Table of Contents
Other
Accessories
Table of Contents
Books
Reviews
Books on Practicing
- "Berg-PracticingByDesign" %] Focuses on the practices of exceptional musicians. Each chapter details a specific characteristic of their practice: building a foundation of knowledge and skill (spaced, interleaved, varied practice p46), chunking; mental work; slow practice; variety in repetition; continuity; phrase-storming; feedback and self-criticism. Aspirational text for me. Provides a small glimpse or suggestion of what is possible and some notion of how to progress toward that level of accomplishment. 2025-12
In 1913, pianist Max Pauer spoke about how surprised he was upon hearing himself on a recording for the first tiem: "I heard things which seemed unbelieveable to me. Was I, after years of public playing, actually making mistakes that I would be the first to condemn in any one of my own pupils? I could hardly believe my ears." Pauer heard "dislocation" (pianists' work for playing one hand slightly after the other) and many small errors he didn't know he had made. He also heard some good things: "I had unconsciously brought out certain nuances, emphasized different voices and employed special accents without the consciousness of having done so." p164 referencing Cooke, James Francis Great Pianists on Piano Playing, 201-202.
- The Practice Revolution: Getting great results from the six days between lessons by Philip Johnston. 2025-12
- The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness by Gerald Klickstein
Method Books
- Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
with essential video lessons from This is Classical Guitar, purchased on 2025-03-07.
- Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
with essential video lessons from This is Classical Guitar, purchased on 2025-05-30
-
- Christopher Berg Mastering Guitar Technique
"This is not a method book for beginners. It was created to serve as a supplement to the many method and technique books already available." from the preface.Berg's commentary on the book's origin.
- Abel Carlevaro Serie Didactica para guitarra (PDF)
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 01 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 02 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 03 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 04 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 05 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 06 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 07 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 08 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 09 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 10 PDF, video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 11 PDF, no video
- Jean-Francois Delcamp's Classical Guitar Method: 12 PDF, no video
- William Leavitt Method Books PDFs
- Hal Leonard Vol. 1
- Hal Leonard Vol. 2
- Hal Leonard Vol. 3
- Mel Bay Method Books
- Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
"There are at least two years of study contained in these pages, ....", purchased on 2025-08-05.
- Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 2, 3th Edition
- Christopher Parkening Guitar Method Vol 1
(at Amazon: Vol 1)
- Christopher Parkening Guitar Method Vol 2
(at Amazon: Vol 2) Second half of the book is repertiore, 27 pieces.
- Pascual Roch Modern Method Vol 1a
from University of Rochester
- Pascual Roch Modern Method Vol 1b
from University of Rochester
- Pascual Roch Modern Method Vol 2a
from University of Rochester
- Pascual Roch Modern Method Vol 2b
from University of Rochester
- Julio Sagreras Las Primeras Lecciones De Guitarra Book 1
- Julio Sagreras Las Segundas Lecciones De Guitarra Book 2
- Julio Sagreras Las Terceras Lecciones De Guitarra Book 3
- Julio Sagreras Las Cuartas Lecciones De Guitarra Book 4
- Julio Sagreras Las Quintas Lecciones De Guitarra Book 5
- Julio Sagreras Las Sextas Lecciones De Guitarra Book 6
- Julio Sagreras Obras Para Guitarra Book 7
- Aaron Shearer Classical Guitar Technique Vol 1
- Aaron Shearer Classical Guitar Technique Vol 2
- Aaron Shearer Learning Classical Guitar Part 1 (1990)
- Aaron Shearer Learning Classical Guitar Part 2
- Learning Classical Guitar Part 3
- The Shearer Method (four? five? volumes) Bradford Werner review
- Ferdinando Sor Method for the Guitar
from This is Classical Guitar
"... the exercises and etudes at the end along with the harmonics guide are priceless." per Classical Guitar Corner review.
- Stanley Yates Classical Guitar Technique Part 1 Foundation
Bradford Werner review
- Stanley Yates Classical Guitar Technique Part 2 Mastery and Virtuosity
- Yates Practice Grids
Physics Books and Articles
Study and Exercise Books
Technique Books
Music Theory
Other
- Nylon Plucks Online Classical Guitar Lessons & Resources
-
- Traversing the Fretboard by Sean Thrower. Review by Bradford Werner.
-
- Berklee Online Handbook Guitar
-
- Simple Songs from Andy Guitar on YouTube. TAB only...no sheet music.
-
- The Guitar from the Renaissance to the Present Day by Harvey Turnbull. Internet Archive.
- Open Music Theory Version 2
-
- Stanley Yates
Three Early Guitar Concertos from Late Eighteenth/Early Nineteenth-Century article.
- Stanley Yates
Albeniz and the Guitar.pdf article.
- Stanley Yates
Bach's Unaccompanied String Music article.
- Stanley Yates
Ernest Shand's Premier Concerto pour Guitare, Op. 48 article.
- Stanley Yates
Sor's Guitar Sonatas: Form and Style article.
- Stanley Yates
Tárrega's Recuerdos de la Alhambra article.
- Stanley Yates
Villa-Lobos' Etudes for Guitar: the 1928 Manuscript article.
- Stanley Yates
Villa-Lobos' Guitar Music: Alternative Sources and Implications for Performancearticle.
- Stanley Yates
Villa-Lobos' Heitor Villa-Lobos' Valsa Concerto No. 2, Op. 8 (1904) article.
-
- Alves The History of the Guitar Its Origins and Evolution. A Handbook for the Guitar Literature Course at Marshall University
- Audet, James The Forgotten Works of Giulio Regondi
- Coelho, Victor The Cambridge Companion to the Guitar
- Edgar, Daniel John Scordatura in Heinrich Biber's Mystery Sonatas
- Hartdegen, Kenneth Angus Fernando Sor’s Theory of Harmony Applied to the Guitar: History, Bibliography and Context (PDF)
- Irving, John Understanding Mozart's Piano Sonatas
- Lake, Brendan Performing Heinrich Biber’s Mystery Sonatas on Solo Guitar and Principles for Arranging Early Baroque Solo Sonatas
- Martin-Gil The Classical Guitar in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany A General Approach to Its HistoryA General Approach to Its History.
- North, Nigel Continuo Playing on the Lute , Archlute and Theorbo (PDF)
- Tyler, James and Paul Sparks The Guitar and its Music (PDF)
-
Cases
Table of Contents
Chords
- Cowboy Chords The Complete Guide from The Acoustic Guitarist
- Rolled Chords: lesson from Classical Guitar Corner
... how, when, and why.
- Shell Chords: four varieties: CMaj7, C7, Cm7, and Cdim. Rotem Sivan and Paul Davids
- Spread Triads (third at more than the octave?) in Bach's First Cello Suite (video 4:02) BWV 1007
-
- Chord Changing Exercises: How to Smoothly Change Your Chords
-
- Guitar Chord -- chords, progressions, tunings, styles, etc.
-
- Andalusian Cadance, also known as the Spanish Progression: a video with four versions by Anton Glushkin
- Hotel California by the Eagles, intro chord sequence by h four versions by Anton Glushkin
- Shape of my Heart by Sting, intro chord sequence by h four versions by Anton Glushkin
Table of Contents
CAGED System
Table of Contents
Guitars
- Nylon Plucks How To Choose Between Cordoba C7 and C9
- Lawrence Classical Guitar Córdoba Guitars - C7 vs C10 vs C12 TONE Comparison
-
- Cordoba C10 review at Nylon Plucks
- Cordoba C10 review and video by Bradford Werner in 2017. Yamaha bought Cordoba in 2023.
-
Cordoba C9
- Cordoba C9 CD website.
- Nylon Plucks Cordoba C9 review.
- Bradford Werner Parlor sized Cordoba C9 review and video by Bradford Werner in 2016. Yamaha bought Cordoba in 2023.
-
- Cordoba C9 Cedar top ordered 2025-02-19, arrived 2025-02-27 via FedEx (tracking) with softcase.
Photos:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9.
- Strings:
- 2026-10-xx: Savarez New Cristal Cantiga Premium 510MJP high tension strings
purchased from Strings by Mail
.
- 2025-02-26: Savarez
. Original.
- See Accessories above.
- 2025-02-28: Unpacked the guitar at 0930 after waiting 21 hours. Weather yesterday was 66* at the time of delivery, with the house at 68*. Guitar well packed in its softshell case, in a box, within another box secured inside with expanded foam packs. Looks very good, but for a discoloration between the 8th and 9th frets at the high E string; the marks are visible in the photos taken by Sweetwater prior to setup and shipping. Sounds wonderful with good sustain. Quite pleased. After playing for half and hour to an hour, still feel the resonance in my cheest some fifteen minutes afterward. D'addario micro tuner just fits on the headstock. Might consider their in-sound hole tuner. Fender tuning app for the iPhone works wonderfully.
- 2026-01-04: Humidity of the guitar and case has fallen to 30% per Mini Button Hygrometer from Amazon. Started using D'Addario Humidipak Restore
. After one day, the inside of the case reads 56%.
Table of Contents
Improvisation
- find the E major scale on the G3 string
- play the open B3, E4, and E2 strings
- play your selected order of E Major notes on the G3 string (from Anton Glushkin
Table of Contents
Instrument Ranges
- C5 – D7 Soprano Recorder
- F4 - G6 Alto Recorder
- C4 - C7 Flute
- C4 - D5 Tenor Recorder
- G3 - E7 Violin
- F3 – G5 Bass Recorder
- C3 - G5 Viola
- E2 - E5 Guitar
- C2 - E5 Cello (A6 via harmonics)
- E1 - G4 Double Bass
- A0 - C8 Piano
-
- Octave Notation
Table of Contents
Interpretation
- Lesson on Interpretation applied to Carulli's Andante in C Major Opus 246 from Classical Guitar Corner
- Baseline,
- Dynamics (changing volume),
- Articulation (legato,staccato, accent), Articulation in Music and Right Hand Articulation from This is Classical Guitar
- Tone Color (ponticello, tasto),
- Tempo Rubato (changing tempo),
- Fingering (positions, vibrato, portamento),
- Embellishments (ornamentation, and more),
- Reimagining.
- Phrasing in music from This is Classical Guitar
- Ascending runs decrescendo...descending lines crescendo
- Long duration notes followed by shorter duration, deemphasize the first shorter duration note (Sor's Op 60 No 1 measures 1 and 2)
- Low note just before the bar followed by a jump to a higher note, emphasize the low note (Sor's Op 60 No 1 measure 2 - 3)
- Emphasize notes out of key that resolve (by half-step) to a higher note in key (Sor's Op 60 No 1 measure 7)
- Check notes that appear to "jump around" to see if they are a broken chord ((Sor's Op 60 No 1 measure 7. Broken D7 chord AND G chord in measure 8. )
-
- from lesson, text and videos provided by Classical Guitar Shed
Table of Contents
Learning
- Curriculum for Classical Guitar by Bradford Werner.
- Practicing Slowly with a Metronome and Learning New Pieces by Bradford Werner.
- Pain and Injury – Resources for Guitarists by Allen Mathews.
- Christopher Berg: Tenets of good practice: building a foundation of knowledge and skill (spaced, interleaved, varied practice p46), chunking; mental work; slow practice; variety in repetition; continuity; phrase-storming; feedback and self-criticism. Christopher Berg Practicing Music by Design
p24
-
Tempos
- Metronome settings for each tempo.
-
- Practice at 3 Tempos (Never Stop Practicing Music Slowly) for Brescianello's Partita No. 15 Allegro. Tempos building to 112. Learn at 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 63, 66, 69, 72, 76, 82, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 108, 112. Practice at 60, 88, 112 per This is Classical Guitar
.
- Practicing Slowly with a Metronome and Learning New Pieces by This is Classical Guitar
. Starting tempo was 60 eighth-notes per minute making sure that all musical elements (phrasing, articulation, dynamics, etc.) are present and fully under conrol, then increasing the tempo one division at a time. Noted 76, 92, 120, 160 taking a couple weeks to reach each noted tempo. Then switching to 50 dotted quarter-notes per minute and working up towards the indicated tempo of 80.
-
Practice Templates
-
Daily Exercises
-
Other
Table of Contents
Music Theory
- Schmeling Berklee Music Theory Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
- Open Music Theory Version 2
-
- Brad Harrison music theory YouTube video playlist
- Paul Davids' Music Theory Playlist Episode 1 - 45.
-
- Robert Hutchinson's Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom online and PDF
-
- Brandon Acker harmonic analysis of Bach's Allemande A section from the 1st Lute Suite BWV 996.
- Miscellaneous:
- even numbered intervals—2nd, 4th, 6th, and octaves—consist of a space note and a line note.
- odd number intervals—3rd, 5th, and 7th—are both space notes or both line notes.
- from Aaron Shearer The Shearer Method: Guitar Harmony. Bradford Werner review
Table of Contents
Ornamentation
- Mordant at the start of an Allemand per Brandon Acker's video teaching Bach's Lute Suite No 1 BWV 996.
Table of Contents
Various Recordings and Videos
- Study in B Minor (Sor) - Alexandra Whittingham
-
- Andre Glushkin The Only Left Hand Exercise You Actually Need Play octave intervals: i 2nd @ 7th and a 5th @ 9th, followed by m 2nd @ 8th and e 5th @ 10th. Then tenth intervals: i 5th @ 7th and a 2nd @ 9th, followed by m 5th @ 8th and e 2nd @ 10th. Then reverse the order. Then shift one fret towards the nut.
- Classical Guitar Shed The Perfect 20-Minute Practice
- Classical Guitar Shed Free Beginner Tutorials 17 classical guitar pieces including a lesson on Opus 121 No.1 by Carulli
- Kevin Nickens Your First 7 Days of Learning Guitar Should Look Like THIS
- Brandon Acker 5 Common Practice Mistakes: #1 "Practicing Too Fast" 1:14; #2 "Not Using a Metronome" 2:33; #3 "Only Practicing Whole Songs" 5:56; #4 "No Clear Goals" 8:54; #5 "No Structure" 11:51
- Brandon Acker Why you need to warm up: string crossings (4 notes/string, followed by 3, 2, and 1); spider crawl (12, 11, 10, 9; 11, 10, 9, 8; ...); chromatic scale
Table of Contents
Scales and Positions
Scales
- Werner Bradford Q & A: Practicing Scales video.
- Simon Powis Scale Practice on the Classical Guitar Scale Practice on the Classical Guitar article.
