Modern classical guitar 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 Villa-Lobos
Classical guitar technique thumb, allowing the left hand to shift without sticking to the guitar. By keeping the thumb behind the second finger and playing off the front of the third finger, the classical guitarist sets the left hand shape. Playing with the left hand more or less parallel to the neck requires a certain amount of stretching between the fingers. There is a tendency, especially when one first begins guitar, to collapse the first and second fingers together to press on the string. For example, in playing the F on the first string, first fret (often the second note ever fingered after