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 the Youtube Video Lesson Link in case you want to watch it there.
Before playing the following tremolo exercises, consider your overall technique. I often observe students wishing to have blazing fast and even sounding tremolo while their scales and arpeggios have not been fully studied. How can we play tremolo if our i-m, m-a, and a-m-i scales are lacking control? How can we play tremolo if simple arpeggios have not been brought up to speed? As with any technique, a fast and even tremolo is reliant on accuracy, control, relaxation, and a well-rounded technique overall. In all fairness, a student who can play their scales and arpeggios well (with all finger combinations) will be able to play tremolo with ease. That said, tremolo is a specific type of right hand technique so practicing these exercises should help organize your right hand.
Side note: Remember that tremolo technique is not just a technical skill but also a musical one. Tremolo aims to create the illusion of a continuous sustaining melody created by rapidly repeating the melody note. The tremolo line of repeated notes is almost always the actual melody. Therefore, if played evenly with a nice tone and good phrasing, even a moderate or slow tremolo technique can still sound beautiful.
Looking for more Tremolo?
- Also see my page with lessons and repertoire: Tremolo for Classical Guitar
- Beginner Tremolo Exercise for Guitar
- Intermediate to Advanced Tremolo Lesson and Exercise
- Tremolo Lesson by Jorge Caballero
- How m, a scales can improve your tremolo and arpeggios
A Few Pieces Using Tremolo
- Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909) – Spain, Romantic Era
- Tarrega: Recuerdos de la Alhambra, Grade 9, Free Sheet Music
- Agustin Barrios Mangore (1885-1944)
- Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios by Barrios, Advanced
- José Viñas (1823-1888) – Spain, Romantic Era
- Viñas: Sueño (Reverie), Grade 7
- Julio Sagreras (1879–1942) – South American
- Leccion 4, Book3, (Tremolo) by Sagreras, Grade 6
Bradford
Even though I am not ready to tackle Tremolo I really enjoyed watching. As an aside, I spent several hours on another “Learn Classical Guitar” site this week end. I took a look at about 30 different lessons and could not help but to compare them to yours. You, so far, have approached chords on an as needed basis vs rote memorization. Your lessons begin with you playing a piece as you think it should be played. That seems to be a much better approach than spending 5 to 10 minutes explaining the rhythm and dynamics without much demonstration. I find your videos to be well thought out and presented in an orderly manner with few wasted words. I cannot say that for the other site.
In closing, keep it up. I have learned more in the past year or so following you than I did in my first 61 years with the guitar
Thank you
Warren Barnhart
Nice to hear. To be honest though, my in-person teaching is different than my lesson videos for the site. I do lots of prep work to prepare students for a piece. My Graded repertoire books are a bit more similar to how I methodically teach.