Lesson: Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths

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)

Practice these as individual scales and as a continuous exercise that cycles through the circle of 5ths. Use a metronome and become confident switching keys without stopping. The fingering used in this exercise is the same as the fret number in first position (except in A major as indicated). Say the note names out loud as you play.

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.

2 Comments

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Dean

September 4, 2022 / 5:31 am Reply

Hi, when practicing the scales normally is only the i m fingers being used ? In the book there are no fingerings for this
- Bradford Werner
  
  September 4, 2022 / 7:18 pm Reply
  
  Depends what you’re working on (reading, technique, fretboard knowledge). For technique practice you want to use all the combinations (i-m, m-a, etc etc).