But how do we go about learning the art of sight reading?

Fortunately, there are some great resources out there that can help you become a better sight reader. In this entry, I’d like to talk about a couple of those, along with some practical approaches to help develop this skill.

Taking the Time to Practice

Now I’ll start off by saying that I haven’t practiced my sight reading as I should have. Over the years, there always seem to be other techniques that feel more important to learn. However, I’m now in a situation where sight reading would be very, very handy, and I really need to work on it and get it smooth.

Learning this skill—and finding the right resources—can be a challenge. However, there are options available. You can find books (I’m one of those people who prefers to have a physical book in hand) and digital downloads that you can print out and use for practice.

Sight Reading Resources

One of those books is Sight Reading for Classical Guitar by Robert Benedict. The first book starts with Levels 1–3. It has you playing one line of notes, beginning with clapping the rhythm. In fact, there’s a whole list of rhythms on page 19 for you to practice. Starting at Level 2, the exercises become polyphonic.

There is also a second book that covers Levels 4–5: Sight Reading for the Classical Guitar, Level IV–V. It includes more material focused on interpretation, phrasing, and form. I know I have it in my library somewhere—I just can’t find it. Anyway, both are great resources to have.

Another resource you can find online is from Daniel Nistico of the Creative Classical Guitarist. His materials include a PDF called Sight Reading Made Simple. In it, he covers many of the same ideas: starting with single-line reading, then moving into polyphonic note identification.

Daniel also talks about scale motion, chord motion, learning intervals, understanding where the fretboard notes are, and reading rhythms—all essential pieces of the puzzle.

Before You Begin

There are a few things you need before getting started.

First, you need to know how to read notes on a guitar score. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to learn to read music. Music itself is not hard, but getting started can feel intimidating for many people. In reality, it’s not as difficult as it seems.

If you’ve already taken the time to learn how to read sheet music, the next step is becoming fluent on the fretboard.

Knowing where the notes are on the score is important. Knowing where they are on the fretboard is even more important. Taking the time to incorporate this into your daily practice will be invaluable as you learn to read pieces.

Sight Reading Fluency

I want to say for the record that seeing Daniel sight read is something to behold. I’ve seen him given original guitar music, and he plays it fluently within seconds. He is a phenomenal sight reader. While I’m sure it has taken years to develop that skill, he does it with precision.

In fact, in many of his videos, when he’s playing guitar, he’s reading—especially when presenting a student’s new composition.

So the question is: how do we get there?

The obvious answer is practice—but how do we practice?

Like the books mentioned earlier, we need a solid understanding of notes, rhythms, and where everything is on the fretboard. The resources help us get there, but we also need actual material to work on.

In a discussion with Daniel, he mentioned working on Fernando Sor’s Opus 31 or 35, both of which can be found on IMSLP. (You can also download a clean digital copy of Opus 35 or purchase a printed copy on Amazon.)

Also, one more important point: we need to schedule sight reading into our practice routine and work on it a little each day. You can start with a short piece or even just a section, depending on how much time you have.

Reading Words Reading Notation

When we read our native language, we first learn letters, then we begin forming them into words. After that, we can use them to build more complex words.

For example, you know the letters T–O–G–E–T–H–E–R. Remove the dashes, and you recognize the word together. But if you look more closely, you can break it down: to – get – her. Three simple words combined into something more complex.

Now, this doesn’t apply perfectly to every word in English—but for our example, it works.

When we learn to read notes on the staff, it’s like learning letters. Then we combine those notes into basic chords. These chords make up the majority of pieces—we call them triads. These are the words in our musical language.

As we grow more comfortable, we begin to recognize more complex chords and patterns.

One of the challenges on guitar, though, is deciding where to play those chords. I believe it was Christopher Parkening who said that the melody note determines where the chord is played. This is where fretboard knowledge becomes essential.

Talking… About Rhythm

Did you know that everyone speaks in rhythm? Everyone has a natural cadence. Now that you’re aware of it, you’ll start to hear it more.

Learning rhythm in music is similar—it’s about understanding that natural flow.

Here’s a practical approach: Take the piece you’re sight reading, say the note names, and count the rhythm first. Then go back and play the piece slowly. As you become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the speed.

By doing this, you’ve already practiced note recognition, rhythm, and even some chord awareness before you play.

