Guitar World

It was my pleasure to re-discover the music of Cheryl Grice Watterson recently. Cheryl rose to musical prominence in late 1970’s, starring in a Julian Bream Masterclass playing Albeniz Sevillia, and was awarded joint second place in the prestigious Segovia competition, 1981.

Cheryl gave up guitar in 1983 to raise a family, only to re-discover her love of music and guitar once again. Later she and her family  emigrated  to New Zealand. She very kindly took time to talk to me about her rise to musical stardom, retiring from public spotlight, and her joy of finding music again, to resurrect her career…

Cheryl, can you give us a general background of your early professional life, please?

 ”I studied the guitar from the age of 8 with Gordon Crosskey, and began to play 20 minute concerts at various guitar societies around Britain from the age of 12. My first concerto performance was Rodrigo’s Fantasia Para un Gentilhombre with a local amateur orchestra around the age of 14 or 15.

At 16 I was awarded a Scholarship to the Royal Manchester College of Music, and continued my studies under Gordon who was Professor of Guitar there. John Williams came up from London regularly to give Masterclasses to the students, and I also had regular private lessons with him at his house in London.

In 1974, when I was 19 years old, I shared joint first place in the Lanchester International Guitar Competition and later that year won the Allesandria Competition in Italy. I went on to give a performance on Italian television. I gave many solo recitals around Britain at this time, also Radio and Television performances (including the Black and White Minstrel Show!!)

I think it was in 1979 that I appeared on the Julian Bream Masterclass on BBC2, and the following year he invited me to take part in a televised lesson with him on French television.
In 1981 I took part in the Segovia competition at Leeds Castle in Kent, where i gained joint 2nd place.

I then married and curtailed the performing whilst I brought up 5 children under the age of 7! Though I did throw myself into teaching at the time which I found gave me great satisfaction. I love to teach!. Also I did tour with a flautist before emigrating to New Zealand in 1997.”

 I recall you took part in a Segovia competition in the early 80’s…What are your recollections of that?

“I remember the high calibre of musicians who entered! We were all in the same hotel and it was very hard to be confident in your own ability, when you could hear everyone else practising! My room was next to Paul Galbraith’s, who I saw recently in Adelaide. We were reminiscing about the event and were amused to realise that both of us at the time were feeling undermined by the other persons brilliant playing in the next room!

I remember Leeds Castle being stunningly beautiful, and the whole process a combination of great fun, and nerve-wracking performances. I was unfortunately underprepared for the competition, due to other important recitals in the previous week, including 2 different concertos!

During the competition, I was apparently the ‘favourite’ to win, but I have to admit had hardly looked at the final test piece, which was yet a 3rd concerto, and so wasn’t at all surprised when the 1st place went to someone else. In fact being so underprepared, including radically changing my right hand technique that year, I was surprised to have gotten so far in the competition in the first place!”

 Am I correct in remembering that a Japanese player won that competition,  who later cut the top of his finger off, so as never to play again, or was that a different competition? As best I can remember, playing pressures got the better of him…

“You’re right, it was a Japanese student who won. I think he was only in his 2nd year of study in London. He only entered the competition for the experience, and was not prepared to take on the numerous recitals that were part of the prize. The pressure became too much for him, and the story I heard was that he cut off the tip of his left hand little finger to avoid the dishonour of not keeping his commitments. I also heard that in later years he tried to play left handed, but was not successful in the attempt. But I can’t confirm this as a fact.”

Regarding the Julian Bream Masterclass, how were you selected to play in that?

“I think the Professors at the various Music Colleges selected students to take part. Richard Wright and Forbes Henderson, were also there from  the Royal Northern College of Music.”

When you look back at the masterclass, what are your main recollections of it? Were you in any way intimidated to play in front of such a renouned artist as Bream?

“  I was definitley intimidated! I was also freaking out that I would have to get up completely cold, with no warm up, and play Sevilla having sat in the room all day watching the Masterclass! They didnt stop recording between players, so everyone had to come straight up cold and play. So I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I was due to go up, and they called for a break whilst someone rushed off to catch a plane, and Julian had a short break - which gave my 5 mins to warm up thank goodness!

I was very nervous but it went really well, and Julians initial comment on my playing was brilliant. It was unfortunate that there were technical problems with the camera at that point which necessitated his comment to be re-recorded 3 or 4 times. Each time this happened his enthusiasm was a little more watered down.

