Last weekend, while listening to Classical Guitar Alive!, I did some blog updating. Today, while listening to the same program (and, later, some off-the-wall Beatles stuff.
I began by adding items to the Classical Guitar Stuff section...then I renamed it, slightly, because of some of the items I did add. What I have over there is of more interest to the learner/listener than to a music fan who likes the guitar...but then, that's what I am, a learner, so there you go. Anyway, the list now includes methods, music theory, scale and chord libraries, websites, books on learning the fretboard, repertoire, and more.
What I've noticed, though, is how things have changed since I took classical guitar lessons around 1976 or so. Of course, obviously I have stuff that I can't link to, because it's out of print. So yeah, that's a change, of course. But I'm talking about positive changes. First of all, back in 1976 I'd progressed way beyond what I remember accomplishing: there are scribbled notes and comments in my Carcassi method and in my repertoire books, as you'd expect (and as I'd expected), but some of them are dozens of pages beyond what I remember practicing or playing. I was playing Sor, Carcassi, transcriptions of Bach and Rachmaninoff. Hmmm...well, that's kind of nice, I suppose, and reason for optimism as I once again delve into music theory and reading, scales, and practicing.
The other change is technology plus change in attitude. The old Carcassi method is still available, as it bloody well should be, and so are the Noad and Shearer methods. This is good: I hope they all stick around for many, many more years. But there's also new stuff out there, and both method and repertoire books are being made available with accompanying compact discs, which I think is excellent. And even beyond that is that I'm seeing books (both classical- and jazz-oriented) with music notation, analysis, accompanying CD, and tablature. I think this is fabulous.
You must understand, non-guitarists, that guitar notation has always looked unlike other notation: for one thing, the guitar -- unlike some instruments -- is easily capable of handling more than one note at a time, so intervals, chords, and the like are no big deal and thus make frequent appearances. But there are other, somewhat stranger differences, too: the guitar, like the piano, has quite a range, but guitar music is nonetheless written on one staff, unlike piano music, so there are plenty of leger lines required in order to represent all of the notes. Those unfamiliar with the guitar may also notice quite a number of unfamiliar numerals and wonder what the p, i, m, a notations mean. What you're seeing, there, is recommended fingering and fretting (that is, for both hands), or how to play that particular combination or series of notes, and it's pretty important on the guitar, since, again unlike the piano, on the guitar the same note can be played in many different areas of the fretboard (and on different strings).
And tablature was always regarded as being declasse at best, fit only for those rubes who couldn't read music.
But there's more to it than that. Yes, notation does contain more information than tab: rhythm and meter and dynamics, none of which is much expressed in tab, if at all. But tab tells you exactly where each note is played, with no interpretation required. Tablature, really, is just another way of presenting the information imparted by those numerals and the p, i, m, a notation.
The combination of printed notation, analysis, tablature, and accompanying compact disc is almost like having a teacher in the room with you as you practice. Add a small electronic tuner/metronome, and you're good to go.
Oh...uh, you'll need a guitar, too.
So, am I fascinated by the guitar and its place in classical music? Bet yer ass.