Method Book Lesson: Malagueñas for GuitarThe malagueña is a style of flamenco music derived from earlier types of the fandango. It is often improvised upon and is generally free in its rhythmic interpretation (cante libre). The arrow indicates a strum…
English guitarist Martin Bickerton plays Sonata in A by Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). This comes via his YouTube Channel and his lesson series titled “Tuned Up”. He plays the sonata and then talks about the piece and also gives a lesson on exercises for: 1)…
A lesson on practicing slowly with a metronome. Do you actually practice slow enough? I guide you through the process and how I first practice a piece very very slowly. It’s also a way of pushing the tempo forward gradually…
A left hand lesson on practicing in position blocks to organize the left hand and make pieces easier for classical guitar. Practicing pieces in position blocks is great because playing in position is generally easy. It’s shifting from one position…
Why do so many classical guitarists and sheet music editions use relative lute tuning (tune down the third string to F sharp) and use a capo when playing Renaissance lute music? The tuning answer is simple, a large amount Renaissance…
David Russell in conversation with Classical Guitar Retreat Director Matthew McAllister during the 2018 Retreat. Russell talks about his thoughts on practice and technique. This comes via McAllister’s Youtube Channel. He discusses aspects of his practice routine, tips on how…
Tatyana Ryzhkova gives a nice lesson on how to avoid tension during playing. This comes via her popular YouTube Channel where she has a segment titled Ask Tatyana. I liked the discussion at 12:25 where pushing harder does absolutely nothing to your sound. More…
Fantastic! Pavel Steidl gives a masterclass at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Samrat Majumder plays Sonata Romantica by Manuel Ponce (1882-1948). Performance followed by the teaching which starts at 7:25 minutes in. This comes via the RCS faculty and guitarist Matthew McAllister on…
Matthew McAllister gives a lesson on working through adversity via his YouTube channel. This one is great for a number of reasons: it’s personal, informative, and inspiring. I’ve been wanting to start a similar vlog (rather than a podcast) but I…
Fingernail Lesson for Classical Guitar By popular demand, a lesson about filing and shaping your nails. This is all about how I shape my nails and might be of interest and a starting point for students. Make sure to see…
Study in B Minor (Allegretto) No. 22, Op. 35 by Fernando Sor (1778–1839) Lesson and Sheet Music for Classical GuitarFrom my PDF eBook: Ten Classical Etudes (Werner Guitar Editions)Includes fingering, notation only & notation + TAB edition.YouTube Video Performance and Lesson Link…
A Lesson on Slurs for the Classical Guitar (Hammer-ons & Pull-offs) – A lesson on playing and practicing slurs on classical guitar. The above overview lesson covers a definition, context, and some beginner exercises. Check out my method books and…