Q&A Lesson: Practicing Scales

Q&A Lesson: Practicing Scales on Classical Guitar. Thanks to all my patrons and supporters who submitted questions. If you like these lessons please consider supporting the site.

If you are looking for organized scales and exercises you might check out my full technique book with a variety of scales and exercises from beginner to advanced levels. Info on the Shearer book I mention is here.

Question & Answer Times

  • 00:00 – Intro
  • 0:43 Four Reasons to Practice Scales
  • 6:18 Different Resources
  • 8:49 When to Practice Scales & Right Hand Focus
  • 10:28 Better to Practice Other Exercises?
  • 12:25 Why Melodic and Harmonic Minor?
  • 13:25 Segovia Scales, Rest or Free Stroke?
  • 16:37 Single Scale or Multiple Scales?
  • 18:18 Beyond Major and Minor Scales?
  • 20:15 Competency Without Scales?
  • 21:14 Left Hand Position Above 12th Fret
  • 23:38 Good Sounding Scales on Classical Guitar
  • 24:42 Final Advice and Conclusion

Here’s the YouTube link if you want to watch the video there.

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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    • I have a lot of lessons on relaxation but not specifically on neck tension. However, I have dealt with it in my own playing. I found learning to hit the reset button after each phrase and dropping that tension can become a muscle memory reflex like any other practicing. So integrating that relax the shoulders and neck at the end of each phrase can become a habit for your body. It doesn’t address the specific problem but it does allow you to getting functioning while you investigate the source.