- Simon Powis 5 Daily Scale Sets and video. Levels:
- Andres Segovia Diatonic Major And Minor Scales
and their hinderances.
- Vladimir Gorbach video lesson on Practicing and Developing Scales. Demonstrates C Major in Second/Fifth position at 11:55 (5): C3, D3; (4): E3, F3, G3; (3): A3, B3, shift, C4, D4; (2): E4, F4, G4; (1): A4, B4, C5 B4, A4; (2) G4, F4, E4; (3) D4, C4, shift, B3, A3; (4) G3, F3, E3; (5) D3, C3. From two to four times through each two octave sequence, planting the finger before playing staccato, starting at 60, then 70, 80, and 100bpm. Then back to 60 with two notes per beat at each tempo. Then three per.
-
- C Major: 2025-03-14. Primary Chords: C, F, G, G7. Related Chords: Am, Em, Dm, D7, C7. First, Second/Fifth, and Fifth positions are suitable based upon the "one finger per fret" rule.
- A Melodic Minor 2025-07-10. Primary Chords: Am, Dm, E, E7. Related Chords: C, B7, A7.
- G Major 2025-07-23. Primary Chords: G, C, D, D7. Related Chords: Em, Am, A7, G7.
- E Melodic Minor 2025-08-11. Primary Chords: Em, Am, B7. Related Chords: G, E7.
- D Major 2025-09-29. Primary Chords: D, G, A, A7. Related Chords: Bm, Em, E7, D7.
- A Major 2025-10-23. Primary Chords: A, D, E, E7. Related Chords: C, B7, A7.
- F Major 2026-01-04.
- D Minor 2025-xx-xx.
- E Major 2025-xx-xx. Primary Chords: E, A, B7. Related Chords: E7
-
Positions
First position is privileged. Every position, other than first position, requires that the first finger be used to establish the position on each string. For example: in second position, the lowest note is F2 formed by the first finger at the second fret. Combining the first finger requirement with "one finger per fret" guideline limits the left hand to four chromatic notes per string. First position uses openstrings, no fingers on the fretboard, and so provides five chromatic notes per string. The guitar strings, but for B3, are tuned a fourth (five half tones) apart and require five notes per string to cover the chromatic scale. Only first position can meet this requirement.
- First Position: E2 through G4# complete.
- Second Position: F2 through A4. One finger per fret rules misses A2#, D3#, G3#, and F4.
- ...
- Fifth Position: A2 through C5. One finger per fret rules misses C3#, F3#, and G4#. B3 available on the open B3 string, otherwise one has to reach for the ninth fret.
- Ninth Position: C3# through E5. One finger per fret rules misses F3, A3#, D4#, and C5.
- ...
Table of Contents
Setup
- Per Aaron Shearer as detailed in Aaron Shearer Learning Classical Guitar Part 1 (1990)
pages xiii - xv
- Depress E4 at the first and fifteenth frets, the string should appear to almost touch each intervening fret.
- Depress E2 at the first and fifteenth frets. If either string does not almost touch each intervening fret, the neck is wraped and must be fixed.
- Depress E4 at the first fret, the string should be no closer than 3/32" above the twelfth fret.
- Depress E4 at the first fret, the string should be no closer than 1/8" above the twelfth fret.
- The second, third, fourth and fifth strings must be on a level plane between the first and sixth.
- The gap between the top of the first fret and the highest two strings should be 0.025" (use a feeler gauge).
- The gap between the top of the first fret and the third, fourth, fifth and sixth strings should be 0.030".
- Per Sweetwater How to Set up an Acoustic Guitar video: 1) physical inspection for damage; 2) measure humidity with a hygrometer 45% desired; 3) tune the guitar; 4) check relief by pressing at first fret and tapping each string at seventh and ninth frets; 5) nut height by pressing at third fret and tapping at first...0.006"; 6) measure string height at twelfth fret bridge; 7) adjust truss rod, loosen then tighten to desired 0.006" to 0.008" relief; 8) retune; 9) measure string heights at first fret...0.020" +/-0.004" desired, file nut as needed using file just wider than the string(?); 10) relief and nut height have been set, measure action at twelfth fret saddle .....
- Per Brandon Acker and Marshall Brune setup video: 1) height of string above first fret should be the same as the height above the second fret when fretted at the first fret; 2) check saddle height...that there is enough material left to work with; 3) measure action height (gap) at the twelfth fret 4mm E and 3mm e';
Table of Contents
Sheet Music
Music Collections
Collection available at Total Guitarist
Collection available at Classical Guitar Shed
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) Exam Pieces
- Syllabii 2021 issued 2023-03-08 downloaded 2025-12-29 and 2019
- Grade 1: 4/4, 3/4, 2/4; up to 26 bars; tempi 63, 80, 100, 112, 120 (eighth-notes), 126 (quarter-notes only); C, F and G Major; eighth-notes; staccato; accents; dynamics (f, p, mf); cresendo; legato fingerings (D4 using 3 and G4 using 4); ponticello; slides from G4 to A4, G4 to F4; rarely dotted eighth with sixteenth; occassionally two fretted notes are sounded together.
- Grade 2
- Grade 3
- Grade 4
- Sample Booklet ; Initial; Grade 1; Grade 2; Grade 3; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 9;
- 2010-2015: Grade 1; Grade 2; Grade 3; Grade 4
- Aguado, Dionisio
- Albeniz, Issac
- Albinoni, Tomaso (1671 - 1751)
- Anonymous
- Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685 - 1750)
- Badelt, Klaus
- Barber, Samuel
- Barrios, Agustín (1855 - 1944)
- Beethoven, Ludwig
- Biber, Heinrich Ignaz Franz (1644 - 1704)
- Brecianello, Giuseppe Antonio
- Bonfa, Luiz (1922 - 2001)
- Brouwer, Leo (1939 - )
- Calatayud, Bartolomé (1882–1973)
- Vals by Calatayud from Classical Guitar Library (CGL)
- Carcassi, Matteo (1792 - 1853)
- Carulli, Ferdinando (1770 - 1841)
- Chapman, Tracy
- Chopin, Frédéric François (1810 - 1849)
- Cohen, Leonard
- Coste, Napoleon
- Croce, Jim
- Couperin, Francois
- Le Petit Rien
- Le Petit Rien (keyboard score) by Francois Couperin from Musicologie.org. Extended version of 75 bars in place of 40 by adding a second couplet(?) of 19 bars and repeating the first 16 bars (rondeau?) . Ornaments indicated. B4 in measures 19 and 23.
- page 14 of Trinity Grade 2. Tempo 120 per quarter-note. B4 in measures 19 and 23. Dynamics indicated. Played in fifth position from the start of the second section (bar 17). 40 bars total.
- page 23 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
, video. Simplest of the scores. Played in second position throughout.
- Diaz, Eduardo
- Diabelli, Anton
- Dowland, John (1563 - 1626)
- Eccles, John (1668 - 1735)
Aire from The Mad Lover by John Eccles. Brandon Acker and others performance.
- Giuliani, Mauro
- Handel, Georg Frederic (1685 - 1759)
- Hirsh
- Holst, Gustav (1874 - 1934)
- Hupfield, Herman (1894 - 1951)
- Joplin, Scott
- Kuffner, Joseph
- Romance (A Minor) by Kuffner in Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
, video
- Mancini, Henry
- Merlin, Jose Luis
- Mertz, Johann Kaspar (1806 - 1856)
- Messonnier, Jean-Racine
- Milan, Luis (1500 - 1561)
- Moloney, Paddy
- Mozart
- de Murcia, Santiago
- Grave from Classical Guitar Library (CGL)
- Myers
- Cavatina. Theme from The Deer Hunter.
- Pachelbel, Johann (1653-1706)
- Petzold, Charles
- Minuet in G BWV Anh. 114 by Petzold from Mutopia Project
. Attributed to JS Bach. Appears in Anna Magdelena's Notebook. Two other PDFs. The first section appears in Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
on page 70.
- Purcell, Henry
- Rameau
- Menuet en Rondeau (C Major) by Rameau in Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
, video
- Riguadon (D Minor) by Rameau in Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
, video
- Ravel, Maurice
- Regondi, Giulio
- Robles, Daniel Alomia
- Roncalli
- Sagreras, Julio
- Satriani, Joe
- Scarlatti
- Shand
- Shubert, Franz
- Shumann
- Erster Verlust by Schumann in Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
, video
- Simon, Paul
- Sor, Fernando (1778-1839)
- Tarrega, Francisco (1852–1909)
- Taylor, James
- Velasques, Conseulo
- Villa-Lobos, Heitor
- Vivaldi
- Walton, William (1902-1983)
- Weiss, Sylvius Leopold (1686 - 1750)
Table of Contents
Software
Table of Contents
Songs
Table of Contents
Strings
- The standard is nylon strings marketed as nylon. "Titanium" strings are nylon with a different, denser material. "Carbon" strings are nylon with a material that is denser yet. Denser material yields more "punch", more volume and less sustain/legato.
-
- Guitar strings in Scientific Pitch Notation: E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4. Concert A, 440Hz, is A4, fifth fret on the E4 (high E) string. By way of contrast, violin strings are: G3, D4, A4, E5 with ability to reach A7 (ouch! my ears!) and piano ranges from A0 to C8.
-
- Bradford Werner Classical Guitar Strings Review from 2019.
- Classical Guitar Corner
A Guide to Classical Guitar Strings.
- Classical Guitar Corner
review and video of Aquila Alabastro, Rubino, Sugar, and Cristalo strings.
- Classical Guitar Corner
review review and video of D'Addario XT Classical guitar strings
.
- Werner Classical Guitar Strings Review 2019 I’d recommend you start with a basic, affordable, and traditional sounding string such as D’Addario Pro Arte (hard tension) or for a small step up maybe Augustine Imperial Red.
- Nylon Plucks 5-Step Guide to Find what’s Right for You
- Brad DeRoche, former owner of Strings by Mail
, The Ultimate Guide To Classical Guitar Strings video. Chose D'Addario Pro-Arte EJ45 normal tension strings
, Savarez New Cristal Corum 500CR normal tension strings
, or Hannabach 815 MT normal tension strings
- Comparison between D’Addario Pro-Arte EJ45 normal tension strings
and Savarez New Cristal Cantiga 510CR normal tension strings
by Andreas Kikinas.
-
- Marshall Brune How to String a Classical Guitar video
- Classical Guitar Corner
How to change strings on classical guitar.
- D'Addario How to Restring a Classical Guitar video. No large changes in tension. Replace one string at a time.
- Strings by Mail Comprehensive Guide on Stringing a Classical Guitar article and video
-
- Savarez Classical Guitar Strings datasheet (diameters and tensions) from Strings by Mail
- Savarez decoding:
- Basses: 500 Corum more flexible and the sound is richer and warmer.; 510 Cantiga silverplated copper wound; 540 brightest and most rigid; P premium basses.
- Tension: J high tension; R normal tension; RJ normal tension trebles with high tension basses.
- Trebles: A Alliance carbon treble guitar strings; C Cristal nylon treble guitar strings; E Evolution first treble is New Cristal plain nylon and the second two are Alliance carbon; M Creation first two treble strings are New Cristal plain nylon and third string is Alliance carbon.
Table of Contents
Technique
Table of Contents
Tunings
Table of Contents
Miscellany
- LilyPond ... music notation for everyone from the GNU Project. LilyPond is a music engraving program, devoted to producing the highest-quality sheet music possible.
-
- The History of the Modern Classical Guitar and its Deep Iberian Roots article
- Making Guitars with a Physics Mind video
-
- Nylon Plucks A Quick Guide to the Classical Guitar Grade System
- Nylon Plucks 5-Step Guide to Find what’s Right for You
- Compare the dimensions of our various Body Styles
- Design of a classical guitar -- 4 Main dimensions
- Plek Machine inventor interview and demo with Mary Spender and Rick Beato
-
- Rick Beato acoustic guitar 5 Things Every Beginner Guitarist SHOULD Learn video: strumming (DDuuDu); G as (320030) for Cadd9, G, Emin7, D sequences; muting low E for Dmaj and Amaj; on last upstroke in the strumming pattern play all strings open; alternate flatpicking D, B, G, E strings, then A, B, G, E, then low E, B, G, E.
-
- Gmaj (320033), D (xx0232), Emin7 (022033), Cadd9 (x32033) chord forms with anchored transitions Studio33Guitar video and video
-
- Sight Reading Music on Classical Guitar by Bradford Werner.
-
- Beatrix Kovacs "What people think is hard on guitar VS what actually is hard" YouTube short.
- Brandon Acker and Beatrix Kovac Are GOOD guitarists POOR musicians? The crisis of classical guitar"
-
- Fretboard chart from chart from Guitaration.
-
- Nail shape and care blog post from Classical Guitar Corner
-
- History of Tablature videos parts 1 and 2 by Brandon Acker. Used from 1400 to 1800 for lute, renaissance and baroque guitar.
- Table of Contents
Log
Learn Cada Manana. Performance by Beatrix Kovács.
- 2026-01-15 (RH 59%)
Slurs: Three minutes Ascending Slurs - Directional Snap all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p80a.
Scales: Four minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, once, p64.
Left Hand Alignment: Eight minutes More Horizontal Exercises, first position up to ninth position all strings once each, p57b.
Repetroire: Twelve minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, tempo 72. Last two iterations at 76. Preceptively faster, but not difficult to adjust.
Fun: Five minutes or so playing Sagreras Leccion 54.
- 2026-01-14 (RH 62%)
Chords: Four minutes of C, Am, D7 repeatedly.
Left Hand Alignment: Five minutes More Horizontal Exercises, first position up to ninth position on G3, D3, B3 strings once each, from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p57a.
Scales: Ten minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice, p64.
Repetroire: Fifteen minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, tempo 72. New dynamics, reaching highest volume in the middle of the last line before tapering and adding ritardando for the G2, B2, C3, chord and final C3.
Fun: About ten minutes total, a few minutes inserted between earlier items here and there, a bit of Bach, aspirational.
Kept the
after today's practice.
- 2026-01-13 (RH 39%)
Chords: Six minutes of C, Am, D7 repeatedly.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
, in first position, twice, p64.
Left Hand Alignment: Ten minutes Horizontal Clearance, first position, p56b, thrice.
Finger Independence: Six minutes, Finger Independence and Sustain once, each string p96.
Fun: Ten minutes playing with Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
.