It’s also helpful to practice the chords on their own, without the melody. These chord shapes will appear again and again in different pieces—just like words appear across different books or articles.

The more familiar they become, the more fluid your reading will be.

Again, this takes time. Work on it a few minutes each day, and build gradually. Over time, it will begin to feel natural—just like it does for Daniel Nistico.

Conclusion

This is my goal: to become a fluent sight reader on the guitar. I know it will take time and consistent practice. I may even make a video about the process.

If you want to join me and learn to sight read, I’d encourage you to pick up one or both of the resources mentioned above. I would also recommend downloading or purchasing Sor’s Opus 31 and 35 for further study. At this point, I believe this is a solid path forward.

Learning to sight read music is essentially learning a new language. It’s not difficult—it just takes time and repetition.

You learn the notes like letters, chords like words, and eventually more complex structures. And when you become fluent, learning new pieces becomes much easier.

If you enjoy reflections like this on classical guitar, music, and worship, consider subscribing to the journal so you don’t miss future entries.

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What is Patience?

In Galatians 5:22–23, we are given what is called the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Verse 23 goes on to say, “Against such things there is no law” (LSB).

The Biblical definition of patience in these verses is “Forbearance, long-suffering, self-restraint before proceeding to action. The quality of a person who is able to avenge himself yet refrain from doing so.” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament). The Abbott-Smith lexicon defines it as “long-suffering: of men, especially in experiencing troubles and difficulties.”

We experience troubles and difficulties in every area of life—not just in learning an instrument. God uses these trials to shape us and strengthen us in the virtues listed above. Several commentators offer helpful insight into this idea:

“Long mindedness, bearing with the frailties and provocations of others, from the consideration that God has born along with ours; and that, if He had not, we should have been speedily consumed: bearing up also through all the troubles and difficulties of life, without murmuring or repainting; submitting cheerfully to every dispensation of God’s Providence, and thus the arriving benefit from every occurrence.” (Adam Clark)

“Long suffering is the patient magnanimity of Christian goodness, the broad shoulders of which “beareth all things”. (1 Co 13:7)” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

“Patience is the quality of forbearance under provocation (cf. 2 For 6:6; Col. 1:11; 3:12).it entertains no thoughts of retaliation, even when wrongfully treated.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary).

“The ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the willingness to accept irritating or painful situations (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12; 1 Tim. 1:15-16).” (John MacArthur Study Bible)

Jesus promised that we would have trials and tribulations in this life. Those moments, difficult as they are, give us opportunities to practice patience.

How Does This Apply to the Guitar?

If you’ve played guitar for any length of time, you know that learning a piece takes time. In my experience, there is always at least one challenging section. Memorizing and refining a piece can be frustrating, especially when progress feels slow.

When we get tired of a piece and put it down, we often end up starting over later, which only lengthens an already long process. The key is to stick with it. This is where patience is practiced.

Being patient is a skill you can develop alongside your playing, and discipline is crucial to that process. Many people give up classical guitar when they discover how deep the rabbit hole goes. I tend to be a patient person now—but I wasn’t always. That patience developed over time.

I’m also a slow learner. I’ve had instructors ready to move me on to the next piece before I felt I had fully learned the one I was working on. When I exercise patience, I’m able to stay with a piece until it’s truly under my fingers. Developing patience, as it turns out, takes patience.

Patience Takes Time to Learn

If you are not naturally patient, patience will take time to develop. You have to be committed to the process and actively looking for opportunities to practice it. In the world of classical guitar, you’ll find plenty of those opportunities.

Learning a piece takes time, dedication, and patience—especially when new techniques are involved. When approaching a new piece, it helps to understand from the start that it may take weeks, months, or even years to master. I’ve only met one person who could sight-read well enough to learn a piece in a couple of weeks.

So choose a piece, phrase, scale, study, or exercise and commit to learning it. Bring it up to tempo (120 bpm is often the target) and practice it daily until you reach your goal. Over time, you’ll develop not only your musical skills but your patience as well. Just like polishing a piece, patience grows through consistent work.

Patience Can Be Frustrating

Have you ever been stuck on a section and felt like you’d never get it—frustrated enough to want to throw the guitar out the window (assuming you’re inside)? Knowing when to take a break is an important skill.

