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Cavatina (Theme to the Deer Hunter) by John Williams (1930-1993)
Time 3:01

Stanley Myers is best known for Cavatina (1970), an evocative guitar piece that served as the signature theme for Michael Cimino’s 1978 film “The Deer Hunter”. The piece had been recorded by classical guitarist John Williams, long before the film that made it famous. It had originally been written for piano but at Williams’ invitation, Myers re-wrote it for guitar and expanded it.
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Prelude Moderato in D Minor by Francisco Tarrega
Time 1:11

Here’s another prelude to add to my tarrega “prelude” collection. This one is 40 measures with drop D tuning. This song is played at moderate tempo with plenty of walking bass chords. Lovely ending with octave artificial harmonics for 4 measures. I play artificial harmonics with my right hand index pressing lightly on the string. For these notes you will have to make adjustments on the left hand note for note. The right hand must do the light touch AND the downward thumb pluck while the position of the light touch must be 12 frets away from the fretting hand.

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Prelude 5 in E Major by Francisco Tarrega
Time 1:12

Prelude 5 is one amongst many preludes by Francisco Tarrega. This one is played at a slow pace in the key of E Major. Because of its languid pace, let the music breathe. so don’t rush it. Hold the notes as long as possible to fill in the gaps. keep left hand finger pressed down firmly- don’t let the notes decay. There is a single occurrence of the artificial or octave harmonic in the last measure-the last note. Use your right index finger and press lightly on the Top E string at the 12th fret. Pluck downwards with your thumb.

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Dee by Randy Rhoads
Grade 3 Intermediate
Time 0:51

Randall William “Randy” Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A teacher of classical guitar, Rhoads mixed his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. “Dee” was written for Rhoad’s mother and the track can be found in Ozzy’s fine “Blizzard of Oz” album. I wish there are more classical piece by this masterful guitarist but he died tragically at the age of 25. Despite his relatively short career, Rhoads is a major influence on neo-classical metal players that emerged in the 1980s such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Angelo Batio and Jason Becker, and he is cited as an influence by many contemporary heavy metal guitarists.
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El Ultimo Tremolo (Una Limosnita por el Amor de Dios)
Exercise (pami) Tremolo
Time 2:49

El utimo tremolo is 1 of 2 tremolo songs by Augustin Barrios. The other being “Un Sueño En La Floresta” which I hope to cover in the future. El ultimo Tremolo is barrios’ swan song, he wrote this piece shortly before he died. The beat of the song was inspired by the rhythm of someone knocking upon barrios’ door! The knocks can be found in the first two bars of the piece and this motif runs throughout the entire work. Get fluid with tremolo (pami) before you tackle “the ultimate tremolo.” I have posted an easier tremolo song in my previous blog post, check out tarrega’s rescuerdos de alhambra. Lastly, don’t expect to learn this song in a week, so be patient. Dissect the song into parts. Focus on groups of measures say do 8 bars and move on to the next 8 bars. Good luck!
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Grand Waltz (Grand Vals) by Francisco Tarrega
Grade 4 Late Intermediate
Time 3:03

Tarrega actually wrote the Nokia ringtone jingle as heard in this song. In Grand Waltz, you will play along the entire neck. You will also play certain parts with the melody in a fixed barred position for multiple measures. Be sure to hold double notes suspension for a full measure (bass/treble). A waltz is in triple time and there are 4 parts to this piece-each offering their own challenge. Finally and best of all you will get to play the famous Nokia Ring Tone.
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Prelude in F by Matteo Carcassi (1792 – 1853)
Grade 2- Early Intermediate
Exercise (pimamii)
Time 0:22sec

Matteo Carcassi produced many valuable classical guitar lessons and exercises. Here’s another pattern in form of a short 8 bar prelude. You will learn how to pluck separate strings with a sweeping feel using the pattern (pimamii).
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Andante (BWV1003) by JS Bach
Grade 4 Late Intermediate
Time 2:22

This serene and beautiful piece is taken from Sonata ii of Bach’s six sonatas and partitas for unaccompanied violin. It fits on the guitar fingerboard so well that it is unnecessary to alter a single note of the original for this transcription. Only the tempo and fingerings for guitar have been added. The violin of Bach’s day had a somewhat flatter bridge and was played with a slightly more curved bow than the modern violin. These two factors made it easier for violinists of the time to play chords on two, three or four strings of the instrument. This accounts for the multi-voiced texture and full-sounding chords of this piece.
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Prelude in Dm by Matteo Carcassi
Exercise (pi)-mam Right hand 4 note pattern
Time 0:26

Matteo Carcassi produced many valuable classical guitar lessons. For this right hand exercises, you will pick with the 6 note pattern (pmamim). Carcassi wrote a method for guitar (melodic and progressive studies) that remains valuable, relevant and interesting. Arpeggio in Dm deals with the (pi)-mam Right hand 4 note pattern
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Sleep of the little doll (El Sueño De La Muñequita) by Augustin Barrios
Time 1:51