Added the
after today's practice.
- 2026-01-12 (RH 40%)
Left Hand Alignment: Four minutes Left Hand Finger Clearance, fifth position, all strings, p56a.
Barre: Three minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, first six strings, page 107, once. Still hard to reach the first string while barring six. Still hurts.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice, p64.
Fun: Twenty minutes practicing Handel's Menuet in A, HWV545 and Sagreras Leccion 54 from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p26f.
- 2026-01-11 (RH 42%)
Left Hand Alignment: Three minutes Two Finger Focus, fifth position, all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p55b, twice.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice, p64.
Abbreviated practice seesion due to taking my wife, Tal, and two grandchildren to a Maryland Women's Basketball game against Ohio State.
- 2026-01-09 (RH 41%)
Finger Independence: Six minutes, Finger Independence and Sustain once, each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p96.
Scales: Three minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, once, p64.
Twenty minutes playing Menuet en Rondeau by Rameau from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
at higher speed.
- 2026-01-08 (RH 42%) Drop of 22% humidity in a single day without the humidification packets.
Tuned using Pro Metronome iPhone app
and then again using the D'Addario Micro Headstock Tuner
. The D'Addario is more accurate, allowing me to tune such that the guitar resonates, sustains noticeably longer.
Feeling tired and a bit out of sorts today. Played purely for the joy of it for about forty minutes. Revisited a couple pieces from earlier last year. No practice.
Before playing repeatedly dipped the nails of my right hand in HOT water to soften them, and used the fingers of the other hand to press the "hook" out of the nail from underneath. Worked well. No catching, "hooking", of the strings. Need to do this each time I play.
- 2026-01-07 (RH 64%) Excessively high humidity in the case. Returned the humidification packets from their sleeves to the ziplock bag in which they were shipped.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, Finger Independence and Sustain once, each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p96.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice, p64.
Repetroire: Thirty minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, tempo 72. New dynamics, reaching highest volume in the middle of the last line before tapering and adding ritardando for the G2, B2, C3, chord and final C3.
- 2026-01-06 (RH 59%) Left forearm a bit sensitive.
Scales: Few minutes playing open position C Major scale as a set of destination points per Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
.
Repetroire: Less then twenty minutes attempting Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, tempo 72.
Feeling sluggish, unfocused. Stopped so that I would not practice playing poorly.
- 2026-01-05 (RH 56%) Relative Humidity in the case reads as 56% when opened for today's practicve. All strings flat...about 15 cents.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice. Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p64.
Open Strings: Six minutes Open String Exercises p12-1, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, eight reps, tempo 64 per quarter-note.
Left Hand Alignment: Three minutes Basic Four Finger Position, fifth position, all strings, p55b, thrice.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, Basic Finger Independence five times each finger from p93.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, tempo 68. Feel easy, but a bit tired and losing focus. Stopping for a break for twenty to thirty minutes.
After a twenty-five minute break, returned to Sor, tempo 68. Still a bit tired, but playing with ease. Upped tempo to 72 and played with ease. Wife says that "You sound a lot more relaxed."
- 2026-01-04 (RH 30%)
Relative Humidity in the case reads as 30%. Will start using the
after today's practice.
Left Hand Alignment: Five minutes Basic Four Finger Position, fifth position, all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p55a, thrice.
Barre: Five minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, page 106, thrice.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice.
Repetroire: Thirty minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, with a break after some twenty minutes. Freely first couple times, then tempo 64, finished with tempo 68 and a very nice redition. Need to be more careful of finger placement, to be tight to the fret.
- 2026-01-03
Scales: Ten minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, F, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice.
Left Hand Alignment: Four minutes More Horizontal Clearance, fifth position, all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p57de, once each.
Fun: Twenty minutes on Carcassi's Prelude in E Minor and Sagreras Leccion 54 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p27.
- 2026-01-02
Left Hand Alignment: Four minutes More Horizontal Clearance, fifth position, all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p57abc, once each.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, C, G, D, and A, in first position, twice.
Repetroire: Couple minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, no metronome. Freely first couple times to get fingers moving, then by counting.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No1, tempo 60, followed by tempo 64. Not perfect, but better. Introducing dynamics and accentuation.
- 2026-01-01
Scales: Three minutes Chromatic Scale Starting on E to G4 p58, twice.
Open Strings: Eight minutes Open String Exercises p12-1, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, eight reps, tempo 64 per quarter-note.
Left Hand Alignment: Four minutes Horizontal Clearance, fifth position, all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p56b, thrice.
Scales: Six minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, C, G, D, and A, in first position, once.
Repetroire: Ten minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, no metronome. Freely first couple times to get fingers moving, then by counting.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No1, tempo 60. Better. Seems it was good to give is couple weeks off.
- 2025-12-30
Left Hand Alignment: Three minutes Two Finger Focus, fifth position, all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p55b, twice.
Scales: Three minutes Chromatic Scale Starting on E to G4, p58, twice.
Open Strings: Six minutes Open String Exercises p12-1, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, eight reps, tempo 64 per quarter-note. Had to trim right hand nails. Too long, hooking strings.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes practicing Handel's Menuet in A, HWV545 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p26.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sagreras Leccion 54 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p27.
- 2025-12-29 Tuned by ear; checked with electronic tuner, G3 low (~ -12).
Left Hand Alignment: Six minutes Two Finger Focus, fifth position, all strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p55b, twice.
Open Strings: Six minutes Open String Exercises p12-1, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, eight reps, tempo 64 per quarter-note.
Scales: Ten minutes Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, C, G, D, A, and E, in first position, twice.
Scales: Three minutes Chromatic Scale Starting on E to G4, p58, twice.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes practicing Handel's Menuet in A, HWV545 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p26. Bit for trouble using ring finger to fret C4. Chunking the A section into four chunks of four bars each. Each ends on a half or dotted half note.
- 2025-12-28 Tuned by ear, no changes needed; check with electronic tuner, no changes.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice Basic Finger Independence five times each finger from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p93.
Left Hand Alignment: Five minutes More Horizontal Exercises fifth, on G3, p55a, twice five times.
Scales: Ten minutes, C Major, Major Scales with Open String Shifts p75, tempo 64.
Barre: Five minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, page 106, thrice.
Open Strings: Ten minutes Open String Exercises p12-1, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p12, tempo 64 per quarter-note.
- 2025-12-26
Left Hand Alignment: Five minutes More Horizontal Exercises fifth, on G3, p55b, five times.
Scales: Five minutes, C Major, Major Scales with Open String Shifts p75
Finger Independence: Four minutes, two times through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Barre: Four minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, first six strings, page 107, once. Still hard to reach the first string while barring six. Still hurts.
Chords: Six minutes C, Am, D7; A, D
Fun: Five minutes Sagreras Leccion 54 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p27.
- 2025-12-25
Open Strings: Six minutes Open String Exercises p12-5, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, thrice, from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
Chords: Five minutes C, Am, D7
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Left Hand Alignment: Ten minutes More Horizontal Exercises fifth, on G3, p57, thrice.
Scales: Fifteen minutes, C Major, Major Scales with Open String Shifts p75, tempo 60
Fun: Ten minutes, Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, couple refresh iterations with spot practice.
- 2025-12-24
Left Hand Alignment: Seven minutes More Horizontal Exercises third and fourth, on G3 from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p57, thrice.
Scales: Ten minutes, C Major, tempo 60...have been playing scales significantly slower.
Open Strings: Ten minutes Open String Exercises p12-3 and 4, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, once each.
Barre: Three minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, first six strings, page 107, once. Hard to fret the E4 string w/5 string and 6 string barre, particularly 6th string...very hard. Hurts.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Fun: Ten minutes Sagreras Leccion 54 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p27, and Le Petit Rien.
- 2025-12-23 Implementing a recommendation from Christopher Berg Practicing Music by Design
p48 to change the order of technical exercises from day to day.
Finger Independence: Four minutes, two times through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Barre: Three minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, first six strings, Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
page 107, once. Hard to fret the E4 string w/5 string and 6 string barre, particularly 6th string...very hard. Hurts.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Scales: Twelve minutes, starting from C/C#, cycle through C, G, D, A, and E Major from Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, in both First and Fifth positions.
Rest for a couple hours.
Repetroire: Thirty minutes reexamining Handel's Menuet in A, HWV545 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p26. Chunking the A section into four chunks of four bars each. Each ends on a half or dotted half note. Last time I looked at this piece was 2025-11-18.
- 2025-12-22
Left Hand Alignment: Seven minutes More Horizontal Exercises first two, on G3 from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p57, thrice.
Scales: Twelve minutes, starting from B, cycle through C, G, D, A, and E Major from Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, in both First and Fifth positions.
Open Strings: Seven minutes Open String Exercises p12-1, all combinations of finger pairs, eighth-notes, eight times each.
Fun: Ten minutes Sagreras Leccion 54 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
p27, twice with some speed but for the chord changes.
- 2025-12-21
Left Hand Alignment: Six minutes Horizontal Clearance on B3, G3, and D3 from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p56b, twice.
Scales: Seven minutes C, G, D, A, and E Major from Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, twice.
Barre: Five minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, first six strings, page 107, once. Hard to fret the E4 string w/5 string barre. Bit painful in left forearm. Stopped after five strings.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Fretboard Knowledge: Five minutes playing all the A's, C's, and E's on the fretboard.
Finished with playing a bit of Le Petit Rien by Couperin, purely for the pleasure of it.
- 2025-12-19
Short day due to children coming to visit.
Scales: Three minutes C Major, three times as warm up.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Several iterations were good, but not two in a row. Lose focus...miss a note.
- 2025-12-18
Left Hand Alignment: Ten minutes fifth position, Left Hand Finger Clearance from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p56a, once.
Scales: Five minutes C, G, D, and A Major from Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, twice.
Barre: Five minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, first six strings, page 107, once. Hard to fret the E4 string w/ 6 string barre, particularly B4 flat is vary hard. Bit of buzzing in G3 on 6 strings barre.
Rest: While watching the Barre Lesson (Bar, Capo) and Exercises for Guitar video from This is Classical Guitar
.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Having trouble finding F3 on the D3 strings at end of measure 12 with no other finger on the fretboard. Several iterations were good, but not two in a row. Lose focus...miss a note.
- 2025-12-17
Left Hand Alignment: Ten minutes fifth position, Two Finger Focus from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p56b, once.
Scales: Five minutes C, G, D, and A Major from Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths p64, twice.
Barre: Five minutes Barre and Left Hand Position Playing, first five strings, page 107, once.
Spent twenty minutes, getting reacquanited, not really practicing, with La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
for the pure joy of listening to the sound.
- 2025-12-16
Open String: Seven minutes, all finger pairs, eighth-notes. Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p12-1. Need to relax the left hand more.
Left Hand Alignment: Five minutes fifth position, All Fingers with 4th Finger Focus p55c.
Scales: Five minutes C, G, D, and A Major from Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths twice p64.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Bit out of sorts today. Having trouble finding F3 on the D3 strings at end of measure 12 with no other finger on the fretboard.
Rest: Ten minutes
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60.a
Barre: Five minutes 4 strings, ringing, positions 2 through 12.
- 2025-12-15
Left Hand Alignment: Seven minutes fifth position focus on first and fourth fingers from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p54b.
Scales: Seven minutes C, G, D, and A Major from Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths on p64.
Arpeggio: Three minutes opens strings p a m i
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Closer. More relaxed.
Rest: Ten minutes
Barre: 4 strings, ringing, positions 2 through 12 -- 5
Repetroire: Twenty-five minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Last three iterations were good. Qualifies. Need to repeat without error.
- 2025-12-14
Left Hand Alignment: Seven minutes on G3, D3, A2, and E2 in first, fifth and ninth positions from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p54a.
Scales: Three minutes C Major two octaves twice through preparation for Sor.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Not quite yet.
Rest: Fifteen minutes
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1 both hands, tempo 60. Last three iterations were good. Qualifies, its repeatable.
- 2025-12-13
Left Hand Alignment: Seven minutes on G3, D3, A2, and E2 in first, fifth and ninth positions from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p54a.
Open Scales: Seven minutes on C, G, D, A, same book p64.
Chords: Fout minutes switching C, Am, and D7 as a set. A and D as a pair.
Repetroire: Thirty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Nearly there. Lose focus and miss, at times. Not in the same place, just waiting at this pace for the next note.
- 2025-12-12
Left Hand Alignment: Five minutes on G3, D3, A2, and E2 in first, fifth and ninth positions from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p54a.
Open Scales: Five minutes on C, G, D, A, same book p64.
Chords: Five minutes switching C, Am, and D7 as a set. A and D as a pair.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
1 both hands, tempo 60.
Repetroire: Ten minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1 pick, tempo 68.
- 2025-12-11
Started the Bradford Werner lesson on finger independence. That video refers one to the left hand alignment exercises are a prerequisite.
Watched the video lesson on Alignment Exercises for the Left Hand from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
.
Left Hand Alignment: Five minutes on G3, D3, A2, and E2 in first, fifth and ninth positions from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
p56b.
Open Scales: Five minutes on C, G, D, A p64.
Chords: Five minutes switching C, Am, and D7 as a set. A and D as a pair.
Repetroire: Fifteen minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
both hands, tempo 60. Hard to reintegrate the right hand. Limited time to protect the forearm.
Repetroire: Twenty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1 pick, tempo 72.
Watched the video lesson on Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Technique
.
- 2025-12-10
Finger Independence: Four minutes, three times through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Scales: Four minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Chords: Seven minutes switching C, Am, and D7 as a set. A and D as a pair.
Fifteen minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
. Using a pick after yesterday. Counting at about 76bpm in place of metronome. Six plus iterations with repeats on measures, phrases with errors.
- 2025-12-09
Scales: Four minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Thirty minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
. Reintroduced the right hand after a week's rest. Out of practice. Struggling to maintain a tempo of 60. More practice needed.
Barre: Couple minutes, first four strings.
Fifteen minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
. More practice needed. Amazing how reintroducing the right hand can be so challenging.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, three times.
Right forearm slightly sore at the end. Too much?
- 2025-12-08
Scales: Four minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
One iteration of Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, tempo 76. Buzzed a note. Inserted an extra measure between first and second section. Sounded good.
Eleven minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1, tempo 60. Twice through, on time, no errors.
Five minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1, tempo 64. Missed C4 in final measure a couple times. Need specific practice.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, three times. Reached past the target string with the second finger while moving up the width of the fretboard, several times.
