ETUDE
August 1939
volume LVII
number 8
page 540

The Guitar – Fingers or Plectrum

By George C. Krick

WHENEVER GUITARISTS come together it is inevitable that eventually the conversation drifts towards the question: Will the plectrum guitar supplant its classic predecessor? And in frequent letters to this department it is asked: “What do you advise me to study for the purpose of a professional career – the classic guitar or plectrum?

To answer this question intelligently it is necessary at first to make a comparison of these instruments, as to their tonal quality and the purpose for which each is intended. During many years of playing and teaching the guitar, the writer has yet to meet one who, after listening to Andres Segovia, Vicente Gomez or Julio Oyanguren, did not admit that the tone quality of the classic guitar, strung with gut and silk strings, is far superior to that of the plectrum guitar strung with wire and played with a pick. Beauty of tone in an instrument being the prime requisite of an artist, we cannot help but cast our vote in this connection for the classic guitar.

For several hundred years this type of guitar has been the accepted instrument of all great virtuosos, until to-day it is recognized as the standard guitar. Its technic has been developed and standardized; original compositions, in unlimited quantities by the great classic and modern writers, have been published; transcriptions of classic gems are available, and all of these are possible only to the guitarist using his right hand fingers and not a plectrum.

Some one will ask: Why do we not hear more players of this type? First of all, to play the classic guitar pleasingly requires a person of a sensitive, thoroughly musical nature, one who is able to “feel” beautiful tone and eventually is able to produce this on his instrument, one who is attached to the instrument, for the same reason, and is willing to study his instrument for years until he gets the desired result. Persistence, patience and perseverance are additional requirements for those ambitious to master the guitar; and, sad to relate, many of our American music students do not possess these qualities – they like to “cut across lots,” so to speak. Some music dealers, and even certain music schools, tell us in their printed advertisements – “Play guitar, it is easy to learn.” To play the classic guitar requires the same amount of application and study as the piano or violin, and a practice period of an hour daily is essential in order to acquire even a fair technic to enable one to play compositions of medium difficulty within a period of one to two years. As an instrument for the home circle, either alone or as a companion to other instruments or voice, the classic guitar is unsurpassed, even in the hands of an amateur who is enamored with its beautiful tone quality. One of the discouraging features for the beginner is the difficulty of producing a sufficient amount of tone, owing to the softness of the finger tips; but this is soon overcome by diligent daily practice, after the fleshy part of the fingertips has begun to harden.

Another factor to consider is the instrument itself. A guitar made for gut and silk strings must be constructed on a more scientific basis; and on that account it costs more; and, in addition, gut strings and also the silk wound basses break more easily and thereby add to the cost of upkeep. These matters frequently have a tendency to influence a prospective player to turn to the wire string guitar. From a professional standpoint, there are two avenues open to the ambitious guitarist, either that of concert artist or teacher.

To become a public performer, one must have musical talent, personality, an all consuming love for the instrument, and willingness to work hard for many years. If one has these attributes, he cannot fail to reach the desired goal.

The guitar, strung with wire strings and played with a plectrum, has often been called the “American guitar.” It is true that the instruments with carved top and back, and F holes instead of the rosette, were first constructed in this country, but in Italy for many years the street musicians have used wire strings, mainly because they could not afford to buy gut strings, that would break easily out in the open air. For the same reason wire stringed guitars have been on the American market for many years.

When, as often happens, a new dance music style developed some seven or eight years ago, the tenor banjo, was displaced, in most of the dance bands, by the softer voiced and romantic guitar. In order to compete with the strident tones of the trumpet and saxophone, guitar manufacturers developed the present day plectrum played instrument. The purpose of this guitar is entirely different from that of the classic type, as it is mainly intended to provide a rhythmic background for the other instruments. This is where the plectrum guitar properly belongs, and for that reason it is the writer’s opinion that it will never compete successfully with its classic relative, as a solo instrument. While soloists possessing remarkable digital dexterity have appeared from time to time, we venture to state that none can be compared from a purely musical standpoint, with any of the modern exponents of classic guitar playing. Its popularity with the younger generation can be attributed to the ease with which a tone may be produced. with the aid of the pick, and the absurdly low prices at which these so-called guitars may be purchased. However, we must admit that many have been attracted to the instrument by listening to plectrum guitarists either as soloists or accompanists; but after studying a year or two they finally turned to the classic guitar.

As an orchestral instrument the plectrum guitar offers the prospective serious student splendid opportunities for financial reward. While perhaps only one in a million may become a “Segovia,” many may find their niche in a prominent dance band. It should be understood, however, that the time has arrived when a so-called guitarist, able to play only from symbols, cannot hope to connect with a first class dance band. The members of these bands are well trained musicians and technical experts on their respective instruments; and guitarists are expected to equal them in musicianship. Already some of these bands have eliminated the guitar primarily on account of the lack of musical training of the players. On the other hand, a guitarist who knows his instrument from A to Z, reads music at sight, can play from a piano score if necessary, has had training in harmony, and who is able to improvise, can make himself so valuable to his orchestra that he cannot be dispensed with. The exit of the tenor banjo from the dance orchestra may well be traced to the low standard of musicianship amongst its players. But the classic guitar will grow in popularity among those who love it for its exquisite tone and adaptability to render all types of music.