Lesson: Replacing Tempo with Other Musical Elements

Lesson: Replacing Tempo with Other Musical Elements
“How to balance your performances with a well-rounded musicality”
YouTube Video Link (4k)

This is a lesson on replacing your tempo with other musical elements and ideas. When you drop your tempo to a slower speed you can replace it with other ideas such as legato playing, dynamics, increased sustain, better phrasing etc.

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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.

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  1. Love this lesson – my recent teacher (no longer in my life) set high expectations on playing FAST which, frankly, I couldn’t achieve with any accuracy. It’s such a relief to take the pressure off tempo, and be able to concentrate on (and ENJOY) other musical elements to improve the overall musicality of my playing. I know it will add a whole new dimension to my daily practice. Thank you for another wonderful lesson 🙂

  2. Fantastic lessons and such a kind and generous site for those of us seeking growth from home. You are amazing! Does seem like many people tend to lean to extremes between tempo&other dynamics as well as volume. Been impressed recently with Peter Fletcher’s expressiveness in less explored ranges of tempo and volume. ALSO, are you playing the c12 spruce? How does it compare to the cedar you demoed? The spruce c12 to me seems to me to be pretty much just plain better but I have only compared youtube videos. Been playing a laminated backsides guitar for years sadly. Trying to choose between c12 (probably spruce), ramirez 3nae, 2ne, 125/130 anos cedar, or if i wait longer than i really want to a manuel rodriguez fg madagascar or jr. Madagascar model. Mostly though I just want to thank you with all my heart for this wonderful website/&monthly lessons!

    • I have a new guitar from Douglass Scott coming this spring but for now I’m teaching on a C10 spruce. I like it for teaching, I brought it in the hall and clearly couldn’t keep up with concert level guitars ($7000+). That said, it’s a great guitar for the money and I’m impressed overall.

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