Chords: Five minutes switching between C, Am, D7.
Barre: Five minutes, first four strings. No thumb. Ringing out.
Five minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1, tempo 64. Tired.
- 2025-12-07
Scales: Four minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Fifteen minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, both sections. Nearly without error more than once. Two issues that recur are landing thrid finger on D4 and landing first finger on C4 while holding C3.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, three times through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Fifteen minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1. Very close to having the piece. One note in error, or a finger lightly contacting an adjacent string (rarely). Bit more work required.
- 2025-12-05
Ten minutes on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
. Starting practicing after being meaningfully irritated. Gave up on music after ten minutes of frustration. Time for technique work.
Finger Independence: Three minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Scales: Three minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Barre: Eight minutes barring the first three strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Slurs: Five minutes of practice.
- 2025-12-04
Finger Independence: Three minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Scales: Three minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Fifteen minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, second section.
Fifteen minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1, first section.
Ten minutes, Sor Opus 60 No. 1, both sections.
Still can't repeat at will. Try. Get tired after a while and the tiredness makes my sloppy. An example: missing D4 by placing my finger on the G3 string at the thrid fret.
- 2025-12-03
Right forearm feeling less sore. Time off may be helping. Practice restricted to left hand and plectrum.
Finger Independence: Four minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Scales: Four minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Thirty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, both sections, tempo 60. Able to repeat the first section, without breaks, five times with very few errors. First time I have been able to do so. The second section is less practiced, and more tired by this point. Having some difficulty with the last three bars.
Finished with trying hammer-ons and pull-offs for the first time using chapter 11 of Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
.
Followed that with a bit of pieces with two parts from chapter 10 of Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
.
- 2025-12-02
Right forearm feeling a bit sore, despite using a pick. Squeezing the pick too hard? Practice restricted to left hand and plectrum.
Scales: Four minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95.
Thirty minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, both sections, tempo 60. Diffuse and distracted by concern about my right forearm. Don't want to take days off. Perhaps I can get a thumb pick.
- 2025-12-01
Right forearm feeling a bit tender. Practice restricted to left hand and plectrum.
Finger Independence: Six minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95
Ten minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, first section, left hand fingering, tempo 60. By the end, several repeats in a row without errors.
Twenty five minutes Sor Opus 60 No. 1, second section, left hand fingering, tempo free. Figuring it out. Quite a bit more lyrical than the first section, particularly the last five bars.
- 2025-11-30
Abbreviated practice session today...late in the evening.
Finger Independence: Six minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Arpreggios: Seven minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, once through each one with metronome set to 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and 120.
Scales: Five minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
Several minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, first section, right hand fingering, tempo 60. Four iterations without error.
Several minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1, first section, left hand fingering, tempo 60. Getting tired. Hard to repeat with loss of focus and errors.
Several minutes, both hands, tired, losing focus, tempo 60. Too many errors. Stopped.
- 2025-11-29
Abbreviated practice session today...late in the evening.
Finger Independence: Four minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95
Relaxation: Five minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Arpreggios: Seven minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, once through each one with metronome set to 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and 120.
Scales: Five minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position, four iterations.
- 2025-11-28
Finger Independence: Four minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95
Relaxation: Five minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Arpreggios: Seven minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, once through each one with metronome set to 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and 120.
Scales: Five minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first position in prepration for Sor Opus 60 No. 1, four iterations.
Seven minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
first section reinforcing the recommended left hand fingering, tempo 60. Nearly got five iterations without error.
Eight minutes focused work on the right hand fingering, tempo 60. Nearly got four iterations without error.
Ten minutes, both hands, tired, losing focus, tempo 60.
- 2025-11-27
Finger Independence: Four minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95 Increasing independence. The work is showing in my movements. Not perfect, but improving.
Relaxation: Five minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Twenty-five minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, first section reinforcing the recommended left hand fingering, tempo 60.
Fifteen minutes focused work on the right hand fingering, tempo 60.
Twenty minutes, both hands, losing focus waiting for the beat, tempo 60. Very hard to keep focus at this tempo.
- 2025-11-26
Tired after partially winterizing the boat, arriving home hungry, dinner, shower, etc. and so did not start till 8pm.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95 Working on keeping every finger down till it must be moved. Getting easier to perform this exercise.
Scales: Five minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position in prepration for Sor Opus 60 No. 1. Working on keeping every finger down till it must be moved.
Thirty minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, first section reinforcing the recommended right hand fingering, tempo 60. Getting a couple repeats, then an error, then a couple repeats. In the end got five repeats without error, but it took a while.
Twenty minutes focused work on the left hand...tired...not getting through once without an error of some type. Finally got several repeats with less than an error per repeat.
Ten minutes of both hands! Losing the prescribed right hand fingering...in the end got two repeats.
- 2025-11-25
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p95 Working on keeping every finger down till it must be moved. Getting easier to perform this exercise.
Scales: Five minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position in prepration for Sor Opus 60 No. 1. Working on keeping every finger down till it must be moved.
Thirty minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, first section reinforcing the recommended right hand fingering, tempo 60. Hard to play at this speed and keep concentration, but it did reveal a two places that I was sloppy with the fingering. By the end, I could play the right hand of the first section, on repeat without error, three times in a row.
After about half an hour...
Twenty minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1, first section only, left hand fingering. By the end, could nearly play repeats without error. Still having a bit of an issue with the fourth finger landin on the G3 string in place of the B3 when seeking to play D4. Need to fix this. Landing the D7 chord, each finger in sequence, as needed, is no longer difficult.
- 2025-11-24
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Scales: Five minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position in prepration for Sor Opus 60 No. 1.
Thirty minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, first section (all of eight bars) reinforcing the recommended fingering and dynamics. Working on the D7 chord in measure 7. Using both hands(!). Counting carefully by foot at about 60bpm. Sounding better.
Several hours pass....
Watched video lesson for Sor Opus 60 No. 1 from This is Classical Guitar
. Duration 57 seconds, nearly 128bpm.
About thirty minutes practicing Sor Opus 60 No. 1. Figured out better fingering in the 3rd (and perhaps 8th) bars for legato play.
- 2025-11-23
Watched the lesson, text and videos provided by Classical Guitar Shed
. Duration 68 seconds,112 bpm.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Scales: Five minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position in prepration for Sor Opus 60 No. 1.
Arpreggios: Ten minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, five times through each one with metronome set to 60, 70, 80, and 90.
Thirty minutes focused work on Sor Opus 60 No. 1
, first section (all of eight bars) trying to get the recommended fingering down with an approximation of the dynamic and accent suggested in the lesson. tempo 60.
- 2025-11-22
Latest music theory lesson from This is Classical Guitar
: 2a Why do we use music notation? from
.
Scales: Twenty minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position. D Major in second position. G Major and A Major in first position.
Arpreggios: Ten minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, five times through each one with metronome set to 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and finally 120.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Barre: Five minutes barring the first three strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Finished with a couple runs at Le Petit Rien by Couperin, both sections.
- 2025-11-21
Scales: Twenty minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first, second/fifth, and fifth position. D Major in second position. G Major and A Major in first position.
Arpreggios: Ten minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, four times each at tempi of 60, 70, 80, and 90 per the Vladimir Gorbach video referenced in Scales and Positions above. Cut short upon feeling some irritation in my right forearm.
Lost patience. Want to practice music rather than drill technique.
About twenty minutes practicing La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
. Repeatedly playing the second measure to learn the jumps F4 to B4/G3 to G4/E2. First section is coming together.
- 2025-11-20
Scales: Twenty minutes deliberately practicing C Major in first, second/fifth, and fifth position. D Major in second position. G Major and A Major in first position.
Arpreggios: Six minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, four times each at tempi of 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 and 120 per the Vladimir Gorbach video referenced in Scales and Positions above
Barre: Eight minutes barring the first three strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings. Time at add another note.
Fretboard Knowledge: Couple minutes playing all the A's and C's on the fretboard.
- 2025-11-19
Scales: Ten minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position. D Major in second position. G Major and A Major in first position.
Arpreggios: Six minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, ten times through each one with metronome set to 94.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Barre: Five minutes barring the first three strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Finished this portion with practicing a bit of Asturias at greater speed, markedly faster than before.
- 2025-11-18
Scales: Seventeen minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position. D Major in second position. G Major and A Major in first position.
Arpreggios: Eight minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, ten times through each one with metronome set to 90.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Barre: Five minutes barring the first three strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Fretboard Knowledge: Couple minutes playing all the A's and C's on the fretboard.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Noodling section: finished this session with two dual octave run throughs of the F Major scale; couple runs of Sagreras Leccion No 54; and a couple runs of the first section of Handel's Menuet in A, HWV 545.
After a couple hours, practiced Handel's Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
carefully, concentrating on the rhythms, fingerings, durations, for more than half and hour.
- 2025-11-17
Scales: Ten minutes deliberately practicing C Major in both first and fifth position. D Major in second position. G Major and A Major in first position.
Arpreggios: Eight minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p i m a m i arpreggio and No 8 p a m i m a arpeggio from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Exercises 108 and 109 on p. 91, ten times through each one with metronome set to 90.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Barre: Five minutes barring the first three strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
After a couple hours, examined Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
p49, which is Asturias and found that there is one bass line figure (A) that repeats six times in the first section, and with modified fingering another six times in the second section; another figure (B) that repeats four times in the first section (absent from the second section); two others (C and D) that appear once in each section; and four measures that do not repeat anywhere. Practiced (A) repeatedly till I could play it ten times without error using the first section fingering. Tried to get the section section fingering to the same standard, but more work is required. Worked on (B) some, starting to get that figure. Twenty minutes of concentrated effort.
Finished with ten minutes of playing/practicing Petzold's Minuet in G.
- 2025-11-16
Scales: Ten minutes deliberately practicing in both first and fifth position: C Major, G Major, D Major, and A Major.
Arpreggios: Four minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p a m i arpreggio and No 8 p i m a arpeggio from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 93, ten times through each one.
Relaxation: Five minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Barre: Starting barre technique. Several minutes barring the first two strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Fretboard Knowledge: Couple minutes playing all the A's and C's on the fretboard.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Practiced the first section of Petzold's Minuet in G a couple times, needs work. Explored the second section for the first time. The only challenges are the B4 in the first two bars, and the move from G3 to F3# in 25, 26, and 28 due to difficulty in keeping the fourth finger clear of the G3 string while fretting F3#.
- 2025-11-15
First two music theory lessons from This is Classical Guitar
: 1a Pitch Direction and Letter Names and 1b Musical Time from
.
Scales: Twenty minutes deliberately practicing in both first and fifth position: C Major, G Major, D Major, and A Major. Mistakenly, practiced C Major scale starting at differnt notes (G, D, A). Had to go back and redo with the sharps appropriate to each scale. Twice through each scale at each position.
Arpreggios: Three minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p a m i arpreggio and No 8 p i m a arpeggio from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 93, ten times through each one.
Relaxation: Five minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Barre: Starting barre technique. Couple minutes barring the first two strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Fretboard Knowledge: Several minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's. First time since Nov 3rd. Had a hard time remembering their locations.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
- 2025-11-14
Scales: Ten minutes deliberately practicing in both first and fifth position: C Major, G Major, D Major, and A Major. Twice through each.
Arpreggios: Four minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p a m i arpreggio and No 8 p i m a arpeggio from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 93, ten times through each one.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Barre: Starting barre technique. Couple minutes barring the first two strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Fretboard Knowledge: Several minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's. First time since Nov 3rd. Had a hard time remembering their locations.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Spent about fifteen minutes practicing the base line of the first section of Asturias. After practicing the bass line some half dozen times with modestly increasing speed, added the middle finger E4 between each base line note. Finished with the first three bars, all identical, base line and E4 drone, at speed.
- 2025-11-13
Scales: Eight minutes deliberately practicing in both first and fifth position: C Major, G Major, D Major, and A Major. Twice through each.
Arpreggios: Four minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p a m i arpreggio and No 8 p i m a arpeggio from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 93, ten times through each one.
Relaxation: Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2, all strings.
Barre: Starting barre technique. Couple minutes barring the first two strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first seven frets in turn.
Fretboard Knowledge: Several minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's. First time since Nov 3rd. Had a hard time remembering their locations.
Finger Independence: Four minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Played/practiced Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
p49, which is Asturias by Albeniz, for fun and for the right hand practice.
End the session, playing Petzold's Minuet in G on page 70 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
, which I have not played since 23 June. Need to reacquaint myself with first position, and fourth finger for D4. Playing this piece was just fun...errors and working on the errors included.
- 2025-11-12
Relaxation: Four minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the E2, A2, D3, G3 E4 strings.
Scales: Four minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings from A2 through C5.
Barre: Starting barre technique. Couple minutes barring the first two strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first five frets in turn.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Arpreggios: Six minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p a m i arpreggio and No 8 p i m a arpeggio from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 93.
Fretboard Knowledge: Several minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's. First time since Nov 3rd. Had a hard time remembering their locations.
Finished off the session, exploring and then playing You are my Sunshine from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
.
- 2025-11-11
Relaxation: Four minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the E2, A2, D3, G3 E4 strings.
Warm up: Four minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings from A2 through C5.
Barre: Starting barre technique. Couple minutes barring the first two strings, followed by placing the other fingers of the left hand, one finger per fret, while holding the barre. Each of the first five frets in turn.
Fretboard Knowledge: Several minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's. First time since Nov 3rd. Had a hard time remembering their locations.
Ten minutes playing Ode to Joy from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
at fifth position.
Took a break for several hours.
Finger Independence: Five minutes, twice through Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Arpreggios: Six minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p a m i arpreggio and No 8 p i m a arpeggio from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 93.
Twenty minutes attempting Lesson 7 exercises 58 - 61...all thumb. Not used to this at all! Felt strange to play in first position after 2-1/2 weeks playing fifth position.
- 2025-11-10
Four minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the D3, G3, B3, E4 strings.
Four minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings from A2 through C5.
Four minutes Left Hand Technique Routine No 3 (1 4 3 4 2 4) pattern on each string from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 95
Four minutes Right Hand Technique Routine No 7 p a m i arpreggio and No 8 p i m a arpeggio from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p. 93. First work on focused right hand technique since Sep. 3rd.
