guitar is designed to let the notes snap out cleanly without overrunning the next notes.

But no, he can certainly learn to play the style on any guitar. The techniques can be practiced on either instrument. It will just be difficult to sound authentic.

Answer 3

No, Flamenco Guitar is just a style of Music in Spain. Classical guitar is completely different. Compare Paco de Lucia (Flamenco Style) And Pepe Romero (Classical Style). You will notice the difference.

Listen Concierto de Aranjuez Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo with both Artists that will help you to compare better.

By the way you will love that concert, the 2nd movement is AMAZING!

Answer 4

Traditionally, flamenco strums (called a rasgueados) are done with fingers, not picks. As I understand, steel-stringed guitars need to be played with a pick, so you can't really play "flamenco music" with a steel-stringed guitar unless you glue 4 picks to your fingers. :^)

So now you're looking for nylon-string guitars. A classical guitar has a wide-flat neck and generally has the nylon strings you'd need. According to wikipedia, the spanish-guitar and classical-guitar are basically synonyms so I'd guess that spanish-classical guitar and flamenco-guitar are basically the same (a lot of spanish-classical music is flamenco-style music).

I'm currently taking guitar lessons and have a nylon-string "classical" guitar and am learning to play spanish / flamenco music on it, so just so long as you get him one that has the 3 nylon strings and 3 metal strings with a wide, flat neck, you should be fine. (Wide and flat meaning 'in comparison to an electric guitar' ... hold them side by side and you should be able to see that the electric has kindof an oval neck, not flat and is -much- thinner / more cramped between each individual string).

Answer 5

Flamenco guitar is both Spanish and French, because it originated in the boundary of those countries
Spanish classical guitar can have some of Flamenco, but also other stuff.

Answer 6

Flamenco is a form of spanish classical Guitar. There are others

Answer 7

If he wants to learn flamenco - buy him a flamenco guitar, it will work best with the style.

:)

Answer 8

I like rock more, but then I play drums, so I guess I don't really count for this xD

Answer 9

They are both illegal aliens and they should immediately be reported!