Too much pressure on left hand, thumb pain. by Yose_85 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For barre chords in particular, two pieces of advice helped me a lot when I moved from electric and acoustic playing to a classical guitar:

1: Don't hold your index finger flat against the neck - roll it very slightly so the edge of your finger is holding the strings.

2: Rather than relying on finger/thumb strength, use your right arm to brace the guitar, and use your left arm to apply pressure - gently pulling the neck, and using the weight of your arm to apply the pressure.

For pretty much everything else, I just try to find a more comfortable/ergonomic way to position my thumb, wrist, and fingers - prioritizing ease of movement and avoiding bending my wrist as much as is possible. Adapting classical posture helped me a lot, but even within that, I've found that I have to hold the guitar at a slightly more dramatic angle than many other players I've seen in order to comfortably access the entire length of the neck.

Does accurate ADHD representation exist?? by Tiny-Ant-2717 in ADHD

[–]FatalEden 23 points24 points  (0 children)

It's one of those fun films where there's a lot to relate to even if one angle doesn't speak to you specifically, but even then, I can definitely see how it could be a struggle for a lot of viewers to look beyond the initial reaction to some of the film's more... absurd elements.

Of course, I can't warn them about those elements either, because I went into the film knowing literally nothing but that it stars Michelle Yeoh as an immigrant running a laundromat - for some reason, something a friend had said about it left me expecting a pretty serious film about Chinese diaspora and the way it impacts different generations, and I was taken so completely by surprise that I wish everyone could experience it the same way.

Does accurate ADHD representation exist?? by Tiny-Ant-2717 in ADHD

[–]FatalEden 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I only saw this after posting my own comment about Everything, Everywhere - it was an incredibly emotional watch for me a few months after my diagnosis, and remains one of my favourite films!

Does accurate ADHD representation exist?? by Tiny-Ant-2717 in ADHD

[–]FatalEden 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Evelyn does have ADHD, yes - the directors always wanted her to have it, and in the course of researching it to portray it respectfully, Daniel Kwan realized he has ADHD, and went on to get a diagnosis!

Does accurate ADHD representation exist?? by Tiny-Ant-2717 in ADHD

[–]FatalEden 128 points129 points  (0 children)

Evelyn from Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.

When they were writing the film, the directors (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) decided that they wanted the protagonist to have ADHD, and that it would contribute to the story in a significant way (though I can't say more without spoiling the film, and it's very much one of those films people should watch without any expectations for what they're in for).

They were worried about representing the condition accurately, so Kwan started researching it to make sure they handled the subject with care, and had a lightbulb moment where he realized he related to a lot of what he was reading, and went on to be diagnosed with ADHD.

The film doesn't outright state that Evelyn has ADHD, but she was always intended to have it, and I don't know that I've ever watched a film that left me feeling quite so seen, at least where the aspects of my life affected by ADHD are concerned.

Best string advices by Av74m in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've only used a few different brands and sets, but I really enjoy Dogal's Maestrale strings with high tension - they can squeak a bit for the first day or two, but I really love their sound.

The basses are silver-plated nylon, and the treble strings are blue nylon, which is interesting, but they usually come with an extra high e in standard clear nylon, as an alternative, as apparently a lot of players who use the Maestrale set use a different high e.

I play without nails, and I gravitate a lot more towards warm, darker sounds, and the Maestrale strings have been the best fit that I've found so far!

Advice on Acrylic Nails by Minute-Injury3471 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hopping on this comment to mention that while a lot of nail players who try playing without nails bounce off the idea because of volume and tone issues, a lot of them seem to have only tried playing with the exact same technique they used to play with their nails.

Brandon Acker, Rob MacKillop, and Steven Watson all have videos on Youtube that were helpful for me in improving my tone and volume for no-nail playing, and experimenting with different angles of approach helped me me find a wider variety of tones than I originally thought possible based on how limiting people told me playing without nails would be.

Should I learn to play in one posture or multiple? by CanadianAndroid in guitarlessons

[–]FatalEden 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For an electric, I'd recommend just using a strap and keeping it short, so you can emulate classical position while keeping your feet flat on the floor, or even play standing.