Thirty minutes working on Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
exercise 140 from Lesson 17 on page 129. Unusual fingering required in measures 1 and 7, as well as a half-barre in measure 4 (could use a half-barre in measure 1, as well). Have not learned the half-barre. That was in lesson 10 which I skipped having wanted a new challenge and decided on learning fifth position on Nov. 4th. Feels like I know the tune but can't place the name at this time.
- 2025-11-09
Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the D3, G3, B3, E4 strings.
Seven minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings from A2 through C5. Need to push the G3 string upward when playing C4, lest the open B3 string hit my first finger of the left hand and distort.
Feeling tired at the end of the day. Had resolved to get in fifteen minutes of practice. Then tried exercise 138 of Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
, just for fun, just once through.
Thrity-five minutes practicing fifth position using Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
exercises 138 through 140 from Lesson 17. Exercise 138 (Lilliburlero page 128) sounding like music. Needs to be considerably faster. Words for all twelve verses are on page 104f of Reliquery of English Song.
- 2025-11-08
Five minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the D3, G3, B3, E4 strings.
Six minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings from A2 through C5. Need to push the G3 string upward when playing C4, lest the open B3 string hit my first finger of the left hand and distort.
Forty minutes practicing fifth position using Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
exercises 135 through 137 from Lesson 17. Perhaps ten minutes on 135 and 136. Comfortable enough in fifth position to start working on the rhythyms of exercise 137 in place of concentrating on finding the notes on the fretboard. Measure 25 ends with A3, the next measure starts with D4...finger 3 indicated for both, which would require some mini-barre to sound them without an audible break. Another option is to use 2nd finger for A3 and third for D4; an eighth-note B3 gives a moment to make the stretch from the preceding C4 with first finger to A3 with second. Very nice repeated figure from measure 25 to the end. Another use of a chromatic, G3# to enhance ending of the exercise. Tried playing exercise 137 in first position, just to check that I remember how to play there. Did feel a bit weird after nearly a week of fifth position. Exercise 137 is harder to play in first position due to the jump required to reach C5 in the second measure.
- 2025-11-07
Six minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the D3, G3, B3, E4 strings.
Seven minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings from A2 through C5.
Thirty minutes practicing fifth position using Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
exercises 135 through 140 from Lesson 17 which concentrate on the notes G3 through C5 in fifth position. Fingers are starting to move immediately, without concious though to the right fret. Tone quality is not what I would like at this time. When playing B3 on the open string, need to pluck the string at mid-length to provide the same tone as the other strings...can hear the difference in overtones(?) between B3 plucked at the sound hole and B3 plucked at mid-length. Mid-length fits with the sound/tone of C3 and D3 played in fifth position.
Left thumb remains a bit sensitive, so foregoing chord work since Monday Nov. 3rd.
- 2025-11-05
Seven minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the D3, G3, B3, E4 strings.
Five minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings.
In fifth position, twenty-five minutes practicing Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
exercises for notes on the B3 and E4 strings up through exercise 34.
Twenty minutes practicing the first section of Handel's Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
, particularly measures 9 through 12 which require playing C4# using the third finger so that the second finger is available for A3. Starting to come together.
- 2025-11-04
Received an email from Classical Guitar Corner
about sight reading. The lesson is conducted at the fifth position. So in preparation for the lesson:
Five minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the treble strings.
Five minutes deliberately starting to learn the C Major scale at fifth position on the treble strings.
Twenty plus minutes working/playing though the "Sight Reading Lesson for Classical Guitar" video at Classical Guitar Corner
.
A few hours later, spent twenty-five minutes practicing fifth position. Tried Le Petit Rien in fifth position...fifth position is not suitable for D Major. The C3#, F3#, B3, C5#, all require reaching the 9th fret.
- 2025-11-03
Four minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the four lowest (E2 - G3) strings.
Four minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's
Four minutes playing the A and D chords carefully, ensuring each note is clear. Works my left forearm and left thumb. Left thumb getting sore much too quickly.
Five plus minutes deliberately playing the Two Octave A Major Scale. Bringing the left elbow closer to the joint of the fingerboard and the body of the guitar helps my fingers to reach and stand on their tips when playing notes on the E2 and A2 strings.
Spent a few minutes exploring the first line of each of the three variations in Carulli's Waltz and Three Variations Opus 241 No. 1(?), just for fun.
Twenty minutes practicing the first section of Handel's Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
, tempo 52. Getting the hang of it. First section is coming together.
- 2025-11-02
Twenty minutes devoted to deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the four lowest (E2 - G3) strings; playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's; deliberately playing the A Major Position Scale; playing the A and D chords carefully, ensuring each note is clear. Works my left forearm and left thumb. Focused on not pressing too hard. Tiring for my left foreearm. Sounding clear.
Ten minutes practicing Leccion No 54 by Julio Segreras from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
After taking a walk, worked on recovering the first section, first four bars in particular, of Handel's Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
for twenty-five minutes. Tempo 52. Feels slow.
- 2025-10-30
Four minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the three bass strings.
Four minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's
Seven minutes deliberately playing the Two Octave A Major Scale.
Four minutes playing the A and D chords carefully, ensuring each note is clear. Works my left forearm and left thumb. Focused on not pressing too hard. Tiring for my left foreearm. Sounding clear.
About thirty minutes practicing La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
. Repeatedly playing the second measure to learn the jumps F4 to B4/G3 to G4/E2. Striving for dynamics in the first three measures of the second section: loud, moderate, quiet so that the identical measures sound better.
- 2025-10-29
Four minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the three bass strings.
Four minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's
Seven minutes deliberately playing the Two Octave A Major Scale.
Five minutes playing the A and D chords carefully, ensuring each note is clear. Works my left forearm and left thumb. Pressing too hard. Need firm but relaxed chords. Sounding clear.
Twenty minutes practicing the first section of Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
by Handel. Started by repeating the first measure several times till it began to flow, then added the second measure till both flowed. Need to work on the stretch from C4 to D#4 in measure 14. Will need to work on initiating the repeat of the first section. The E3 finger can stay in place to guide the 1st and 3rd fingers to their locations on the G string. At tempo 48, have to make sure to hold the half notes and dotted half notes for their full value.
- 2025-10-28
Four minutes deliberately practicing Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the three bass strings.
Couple minutes playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's
Seven minutes deliberately playing the Two Octave A Major Scale.
Five minutes playing the A and D chords carefully, ensuring each note is clear. At the end of the period, both tired left forearm and placement getting sloppy.
Thirty minutes practicing the first section of Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
by Handel. Repeated the first measure more than ten times till I got it right consistently. Approached each challenging measure in the same manner, repeated correct play to learn the correct motion. Finished with playing the first section through several times, tempo 48. Upon any error, stopped and repeated that particular measure or couple of bars some ten times. Need to make sure to give full duration to the half notes. All this per the Practicing perfect section (page 8) of Practice Technique for a Musician
.
- 2025-10-27
Read the lesson text and watched video from This is Classical Guitar
for the A Major scale. He plays Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
by Handel in 42 seconds, about 120bpm, and Leccion No 54 in 29 seconds including ritardando...about 66bpm.
Seven minutes deliberately practicing Douglas Neidt
Press and Release Exercise Part 1 and 2 on the three bass strings and Playing all the A's on the fretboard: both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's
Ten minutes deliberately playing the Two Octave A Major Scale with particular emphasis on the transistion from G#3 to F#3.
Five minutes playing the A and D chords carefully, ensuring each note is clear.
Twenty-five minutes split more or less evenly between practicing Leccion No 54 by Julio Segreras, which needs the transition from one chord to another to move much faster, and first look at the first secrtion of Handel Minuet in A HWV 545
by Handel from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
- 2025-10-26
More than five minutes playing the A and D chords carefully, ensuring each note is clear.
Two five minute sessions alternating between A and D chords.
After driving home from New Jersey, a few minutes playing both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's several times.
Thirty minutes playing Excercises 55, 56, and 57 from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 6. Mainly Exercise 55. The fingering seems inexplicably challenging.
Tuning the guitar well enough now, using the Micro Tuner, that after sounding an open string, and muting that one string, the guitar continues to sound due to sympathetic vibrations of the other strings.
- 2025-10-24
Five minutes learning the A Major scale. Played the A Major Position Scale several times, slowly, trying to get myself grounded as to which notes are sharpened.
Five minutes plus playing both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's several times comparing the notes.
About thirty minutes practicing La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
. Abandoned "a. m. i" right hand fingering for the runs of three descending notes.
About ten minutes practicing Leccion No 54 by Julio Segreras from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 27.
- 2025-10-23
As a first step to learning the keyboard, mapped out every A on the fretboard. Spent five minutes plus playing both A2's, the three A3's, and two A4's several times comparing the notes.
Started learning the A Major scale. Played the A Major Position Scale several times, slowly, trying to get myself grounded as to which notes are sharpened. Then played a bit faster.
About twenty minutes practicing La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
. Decided upon a right hand fingering for the runs of three descending notes. Annotated the piece.
About ten minutes exploring Leccion No 54 by Julio Segreras from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 27.
- 2025-10-22
Feeling a bit cross-grained. Spent fifteen minutes beginning to familiarize myself with fifth position...just playing through the notes, adding B3 on the fourth string ninth fret.
Twenty minutes playing Exercise 49 from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 5, trying for a bit more speed. Getting a bit faster.
Stressing my left forearm by pushing my left elbow out away from my body...need to concentrate on keeping the elbow closer to me to reduce the strain on the outside of the forearm.
- 2025-10-21
Five minutes on Exercise 49 from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 5. Better yet.
Thirty minutes on Exercises 50 through 57, all of the exercises in chapter six from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 6. Need to practice the exact fingering of Exercise 55 some more, as well as preparing the thumb and fingers for playing arpeggio exercises 56 and 57.
Ten minutes finishing up with Menuet en Rondeau by Rameau and Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
to end with some music. Each one sounder a bit better.
- 2025-10-20
Forty minutes on Exercise 49 from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 5. Getting smoother. Practiced Exercises 49a and 49b as well. Same as 49 but for different arpeggios. Near the end, switched to using a pick to protect my right forearm. Nearly got the tempo up to 80.
- 2025-10-19
Fifty minutes practice without a metronome. Played Carcassi's Prelude in E Minor (fingers), Schumann's Erster Verlust (pick), and couple iterations of Le Petit Rien (pick)
- 2025-10-17
Three or four minutes of the D Major scale to warm up.
Thirty-five minutes of Le Petit Rien at tempo 64 and then 68. Playing a bit slow in the second section...needs more work.
Ten minutes of La Volte without a metronome. Getting the feel of the music itself.
- 2025-10-16
Thrity-five to forty minutes of review, without a metronome, of earlier pieces: Menuet en Rondeau by Rameau; Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
; Leccion No 46 by Segraras; and Minuet by Bach.
Played Menuet en Rondeau with a pick. The others free stroke. No issues with my right forearm.
Very nice to come back to these pieces. After a couple iterations, each one quickly became somewhat familiar, particularly Bach's Minuet.
- 2025-10-13
Thirty minutes working on La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
using the fingers of the right hand, tempo dropped to 40. Starting to get the first section, all eight bars. By the end of the thirty minutes, played the piece nearly right at tempo 40. Video of Bradford Werner playing the piece with remarks. About 24 seconds to play the piece. Perhaps more practice of the melody alone would help.
Twenty minutes working on Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, both sections, tempo 64. Nearly there at this tempo. Just a bit more polishing required.
- 2025-10-12
Fifteen minutes starting to work on La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
using the fingers of the right hand, tempo 48.
Thirty-five minutes working on Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, both sections, tempo 64.
- 2025-10-10
Twenty minutes beginning to familiarize myself with La Volte from Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
using the fingers of the right hand.
Thirty minutes working on Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, both sections, tempi of 60 and 64.
- 2025-10-09
Forty-five minutes working on Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, both sections, tempi of 52, 56, and 60.
- 2025-10-08
Thirty minutes working on Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, both sections, with some emphasis on shifting from D4 to A4 and back.
A bit tough. Playing G4 and A4 requires a good spread from second to fourth finger while C4 to D4 requires the same to fingers tight, even a bit crowded together.
Finished up with several iterations from start to finish, repeating weaker bars as needed to improve. Tempo 52.
- 2025-10-06
Five minutes practicing the D Major Scale, both single octave and position scale, using second position per page 22 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
.
Twenty-five minutes working on the second section of Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin. The second section is played in second position. Practiced jumping from A4 in second position back to D4 in first position, as required to move the the second section back to the start of the first section.
By the end, the A4 and E4 among other notes are ringing out like a bell, sounds nearly crystaline in their clarity, at least to me. ;)
- 2025-10-05
Five minutes practicing the D Major Scale, both single octave and position scale, using second position per page 22 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
.
Thirty minutes working on the first section of Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, tempi 56, 60, and 64 quarter-notes per minute. Smoothly three times through at each tempo before increasing. Need more work at 64bpm.
Stopped, even though I wanted to continue, as the forearm muscles for closing the fingers in my left hand started to become tender and warm to the touch.
- 2025-10-03
Five minutes practicing the D Major Scale, both single octave and position scale, using second position per page 22 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
.
Twenty-five minutes working on the first section of Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, tempi 52 and 56 quarter-notes per minute. Smoothly three times through at each tempo before increasing.
- 2025-10-01
Five minutes practicing the D Major Scale, both single octave and position scale, using second position per page 22 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
.
Twenty-five minutes working on the first section of Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, tempo 52 quarter-notes per minute. At the end of this session, played the first section through without error, three times in a row. No dropped beats. No dynamics yet, much less tasto vs ponticello, etc. but seem to have the fingering down, once I'm fully warmed up to the piece. Time to start increasing the tempo.
- 2025-09-30
Five minutes exploring the D Major Scale, both single octave and position scale, using second position per page 22 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
.
Five minutes playing the D Major chord progression: D, G, D, A, D.
Forty minutes working on the first section of Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, tempo 52 quarter-notes per minute. Difficulty with the seventh to eight measure. In particular, the sequence B3, A3, F3#. The reach to the fourth fret working but my hand tends to fall, incorrectly, on the G3 string in place of the D3 string. All in first position. The second section of the piece is played in second position.
- 2025-09-29
Ten minutes exploring the D Major Scale, both single octave and position scale, using second position per page 22 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
. First time playing in second position.
Twenty-five minuters exploring Le Petit Rien by Francois Couperin, page 23 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
. Requires shifting from first position to second position once, and back again once.
Watch the lesson video.
