Choro is a Brazilian musical style that is the precursor to the Samba and Bossa Nova. It's characteristic rhythm can be described as an upside down Bossa Nova and is a very lively and syncopated beat every guitarist should know.

Most classical guitarists will have come across two songs that are exe...

The right hand guitar techniques for nylon string (Spanish guitar, classical, flamenco) are hard enough, but once we learn them it's very easy to accidentally get lopsided and not be rhythmically or dynamically consistent. The simple practice idea in this lesson can help us even out our right hand t...

We can create a moody, dramatic, “fluttery” effect (that is actually used in flamenco guitar) by playing the flamenco tremolo technique starting on the second note of the pattern: i – a – m – i – p. 

For example, you may heard this before:

This is an actual technique but it has the added bonus o...

Unlock the secrets of speed metal sweeping, a guitar technique that combines agility and precision to master arpeggios with speed and fluency. Ideal for both classical and metal guitarists, this guide will take you through the essential steps to elevate your play.

How to Understand Speed Metal Swee...

Two Exciting Guitar Concepts

For many flamenco guitar students, the most intriguing and intimidating flamenco form is Bulerías, a syncopated 12-count rhythm played at a fast tempo. The rhythmic twists and turns and technique requirements for Bulerías tend to be more challenging and greater than oth...

Two of My Favorite Spanish Guitar Things

From the Spanish classical realm

If I had to pick the most famous and recognizable musical theme from the Spanish classical guitar canon, I would probably choose Leyenda by Isaac Albeñiz. Also known as Asturias (from his Suite Española), this memorable them...

Don't Dismiss It Just Because It's "Old"

In the guitar world, we're always looking for the newest thing; some new innovative exercise or drill that somehow couldn't have been conceived of in the supposedly less sophisticated past. However, there truly is "nothing new under the sun" when it comes to...

Learn some of the key concepts to achieving one of the most sought-after flamenco guitar techniques: fast picado

What is Picado Technique?

One of the most exciting sounds in all of Spanish guitar playing is the bold and aggressive melody (or lead) playing heard so often in Flamenco guitar. More...

If you have a Spanish guitar-obsessed mind like I do, you notice its elements all the time in the most unlikely places. When I first heard the catchy Coldplay piano riff opening of the song "Clocks," I immediately thought, "Hey, that's a textbook Latin rhythm!" 

What makes it a rumba? That has to d...

Strumming for Spanish Guitar

If you're just starting with Spanish guitar, understanding the symbols and notations can be confusing. From chord grids to tablature, it's essential to interpret these symbols correctly and learn how to count properly. In this guide, we will delve into the fundamentals ...

In Spanish guitar, we seem to be obsessed with arpeggios. We say the word all the time and spend hours and hours perfecting this right hand technique and learning new and interesting ways to develop our arpeggio acumen. 

While there is no shortage of arpeggio exercises, warm-ups, drills and studies...

The Importance of Riffs for Guitar Technique 

A riif is simply a term for a memorable short musical theme, and as guitarists we have hundreds if not thousands of famous guitar riffs we can learn and play for fun but also for technique development. One of the most famous and recognizable Spanish "ri...

In this blog post, I'd like to discuss the classical guitar technique called arpeggio and show you 6 uniquely different arpeggio patterns from the classical guitar repertoire to help develop your right hand technique and make you a better fingerstyle guitarist no matter what style you play.

What is...

Did you know that the song Roxanne from the Police is a tango? The Police were known for their reggae influences, and when we hear those opening chords of Roxanne we might think reggae is the groove we're hearing. However, those Roxanne chord "stabs" fall on the downbeat, and the hallmark of reggae ...