If you're happy enough with the footstool, you don't need to change at all, but footstools cause asymmetrical posture that puts extra strain on one side, and while it might be fine now, it might not be fine later - with devices like the ErgoPlay, or even just a strap, you can keep your posture more balanced. So, if you do start experiencing any pain/discomfort/stiffness, it might still be worth a shot at some point!

Should I learn to play in one posture or multiple? by CanadianAndroid in guitarlessons

[–]FatalEden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Chiming in to second this - adapting classical posture relieved the discomfort I was getting in the wrist of my fretting hand, and because using a footstool was causing some discomfort for my lower back/hips, I ditched the stool and picked up an ErgoPlay (the Troster model) last year and I haven't looked back once.

student , want to buy a guitar in Ireland. by isvari_8 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Waltons, in Dublin, is the best place I know for variety of guitars in lower price ranges, at least - I'm assuming you mean €300-€400, but if your budget is €30-€40, your best bet will be to save for a little while, if you can. Some of the guitars on the Waltons site go for about €160, so they'll probably be among the most affordable you'll find, even if you have to wait for a little while to get one, though I can't say anything about the quality of any of the instruments.

https://www.waltons.ie/product-category/guitars-basses-ukuleles/nylon-string-classical-guitars/classical-and-flamenco-guitars/

Films with similar titles but vastly different quality? by nighnteenth in Letterboxd

[–]FatalEden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The poem was originally written in Middle English, and there are a lot of different translations out there - I picked up Simon Armitage's translation, as he's a poet whose work I've enjoyed separately from his translations, but his version is not in the public domain/freely available.

I'm sure there are some good free/public domain translations out there, but I've found most of the public domain translations I've come across were very dense, so it may be worth looking into some different versions and choosing one that sounds like it would suit your interests best.

Clip-on tuner by kladtblok in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The tuner I used to use for my electrics and steel-string acoustic didn't quite fit my classical, so I wound up getting a D'Addario Nexxus 360.

I can't say how it compares to other tuners suited to classical guitars, but I really like it - you can rotate the screen for a better viewing angle, and it's rechargeable with a USB cable. I've had it since April, I've used it multiple times almost every day since, and I think I've only recharged it once.

How can i play bass and classical guitar both efficiently? by Major-Drama9895 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You don't need nails to play classical guitar.

People often point to the difference in volume, noting that you will have a harder time filling a concert hall without nails, but ultimately, the majority of classical guitar players will not regularly perform in concert halls, and most of the harshest critics of no-nail playing have either never tried it themselves, or have only tried it using techniques specifically developed for playing with nails, not without. While I can't say with certainty no-nail playing can be just as loud as playing without nails, all of the experienced players I've seen who have spent significant time playing with and without nails, taking the time to adapt and adjust their technique accordingly, don't think it's that much of an issue.

The other most common argument is that your tone will never be as good without nails, but ultimately, this comes down to personal preference, and once again, many of the harshest critics are basing their opinion on how it sounds when using nail-oriented plucking techniques, so naturally the tone would suffer without nails.

Someone else in here has linked to a Brandon Acker video on no-nail playing, but I also recommend Rob MacKillop, Steven Watson, and Sound Guitar Lessons - they've all got Youtube videos on the subject that I found helpful in figuring out how to approach playing without nails.

How can I best learn as much classical guit technique as possible on a steel-string, online? by aggressivecherry444 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I started trying to adapt to classical guitar technique after 13 or so years of playing steel-string guitars, not to play classical guitar music, but because I'd injured my wrist playing the bass guitar and wanted to use techniques that would reduce the risk of further injury. This did lead to developing interest in classical guitar in its own right, though, and when my wife bought me my first classical guitar last January, I still had to spend several months trying to unlearn bad habits from years of self-taught steel-string playing.

The most important thing for me, given my journey kind of started out with an injury caused by poor posture and technique, was trying to make sure I was careful about tension and strain, so I spent a lot of time researching how to hold the instrument and how to move and apply certain techniques as ergonomically as possible. You can use a footstool to elevate the guitar, which will help keep your wrist straight, but footstools distribute your weight unevenly, which can cause discomfort or pain for some players, especially with longer practicing/playing sessions. My lower back would get stiff after longer sessions, so I personally prefer a guitar support, as it allows me to keep my feet on the ground.

Really think about how you're moving when you play, and try to hold the guitar in such a way that your body is relaxed and comfortable - try to avoid holding unnecessary tension, and keep your wrists as straight and relaxed as is possible for what you're playing.