- 2025-09-26
Seven minutes E Melodic Minor Position Scale using the fingers of my right hand of the first time since 2025-09-03.
Practicing the second part of Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 page 20 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
several times.
Total of less than fifteen minutes so that I don't shock or overtax my right hand.
- 2025-09-22
Five minutes C Major and chromatic scale in first position. Chromatic scale in first position is a real workout for the left forearm in trying to spread the fingers enough to place each finger directly behind the fret while holding the previous fingers in place on the same string. Very intense at this time. Limited the amount to protect my forearm.
Thirty minutes on Exercise 49, tempo 60, from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 5. Getting smoother. Finding the string and fret more ofetn in playing the Asus4/E and F6 chords. Starting to develop a bit of left hand finger independence.
Twenty minutes on 44 and 45 focusing on the rests and ties, tempo 64 and 68.
No looking at the left hand and getting better at finding the right string and fret. More work needed but making progress. Also focusing on playing on the tip of the finger, hence the problem with my nails yesterday despite the nails being quite short. After trimming no dead part (white) remains...all the nail is pink, trimmed back to the nail bed.
- 2025-09-21
Five minutes or so practicing C Major scale slowly with concentration on finger positioning close to the fret and clean sound.
Fifty+ minutes on the 3/4 Exercises 37 - 48 from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 5 at tempo 64. Challenges getting the rests and damping right.
Twenty minutes on Exercise 49, first time, at 60. Challenges getting my left hand to hold the Asus4/E and F6 chords. Requires 1 and 3 independence. Started to get the chords after a while. Need to drim my nails on the left hand, as the nail is lifting and rotating the fingertip. Trimmed my nails after practicing.
- 2025-09-19
Five minutes or so practicing C Major scale slowly with concentration on finger positioning close to the fret and clean sound.
Sixty+ minutes on the 4/4 Exercises 37 - 48 from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 5 at tempi 64, 68, and 72.
Start to get tired about thirty minutes in, begin to lose focus about forty-five minutes in, but so close, just want to play each one twice through, without stopping, correctly.
No looking at the left hand at all anymore. ;)
- 2025-09-18
Five minutes or so practicing C Major scale slowly with concentration on finger positioning close to the fret and clean sound.
Forty minutes on Exercise 47 from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 5 at tempo 60. Concentrating on getting the fingering right, playing two bars half a dozen times over to build muscle memory. Once good at 60, increased speed to 64 and 68. Find myself getting a beat of two ahead during the formerly troublesome parts, at times now.
- 2025-09-17
Thirty minutes of E Melodic Minor position scale at tempo 60, focusing on remembering the D3# and placement just behind each fret.
After a break of a couple hours, practiced at a slow tempo, using a pick, Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 page 20 of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
for some thirty minutes.
- 2025-09-16
Thirty minutes of Exercises 37 - 48 from Lesson 5 Notes, Rests, and Ties of Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
, at tempo 64.
Exercise 47, full bar 8 giving me fits trying to land the thrid finger on D4 without any other finger on the fretboard.
May be causing me to hunch my right shoulder causing a bit of pain at the bottom of the shoulder blade.
Perhaps one reason that it is hard to play at this tempo is that there is so little to keep one's attention focused on the piece. video short.
After a couple hours, practiced C Major, A Melodic Minor, and G Major scales, tempo 80, for five minutes each.
- 2025-09-15
Decided to push on to Lesson 5: Notes, Rests, and Ties of Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
. Jumping strings using the pick is a problem still, but I feel that I am stagnating, not practicing the rest of the notes in first position.
Sixty minutes of Exercises 37 - 48 at tempo 60 and 64. Muting the guitar at rests is new. Taking a bit of time to get the hang of muting and to allow the full value of the rest.
Little sequence of E4, A3, D4, B3, C4 in Exercise 47 needs practice. Not used to the A3 followed by D4 and then the same string open. Strange.
Feel like I am losing some skill during this time resting my right forearm.
- 2025-09-14
Want to play music (pieces) rather than exercises, as I have been doing since 2025-09-03. Missing the use of the fingers of my right hand.
Thirty minutes focused on Rameau's Menuet en Rondeau. At first playing through identifying and addressing areas that need work.
At the end, playing with a metronome at 84, 88, 92, and 96. The last tempo is a bit too fast at this time, still good to play a piece of music. Need to think about the dynamics for the piece. The notes alone are a bit repeative, each half repeated and then the first section played and repeated again.
- 2025-09-12
Fifty minuters hour practicing Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 4, Exercises 22 - 31 (p24ff) first position, second string, fretted notes, at tempo 84.
Simple mistakes. Feeling a bit tired, not focused, diffuse after riding this afternoon for the first time in two weeks. Bit of a frustrating session...groundwork for improvement.
- 2025-09-11
One hour practicing Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 4, Exercises 22 - 31 (p24ff) first position, second string, fretted notes, starting at tempo 72 through 84, increment by 4, without looking away from the sheet music.
Skipping strings still tough, causes me to lose a beat from time to time...do it again till I get it right...no lost beats.
- 2025-09-10
One hour practicing Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 4, Exercises 22 - 31 (p24ff) first position, second string, fretted notes, starting at tempo 60 through 72, increment by 4, without looking away from the sheet music.
- 2025-09-08
Forty-five minutes practicing Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 4, Exercises 22 - 31 (p24ff) first position, second string, fretted notes, starting at tempo 60, 64, and 68, without looking away from the sheet music.
Having troubles with the pick. Hitting the wrong string when jumping over strings or touching an unintended string while jumping. Need more practice...miss being able to use a finger per string. Wednesday makes one week of pick in place of fingers.
Still a bit of soreness, at times, in the right forearm.
- 2025-09-07
Thirty minutes practicin Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 4, Exercises 22 - 26 (p24f) first position, second string, fretted notes, without looking away from the sheet music.
- 2025-09-05
Sixty minutes practicing Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 4, Exercises 16 - 21 (p21-23) first position, first string, fretted notes, starting at tempo 60 and incrementing by 4 to 96, inclusive.
Exercises 21 not smooth enough due to anacrusis and switching from quarter to half notes on the 2nd beat.
- 2025-09-04
Forty minutes practicing Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 3, Exercises 7 - 11 (p17ff) on the open treble and bass strings, starting at tempo 60 and incrementing by 4 to 92, inclusive.
Ten minutes reviewing C Major, A Melodic Minor, G Major, and E Melodic Minor scales using a pick...bit different.
One effect of reviewing fundamentals from the beginning is an improvement in counting/timing.
- 2025-09-03 Right forearm slightly warm and swollen. Guessing the cause is repetitive stress of fingerpicking.
Taking a break from classical (fingerstyle) by using a plectrum/pick, till my right forearm heals.
Opportunity to return the fundamentals, the beginning, from the start of Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
.
Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 1, position; Lesson 2 right-hand (skipped, using a pick); Lesson 3 beginning to read music...counting and open treble strings.
Thirty minutes practicing Lesson 3, Exercises 1 - 6 (p16f) on the open treble strings, starting at tempo 60 and incrementing by 4 to 84, inclusive.
Ten minutes reviewing C Major, A Melodic Minor, G Major, and E Melodic Minor scales using a pick...bit different.
The pick makes sets up a much stronger vibration in the instrument. The timbre is quite different.
- 2025-09-02 Ten iterations of each of the six Basic Arpeggio Patterns Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 61, tempo 84. pami and pima are easy. The paim pattern appears the most in need of practice.
Ten+ minutes of E Melodic Minor Position Scale. Two iterations, slow and very deliberate; the rest at 84 with concentration. Focus is key.
Right forearm a bit sore where the index and middle finger tendons lie. Been practicing for about forty minutes clock time.
- 2025-09-01 Ten iterations of each of the six Basic Arpeggio Patterns Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 61, tempo 84. pami and pima are easy. Others need more several iterations till I fall into the pattern.
Eight+ minutes of E Melodic Minor Position Scale. Two iterations, slow and very deliberate; the rest at 84 with concentration. Missed D# once and F# once. Better.
Focused practice on the D3, D4, C4 notes, followed by
Twenty minutes of Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68, tempo 72 eighth-notes per minute...much better.
Couple iterations of Bach's Minuet without looking at the left hand, trying for tempo 84 eighth-notes per minute...too fast.
- 2025-08-31 Some ten minutes practiceing E Melodic Minor Position Scale without a metronome. Bit easier to remember D#.
Thirty-five minutes practicing Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 at slow tempo. Don't have the fingering, particularly when playing D3 with the thumb followed by D4. Working on the piece without looking at the left hand.
Fifteen minutes practicing Bach's Minuet without looking at the left hand. Remains a challenge.
- 2025-08-29 Fifteen minutes, ten iterations of each of the six Basic Arpeggio Patterns Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 61. Particularly challenged with p, a, m, i.
Three minutes practicing switching between C Major and A minor chords arpeggiated. 22 repetitions in three minutes.
Three minutes practicing switching between A minor and D minor chords arpeggiated. 21 repetitions in three minutes.
- 2025-08-28 Twelve minutes of the C Major Position Scale tempo 80 as a check on being able to keep time. Few problems. After playing three scales with F# for weeks, I found myself playing F# automatically at times. Once in to the rhythm of it was able to string together three iterations of the scale without missing a beat. So there's an issue with E Melodic Minor rather than with all scales.
Fifteen minutes, ten iterations of each of the six Basic Arpeggio Patterns Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 61.
Several iterations of both Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12. and of Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras.
Couple iterations of Bach's Minuet without looking at the left hand and repeating the rough spots...harder without looking. Needs work.
One hour practice total.
- 2025-08-27 Ten minutes, ten iterations of each of the first four Basic Arpeggio Patterns Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 61.
Fifteen minutes of E Melodic Minor Position Scale at 80 without looking at left hand. Still missing the D# from time to time. Still missing a beat from time to time.
Twenty-five minutes practicing Prelude in E Minor at a comfortable tempo. Working on landing the fingering smoothly without looking at the left hand.
- 2025-08-25 Thirty minutes trying to play the E Melodic Minor Position Scale at 84 smoothly and cleanly without looking at left hand. Very tough. Dropping beats. Forgetting the D#. Was able to string together two iterations, on time, a couple times, but only a couple times. Goodness!
- 2025-08-22 About ten minutes of E Melodic Minor Position Scale at 83 without looking at left hand...been kidding myself. Dropping a beat from time to time.
Arpeggio practice exercises 12 through 15 in Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 3. Ten iterations each.
About forty-five minutes practicing sight reading and timing at 83 exercises 25 through 36 in Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lesson 4. Really don't like that each note is marked in three ways: position on clef, left hand fingering, and right hand fingering...the presentation is too busy.
Several review iterations of Menuet en Rondeau at speed. Felt good to let loose on this piece after the strict drill above.
- 2025-08-21 About ten minutes of E Melodic Minor Position Scale at 88 without looking at left hand. Better. Still, whenever I allow my mind to wander, I play D in place of D#, as if the hand believes that every string gets an open string note. The Melodic Minor Scale is the first scale in which there is not an open string note on every string.
Thirty-five minutes practicing exercies in Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lessons 3 and 4, from exercise 1 to 24 at 83. Timing is meaningfully better than the first attempt. Plan is NOT to memorize these, but rather to develop both proper timing and better sight reading.
Finished with two or more iterations of Menuet en Rondeau, Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
, Leccion No. 46, and Bach's Minuet.
- 2025-08-19 Tried playing each exercise in Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
Lessons 3 and 4, from the exercise 1 to 36 on page 29 at 90...my timing and sight reading need work. This should have been easy.
Two iterations of Bach's Minuet without looking at the left hand and repeating the rough spots...harder without looking. Needs work.
Hour total...perhaps fifteen minutes on Bach. Noise of children and their declaiming parents is not conducive to quality practice.
- 2025-08-18 Three iteration of Prelude in E Minor at a comfortable tempo. Just enjoying the music. Trying to form the chords more easily.
Practicing E Melodic Minor Position Scale striving not to look at the left hand, rather to keep my eyes on the sheet music. Ten or more iterations at 88. Not natural. If I lose focus, I revert back to C Major.
Worked on fingering of Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 at slow tempo. Just dont have the fingering. Needs more work before starting with a metronome and working on increaed tempo.
Several iterations of Bach's Minuet without looking at the left hand and repeating the rough spots...harder without looking. Needs work.
- 2025-08-17 While practicing at the the Outer Banks, received (1800) notice of a mandatory evacuation of Hatteras Island (35.2° N, 75.5°W) due to Hurricane Erin located at 21.7°N 68.5°W (1700)...this is quite a distraction.
Practicing E Melodic Minor Position Scale without looking at the left hand. Three or more iterations at tempi 84, 88. Due to the bother, missing D# at 88 more often than previously.
Tried playing Bach's Minuet at 84 and find myself making errors in parts that I previously had well in hand. Bother.
Returned to practicing E Melodic Minor Position Scale. Three or more iterations at tempi 88, 92, 96, and 100. Better as I have to concentrate more. Fewer spare cycles for Hurricane Erin.
Tried Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 at slow tempo, but again too bothered to perform well.
Stopped after an hour.
- 2025-08-15 Ten minutes drilling E Melodic Minor Position Scale. Three to four iterations at each tempi 80, 84, 88, and 92. Better, missed the D# only a few times at the higher tempi.
Twenty minutes practicing Prelude in E Minor loosely based upon Carcassi, several iterations at 76, 80, 84, and 88.
Twenty-five minutes working on the fingering of Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 at a slow tempo.
Two iternations of Bach's Minuet, with repeats to finish the day.
Watched the video for the lesson. Bradford plays Prelude in E Minor in 28 seconds.
- 2025-08-14 Twelve minutes drilling E Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 88. Still missing D# too often. Drilled an additional five minutes on the bass strings only to get more practice remembering the D#.
Twenty minutes fumbling with Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
. Can't land a C Major chord. Completely out of sorts.
Ten minutes playing Bach's Minuet. Best playing of the day so far...who would have expected this result?!
Fifteen minutes exploring then practicing the second section of Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 adapted from Schumann Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 20.
Least musical day that I have had in a considerable period of time.
- 2025-08-13 Twelve minutes drilling E Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 88. Missing D# too often. Either I'm thickheaded today or I have been kidding myself regarding this scale. It's not "burned in".Have to deliberately remember to play C# and D#. The F#'s fall into place...the weakest being F3# (on the D3 string)
Forty mintues plus working quite deliberately on Prelude in E Minor loosely based upon Carcassi, tempi 63, 66, 69.
