Classical guitar tips – use common sense when you practice

Learning the tremolo through Recuerdos de la Alhambra

I read a post on a classical guitar forum where a classical guitarist was frustrated with his progress on learning Recuerdos and the tremolo technique. He indicated that he had put in three hours in one day (he didn’t say whether he did this everyday or not) on the piece and the tremolo technique and felt he wasn’t getting anywhere. Boy, that’s a lot of time to spend in one day working on the tremolo technique. My right hand gets pretty tired after 30 minutes and then I need to move on to something else. As with the guitarist that expressed his frustration in the forum, we are all guilty of wanting too much too soon. Look at your time with Recuerdos as a journey that will last several months if not longer. Slow and steady is the way to go and don’t expect noticeable changes in your technique on a daily basis.

I would recommend anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes a day on Recuerdos and the tremolo technique depending on your level of ability. And, most importantly, practice on a regular basis. Practice sessions that last much longer than 45 minutes (on a single piece of music and/or single technique) are generally not productive. Determine what you want to do in your session before you start practicing and work towards accomplishing what you set out. Practice with a purpose and use your common sense. Try to be objective about what you are hearing. Consider studying with a classical guitar instructor if you feel you are not making progress on your own.