Orientation & Welcome to Classical Guitar Method Volume 1

Classical Guitar Method Volume 1 – Welcome and Orientation – My Classical Guitar Method is a free PDF Download (102 pages) from my sheet music store Werner Guitar Editions – Beginner classical or fingerstyle guitar. This book teaches classical and fingerstyle guitar skills with a focus on the rich pedagogical tradition of classical guitar. Most learning objectives are covered through pieces and duets allowing students to perform full pieces from the first lesson.

About this book – This book teaches classical and fingerstyle guitar skills with a focus on the rich pedagogical tradition of classical guitar. Most learning objectives are covered through pieces and duets rather than exercises or descriptions. This allows students to perform full pieces from the first lesson. Working with a qualified teacher as well as watching the lesson videos should provide students with a healthy start to guitar.

How to use this book – Study Part 1 in progressive order, studying every piece on every page. Incorporate Part III as a technique routine from the beginning. The chord section can be studied more loosely based on the skills and age of the student. Take lessons with a qualified teacher and watch the free video lessons to help you learn proper technique, musicality, and listening skills.

Five Main Goals
1. Play solos and duets from start to finish with a steady tempo
2. Play legato melodies (also with open string bass accompaniment)
3. Play arpeggio pieces and patterns
4. Become proficient at reading music in first position (without key signatures)
5. Accompany basic songs with strumming or fingerstyle chords

What is left out? This book omits information that might clutter the beginner learning experience. Music should be learned through listening and experience. Only a small amount of theory and musical expression have been included. I encourage students to explore these topics with their teacher during weekly lessons. Advice on theory and expression have been included in the free lesson videos which is a better medium for communicating musical ideas.

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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. I am 71 years old and turning 72 years old this summer. All my life I have always wanted to learn how to play guitar ( not just strum a few cords)

  2. I got a lot out of this and immediately bought Volume 2 upon finishing. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to read guitar music.

    ~30 years of self taught jamming on “cowboy chords” and CAGED stuff supplemented by tabs. The fact that the chords are removed from the front of the book was amazing for me. I was able to focus on actually learning the notes on the neck instead of falling into decades of pattern recognition.

    There are plenty of interesting pieces of music in this, too. Stand outs from my practice notes include Little Birch Tree in the Field, Skye Boat Song, Flow Gently Sweet Afton, various minuets, etudes and Malageunas!

  3. Hi Bradford, I have been searching on YouTube for a beginner method book and videos. Your verbal instruction and videos were so helpful I ordered Classical Guitar Method, Book One, and Classical Guitar Technique. I spent about 5 hours this week watching your videos, including the video on nail care. Your explanations and close ups of your hands answered so many questions that arose from other books and videos. I received your books today and put aside all the others. I am a retired teacher, in my seventies and have some training on piano. I also am very short with smaller hands, so found the review of your short scale guitar encouraging. I have a 3/4 scale beginner guitar. I’m so excited to begin, …the student is ready, the teacher has appeared! Your new student is from Maine, USA. Thank you!

  4. I really like the look of the guitar support you are using in this video – very unobtrusive and holds the guitar in a high neck position. If I may ask, which one is it?

    • Hello, Dear Bradford,
      I am 42 years old and just started learning classical guitar with your wonderful book and course. I am very happy to be with you on this journey. Although I am in Iran and thousands of kilometers away from you, I can feel the pleasantness of your personality and the brilliance of your heart by watching your videos. I wish you success and health and appreciate the great value you have added to our world.

  5. Hello! I am so happy to find a free classical guitar course! When I typed it into Google I didn’t even expect results! I have printed out the free 1st book of the course already and have worked through the first 20 pages. It’s going really well and I’m super excited to check out all the video lessons! I will probably have to view them at my studio since I have no internet at home. Again, thank you so much, Bradford Werner, for this incredible opportunity to learn classical guitar with no cost to the average person not able to pay for lessons. I appreciate your amazing website and all the hard work you have put into this course!

  6. Going back over Vol 1 and Vol 2. Very useful as you pick up information which you perhaps didn’t understand first time. It’s also really good when you play the music which was difficult then, but is really easy now. So if anyone is reading this who is just starting out, keep at it, it really does get easier with time and regular practice. Thank you Bradford, your books have given me a good start and I now feel confident enough to progress onto more of your repertoire books. Your video lessons are priceless.

  7. I have been following your Advice on how to use method number 1 for beginners, and with better concentration than, when I first started….I realise I should have taken your Advice as soon as I started. THAT is WHAT as known AS STUBBERNESS ..NEVER AGAIN Bob Taylor

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