Late-Beginner Technique Routine for Classical Guitar

This routine is from my new book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios. The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much more. YouTube Video Link (4k)

This is Part 2 of a 6 Part Lesson Series on technique routines. This is for late-beginners, so maybe for someone who has finished my free method book or equivalent. View all the free routine videos at the book page. You can use other books if you want but make sure to keep it balanced as I discuss. Also, grab some sticky tabs and mark the pages in my book so you can easily flip through. The levels to covered in the 6 part series are: Beginner; Late-Beginner; Early-Intermediate; Intermediate; Late-Intermediate; Early-Advanced.

Time Management Problems? Too much material? Remember to stay focused on the core elements of Scales, Arpeggios, and Slurs. If you can get a little of each in every practice session then you are doing well. For the open string exercises, first go through all of them and make sure you can play each one at a reasonable speed. Do only one of them during a session if needed. Check them off as you go. Once you’ve covered them all, focus on a select few that give you trouble. Pretty much the same advice for all the sections, go through everything, focus on your weaknesses and make them your strengths.

Late-Beginner Routine
Length: Approximately 10-15 Minutes
Stay focused on the beginner routine but add a few extra exercises that introduce finger independence and basic slurs. Practice from each group of open string exercises listed.

  • Open String Exercises No.1-35 – Omit three-finger patterns (No.6, 7, 8, 16)
  • Open String Exercises No. 36-58
  • Basic Alignment Exercises (pages 54-56)
  • Chromatic Scale Starting on E (page 58)
  • First Position Major Scales: C, G, D, E, F, Bb (pages 64-65)
  • First Position Melodic Minor Scales: A, E, D (pages 66-67)
  • Basic Finger Independence (page 93)
  • Open String Slurs (pages 80-81)
Tags
Share
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.

3 Comments

Ask a Question or Leave a Positive Comment

  1. Ms Jerry-10/06/2020 & Ian Woodbury Heron 8/17/2023, wow, I thought at 73 I might be one of Bradford’s older students. You 2 inspire me to keep practicing and remember this my journey and music is for all ages! Bravo!

  2. I had three teachers one gave me some technique exercises the others basically taught pieces. I played for about 20 years but gave up when my kids and wife said you always play the same pieces.
    At 92 I have decided that playing simple pieces well is better than trying to master difficult ones. I need better technique to be able to play better.

  3. So happy i found your site. I’m a 80 wanna be advanced beginner. About 30 years ago I had a very good , teacher.
    He was very professsional and a fabulous musician. Afer about a year of private lessons, However he died and I put my guitar away. I can now devote as much/little of my remaining life to my beloved guitar as I want.

    Im now reading through your volume 1. Ill soon ready for v.2 . YEA

Related Posts