Modern classical guitar (1887–1959) Modern classical guitar The modern classical guitar (also known as the Spanish guitar), the immediate forerunner of today's guitars, was developed in the 19th century by Antonio de Torres Jurado, Ignacio Fleta, Hermann Hauser Sr., Robert Bouchet The fingerstyle is used fervently on the modern classical guitar. The thumb traditionally plucks the bass or root note whereas the fingers ring the melody and its accompanying parts. Francisco Tárrega, Emilio Pujol, Andrés Segovia In the 20th century, many non-guitarist composers wrote for the instrument, which previously only players of the instrument had done. Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909), Roberto Gerhard (1896–1970), Heitor
Classical guitar also not systematically indicated, but when they are (mostly in the case of the execution of "barrés") these are indicated with Roman numerals from the first position I (index finger of the left hand placed on the 1st fret: F-B flat-E flat-A flat-C-F) to the twelfth position XII (the index finger of the left hand placed on the 12th fret: E-A-D-G-B-E; the 12th fret is placed where the body begins) or even higher up to position XIX (the classical guitar most often having 19 frets, with the 19th fret being most often split and not being usable to fret the