- 2025-08-12 Three minutes learning the E Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated Em and B7 chords. Should be playing F...that chord is more common and must be learned.
Ten minutes practicing the second section of Bach's Minuet concentrating on the rougher parts, Tempo 104 eighth-notes.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated E and D minor chords. 17 repetitions.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated G Major and E minor. 21 repetitions.
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated C Major and A minor chords. 32 repetitions.
Viewed Classical Guitar Corner
introductory lessons 1 (position, synchronization, tone) and 3 (rhythm, tonal variety, legato).
Ten minutes practicing Prelude in E Minor loosely based upon Carcassi in Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 21.
Ten minutes exploring then practicing the first section of Erster Verlust No 16 Op 68 adapted from Schumann Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 20.
- 2025-08-11 Fifteen minutes learning the E Melodic Minor Position Scale, two iterations for tempi 80, 84, 88, and 92. Five minutes feeling out the E minor chord progression: Em, C, Am, B7, and Em.
Twenty-five minutes exploring Prelude in E Minor loosely based upon Carcassi in Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
page 21.
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated C Major and A minor chords. 32 repetitions. Left forearm a bit tight.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated A minor and D minor chords. 24 repetitions.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated G Major and E minor using proper fingerings intentionally. 19 repetitions. Started easier, still tough.
One full iteration of Bach's Minuet with practice of the rougher parts, Tempo 104 eighth-notes.
- 2025-08-10
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 108.
Several iterations of Menuet en Rondeau, tempo 108.
Several iterations of Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
. Slow...not landing the chords quickly enough to play faster.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 108.
Several iterations of Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12. and of Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras. Tempo 108 eighth-notes.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 108.
A number of iterations practicing Bach's Minuet, in particular the second section. Tempo 108 eighth-notes.
Began to look at the E Melodic Minor Scale and Prelude in E Minor.
- 2025-08-08
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated C Major and A minor chords. 29 repetitions. Left forearm tight.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated A minor and D minor chords. 21 repetitions. Playing scales relaxes the forearm a bit.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated G Major and E minor using proper fingerings intentionally. 17 repetitions.
Five minutes learning rest stroke from Fredrick Noad Solo Guitar Playing - Book 1, 4th Edition
p4f.
Twenty minutes practicing Bach's Minuet, in particular the second section. Tempo 88 eighth-notes.
Fifteen minutes practicing Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras. Tempo 88.
- 2025-08-07
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104.
Couple iterations of Menuet en Rondeau.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104.
Couple iterations of Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12. and of Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104.
Couple iterations of Bach's Minuet.
Gotten to the point that I can play these three pieces, slowly with errors, for enjoyment.
- 2025-08-06
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated C Major and A minor chords. 28 repetitions. Exhausting.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated A minor and D minor chords. 21 repetitions.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of the second section of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated G Major and E minor using proper fingerings intentionally. 12 repetitions. Feeling it in my left forearm.
Stopping to give the left forearm a break from practice. Landing the G Major chord using 2, 3, and 4 is requiring me to bend the wrist markedly. Not good.
- 2025-08-05
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated C Major and A minor chords. Did not count.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated A minor and D minor chords. 22 repetitions.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes. Three minutes alternating arpeggiated G Major and E minor using irregular fingerings unintentionally. 18 repetitions.
A couple hours later... Twenty-five minutes working on second section of Bach's Minuet, tempo 80 eighth-notes. Worked out a fingering that was bothersome.
- 2025-08-04 Two day off due to שבת וט׳ באב. Feeling the missing days in my playing.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104.
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104.
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 11, 23, 12, 8?, 0.75. Rather ragged for lack of practice.
Twenty minutes looking at Kean O'Hara for the first time.
Ten minutes looking at the E minor Melodic Scale.
- 2025-08-01
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes.
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes.
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104. About ten repetitions of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes.
Twenty-five minutes working on first section of Bach's Minuet, tempo 104 eighth-notes. Sounding like music. Very pleased.
- 2025-07-31
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104
Five minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104. Having a bit of trouble with this one today, hence the extra time.
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104.
Twenty-five minutes working on fingering and a bit on phrasing of Bach's Minuet.
After a break of several hours:
Three minutes practicing switching between C Major and A minor chords arpeggiated. 23 repetitions in three minutes.
Three minutes practicing switching between A minor and D minor chords arpeggiated. 21 repetitions in three minutes.
Three minutes practicing switching between C Major and G Major chords arpeggiated. 14 repetitions in three minutes.
- 2025-07-30 Bit of a review day.
Three minutes practicing the G Major Position Scale, tempo 104
Three minutes practicing the A Melodic Minor Position Scale, tempo 104.
Three minutes practicing the C Major Position Scale, tempo 104.
Three minutes practicing switching between C Major and A minor chords arpeggiated. 25 repetitions in three minutes.
Three minutes practicing switching between A minor and D minor chords arpeggiated. 20 repetitions in three minutes.
Three minutes practicing switching between C Major and G Major chords arpeggiated. 10 repetitions in three minutes.
Seven minutes refresh of Menuet en Rondeau.
Seven minutes refresh of Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
.
- 2025-07-29
Ten minutes of the G Major Position Scale. Several passes, perhaps three, and the rest at 104bpm.
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 12, 24, 13, 11, 2.0.
Took a break and watched 5 Benefits of Practicing Arpeggios on Single Strings.
Fifteen minutes on the first section of Bach's Minuet at 80 eight-notes.
Fifteen minutes on the second section of Bach's Minuet at 80 eighth-notes. Need to work on the transition to the triplet, the triplet, and the following bar.
Rewatched Practice at 3 Tempos (Never Stop Practicing Music Slowly).
- 2025-07-28
Five minutes on the G Major Position Scale @ 100bpm.
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 12, 22+, 10, 10, 1.5.
Fifteen minutes on the first section of Bach's Minuet at 76 eight-notes. Muscule memory starting to kick-in. In the recorded 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 12, 24, 8, 8, 1,25.
Fifteen minutes on the fingering of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet at 72 eight-note. Starting to come together a liitle bit.
Fifteen minutes on the first section of Bach's Minuet @ 72 eighth-note. Starting to sound like music.
Had been feeling a bit discouraged by the difficulties I've encountered in Bach's Minuet. Feeling much better about the piece after today's practice.
After several hours: Practiced changing from C to Am and back for about 10 minutes. Then about five minutes of the C Major chord progression: C, F, C, Am, Dm, G, and C.
- 2025-07-25
Few minutes on the G Major Position Scale. A bit hard, as playing F# on E4 triggers me to play the G# in place of the G.
Few minutes on first two exercises of 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1.
Twenty-five minutes on the fingering of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet. Started to work on the rest of the piece. First two bars still killing me.
- 2025-07-24
Seven minutes on the G Major Position Scale @ 72. A bit hard, as playing F# on E4 triggers me to play the G# in place of the G.
Twenty-five minutes on the fingering of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet. Started to explore the rest of the piece.
Ten minutes reviewing Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12.
Ten minutes reviewing Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras.
- 2025-07-23
Ten minutes on the G Major Position Scale @ 72. A bit hard, as playing F# on E4triggers me to play the G# in place of the G.
Ten minutes on G Major chord progression: G, C, G, Em, Am, D, and G, arpeggiated to make sure each note is clean.
Twenty minutes on the fingering of the first two bars of Bach's Minuet. These two bars, the most challenging technically, occur four times in the first section (50%, 8 of 16 bars)) and twice in the second section (4 of 24 bars).
- 2025-07-22
Ten minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale @ 100. Feels a bit fast.
Seven minutes on A Minor chord progression: Am, C, F, Dm, E, and Am, arpeggiated to make sure each note is clean.
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 10, 21, 11, 9, 1.5
Ten minutes on Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras. Got the idea. Need to land the chords faster, Dm in particular. Chord sequence is Am, E, E7, Am, A7, Dm, Am\E, E, Am. Easier to land the Dm when you polay the C# of the A7 correctly, in place of playing C in error!
Eight minutes reviewing Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12.
- 2025-07-21
Ten minutes on C Major chord progression: C, F, C, Am, Dm, G, and C, arpeggiated to make sure each note is clean.
Ten minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale @ 96. Fairly relaxed.
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 9, 21, 9, 8, 0.75
Twenty-five minutes working on fingering and rhythms of Star of County Down. Might be better to play this without trying to hold an Am chord for much of the piece, rather finger each note as it appears.
- 2025-07-20
Five minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale @ 92. Fairly relaxed.
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 9, 20, 8, 6, 0.5
Twenty-five minutes working on fingering and rhythms of Star of County Down. Lots of trouble at first holding both A3 and D4. By the end, was able to find D4. Now I need to find G4 wihtout losing A3.
Ten minutes refresh of Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
Third section is improving. Need to get the other two sections to match the level of the third.
- 2025-07-18
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 8, 21, 5, 6, 1
Twenty-five minutes on Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras. Starting to understand the piece better.
- 2025-07-17
Ten minutes on 10 Minute Acoustic Guitar Workout
Chart 1: 5, 16, 4, 4, 1
Break for a דף.
Twelve minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale.
Five minutes practicing A Minor chord progression: Am, C, F, Dm, E, and Am, arpeggiated to make sure each note is clean.
Thirty minutes practicing Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12 with metronome at 72, then at 76. Seems best to count this 6/8 time piece in two sets of 3 per bar.
- 2025-07-16
Twelve minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale.
Five minutes practicing C Major chord progression: C, F, C, Am, Dm, G, and G.
Five minutes practicing A Minor chord progression: Am, C, F, Dm, E, and Am.
Five minutes refresh of Menuet en Rondeau.
Five minute refresh of Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
.
- 2025-07-15
Watched the A Melodic Minor, Romance by Kuffner, Leccion No.46 by Sagreras, Star of County Down second video on the lesson page.
Ten minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale.
About five minutes practicing chords A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, Em, F, and G. Left forearm tired already.
About five minutes working on the fingering of Morning Has Broken p10.
Several hours pass.
Thirty minutes working the fingering sequence of Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12.
Found working on melody much more enjoyable than the scales and chords that I have been practicing lately. Need both.
- 2025-07-14
Couple minutes on One Octave A Melodic Minor Scale.
Five minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale.
Five minutes practicing chords A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, Em, F, and G. Left forearm tired already.
Twenty minutes on Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras.
Fifteen minutes exploring the fingering on both Romance No. 14, Op. 168 by Kuffner p12 and Star of County Down p14.
Need to make an Anki deck of chords so that I come to recognize the set of notes that make up each chord.
- 2025-07-11
Couple minutes on One Octave A Melodic Minor Scale.
Ten minutes on the A Melodic Minor Position Scale.
Fifteen minutes practicing chords A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, Em, F, and G. Getting the G using 2, 3, 4 by filing the nail on 4 all the way down.
Twenty minutes on Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras. Now understand why Bradford Werner marked the C# in bar 5 with 3, to faciliate landing the Dm chord in the next bar. No metronome yet, need to land the chords faster before using a metronome.
- 2025-07-10
Ten minutes practicing chords A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, Em, F, and G.
Five minutes practicing p, i, m, i, a, i, a, i arpeggio pattern in preparation for Giuliani's Allegro, at some future date. Also, rest left hand after chord work.
Watched the A Melodic Minor, Romance by Kuffner, Leccion No.46 by Sagreras, Star of County Down first video on the lesson page.
Fifteen minutes on One Octave A Melodic Minor Scale and A Melodic Minor Position Scale p11.
Twenty-five minutes on Leccion No. 46 by Sagreras. Structure of the piece became clear as arpeggiated chords. Right hand pattern learned quickly. Feels like its "starting to come together" a bit.
- Spent a bit of time identifying the chords: Am, E, E7 Am, A7, Dm, Am/E, E, Am. (chords from Chord Identifier)
- Picked up the apreggio pattern of p, i, m, a, i, m quickly.
- Played slowly the piece trying to recognize the chords as they appear and land the chords on the neck.
- Tried for a bit of emphasis on the first and fourth beat of each bar.
- 2025-07-09
Eight minutes practicing C Major Position Scale with i, m alternation, tempo 104.
Fifteen minutes practicing chords C, F, Am, Dm, and G of the Chord Progression in C Major.
Fifteen minutes working on the fingering of Morning Has Broken p10.
Five minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8, just for fun.
- 2025-07-08
Seven minutes practicing C Major Position Scale with i, m alternation, tempo 104.
Fifteen minutes practicing Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
at a slow tempo without metronome working on the fingering and the switches from arpeggio to scales and back.
Ten minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8, first on the phrases. Repeating till they start to fall under my fingers. Then at tempo 76.
Ten minutes practicing chords C, F, Am, Dm, and G of the Chord Progression in C Major.
Fifteen minutes practicing Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
at a slow tempo without metronome working on the fingering and the switches from arpeggio to scales and back.
- 2025-07-07
Seven minutes practicing C Major Position Scale with i, m alternation, tempo 104.
Ten minutes practicing chords C, F, Am, Dm, and G of the Chord Progression in C Major.
Fifteen minutes practicing Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
at a slow tempo without metronome working on the fingering and the switches from arpeggio to scales and back.
Ten minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8, first on the phrases. Repeating till they start to fall under my fingers. Then at tempo 76.
Fifteen minutes exploring the melody line of Morning Has Broken p10.
- 2025-07-06
Seven minutes practicing C Major Position Scale with m, a alternation.
Ten minutes practicing chords C, F, Am, and Dm of the Chord Progression in C Major. Added a couple attempts at G...not easy spreading the thrid and fourth fingers from E to e.
Twenty-five minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8, first on the phrases. Repeating till they start to fall under my fingers. Then at tempo 72.
Fifteen minutes practicing Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
at a slow tempo without metronome working on the fingering and the switches from arpeggio to scales and back.
- 2025-07-04
Seven minutes practicing chords C, F, Am, and Dm of the Chord Progression in C Major. Working on using less pressure. No need to death-grip the neck.
Eight minutes practicing One Octave C Major Scale, C Major Position Scale with m, a alternation, tempo 100.
Twenty-five minutes beginning to practice Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
at a slow tempo without metronome. Seeking to learn the movements and switching from arpeggio to scales and back.
- 2025-07-03
Ten minutes practicing One Octave C Major Scale, C Major Position Scale with m, a alternation, tempo 96
Rest interval.
Five minutes looking at Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
Twenty-five minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8 @ tempo 72. C chord is starting to forn up smoothly.