I wish I could remember what his initial comment was! Sevilla was of course transcribed from piano, so a lot of the comments he made were about possibly changing the notation to fit the original score a little better, which was interesting.”

 What was it like recording with him? You were personally invited to do this after the masterclass….

“You probably mean the recording of a ‘private’lesson with him on French television? He rang me the following year and asked if I would like to take part. There was also a Belgium guitarist involved too. It was recorded in Paris, in a room where we were surrounded by mirrors (an interesting visual effect)and was great fun. Very relaxed. I have never seen the recording, and I have no copy of the BBC one either. If anyone out there has a copy, please let me know!

I remember the TV company originally placed me in a hotel used by ‘ladies of the night’, and rushed me out of there very fast when they realised their mistake. It was so funny. They were most apologetic!

I loved Paris, and the lesson with Julian was very helpful, as he knew what I was playing beforehand, and so we were able to go into quite a lot of depth. I remember it was a Bach piece, but I dont remember which.”

Interview part 2, where Cheryl relates her story of retiring from music, only to experience joy at her re-discovery of her love of the guitar and music all over again…

You took the decision to retire from high level performing in 1983. to raise a family….Did you continue playing guitar for your own pleasure, your families, or local events?

 ”I didnt play the guitar at all for 8 years. I felt I needed a short break, and was waiting for the enthusiasm to come back. Time marched on, and so I tried to play again, but I was all fingers and thumbs and hated the feeling of my unresponsive fingers. My muscles were atrophied!
I would pick it up for 10 mins and put it down again in disgust.

 Eventually I had the brilliant idea of asking a local flautist to work with me. We set a rehearsal date 2 weeks away, and sheer desperation got me through the first 2 hours practise (there was no way I was going to turn up for a rehearsal unable to play the music!).

Within 3 or 4 days my playing felt back to normal. But what I was totally unprepared for was the overwhelming feeling of love for the guitar and for playing music, which I had lost in the previous 8 years. I couldn’t understand how I could possibly have lived without it for so long.
I spent the next 2 or 3 years giving small solo and duet recitals with my Flautist, before emigrating to New Zealand.”

When you began playing again after so long, what kind of practice routines did you employ?

“It was hard to find time to practise with 5 small children, so I basically practised for concerts when they came up, and just played for pleasure when I had the time. No routine, just muddling along as best I could. It was easier to find time as the children got older of course, but then there were the dreaded teenage years! Its much easier now that they have all left home.

In addition to giving solo recitals now around New Zealand I also work with my trio, Trio Con Brio (violin, viola and guitar). We released our 1st CD 2 years ago (called Playera), and I have a solo album out entitled Un Sueno en la Floresta, which is a collection of Spanish and South American music. Both of which are available through my website, cherylgriceguitar.com.

The trio CD has a collection of duets and a solo piece on it, as well as trio music. I have also recorded a few pieces on DVD in Nelson Cathedral which will be put up on youtube shortly, and be available for purchase through the website soon.
I would like to get back into touring around Europe now, but could do with some help on that front from an agent….. if anyone is interested??”

I think most musicians need targets to aim for, when studying…Did you ever set any  practice incentives for yourself?

“My targets were always to learn new pieces, and perfect the ones I knew. I was never taught disciplined technical practise, and it is something that I have come to realise is not only very important, but is something that has been sadly lacking from my practise over the years. So I have recently set myself certain goals to improve my scale technique, and rapid shifts in 3rd’s, 6th’s. octaves and 10th’s. Which make the left hand technique so much more secure.”

Since you first began performing professionally, I think it’s fair to say the guitar has developed
considerably…Do you see major differences in the teaching of the guitar in society today to the 70’s or 80’s…Has your  own teaching methods evolved?

 ”The biggest change that I see is in the lack of popularity in learning the classical guitar as opposed to the acoustic or electric. I make a point of playing in schools and demonstrating the guitar as much as I can. Children here in New Zealand anyway, have never seen or heard a classical guitar being played before. And I am sure it is much the same around the world.

It seems to me that most parents think of violin or piano first if they want their children to play an instrument…. not the guitar! I also firmly believe that the guitar is the hardest instrument to play. Student’s progress is much slower on the guitar compared with say the piano, and so its harder to hang onto students once they find out its not as easy to play as they thought it would be! They stay when they fall in love with the instrument and persevere despite the difficulties.”

