I have just started playing classical guitar, i bought my guitar yesterday it is an alhambra 5p, i wanted to hear your opinion about claasical positioning, i see most people use a footstool, but i bought one and i dont feel comfortable plating like that, i have tried many positions and the one tat i like the most is like the one Paco de Lucia uses, he bends his right leg over his left one and puts the guitar over the right, the thing is that he is a flamenco player, is that position correct whrn playing classical, sorry if my question is stupid.
Thank you.

My favourite position is the footbank position. You can actually use Lucia´s position, that´s also one for classical guitar. Another one is to put an extra item on your left leg, so you can place your guitar on it. But never use the right leg position where you hold your guitar on your right leg. It´s pretty useless because your hand has a worse position.

+1 for the footstool and left leg - I find this most comfortable for classical guitar, but to be honest, whatever works for you is probably the best as long as it allows you proper access to the guitar.

Footstool is a great item for electric workouts, during long session, I often needed one. So left leg and stool is the best way to go IMO.

I request more detail here.

1) Why do they play off the left leg for Classical?

2) I saw Pavel recommending practicing this way, at least for some types of play (skipped strings). It seemed to me to be more difficult, but also the guitar is positioned more like it is when you are standing up.

Just would like more opinions on this by Ivan, Andrew, anyone, wrt electric guitar.

Ivan, btw, really like the Macedonian piece. On my to do list, near the top now.

I prefer sitting in the classical position when playing, especially shreddy stuff which requires my posture to be as relaxed and un-restrained as possible.

When you put your left foot on a footstool and rest your guitar on your left leg, the guitar is in the right place, ergonomically.
Your fretting hand, your picking hand, shoulders, head, back - natural and relaxed. (Or so it should be).

I often use my right leg for quick guitar play, but I really shouldn't...

I recommend you do both!


Yeah: I know that it will throw you a bit at first.
When I decided to do it on a regular basis, I forgot how to pick and how to fret..
Everything was at the wrong angles, my picking hand couldn't pick and my fingers didn't know what they once knew..

Don't worry. I will all come back to you, and you wondered how on Earth you could have sat differently!

It really helps your playing!

Well, part of the issue is that a classical guitar is a lot deeper than an electric, so it sits differently, more upright, so you have to be more upright to meet it. Also, the neck is a lot wider, so it helps to have good positioning of the hand here. Basically, you can be a bit sloppier with electric, but footstool and left leg should work well for an electric as well, if you can get used to it.

Thanks, very helpful comment, tells me a lot.

I have played a lot of classical guitar in my early years and i never found the footbank comfortable. So i ended up to buy something like this:

http://www.xguitars.com/accessories/ergoplay.php

Playing classical peaces on a nylon string guitar often requires to fret the notes much more from the top as we are used on the electric guitar. On the electric guitar we have to mute constantly all the other strings.

Classical music on the guitar often involves playing parallel melodies. For this you have to fret what looks like cords with a lot of wide stretching.

To have the guitar higher and at around 45 degrees makes it easier to fret all the notes you want to fret and still keep the space to play empty strings.

What is the best position is of course a personal thing, but it is depending on the music you play as well. I have never seen a classical guitar concert where the artist had the "Paco de Lucia Position", as it's just not practical i think. These are just my experiences and does not count for nylon string guitars in flamenco, etc.. in general.

That´s the item I meant in my previous post. I never tried it. I am happy with my footbank.

When you put classical guitar on left leg and footstool, the guitar sits more firmly to your body, and you have more freedom for both hands. But if you put it on your right leg you have to apply pressure with your right arm to hold it firmly, so in this case your right hand is not so free

When it's about electric guitar, I use footstool as well but under my right foot, instead of crossing legs. You can see that in my electric lessons.

Flamenco position (like Paco de Lucia) is not correct for classical guitar playing, it is completely different kind of music, and limits the movement of right hand.

Hope this answers to your question

Footbank, guitar case .. whatever works is fine
Actually i didn't had the item on the link. Just found this picture what looks like the one i have, but it's the same principal.

Click to view attachment

Remember to position the guitar slightly to the right so you get good access to the first freet, it also depends on the size of the guitar and yor arms and body.