- 2025-07-02
Ten minutes practicing One Octave C Major Scale, C Major Position Scale with m, a alternation, tempo 92
Ten minutes practicing chords C, F and Am of the Chord Progression in C Major
Twenty-five minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8. Working on accuracy, phrasing, and a bit on dynamics.
Ten minutes looking at Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
Watched the Carulli Vals Opus 241 No 1
video.
- 2025-07-01
Feeling a bit slow today. Thirty minutes practicing One Octave C Major Scale, C Major Position Scale with m, a alternation, tempo 80; One Octave C Major Arpeggio with p, i, m, a, tempo 80; C Major Triads with p, i, m and chords C, F and Am of the Chord Progression in C Major
Rest interval. Practicing chords causes the muscles on the outside of my left forearm to tighten.
Twenty-five minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8. Working on accuracy, phrasing, and a bit on dynamics.
- 2025-06-30
Started Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 2
.
Watched the C Major Scales, Triads, Chords video.
Twenty minutes practicing One Octave C Major Scale, C Major Position Scale with m, a alternation; One Octave C Major Arpeggio with p, i, m, a; C Major Triads with p, i, m and chords C, F and Am of the Chord Progression in C Major
Watched the Menuet en Rondeau by Rameau video. Took about an hour off.
C Major Scale a few times to warm up, followed by twenty minutes practicing Menuet en Rondeau p8, followed by several minutes of C, F, and Am arpeggio practice.
- 2025-06-26
Five minutes of all natural notes in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 100.
Few minutes of chromatic scale practice.
Focused practice on Sciliano by Carcassi p71 starting from a very slow tempo ~60. Start of familiarization with the piece by playing the melody alone before adding the bass.
Few iterations of Farewall p72. Need to practice the melody, the arpeggio technique, and then bring them together.
Watched video on the two pieces.
- 2025-06-25
Began practicing in the kitchen as the dining was dedicated to grandchild activities.
Five minutes of all natural notes in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 96. Forgot to check previous tempo.
A minute or two of practicing p, m alternation.
Chased from the kitchen due to grandparent directed grandchild migration.
Focused iterations of Layenda Theme with p, m alteration with metronome...gave up after a bit due to level of noise and disruption.
Left to go racing.
- 2025-06-23
Five minutes of all natural notes in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 100.
A minute or two of practicing p, m alternation.
Focused iterations of Layenda Theme with p, m alteration with metronome set to 69.
Focused iterations of Malaguenas with p, i alteration with metronome set to 69.
Several minutes of the chromatic scale from E to g', using one finger per fret.
For fun played Greensleeves and Minuet in G
Getting the guitar well enough tuned that I can play an open string, mute that string, and hear the other strings and the guitar body continuing to sound.
- 2025-06-22
Five minutes of all natural notes in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 96.
Couple iterations of Layenda Theme with p, m alteration with metronome set to 66.
Couple iterations of Malaguenas with p, i alteration with metronome set to 66.
Focused practice of Minuet in G by Charles Petzold p70 at 66, as well. A very nice piece, quite a pleasant surprise to find it included.
- 2025-06-20
Five minutes of all natural notes in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 96.
Several minutes practicing p, i alternation in prepration for Malaguenas.
Focused practice of Malaguenas p69 at tempo of 60 for some twenty minutes. Not good. No flow today. Stumbling.
Played several earlier pieces as a relief from stubling.
Returned to Malaguenas for a couple run throughs.
- 2025-06-19
Watch the Malaguenas video.
Five minutes of all natural notes in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 96.
Several minutes practicing p, i alternation in prepration for Malaguenas.
Focused practice of Malaguenas p69 at tempo of 60 for some twenty minutes.
Finished with a couple of iterations of Flow Gently, Sweet Afton p52f.
About forty minutes of practice total.
- 2025-06-18:
Pressed for time prior to driving to Annapolis to race.
Ten minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63.
Ten minutes of the chromatic scale from E to g', using one finger per fret.
Some time spend exploring the first couple phrases of The Circle Game, last song in the Joni Mitchell Songbook -- Complete Vol 1 (1966-1970)
- 2025-06-17:
Five minutes p, m eight-note alternation at 60.
Five minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 45 (too slow), 60, 80, and 92;
Practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 with p, m eight-note alternation at 60 for the first time.
For fun at then end a bit of Greenselves p68, and a bit of Farewell p72.
- 2025-06-16:
Several minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 45 (too slow), 60, 80, and 92;
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 bass line (melody) only at 92.
At Hava and Avi's. Not focused practice...but better than skipping a day.
- 2025-06-13:
Lesson on "Repetition in Music Practice". The piece is Allegro, No.6, Op.50 by Giuliani. Lesson on the same.
6 minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 100;
Couple minutes of p, m alteration between A and e' in preparation for incorporation into the Layenda Theme.
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 bass line (melody) only at 100. Getting better. More musical. Developing some rhythm and drive.
Been a bit lazy, allowing my fingers to rotate a bit away from the tips. Rotating back to the tips produces a much clearer, cleaner sound.
Two run throughs of the accidentals, all notes, from g to g' Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p66.
- 2025-06-12:
8 minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 96;
Sight read The Imitation Game p64 several times. Still harder than one would expect, but getting a better.
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 bass line (melody) only at 96. Getting better, more musical today. Now thinking of the bass line as triplets repeated several times in different order. More melodic today with emphasis on the first note in the bar and a secondary emphasis on the first note of the second triplet in the bar.
Need to start practicing p, m alternation so that its solid and ready to injected into playing the bass line melody.
- 2025-06-11:
7 minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 92;
Sight read The Imitation Game p64 several times. Still harder than one would expect, but getting a bit better.
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 bass line (melody) only at 92. Thinking once the bass line is solid at full tempo, I could drop back to a considerably slower tempo, add the repeated e' eighth-notes, and increase tempo.
- 2025-06-10:
9 minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 92;
Sight read The Imitation Game p64 several times. Harder than one would expect.
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 at a slow tempo working to get the motion of the piece.
- 2025-06-09:
5 minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 92;
Sight read The Imitation Game p64 several times. Harder than one would expect.
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 at a slow tempo working to get the motion of the piece.
- 2025-06-08:
5 minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 92;
Sight read The Imitation Game p64 several times. Harder than one would expect. Watched the accompanying video.
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Layenda Theme p65 at a slow tempo working to get the motion of the piece. Watched the accompanying video.
- 2025-06-06:
A bit pressed for time. 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 4 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 108;
5 minutes of all natural notesgc in first position (E to g') on p63 with metronome set to 92;
- 2025-06-05:
5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 4 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 92;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 108;
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Birch Tree in the Field p58, followed by fewer repeats of The Skye Boat Song and the Fifth String Notes and Sixth String Notes.
- 2025-06-04:
After Shavuot. 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 4 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 88;
Couple minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 with metronome set to 120;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 104;
Focused practice of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Birch Tree in the Field p58.
- 2025-05-30:
5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 4 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 88;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 104;
Focused on playing Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Minuet p 49 at 60, 72, 88, and 100. Practiced Birch Tree in the Field p58 repeatedly to improve the fingering and timing. Per the video (10:11), I should be playing the melody to fluency and then adding the bass notes, rather than starting with all the notes from the beginning.
- 2025-05-28: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 4 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 84;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 100;
Focused on playing Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Birch Tree in the Field p58. Ended with Ode to Joy at 100 several times through. Seems far easier that it did a month or two ago. Also seems a bit bald or naked as a single line of melody without any bass accompaniment.
- 2025-05-27: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 4 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 80;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 96;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Etudes No. 8, 9, 10, 11, Flow Gently, Sweet Afton, and intro to Little Birch Tree in the Field.
- 2025-05-26: Return after spending time with Devorah, Azriel, and children in Israel.
5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 120;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 90;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
pages 44 through 56 inclusive.
- 2025-05-13: 6 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 4 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 80;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 104;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
various and scales from A to g'.
- 2025-05-11: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 120;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 100;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Etude No. 8 at 120, Minuet p49, Flow Gently, Sweet Afton p52f, Etudes No. 10, 11, The Skye Boat Song.
- 2025-05-09: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 120;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 100;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
The Skye Boat Song video.
- 2025-05-07: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 116;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 92;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Etudes No. 8, 9, 10, 11 and Flow Gently, Sweet Afton video.
- 2025-05-06: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 116;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 92;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Etudes No. 8, 9, 10, 11 and Flow Gently, Sweet Afton video.
- 2025-05-05: 5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45;
Focused on Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Flow Gently, Sweet Afton p52f and added first attempts at Etude No. 10 p55.
- 2025-05-02: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 116;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 92;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Flow Gently, Sweet Afton p52f and various other pieces.
- 2025-04-30: 7 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 116;
7 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 92;
- 2025-04-29: 7 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Flow Gently, Sweet Afton p52f.
- 2025-04-28: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 112;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 88;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Flow Gently, Sweet Afton p52f, video; tempi 115 and 75.
- 2025-04-27: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 108;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
Etude No. 6 (p40), page 43 (octave jumps), Etude No. 8 (p44), page 47, Minuet page 49, Etude No. 9 (p50), pages 51, 52, 53.
- 2025-04-24: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 108;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
pages 48 through 51 and 56
- 2025-04-23: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 104;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
page 48 Angeline the Baker and a few earlier pieces.
- 2025-04-22: Spent most of the day readying Constance for racing. Tired.
7 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
page 48 Angeline the Baker and a few earlier pieces.
- 2025-04-21: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 104;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
pages 46, 47 and 48 with emphasis on Angeline the Baker (see video at 5:25. Molly Tuttle's version.
- 2025-04-18: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 104;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
practicing eighth notes on page 47 Frers Jacques..
- 2025-04-17: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 100;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
practicing eighth notes on pages 46 and 47.
- 2025-04-15: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 96;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
particular practice on Note Review with jumps from f' to f; e' to e; d' to d; a to A; and e to E.
- 2025-04-11: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 96;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p40 - 47 introducing eighth notes.
- 2025-04-10: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 96;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 84;
Back to start of the book and played each etude and song through page 37.
- 2025-04-08: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 92;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 80;
C Major, Eighth Notes, Etude 9, Vsi so venci Vejli.
- 2025-04-07: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 88;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45 with metronome set to 76;
Minuet p36, Morning p37, Etude No. 5, 6, 7 and 8 p39-44 at about 76; Sounding more lyrical. Starting to be music.
- 2025-04-06: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 84;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45;
Etude No. 8 and concentration on New Notes p42...finding c, e, f with some facility still eludes me. Still better than last time.
Likewise the octave jumps downward in Note Review p43 remain difficult.
- 2025-04-04: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 84;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45;
Etudes No. 5, 6, 7, 8;
- 2025-04-03: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 80;
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45;
Etudes No. 6, 7, 8;
Paul Davids' Music Theory Playlist Episode 5.
- 2025-04-02: 5 minutes of right hand technique routine No. 1 Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p92 with metronome set to 76.
5 minutes of C Major scale (c to c') on p45.
Note Review p43.
Etude No. 8 p44.
Focus today on learning and incorporating notes c, d, e, and, f with the existing set from g to g'.
- 2025-04-01: 5 minutes of right-hand alternation: {E,A,d}, b, g, e' with metronome set to 76. 5 minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p38-43.
- 2025-03-31: Review day. 5 minutes of right-hand alternation: {E,A,d}, b, g, e' with metronome set to 76. 5 minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p36-37 with particular emphasis on trying to play Morning by Diabelli lyrically.
- 2025-03-30: Review day. 5 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e' with metronome set to 76. 5 minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p35-41.
Perhaps the most lyrical playing yet of Etude Nos. 6 & 7. About fifty minutes of practice total.
- 2025-03-29: Review day. 5 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e' with metronome set to 72. 5 minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p36-39.
- 2025-03-28: Review day. 6 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e' with metronome set to 72. 5 minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p38-40.
Beginner Etudes No. 5, 6, 7, 8 using open bass notes.
- 2025-03-26: Review day. 7 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e' with metronome set to 72. Couple minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p23-29 with emphasis on "Note Review" p29..
- 2025-03-25: Bit tired. Review day. 7 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e with metronome set to 72. Couple minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p23-29.
- 2025-03-24: Tired. Review day. 5 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e'. Couple minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p1-29.
- 2025-03-23: 5 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e'. Couple minutes of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p26-37.
Morning by Diabelli.
At the end of the day, a second practice session consisting of 5 minutes of right-hand alternation: d, b, g, e only.
- 2025-03-21: Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p26-35
Staccato Articulation
- 2025-03-19: Minute of right-hand i, m alternation. Minute of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p26-34
- 2025-03-17: Minute of right-hand i, m alternation. Minute of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p25-31
Twinkle Twinkle, Etude No. 4, Au clair de la lune, Oh Susanna
- 2025-03-16: Minute of right-hand i, m alternation. Minute of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p21-29 and
First Dynamics and Etude No.3
- 2025-03-15: Minute of right-hand i, m alternation. Minute of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p21-26.
- 2025-03-14: Minute of right-hand i, m alternation. Minute of C Major scale.
Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p21-25.
- 2025-03-13: Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p21-25.
Five Melodies.
- 2025-03-11: Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p21-24. Bit tired from 90 minutes of longboarding this morning.
- 2025-03-10: Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p23 only. Tired from being at the boatyard some five hours today.
- 2025-03-09: Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p17-23 and
First Left Hand Note
- 2025-03-07: Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p17-23.
Using the 4th finger in first position and
Matthew McAllister's Left Hand Technique with each finger climbing and descending a fret, finger pairs walking a pair of frets, barre from two strings to six and back with sucessively higher notes on the e' string.
Practiced walking the first and second fingers, separately and as a pair. Demanding exercise.
Practiced right hand fingerpicking from Etude No. 2 Arpeggios.
- 2025-03-06: first lesson of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p12-15 and
video,
practice through page 19 and
Left Hand Position Lesson.
- 2025-03-05: First lesson of Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p12-15 and
Right Hand Position Lesson.
- 2025-02-28 -- 20250304: First lesson of Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book Vol. 1.
Started Bradford Werner's Classical Guitar Method Vol 1
p12-15
Posture and Sitting Position Lesson.
- 2025-02-28: Unboxed guitar after waiting 20+ hours.
- 2025-02-27: Guitar arrived via FedEx.
Box label strongly recommends (requires) waiting 24 hours before opening the box.
