Lesson: Major Scales with Open String Shifts

ByBradford Werner
2019

This 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 Lesson Link (HD)

Scales with shifts that occur on open strings are the most practical and relevant scales in terms of application to repertoire. These scales also make excellent shift exercises and result in position shifts that sound very legato. The shifts can occur on any open string but in repertoire we often stay in first or second position until the shift is needed and, therefore, the shift usually occurs on the first or second string if possible.

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.