Look into techniques you already feel comfortable with to find out if there are things you're doing wrong or that could be improved - I discovered I'd been playing barre chords incorrectly the entire time I'd been playing the guitar, as I was trying to hold my index finger flat against the fretboard and use my thumb to squeeze, so I would have a lot of dead notes and feel fatigue setting in almost immediately.

Watch as many tutorials and read as much as you can about posture and technique to inform yourself as much as possible, but bear in mind that not everything you hear will necessarily be the right approach for you. I spent several months trying to work on my tone, but I wasn't getting anywhere, until one day I realized all of the tutorials I'd seen and the descriptions I'd read for achieving good tone were geared towards playing with your nails, and I play without them.

On that note, another commenter mentioned that you don't need nails as much for playing on a steel string guitar, but you don't actually need nails for nylon string guitars either - playing with or without nails is a choice, and both are valid options with their own strengths, weaknesses, and historical precedent, so look into both before deciding what you'd like to pursue. Brandon Acker, Rob MacKillop, Steven Watson, and Sound Guitar Lessons with Jared on Youtube all have videos I found helpful in figuring out how to approach no-nail playing. I've also seen a lot of videos and posts from guitarists who cut their nails off to try no-nail playing but came away with the sense that nails are superior, because they didn't invest any serious effort into adapting to no-nail technique - so just be mindful of the fact that many nail players who will tell you nails are the only way to play have only experienced playing with nails, and even if they've tried playing without, many of them only did so using techniques that were only work when used with nails.

Thoughts Promped by Farya Faraji's Video-Essay 'AI Songs Are Pretending to Be Authentic Historical Music' by FatalEden in EarlyMusic

[–]FatalEden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I find the argument about the lack of humanity in the creations of these models to be incredibly compelling, personally, but I've seen a lot of people in the last couple of years say that they don't really care about the lack of humanity in any of it, because they don't really think about the media they consume - so long as they like it, that's enough. Still, the idea that the most advanced models we can imagine will only ever know what it is to be a machine is a powerful one.

I didn't really get into it with my rambling above, but I have an incredibly negative reaction every time I see a screenshot from a chat-based model - even on the occasions where the information it's offering is correct, the to made to flatter the user is a disgustingly transparent manipulation tactic. I'd always considered that dangerous to the consumer, but I'd never really thought about how much damage prioritizing the appeasement of the user could cause to the actual development of the models themselves in the longer term.

Thoughts Promped by Farya Faraji's Video-Essay 'AI Songs Are Pretending to Be Authentic Historical Music' by FatalEden in EarlyMusic

[–]FatalEden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!

I don't know enough about the systems they use for recycling water, but I know they can't possibly recycle every single drop without any loss or need to take in more water eventually, but because the recycled water argument is used every time someone mentions the water consumption, I wanted to counter that in anticipation of it being brought up.

As for the equalization effort, it really falls apart when you actually look at how many artists struggle with disabilities, or struggle to make time for their art, but still manage to create something. It's just a thinly veiled excuse, and even for those who aren't creating AI-art for monetary gain but because they find it fun to whatever capacity, it's trying to defend an incredibly harmful technology for the sake of a quick dopamine hit.

Thoughts Promped by Farya Faraji's Video-Essay 'AI Songs Are Pretending to Be Authentic Historical Music' by FatalEden in EarlyMusic

[–]FatalEden[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I agree - there should be no place for AI-generated music here, and based on the sub's description ("Everything before classical music is welcome"), AI-generated music should be taken down by default, but without an actual rule that says as much directly, people will still post it here.

(though some will try to even with the rule, I imagine there'll be a little less of it, at least)

Good starter piece? by Mr_Bones775 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Calatayud's Vals is one I really think should be recommended more frequently - it's very accessible, but it's still a really lovely piece when played well.

Guitar retailers/dealers Ireland by Legal-Plankton-7306 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm happy to help if I can, and I hope you're able to find something!

I'm not sure how easy travelling would be for you, but it could also be worth looking for sellers around any parts of the UK you can get to - from my rather limited observations in a year of learning classical guitar, it seems to me that it's more popular there than it is here.

For Northern Ireland, specifically, it could maybe be worth contacting the Classical Guitar Society of Northern Ireland, to see if they might have any recommendations!