When frustration starts building, that’s usually a sign you need to step away. Instead of sitting there and getting more frustrated, take a break. Those moments are opportunities to practice patience.

Learning to recognize frustration before it boils over is key. Pay attention to your internal “temperature.” Know when to stop, walk away, and reset. Just as developing technique takes time, developing patience does too. These frustrating moments in the practice room often prepare us for life outside of it.

How Does It Apply to Life?

The first time someone told me I was a patient person, I was shocked. I hadn’t always been patient. Life felt like a fast-food restaurant—order at one window, receive it at the next. Want something? Order it online and have it tomorrow. Modern life trains us to be impatient.

My wife and I built a home studio—not in a weekend, and not even by design. It just sort of happened over time. I’d see a microphone or a plug-in I wanted, and my wife would put me on a time-restricted budget. Thankfully, she’s great at budgeting. I rarely get a “no,” but I might have to wait months or even a year. That waiting has been another way God has taught me patience.

Developing patience in the practice room—and in waiting for good desires to be fulfilled—can lead to greater patience with people. And people need patience. I need others to be patient with me, and you need the same. If we learn long-suffering with one another, how much better would life be?

Conclusion

Patience is a virtue that can be developed through practice, particularly through learning the guitar. It involves long-suffering, self-restraint, and endurance through difficulty. As patience grows in the practice room, it often carries over into daily life, strengthening relationships and encouraging personal and spiritual growth. So, make a conscious effort to practice patience.

If you enjoy reflections like this on classical guitar, music, and worship, consider subscribing to the journal so you don’t miss future entries.

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Over the last hundred years the guitar has become one of the most recognizable instruments in the world. From rock and country to jazz and folk, the guitar seems to show up everywhere. Naturally, many of these styles have also made their way into the church—sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

There is much we can learn from these traditions. However, one style that is often overlooked by church guitarists is classical music.

Now before you stop reading because you think classical music is only for concert halls or conservatories, hear me out. Learning the classical approach to guitar can sharpen your technique, deepen your understanding of music, and even strengthen how you use the instrument in worship.

In this entry, we’ll explore why Christian guitarists should consider studying classical music and how it can help take their playing to the next level.

Rooted In History

Before the beginning of the twentieth century, most music was acoustic and sounded very much like what we now call classical music. You’ve probably heard of the great composers—Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn. But have you heard of the great classical guitar composers such as Sor, Carcassi, and Carulli?

The guitar has a rich history of polyphonic music written specifically for the instrument. And yes, we can also play Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn when their works are arranged well for guitar.

Because the guitar doesn’t have the volume of instruments like the violin, viola, or cello, it was often heard in smaller venues. It has sometimes been called the instrument of the people. For hundreds of years composers and performers have written for it, arranged music for it, and performed on it. The guitar has a massive repertoire of its own—not to mention the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pieces arranged for it.

While the electric guitar has become common in churches, the classical guitar has largely lagged behind in popularity. It’s not unheard of to see classical guitar used in church, but it is still fairly rare. In a previous article I wrote about how classical guitar could be incorporated into church settings alongside piano or orchestral-based music. It can also work well in small group settings or even accompany a steel-string guitar while leading worship.

But why learn this style of guitar? When I mention classical guitar here, I am mostly referring to the technique and approach, not just the musical genre itself.

Learn Standard Notation

You’ve probably heard the old joke about how to stop a guitarist from playing—put sheet music in front of them.

While that’s not entirely fair (since lead sheets and tablature are also forms of sheet music), it’s true that many guitarists cannot read standard notation. Some classical works are available in tablature, but avoiding notation entirely does yourself a disservice.

There are a couple of reasons guitarists tend to avoid it.

First, it can be intimidating. All those dots and symbols on the page can look overwhelming. But in reality, reading notation isn’t as difficult as it seems. Like anything else, you start with the basics, build a foundation, and slowly add layers of understanding. With time and practice, it becomes second nature.

Second, many players simply don’t want to invest the time and effort. They say tablature is “good enough.” I understand that mindset—I was there myself for quite a while. Eventually, though, I wanted to take my playing to the next level. If that is your goal, learning notation is one of the first steps.

More Precise Playing

When you begin studying classical guitar, you quickly notice how much precision the music requires—especially on an acoustic instrument.