What was the decisive factor in choosing New Zealand as your residence?

“I wanted somewhere warmer, less crowded, and as far away from the possible consequences of a 3rd world war as possible! Somewhere also where nuclear power was prohibited!”

Is classical guitar popular in New Zealand, I remember John Mills moving out there also…

“Not really popular, no. John moved back to England a few years before I came here, I took on some of his ex students. There are a few guitar societies here, but its hard to tour when the music societies prefer to engage a string quartet instead!”

Do you miss England?

 ”New Zealand is very beautiful and very friendly, but I do miss the history and culture of Europe. I love ancient buildings, especially castles, and the history that goes with them.”

Finally Cheryl, what are your aims for the future? Your artistic goals..The music you best love…

 ”My goal for the future is to hopefully tour the world! Playing and meeting other musicians, experiencing different music and different cultures. The one thing I have come to understand over the years is where my gift actually lies. When I play, people are moved at the deepest levels. There souls are touched, and this is something that I find gives me the greatest joy in my performances, when somoene tells me how much their heart was moved by my playing.

I have discovered that my mission, vision and purpose in life is to ‘love and to heal through my words and my music’. So I still enjoy playing Spanish and South American music the most as I find it is a great vehicle for embuing emotion into my performances, but I am also careful to introduce ’salt and pepper’, light and shade’ into my recitals. It is important to have variety in your programme - there should be something for everyone. Also I believe you enjoy the ‘cake’ more when it isn’t the only course!! I do think that a lot of musicians fail to consider their audience enough, I have been guilty of it myself in the past!”

Thank you very much for your time, Cheryl, to talk with me. It’s been a great pleasure for me, finding you again after so long, and I hope soon to be rediscovering your talent!

“It was a pleasure.”

Cheryl Grice Guitar

It has been my pleasure to interview brilliant guitarist Daniel Bolshoy for my website. Daniel has appeared many times on CBC Radio, made a number of recordings, including Concert of the Desert DVD, performed solo and chamber music throughout North America, Europe and Middle East and also teaches guitar at Concordia University in Montreal.

” I started guitar lessons in high-school. I was about 14. I had taken piano lessons before then, but really didn’t like that too much. I think I was a really frustrating student for my piano teacher, too… I think she saw potential, but I never practiced and always tried to get by on talent… which doesn’t work, and makes for very long and annoyingly repetitive lessons…”

“I then went to the University of Toronto, and studied with Eli Kassner and Norbert Kraft. The were two very inspirational men. Eli is an incredibly generous and patient man, and he has had personal contact with so much of the history of guitar in North America, and he channelled all this passion so well. I love his teaching style, which is largely a sharing or a huge range of approaches to dealing with any issue. He’s not a dogmatic person at all, he would simply tell me what he took from various players, and point me in the right direction to look for more options. I always felt that he was open to what I was doing, too- and in that way he is a huge influence in my teaching style today.

Norbert Kraft

“Norbert Kraft was a very different type of teacher, he was very passionate about his view, and I always felt he could make a great case for it. He was a very convincing and inspirational teacher, because he really believed in what he was doing. So he was able to do unique things, and he was very a charismatic person, so as a young guy you wanted to live up to his expectations, and follow his views. He had a great sound, and a real devotion to musical phrasing and a romantic kind of approach to playing in general. He always pushed the boundaries of the guitar’s sonority, I was really influenced by this approach.”

Ricardo Iznaola

“From Toronto I went ot Denver, and studied with Ricardo Iznaola for four years. I consider him my main mentor, he is an amazing man. He is a great pedagogue, composer and player, and he thinks deeply about every aspect of his art. He was a great man to come to with questions, because he always gave me the most interesting and well though out answers.

I used to challenge almost everything he said, because I loved his way of guiding me through a way of thinking… I’m sure I must have gotten on his nerves on more than one occasion… he was the first guitarist I met who was universally admired by musicians who didn’t play guitar. He could coach singers, string players pianists and all with a deep understanding of the music and the style, repertoire, and pedagogy of their instruments.