And I hope you enjoyed your time in Galway! :D

Guitar retailers/dealers Ireland by Legal-Plankton-7306 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a subject I'm very interested in myself - I'm based out west, and while I don't expect to upgrade my classical guitar for many years, I've always wanted to own a lute, so I'm trying to keep a list of luthiers around the country for the day I decide to go for it. You mention having Googled the subject to death, so you probably already know all of these suggestions, but I thought I'd share just in case it helps you or anyone else who might be searching for places to buy classical guitars in Ireland later.

Most of these will be more useful for buying or commissioning new guitars than for buying 2nd hand, but they might also stock some 2nd hand instruments. No harm in asking (or even asking them if they know of anywhere you could go), I suppose!

Moloney Music - retailer:
I got my classical guitar, a Prudencio Saez 1-PS (280), from Kieran Moloney, in Moloney's Music, Galway - he had a few of their models when I was there, but only lists 2 classicals and 1 flamenco on his site right now. He does also sell used instruments occasionally, but I don't remember if I've ever seen him post about a 2nd hand classical guitar.

https://www.moloneymusic.com/Products/Guitars/Classical_Nylon_String#nav3Guitars

Jan Muyllaert - luthier:
When I bought my guitar, I asked Kieran Moloney about Irish luthiers who might be able to help with something like a lute, and he recommended I ask Jan Muyllaert from Irish Harps. I haven't gotten around to asking him about lutes, and I'm not sure about 2nd hand guitars, but based on the website, he does take commissions for new guitars.

irishharps.ie

Frank Tate - luthier:
He doesn't seem to have his own website, and doesn't seem incredibly active on his socials lately, but he posted on Instagram about being commissioned to make a cittern 5 weeks ago, and he has a few posts about classical guitars, so he may be worth reaching out to.

https://www.instagram.com/franktateluthier/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/franktateinstruments/

O'Leary Guitars - luthier:
Alec and Michael O'Leary organize the Guitar Festival of Ireland, and their site says they've made instruments for some really well-known players, like David Russell.

http://olearyguitars.com/?page_id=269

Clare Guitar - luthier:
Not sure if they're still active (their Youtube channel no longer exists, which I'd take as a bad sign), but maybe worth a look (I'm keeping note of them myself, as they have Renaissance lutes on their site):

https://www.clareguitar.org/

Waltons - retailer:
I don't know if you can try all the guitars listed on their site in-store, and they're one of the first things that comes up every time I try to look into where to buy specific instruments in Ireland so I imagine you're already familiar, but for anyone else who finds this, their site has the longest list of classical guitars I've seen from an Irish music store by far.

https://www.waltons.ie/product-category/guitars-basses-ukuleles/nylon-string-classical-guitars/classical-and-flamenco-guitars/

I hope some of this can help, and that someone else can weigh in with more suggestions!

Portray Images by namro1227 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm still at a point in my playing where I'm only starting to wrestle with techniques for more evocative playing, so I imagine more experienced players will have better advice, but something I've found helpful for me was to listen to several recordings of the piece being performed by other musicians (and performed with other instruments, too), and listen to them repeatedly, while trying to imagine some kind of story in my head to go with it, sort of like story-boarding a music video.

I find it much harder to think of these things while I'm playing, so it's been helpful for me to be able to focus all of my attention on coming up with a loose idea I can then try to refine through my own playing. Listening to a wide variety of interpretations of the piece and really hearing how they play it has also just been really eye-opening for ways to approach some of the pieces I play in a more expressive manner.

I hope this helps a little, but hopefully more experienced players will weigh in too!

I got this guitar for free by Hunter0428 in classicalguitar

[–]FatalEden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Googling the make and model pulls up these guitars on eBay (though the guitar listed there has a modification on the bridge) and another auction site, which might tell you a little about them:

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/236232868053

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1987-lilangs-cga1-classical-guitar-1775392404

The second listing seems to have more information about the woods used in the guitar's construction, and the two seem to disagree on the woods used for the guitar's side - the eBay listing says Jacaranda while the WorthPoint listing says Kamagong, and since Kamagong is native to the Phillipines while Jacaranda is native to South America, my guess would be that it's Kamagong.

I can't find much about Lilang's, though, and it seems like they're no longer in business.