You learn careful finger placement with both hands. You learn how to play barred chords and how to become comfortable using them. You begin to study interpretation, from dynamics to phrasing to rubato.

It takes years to master, but the journey is worth the effort. Each detail becomes something to explore. You learn how small adjustments—turning the hand slightly or shifting the arm—change the sound of the instrument. You start paying attention to tone woods, strings, and different approaches to guitar construction.

You will even find yourself playing pieces you can’t pronounce.

But along the way you gain a deeper understanding of the instrument—and how it can be used in worship of the King of Kings.

Praise Him with Strings

Ultimately, the purpose of music is to praise God. I believe music can honor Him in many different styles, provided the musician’s heart is right. Whether we personally prefer a style or not, God can use it.

Personally, I do have my preferences. But I also believe that if God wants you to play a certain style, He will faithfully lead you toward it.

A funny thing happened on my own musical journey. When I was younger, I played rock and roll. After God saved me, I switched over to Christian rock. During the week I would listen to that music in the car, and on weekends I would sing hymns from the piano in church.

Eventually things flipped. I found myself singing traditional hymns in the car during the week and singing to rock music in church on the weekends. I love any music that praises and worships God—but if I had my choice, I would probably choose an orchestra.

Scripture repeatedly calls us to use music for God’s glory, praise, and worship. Consider a few examples:

“Sing for joy in Yahweh, O righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright. Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a loud shout. For the word of Yahweh is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of Yahweh.” (Psalm 33:1-5; LSB)

“O God, I will sing a new song to You; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, Who gives salvation to kings, Who sets David His servant free from the evil sword. Set me free and deliver me out of the hand of the sons of a foreigner, Whose mouth speaks worthlessness And whose right hand is a right hand of lying.” (Psalm 144:9-11; LSB)

“Therefore look carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. On account of this, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and being subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:15-21; LSB)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16; LSB)

Single String Approach

Before I fully committed to the classical style, I considered focusing mostly on single-line melodies. There are several books that teach guitar this way.

If you want to move beyond single-line playing into fuller textures, you might consider the hybrid approach of using both pick and fingers.

Different styles of guitar use different techniques. Classical guitar is primarily fingerstyle and rarely uses a pick. Country, rock, and jazz players tend to favor a pick, though many of them incorporate hybrid picking or fingerstyle as well.

Each style has its own technical approach.

Polyphonic Approach

As for me, I studied the classical approach—and that’s what I know. I can’t play with a pick to save my life because I never spent time practicing that technique.

Classical guitar often focuses on polyphonic music, where multiple musical lines happen at the same time. I like to compare it to the piano. Many piano pieces can be adapted for guitar if they are arranged properly.

This approach can add an extra layer to worship music, especially when combined with a steel-string guitar.

Have you ever considered taking your playing to the next level? Would you like to learn to read music—not just tablature or chord charts? Do you want to dig deeper into what the notation is actually suggesting and learn how to interpret it?

Studying classical guitar and learning to read sheet music can open an entirely new world of musical possibilities.

If you enjoy hymns and worship music, you might even try arranging piano parts for the guitar. It takes skill and practice, but it can absolutely be done.

What might happen if you approached the guitar not just as an instrument for chords, but as a complete musical voice?

Conclusion

If you are a church guitarist who wants to grow, consider studying classical music and the classical guitar style. It offers a rich musical history, a deeper level of technical precision, and a broader understanding of the instrument.

Classical guitar may not always be the most common instrument in modern church settings, but it has much to offer. From learning standard notation to developing polyphonic playing, the classical approach opens doors to musical ideas many guitarists never explore.

And who knows? You may even find yourself arranging hymns, interpreting sacred music, or discovering new ways to accompany worship.

If you are willing to put in the time and effort, learning classical guitar can open an entirely new world of music—and give you another way to praise the Lord with strings.

If you enjoy reflections like this on classical guitar, music, and worship, consider subscribing to the journal so you don’t miss future entries.

Having been at churches that have a piano/orchestra setup, I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out where the classical guitar could fit in. Should it play the violin part an octave lower? Should it play the viola part? Are there any viola players at your church? Should it just play chords, which is common for most guitars in churches? Having thought on this for quite some time, I finally came to a conclusion that was always right in front of me. So, in this entry, we are going to talk about where a classical guitar can fit into an orchestra.

