Bradford Werner

Bradford Werner

Bradford Werner is a classical guitarist and music publisher from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He originally created this site for his students at the Victoria Conservatory of Music but now shares content worldwide. Curating guitar content helps students absorb the culture, musical ideas, and technique of the classical guitar. Bradford also has a YouTube channel with over 97,000 subscribers and 14 million views. He taught classical guitar at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for 16 years and freelanced in Greater Victoria for 20 years and now dedicates much of his time curating content online and helping connect the classical guitar community. See more at his personal website.

Raphaella Smits plays Bach

Raphaella Smits (via sponsor Strings by Mail) plays the fugue from Prelude BWV1011 (for unaccompanied cello) by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) via SBM on Youtube. Played on a Mirecourt 1827 guitar restored by B.Kresse (Köln). This recording is a live concert-recording…

Lesson: One Octave Movable Major Scales

This is from my new book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios. The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much more.…

Lesson: Left Hand Finger Independence, Stretch, & Alignment

This exercise is from my book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios. The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much…

Lesson: Slur Scales for Classical Guitar

This exercise is from my new book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios. The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much…

Lesson: Practicing Giuliani’s 120 Right Hand Arpeggio Exercises Op.1

This exercise is from my new book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios.The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much…

Drew Henderson plays Lob der Tränen by Schubert

Canadian guitarist Drew Henderson plays Lob der Tränen by Franz Schubert (1797-1828) on an 1868 René Lacôte guitar. This comes via his fantastic YouTube channel. Wonderful playing as usual from Henderson. I’m assuming this is the period arrangement by Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856) in his…

Lesson: Open Position Scales Through the Circle of Fifths

This is from my new book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios. The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much more.…

Lesson: Variations and Ideas for Practicing Scales

This is from my book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios. The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much more. Here’s…

In the Woods by Toru Takemitsu

In the Woods by Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996). The three movements are: Wainscot Pond; Rosedale; and Muir Woods. The above video is Canadian guitarist Rob MacDonald via his excellent YouTube. This is one of the most important works for guitar of…

Barre Lessons and Exercises for Guitar

The following lessons focus on playing and practicing barre (bar, capo, car chords) on classical guitar. The first overview lesson covers a definition, context, and some exercises to help your bar technique. Check out my method and technique books at…

Barre Lesson (Bar, Capo) and Exercises for Guitar

This exercise is from my new book Classical Guitar Technique: Essential Exercises, Scales, and Arpeggios.The 122 page book includes: Practice Routines, Tips, 100 Open String Exercises, 120 Giuliani Arpeggios, Scales, Slur Exercises, Shifts, Finger Independence, Barre, Tremolo, Common Harmonics, and much…

Tres Canciones Populares Mexicanas by Ponce

Tres Canciones Populares Mexicanas (Three Mexican Folksongs) by Manuel Ponce (1882-1948) has three song arrangements: La Pajarera; Por tí mi corazón; and La Valentina. I found this little write-up on the works via Naxos: “Ponce wrote Estrellita, his most beloved song, in…