This sleep of the little doll is a waltz in triple meter with harder barred chords at the beginning and artificial harmonics at the end. The latter are octave harmonics played higher from the 12 frets onwards giving the bass notes a bell like effect. Barrios is from Paraguay and wrote many challenging pieces. I like barrios sound and music vocabulary not to mention his amazing prowess on the guitar. i certainly need more practice to post any more of his songs.
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Etude in A Minor by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829)
Grade 3- Intemediate

Mauro Giuseppe Sergio Pantaleo Giuliani (July 27, 1781 – May 8, 1829) was an Italian guitarist and composer, and is considered by many to be one of the leading guitar virtuosi of the early 19th century. His first instrumental training was on the cello—an instrument which he never completely abandoned—and he probably also studied the violin. Subsequently he devoted himself to the guitar, becoming a very skilled performer on it in a short time. In this song “Etude in A minor” you will play the lead with bass and treble strings.
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E Minor at Midnight by Fernando Sor
Grade 2Early Intermediate
Time 1:10

Merry christmas, everyone! This short song by Sor, E minor at Midnight is a fine example how expressive a simple tune can be. Fernando Sor is considered to be a key composer from the 19th century. Spanish born in barcelona in 1778. Fernando’s was bought up in a monastery and was taught by a monk. Sor wrote his first opera at 18. One of the best thing I like about sor is that his work is not difficult to play.
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Waltz of the Robin by Fernando Sor
Grade 3 Intermediate
Time 0:55

Fernando Sor (14 February 1778 – 10 July 1839, Paris) was a Spanish guitarist and composer. He is best known for his guitar compositions, but he also composed music for opera and ballet, earning acclaim for his ballet titled Cendrillon. Sor’s works for guitar range from pieces for advanced players, such as Variations on a Theme of Mozart, to beginner pieces such as the first few of his instructional book Méthode pour la guitar (Guitar Method).

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Prelude in A Minor by Matteo Carcassi (1792 – 1853)
Grade 1- Beginner
Exercise p, (aim), (aim), (ami), p,i,m,a
Time 0:19sec

Matteo Carcassi produced many valuable classical guitar lessons and exercises. These exercises plays with another pattern For this right hand. You will learn how to pick with the pattern. p, (aim), (aim), (ami), p,i,m,a.
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BWV1007 Minuet 2 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Time 1:19

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote compositions for every type of instrument and for every musical medium (solo instruments, chamber ensemble, orchestra, and chorus) except opera. Famous not only as a composer, but as an organist, harpsichordist and the general improviser of the age, Bach held a number of important posts as music director in the cities of Weimar, Cothen and Leipzig. BWV1007 Minuet 2 is a Cello Suite (No.1 in G). Adapted to the guitar in the key of D. Drop D Tuning.
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March of the wooden soldier by Fernando Sor
Grade 2- Early Intermediate
Time 0:55

Most historians often refer to the first half of the 19th century as “the golden age of the guitar”. During this time the guitar enjoyed an unprecedented popularity. Among the most-praised musicians of the golden age of the guitar was Fernando Sor. Audience assembled in masses to see this great guitarist dubbed the Beethoven of the guitar.
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Prelude in G by Matteo Carcassi
Exercise (pimi)
Grade 1 Beginner
Time 0:22

Matteo Carcassi developed countless studies for the instrument still taught in school worldwide. He also composed plenty of easy to play guitar tunes such as this sort prelude. In Prelude in G, you will play the strings using this (pimi) 4 note Right hand pattern. There are a lot of permutations of pattern derived from just 3 fingers plus thumb (pima). With say 4 notes that’s 4×4x4×4=1024 possible patterns!
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Prelude 3 in G Major by Francisco Tarrega (1852-1909)
Time 0:49

Here’s another short tune in the key of G by the master, Tarrega. It’s good to try if you have never head of Tarrega. This way you will get the feel of what the level of difficulty is required to play his songs. Tarrega wrote many preludes, this one is called “Prelude 3″. Preludes are short in general and work well as a intro to any song in the same Key.
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Allegretto by Fernando Sor (1778-1839)
Grade 2- Early Intermediate
Time 0:37

Many of Fernando sor work are easy and accessible to a beginner of classical guitar. Allegretto is a short melody that has minimal left hand movement with many repetition of chords. This song also has plenty of open strings for ease of play. Allegretto is one of many memorable pieces which are ideal for all levels. His songs are simple and delightful. Best of both worlds.

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Prelude in C by Matteo Carcassi (1792 – 1853)
Exercise (pim)
Grade 1- Beginner
Time 0:23

Matteo Carcassi wrote numerous music for the guitar and plenty of exercises too. During his life, the guitar was still in development so carcassi composed numerous exercises to introduce musicians to the instrument. Prelude in c is an easy exercise dealing with chord plucking with (pim) or thumb, index, middle. There is no pick in classical guitar. A pick can only strum chords on groups of strings.
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