Strength, Accuracy and Knowledge for the Guitarist

Carulli Shows us a few new positions.

And I thought that type of thing was Paganinni's gig!  Enough sleazy Karma Sutra references on my part, on with the show!

As I said in part one of the series, violinists learn the fingerboard (and sight-reading) in position.  Guitarists learn the notes in the open position, then learn the barré chords and pentatonic box and consider themselves as  having arrived.  Few can sight-read well above the third fret. That is why so many 'serious' instrumentalists consider us guitar players to be sub-par morons.  We is.   Carulli's Method (penned way back in the early 1800's -- probably in Linear-A and on stone tablets -- was a more traditional pedagogical approach.  He taught left-hand positions.  While this is not necessarily going to render you an awesome sight reader for modern music, or even guitaristically composed pieces of any time period, his approach will yield a superior sight-reader than most of our contemporary brethren will ever aspire to be.

I have been writing/editing/composing/piecing together a comprehensive classical guitar method for the past, oh twenty-three years or so.  Rather than re-invent the wheel, I have been learning from my masters -- Carulli, Giuliani Sor, Coste -- you get the idea. 

In the following exercise that I have edited from the Carulli Method, we see a scale-arpeggio study in E Major that is played entirely with stopped strings utilizing notes found on the fourth through seventh frets.  Please DO NOT read through this and use any open strings or open position notes that you learned in Mel Bay volume One.  Please follow the fingerings that I have added after, gosh, minutes of careful thought.

You'll be surprised how many times you'll reach for the open position.  I know I was and did.

I've got more in store....

 [Download .pdf file]

Here's a link for free editions of many of these pedagogues' works.

The Guitar School - Iceland

When played correctly, this is a very nice little piece.  High art?  Probably not.  Enjoyable for the new student?  Yes. It's a pleasant way to learn some good technique.  Hey, that's what studies are all about!

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For scholarly transcriptions and free sheet music, click the following link:

The Guitar School - Iceland

Carcassi-sor Easy Classic Guitar Solos Performed by Matteo Carcassi, Fernando Sor. By Matteo Carcassi, Fernando Sor. Edited by Marty Winkler. Fretted instrument method/supplement (Guitar). 36 pages. Published by Edwin F. Kalmus. (K04846) See more info...

Heitor Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 - Aria Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959), arranged by Andres Segovia. For soprano voice solo and guitar accompaniment. Format: guitar/vocal single. With standard notation. 20th Century. A Minor. 7 pages. 9x12 inches. Published by Hal Leonard. See more info...

Andres Segovia: Diatonic Major and Minor Scales Composed by Andres Segovia. For guitar. Format: instructional book. With standard guitar notation, fingerings and introductory text. Scales. 9x12 inches. Published by Columbia Music Company. See more info...

120 Arpeggio Exercises By Giuliani. Arranged by Barreiro. Willis Guitar Methods. Guitar book. Published by The Willis Music Company. (10746) See more info...

Complete Sonatas of Sor, Giuliani, & Diabelli compiled and edited by Anthony Glise. For Guitar (Classical). solos. Anthony Glise Urtext. Classic. Level: Intermediate-Advanced. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 308 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (95692) See more info...

Carcassi-sor Easy Classic Guitar Solos Performed by Matteo Carcassi, Fernando Sor. By Matteo Carcassi, Fernando Sor. Edited by Marty Winkler. Fretted instrument method/supplement (Guitar). 36 pages. Published by Edwin F. Kalmus. (K04846) See more info...

Fernando Sor: Twenty Studies For The Guitar Composed by Fernando Sor (1778-1839), edited by Andres Segovia. For guitar. Includes Book and CD package. With standard guitar notation, fingerings and introductory text. Technique. 32 pages. 9x12 inches. Published by Hal Leonard. See more info...

Complete Method for Classic Guitar by Mel Bay. For Guitar (Classical). method. Complete. Classic. Level: Multiple Levels. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 144 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (93400) See more info...

First Lesson for Guitar - Volume 2 Guitar Technique. By Julio S. Sagreras. Guitar Method. Size 9x12 inches. 36 pages. Published by Ricordi. (50010320) See more info...

Classic Guitar Method Volume 2 by Mel Bay. For Guitar (Classical). method. Classic. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 48 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (93208BCD) See more info...

First Lesson for Guitar - Volume 1 Guitar Technique. By Julio S. Sagreras. Guitar Method. Size 9x12 inches. 32 pages. Published by Ricordi. (50010310) See more info...