As a player he was incredibly influential too, he could be incredibly passionate and cerebral at the same time. Which is a great combination, and you knew he was never self-indulgent or casual about his interpretations or about his technique, he really pushed all the boundaries and ignored all the stereotypes about how guitarists “should” play… He just taught music, and the technical procedures you needed to know to realize your musical intentions…

 
After Denver, I started to explore the competition world a bit, I had some success of my own, but I was mostly impressed by the young players I saw. There were these competition guys who just had it all together, and I learned a lot from losing competitions to them… These days the level is even higher, and keeps rising… so my admiration is for anyone who manages to handle themselves in these conditions… and the winners are often world-class players.”

On the point of guitar competitions, would you advise any student of yours to take part? Some players feel competitions have no place in music, but did you yourself find you reaped benifit, either technically or inspirationally?

“Absolutely. However, I recommend competitions mostly because they provide an excellent deadline for preparation. It is so hard to find performance opportunities for most students, and in competitions one can get real experience on the stage in front of a knowledgeable audience. And then, as an added bonus, you get to hear a lot of other great players- which can be very inspirational and motivating.

The secret is to have a good sporting attitude about them, you do your best to be prepared to win, and you must be ready to accept the outcome, whatever it may be. If you go in with that attitude, you can’t help but gain something valuable. The prizes are usually of only secondary benefit compared to that. Although, if you are smart and can build on the performance opportunities that come directly out of the competition, then that can be really great”.

Have you commissioned any works for guitar, or had works dedicated to you?

“I have, thanks to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Canada Arts Council, it is (or was) possible to commission new works in this country, and I took advantage of this opportunity many times. I commissioned some good solo pieces for tours that I did, and premiered pieces by composers who sent or gave me their music. I also commissioned songs with guitar, and music for string quartet and guitar. I am currently waiting for some new pieces too, and am always looking for new and interesting music.”

I feel the guitar has “vocal” qualities, like Pepe Romero, for example, brings out Spanish influence in his playing more so than perhaps Bream, who in his own words, quoting from an interview, plays Spanish music “with a Saxon accent”..Mikulka brings out the more Austere East European accent, and there’s Latin American players who bring out that idiom..Do you have any views on this, as to how or whether you agree this “vocal element” takes place?

“I agree that the guitar has vocal qualities, and it sounds like you’re also saying that there are nationalistic characteristics that players can bring out through their playing, which can also be true sometimes.

The vocal/human element has to do, I think, with how a player perceives the music. Some people don’t believe that the guitar can be a melodic instrument, so they might not be very inclined to try to play that type of music or try to develop a cantabile technique. Others are very melodically focused, and people that love playing Barrios, Tarrega etc… are definitely well advised to emphasize the melodic side of the music.

In order to do that, we practice the melody on its own, a lot. I am a terrible singer, but I sing all the time when I practice or teach (apologies to all who have had to endure this…) and then you try to emulate the phrasing and feel of the melody in your playing. That way you really can hear your phrasing, vibrato, legato, colours and timing. You want your phrasing to sound natural, like you’re breathing as a singer would, the vibrato helps to give direction and (illusion of) sustain to the notes, I often come up with insane fingerings because they help me connect the notes or lead the voices better, and I try to keep a consistent colour within the phrase (like it’s one instrument carrying the tune, as opposed to a colour change in mid-phrase, which would be bad orchestration), and finally, even the timing is helped by this, because rushing is a very instrumental phenomenon, while singing tends to slow us down, so even that aspect is helped.

When you learn your pieces that way, they can’t help sounding “vocal”. The nationalistic aspects are a different category, in a way, and it’s harder to define, but there is something to it. It’s easier for me to hear these characteristics in other instruments (probably because I know less, and it’s easier to generalize…). Being an Russian born, Israeli-raised Canadian, who studied in the U.S. I don’t know which nationalistic school I “should” belong to, so I just play…”

I liked your points about phrasing, and singing..Julian Bream said he became aware of a singer breathing while accompanying, and this helps him appreciate that phrases are just as important as the notes!

“I agree”

Interview part 2

Daniel Bolshoy

Is there any music you particularly enjoy playing, or what works are close to your heart?

“Everytime I prepare a new program I get very attached to a few pieces, and basically all the repertoire I perform is composed of pieces I feel close to, otherwise it would be very hard to put across to the audience. I realize that’s not a very helpful answer to your question though…

I guess the pieces I enjoy most are the ones that change the most in my own view, as I spend more time with them, or when I play a piece I like, and I don’t necessarily expect it to be a huge hit with the audience, and then it becomes that- that is always a nice surprise. I recently added a piece by Canadian composer Patrick Roux- “Aurore Boreale” , which was composed for Fabio Zanon last year or two years ago, and that piece always gets a lot of comments after a concert, so it’s very nice.

