Free Stuff
All music and books found here are in PDF format. A PDF reader is needed to view the files. The Classical Guitar Blog recommends the free version of Foxit Reader for windows or Preview for Mac.
Music and books on Gumroad are all pay what you want — including paying nothing. Not cool with Gumroad? Reach out and we’ll get you taken care of.
For more technical pointers, be sure to check out the classical guitar technique guide.
Classical Guitar eBooks
Learn Every Note on the Guitar. I use a specific method with my students to get them used to the note names all over the guitar. It’s fast and effective, and will help you memorize the note names very quickly. You get a copy free just for subscribing to the Classical Guitar Blog Newsletter (we won’t spam you!). Note: you must confirm your subscription to get the book.
Ornamentation and the Guitar: A Overview of Style and Technique This ebook is totally gratis. It is a 45 page paper I wrote covering the basics of renaissance free ornamentation (divisions), baroque discrete and free ornamentation, and nineteenth century ornamentation.
Guiliani 120+ A new/different take on the Giuliani studies, complete with introductory text and some advice on practicing.
Classical Guitar Exercises
Parallel Octaves
One of the most challenging and beneficial left hand exercises.
String Crossing
How to practice the one aspect of technique that often gets in the way of fast scales. Be sure to read the string crossing article for some more instruction.
Slur Studies
An extensive book of slur (hammer-on/pull-off) exercises with introductory text and practice methods.
Slurs with the First Finger
The missing part of the above slur book: doing slurs with the first finger to and from an open string. Read the slur article for more.
Tremolo Exercises I
A few tremolo exercises that step outside the normal methods. Well worth it for those of you trying to even our your tremolo.
Free Sheet Music
Mauro Giuliani
Six Variations on Folies d’Espagne, Op. 45
Erik Satie
Three Gnossiennes (arr. Christopher Davis)