I want a book for playing classical…with a pick.

jp_nyc

jp_nyc

Kick Henry Jackassowski
A while back my fingernails started to crack and split. All the way to the nail bed. If I had a tiny jagged spot on a nail it would tear open on my sheets at night. So I had to cut my nails to the nubs and switch to finger style on bass. Today I saw a reddit post with a guy playing classical with a pick and I found out that Al Di Meola has been doing this for decades and I never knew because I’m fucking lazy and never listened to Al Di Meola. I’ve already ordered Di Meola’s book about picking technique. Are there books out there with tabs for playing classical with a pick? Not basic picking technique, I’ve already got that book ordered. I’m just looking for a book of charts.
 
There are flat picking lesson books for bluegrass, old-time, Celtic, country, Jazz, gypsy jazz, folk. I’ve never seen a classical guitar lesson book that covers flat picking. I don’t think they exist. Classical guitar is a discipline played with fingers.

I’ve read that flat pickers use typical classical lesson and song books for their fret hand, and figure out how they want to pick the strings on their own using knowledge and practice from the techniques in flat picking lesson books.

FYI you don’t have to use your fingernails to play fingerstyle guitar. You can use the tips of your fingers and the fleshy part of your thumb. Keep your nails trimmed short and use super glue, or liquid bandage, on any damaged skin or cracked nails.

Alternatively, you could try a set of plastic or metal picks that fit on your thumb and all fingers. Those are usually for bluegrass players, but could be adapted for classical.
 
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You might want to invest in a pick guard if you do.

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I play nylon and steel string guitars without a pick. I also keep my nails short.
 
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While there may not be any classical, flat picking books, there are videos on YT. So, if you’re determined to flat pick your classical guitar, perhaps YT is the place to find lessons.

 
If I let my nails get long they've always caught on stuff and broken so I couldn't be bothered with it. As a result I have always picked using my finger tips keeping my nails short on both hands. YMMV.
 
John McLaughlin and Al did as good a job a human can keeping up with Paco de Lucia using picks on nylon string guitars. Their technique was pretty much otherworldly.

You can definitely find tabs for the DiMeola and McLaughlin stuff and there's definitely books that feature classical pieces arranged for non-classical players. Here's book I saw recommended:

William Leavitt's Classical Studies for Pick-Style Guitar

A google search will provide more details on the book.

Sorry about the nail issue, it sounds horribly uncomfortable. I don't use fingernails when I play without a pick or when I do hybrid, using at least my middle and ring to support the pick. It's just my finger tip meat on the strings.

Good luck in your quest and let us know if you find anything that we didn't.
 
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