Then there are pieces which are a huge challenge, like the Assad Aquarelle, which feel so rewarding when they go well in concert (and require so many hours of practice…).”

For me, the best times with my guitar have always been discovering new things in music for the first time, like learning a new piece for first time…When you put up a challenging piece on your music stand for first time, how do you tackle it? Do you play the individual parts first, or play it slowly through, and try to get a feel to it, or even just sing the melody?

” I talked about singing before, and yes, I do sing the melody of various parts of a piece I’m learning, trying to get a sense of what I would like to do with it. I practice the individual voices a lot, because I feel that when I add to them (other voices, accompaniment, whatever the case may be) the piece should be enhanced. So I like to start from something and add to it, rather than slave away at a whole which I can’t grasp.

I try to make the elements satisfying in themselves, so if there’s a melody, I try to play that without compromise, and then add the accompaniment, or in a contrapuntal texture, I try to get to know the individual voices very well before putting it all together.”

What do you feel is the difference between a good guitarist and an artist?

“I believe that we, the audience, are happy to forgive a lot to someone who is committed to the artistry of what they’re trying to do. It’s much harder to satisfy an audience with good guitar playing- that often seems like the player has something to prove (usually that they’re “really good”) and that can be boring, because we come to a concert already accepting that premise.

An artist makes you forget that they are playing an instrument, that they are overcoming the obstacles of the guitar very well etc, they just communicate the piece so naturally and clearly to us, that we get the music, and forget about the delivery.”

I know what you mean…When engrossed in a recital I am not aware of things like technical difficulties, simply just lost in the music…

I studied guitar myself for a number of years. I developed a certain proficiency, to a point, but there was always a “line” or barrier, I could never cross, technically, which prevented me from developing further. I see it in others too, it’s like we can play the notes (well most of them!) but never develop to the point where the music, or guitar, can be simply an extension of one’s own soul..I guess I’m giving you my own interpretation of difference between an artist any a competent guitarist here, but I guess what I’m asking is…Where do we go wrong? Do we enthusiastic amateurs (meaning me of course!) get ideas above our station by taking on likes of Asturias too soon, perhaps to the detriment of development, not enough scale practice, or do you think it’s a case of not being able to put in what God’s left out? It’s like the feeling for the music is there, but the tools to express it are not always within our grasp..

“Oh, that’s a tough question… because I think it’s different for everyone who perceives this line you’re talking about. The last thing you say, is the easiest to address- if the feeling for the music is there, but the tools to express is are outside someones grasp, there could be many reasons why that person wasn’t able to develop these tools. Not enough time, discipline, good teachers, physical limitations etc… those are obvious reasons.

Other times, people are inhibited to “go for it” either because they don’t believe in themselves, or because they get too scared to be in front of people to perform publicly. Sometime amateurs love everything about the guitar, its music, its players, but don’t like the “responsibility” or the life of a musician, which can be too different. Some amateurs are great players, but they are satisfied with playing a lot of medium difficulty-level pieces for a short time, rather than committing to a concert program which they have to maintain and practice for a very long time, and perform repeatedly.

All of these things can be reasons for what you are talking about. Some people can enjoy listening so much that they aren’t driven to it themselves. I might feel that way about composition, I love the music, but I prefer to play it than compose it, and I don’t feel a hunger (yet?) to compose new works, even though I have studied composition, and harmony and have other skills which might apply.”

You mention that some players can become too scared to perform publicly…do you have any advice for overcoming this, to an extent, or are some people just so afflicted that it will always be an inhibition?

“Maybe there are some people that are truly too scared to perform. Honestly, I never met anyone that was that afflicted. Usually what happens is that under pressure, all the problems we glossed over in the practice room come back to haunt us… And we know it, too. So we become very scared, it’s the classic nightmare of having an exam one is unprepared for, I’m sure everyone had that dream. We know when we’re under prepared.

If we can get scared well in advance, and then prepare properly, then by the time the performance comes around it’s not nearly as scary, and then we experience a whole other feeling- excitement. A positive and inspiring emotion which leads us to exceed our own expectations and get a bit closer to our potential.

