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Francisco Tarrega - Study in E minor Breakdown

Rick Graham 210 lessons

This study is very simplistic harmonically, offering the briefest of excursions to the relative major in bars 11-12, while the remainder stays within the confines of E minor. From a technical standpoint, it is well within the reach of a beginner/intermediate guitarist, but as is often the case with this composer's work, the difficulty lies in bringing the music to life.

The first thing I'd like to make you aware of is the melody line. It is essential that the melody is brought out from the accompaniment. And while rest strokes are usually the first port of call, free strokes will work wonders if you can produce the same kind of volume and tone.

Also, there are moments within this study that may require right-hand damping of open strings, so try not to be lazy and ignore these points. Always control the note durations of the bass notes with the thumb of the right hand, making sure that they do not clash with subsequent bass notes. Doing so will serve to make your playing much cleaner, and as a result it will be a more enjoyable aural treat for your listeners.

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