Doing classical while staying serious about jazz...

I am studying with someone who thinks that nails on any non-nylon string produce a sonic crime, and he hates it when I have nails and play electric. I have had a difficult time balancing all of the improvisation and instrumental technique for jazz and that for classical, mainly the right hand routine in classical, but also just learning and maintaining pieces. What are some strategies you guys have used (I know about breaking practice sessions into smaller, 1/2 to whole hour segments and focusing on one subject each segment, but to maintain intense focus on each instrument for an extended period has eluded me.)

Thanks for your advice!!

Chris

[randalljazz]

i play jazz on classical guitar (only), using classical technique (only). i don't, however, keep up the classical repertoire...

[fep]

Originally Posted by CC323

I am studying with someone who thinks that nails on any non-nylon string produce a sonic crime, and he hates it when I have nails and play electric.
Chris

He's entitled to his opinion. You don't have to agree.

Lot's of folks fingerpick steel, myself included. Classical technique works just fine on steel. Keep your nails short, just long enough to get the job done. If you look over my fingertips from the palm side of the hand there is only about a 1/16th inch of nail that is sticking up and is visible. I prefer playing classical with that length of nail anyways, I think that is how you get the best tone.. Just don't talk about electric or steel with that instructor.

As far as your question... I think the solution is good time management. I find writing a to-do list every morning is really useful.

[Sailor]

I try to keep nylon/classical, and electric/steel jazz going. Nylon w/nails, jazz w/pick. I find my carpal tunnel is worse and my classical playing is definitely suffering the more I play jazz w/a pick??

Sailor

[fumblefingers]

Originally Posted by Sailor

I try to keep nylon/classical, and electric/steel jazz going. Nylon w/nails, jazz w/pick. I find my carpal tunnel is worse and my classical playing is definitely suffering the more I play jazz w/a pick??

Sailor

me too, at least on the first two sentences.

do you mean that you have carpal tunnel syndrome on the picking arm?

if what you say is true, try giving the plectrum a rest for two weeks and see what happens. or cease all playing for a few weeks then bring in only classical for a few weeks and see how you hold up. then slowly introduce plectrum on top of the classical and see what happens.

[andy4297]

YouTube - Antal Pusztai - Wonderland Please watch this video

[fumblefingers]

that was a gentle and pleasant, if unexciting piece.

this is his son? wow!

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Originally Posted by fep

He's entitled to his opinion. You don't have to agree.

Lot's of folks fingerpick steel, myself included. Classical technique works just fine on steel. Keep your nails short, just long enough to get the job done. If you look over my fingertips from the palm side of the hand there is only about a 1/16th inch of nail that is sticking up and is visible. I prefer playing classical with that length of nail anyways, I think that is how you get the best tone.. Just don't talk about electric or steel with that instructor.

As far as your question... I think the solution is good time management. I find writing a to-do list every morning is really useful.

The problem is that he's my jazz teacher, and he simply will not teach me if I choose to use nails. It is frustrating because I enjoy classical guitar but my primary pursuit is jazz. Sometimes it feels like classical 'gets in the way', and it would definitely feel like that if my instructor refused to continue teaching me. I'll try the to-do list thing out though.

Thanks,

Chris

[fep]

How about taking a nylon string guitar to your jazz lessons? (That is actually what I take to my jazz lessons most of the time).

You could change instructors, your teacher seems unreasonable rigid for a jazz instructor... I've only had classical instructors that were that inflexible on their technique and teaching approach. My experience has been that jazz instructors are very lenient when it comes to various approaches to technique like finger picking vs. a pick vs. hybrid vs. no nails vs. nails etc.

[TommyD]

Originally Posted by andy4297

YouTube - Antal Pusztai - Wonderland Please watch this video

WOW! Talk about beauty - and excitement! The second movement looks fiendishly hard. What a knock-out piece!
Thanks!
tommy/

[TommyD]

That player, Antal Pusztai, is playing a Hermann Hauser guitar. That's one reason the sound is so brilliant.
T/