In preparation, the role of visualization is extremely helpful. Practicing the music in our mind, with all the details in place, I use solfege, and see my fingers (both hands) play the notes. When I do this, I know that where I get stuck, I need to review. If I can’t see myself playing the notes in my mind, I’ll get nervous when I get to that part of the piece in performance- so I go and practice those bits until the whole piece is clear in my mind.

I like to imagine myself on the specific stage I’ll be on, whenever possible. If you do all you could in advance, then the minute you walk on stage you can honestly feel prepared, and like you’ve earned the right to play, so now it’s time to enjoy it and not worry anymore”.

I am extremely grateful to you, Daniel, for being so generous with his time, and providing us with a great insight into the world of professional musicianship.

Please see also Daniel performing “Koyunbaba” in a previous post, from Concert of the Desert DVD.

Extract of the charming Valses Poeticos by Enrique Granados, played by Daniel Bolshoy

http://guitar.markantony.net/video/valses.poeticos.flv

Chris at Classicalguitarblog provides some hints at how best to tackle the issue of getting venues to play your guitar. I agree with his points about Nursing and Residential homes being good places to play to gain experience and public exposure. I also offer another tip;

Get Public Exposure with your Guitar

Turn up at a Hotel or Restaurant and simply ask if you can play for nothing, in order to gain some experience for yourself, also the possible benefit of your guests…Then, after you have finished playing, just thank them for allowing you to play, and leave your card with them, as in “if you ever need anyone to play another time…”

Ever tried that one?

The magic of the guitar sound, according to John Williams, is the dying away of the note…As soon as the string is plucked, the note is dying, only to be replaced by another note, until the end. The space between the notes becomes just as important as the notes themselves. It is this capturing of space, and time, that forms the essence of music. To express the in-expressible, can only be done with music.

These sentiments I think are underlined best in the work “Sakura Variations” by Yuquijiro Yocoh, played here by Lars Frandsen.

The age old problem of bass string squeaking….Some years ago, I remember reading that Julian Bream was on Radio Three early morning, playing Valses Poeticos by Granados. For me, no one plays Albeniz and Granados like Bream, for all his “Saxon accent”. Pure sublimity, and these Poetic Waltzes by Granados are a classic example…

I was keen to share my joy with my family, at this early morning radio treat, even to the point of tuning my Father’s car radio to radio three so he could hear it on his way to work. That night, when I asked him did he hear it, he said yes, most of it, until he got to work. Whilst attempting to wrestle with the incomprehensible thought of anyone simply walking away from a Bream performance of Granados, my Father assaulted my senses further with; “You could hear his squeaks as his hand moved up and down the fingerboard…”

For some while after this conversation, I was in a state of shock. Mainly because, if Julian Bream’s playing gets noted mostly for his left hand squeaks, ahead of his otherwise  majestic beauty in his  playing, what chance in the world, or hope for that matter, for likes of myself??

But then, many guitarists seem far less aware of string squeaks than those who simply enjoy listening. It’s almost as though we are aware bass strings squeak, there’s not much we can do, so we don’t care. Why bother? Why are we less aware? Do we listen less to our own playing, and tolerate this in other players out of sympathy? Are string squeaks less of an interference than fret rattle, or the odd muffled note, which we all strive to avoid?

If you listen to Bream and Williams playing duet of Ravel Pavane, you will hear some of the loveliest guitar sounds ever recorded. Interspersed with some horrendous Bream squeaks (yes, I do know it was him) I think though these days there is much more awareness of the squeaking problem, than when likes of Bream first took up playing. He never incorporated the avoidence of the problem into his studies. And that I think is the first stage of helping minimise the string squeak issue; Awareness.

Simply listen to various passages, and assertain where the problem is more likely to occur. And then perhaps look at the fingering, maybe making changes.  I read that Villa Lobos actually said string squeaks gave the guitar some character! Though Segovia had stated Villa Lobos had played using worn strings, less likely to squeak! The sourse of this came from a published interview of Segovia.

 Indeed, the music of Villa lobos often calls for the same left hand pattern employed up and down the fingerboard, such as in the five preludes. If you want to work on “squeak avoidence”, try working on some of those passages! Bill Kanengiser in his classical guitar mastery volume two has some good advice on this issue, which involves the lifting of left hand fingers and lateral finger movements as the hand shifts up and down, to keep noise levels to a minimum.

