Basic Classical Guitar Technique Overview

Basic Classical Guitar Positions & Technique
An overview of the photos & diagrams from the site
YouTube Video Link

Here is a basic overview of my classical guitar technique visual references all in one video. Hopefully this helps students gain a basic knowledge on how to sit and position their hands on classical guitar. I recommend watching this and then continuing on to the specific pages regarding posture, right hand, and left hand technique. Grab your guitar and a mirror and compare yourself to the diagrams. Main posts with HD photos and text are here: Posture and Sitting PositionRight Hand Position, and Left Hand Position. Find more articles at the Full Lesson Archive Page. I have a dedicated beginner lesson page as well.

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Bradford Werner
Bradford Werner

Bradford Werner is a classical guitarist and music publisher from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He originally created this site for his students at the Victoria Conservatory of Music but now shares content worldwide. Curating guitar content helps students absorb the culture, musical ideas, and technique of the classical guitar. Bradford also has a YouTube channel with over 94,000 subscribers and 13 million views. He taught classical guitar at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for 16 years and freelanced in Greater Victoria for 20 years and now dedicates much of his time curating content online and helping connect the classical guitar community. See more at his personal website.

13 Comments

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  1. The is very important lesson but is too fast me. Allow enough time for everyone to grasp such import part of instruction.

  2. Sorry to give you a hard time, what you are doing is the most important thing there is. You have my respect and admiration for your accomplishment, and your playing is very musical. Thank you for your hard work.

  3. Just joining you. never took lesson before. always jammed. like your presentation. i am 54 (just laid off) and looking to use guitar lessons to stay vital and active in the interim. lots of bad habits to break. thanks!

  4. Thank you Brad, for this very nice and informative lesson! My name is Mark. I’m 50 years old; I began playing guitar when I was 8, but life has interrupted me more times than I can count, and in many different ways. Once again, I am attempting to get back to the guitar. Thanks for this course. I’m honored to become your student.

    • Wow, my story is so similar. My brother introduced me to guitar at 5. I learned some folk finger-picking (John Denver, James Taylor-esque) in my teens, and have done nothing much since. Now I’m 56 and trying to get back to it.

      • Same idea. I discovered music very early and wrote t prolifically, lyrics, melodies. First instrument was saxophone, later piano, then guitar and flute. In my early 20s, I played guitar and sang for my children, often and eagerly. I put all of my instruments down for much time. Now, at 45, I am picking it all back up. I feel I have missed so much. Eager to continue on.