Finally, if all else fails, there are  available composite bass strings by D’Addario, as I talked about in an earlier post. These lightly polished strings are much less prone to squeaking, but in my view there is a side effect, to the detriment of the bass tone quality.

I thought I’d share my experiences with guitar strings with you. The consensus of opinion among most dealers is that quality has deteriorated over the years. With more brands on the market, which one is best for your guitar…

Arranjuez;

I tried these twice, one or more bass strings broke within two to four weeks, without a great deal of playing. These strings are trading on their name only. Avoid.

La Bella;

I tried their gut trebles. Fantastic tone, only problem was the top string shredded after the grand total of one day. I should say that this occurred some years ago, but I’ve never been back to La Bella.

 I read that Segovia used certain strings for one concert only, or one recording session, in part because of the lack of durability of the better sounding strings that he had come across.

Augustine;

It seems fitting to mention Albert Augustine, who made some of the earliest nylon strings, used by Segovia. Over the years though, these strings also have declined in durability, and the fourth has been prone to frequent breaking, many times after only a few days. The fourth string of most brands used to be the shortest string, making it subject to the most tension, therefore breaking all too quickly. These days though this problem has been addressed by longer fourth strings.

Ramirez;

Famous brand name for guitars, but what of their strings? I found them good all rounders, without anything outstanding. No real faults, yet no great tactile assets or sound either. Average I’d say.

Savarez;

I have not played these for years, the bass used to be fine, but a peculiar shaped third was a feature of these strings, which put many off them. After all, refinement of touch is a major aspect of playing, so any tactile negatives will be enough to see these strings off many players short lists.

Pro Arte D’Addario;

These have been overall my personal favourites for years, good durability, reliable mostly, good tone. They feature the EJ 45LP sets, which have lightly polished basses. This makes the guitars infamous “squeaks” much quieter. BUT, I do find a downside to that is the bass note quality itself. It is very metallic, and when ringing on, the note tends to make an unpleasant vibrating sound, which is deviating from the pitch of the note itself. Therefore,  a balanced decision is required for me, whether to go for a clearer sound in the bass, but also more prone to squeaking.

More on the subject of squeaks later

Reviewing the various string brands above, it is easy to understand why likes of Julian Bream used custom strings over the years, taking one string from a different set. Expensive though, for enthusiastic amateurs! Which strings are your favourites?

In some ways it’s better to start off with a less expensive guitar at the early stages. The richer sonorities of a high class guitar will be wasted when you are struggling to play a clear note, let alone think about tone quality…

Remember though, cheaper guitars are often harder to play because of the higher action over the frets. So a compromise needs to be reached. I myself begun playing with a Yamaha G67, moving on to an Asturias, and now play a Ramirez R4, pictured above.

It has been a topic for guitar students that Ramirez guitars are not made on their own  workshops, often the implication being that the famous guitar makers, whom Segovia begun championing  from 1912, are trading off past reputations….

To clarify, I contacted Ramirez on the subject of contracting work out some while ago. They sent me a detailed reply, stating that their student range allows young guitarists to experience concert quality guitars at affordable prices, but they cannot afford to make lower priced guitars in their own workshops. However, all guitars are built to Ramirez specifications and subject to the same quality control inspection. And the final, very important details, say Ramirez, are done in their own workshops.

I’ve always found Ramirez guitars consistent quality. Their student range is the R series, and E series. E is generally regarded as darker, deeper sound, the R being brighter. I chose the R4, Cedar top,  ahead of the AE. The latter being the only Spruce top guitar available in student range in Ramirez at the time.

The difference between the two in sound was quite striking. The AE, priced at mid E range, similar price to  top of the R range,  I thought terrific bass and middle voice, but the top string was just so weak and quiet sounding. My R4 has it’s “magic notes” mostly on the top string, particularly the C# and A. It’s weakness is third string frets one and two are prone to some fret rattle, if the string is plucked too firmly.

The Classical Guitar Centre Birmingham has a great range of guitars available for inspection before you buy. Another place I deal with is Stafford Guitar Centre. The latter has some good value Spanish guitars, and some expensive ones from English makes like Christopher Dean and Kevin Arran. How many of you buy guitars online? It seems risky to me, buying on trust without first checking the instrument.

One thing is generally agreed, though..Choosing a new guitar is a very pleasurable experience