Classical Guitars in Orchestra

Most of the time, when you see a classical guitar in an orchestra, it is playing the lead melody. We have multiple beautiful examples of this from John Williams playing the Concerto for Lute in D Major RV 93 by Vivaldi, to the Concierto de Aranjuez with Pepe Romero with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, and even the CARisMA Guitar Duo playing the ‘Cavatina’ by Stanley Myers. All of these sound great, but the guitar is in a lead role. That’s not something that will happen often in a church setting.

Giving this some thought, and I mean a lot of thought, you will realize that practically no one writes for the guitar in this setting. Sure, there are hymnals out there with guitar chords, but the average guitarist can’t keep up. So, if someone wants to play the classical guitar in a church orchestra, frustrations can set in.

Block Chords Verses a Written Part

So the sad part is that the guitar has challenges that hold it back from being in the orchestra, namely lack of volume. Because of this, there are no parts written for it, or the part is a solo. But with modern technology, the volume hindrances can be overcome. Now, what to play?

As mentioned before, you could play another instrument’s part. Sonically, the guitar fits into the viola’s range quite easily. That’s an option, especially if there is no viola player. You could play chords, if given in the score. That is definitely a guitar-related option, and having the chords helps with where I’m going here.

If you don’t have the chords, having some good music theory in your pocket is a great option. You could analyze the scores that don’t have the guitar chords in the notation. And then you could do it the way the old guys used to do it.

How the Old Guys Did It

There’s this thing called Basso continuo. What is Basso continuo, you ask? Basso continuo—often just called continuo—is the harmonic backbone of Baroque music (think 1600–1750). It’s built around a steady bass line with chords implied or filled in above it. The musicians who handle this line and supply the harmony make up what’s known as the continuo group.

The makeup of a continuo group wasn’t set in stone—players (or the conductor in bigger ensembles) usually chose what worked best for the piece and the setting. What you did need was at least one chord-capable instrument: harpsichord, organ, lute, theorbo, guitar, regal, harp—something to fill out the harmony. Then you’d pair it with one or more bass-register instruments like cello, double bass, bass viol, or bassoon to carry the line underneath.

Using this pattern, we could easily fit the classical guitar into a modern church orchestra.

Using the Guitar for Baroque Style Improvisation

We can use the guitar in Baroque style improvisation the same way they did. We would start by playing the bass line of any piece. This could be that of the piano or another instrument that plays a bass line. This may take some research on our part. We may need to get the chords from the pianist or analyze the score ourselves. Many contemporary orchestra arrangements generally do not have a chord chart; however, some do.

How To Start. If you have a score that has the chord charts already, you’re good to go. While you could simply play or arpeggiate the chords, I would encourage you to learn how to improvise inside the chord while playing the bass note. When doing this, please remember that the pianist is probably improvising as well.

If you do not have the chord charts, you will need to get a copy of the piano score and analyze it (or have the pianist do it for you). The bass notes in the piano score will provide you with a much more interesting bass line to play.

And finally, learn to sight read the bass lines, if you haven’t already. You don’t need to spend months and months trying to learn these pieces. Practicing and learning the bass clef can go a long way. There are also programs out today where you can copy the bass line into the score and then copy and paste it onto the treble clef. But… no matter what you do, no matter what happens, always remember above everything else: if it’s not Baroque, don’t fix it.

What is a Block Chord?

A block chord makes up the harmony of the piece. It is all the notes in the chord that make up that chord (usually a triad or seventh chord). The melody is usually notes from the scale that the chord is from. Even the notes from the chord itself. It all fits together very nicely, even if the chord is outside the diatonic key (diatonic basically means the notes that go together). The chord has function and a place in its key. But normally, that’s all it is.

I could say it like this, “Chords, the fundamental building blocks of harmony and the harmonic foundation of a musical composition, provide harmonic support and coloration to melodies, thereby contributing to the overall sound and mood. Block chords are often sounded simultaneously.” (Wikipedia. “Chord (music)”) But I won’t.

Why are Block Chords Important?

In the very beginning of my lessons, I swear I heard my teacher say, “Don’t worry about the chords.” However, after years of practicing and playing, I’m pretty sure that I heard him wrong. Every piece is based on chords. The simplicity of it is that a piece of music is made up of harmony and melody. When approaching a new piece or composing a new piece, don’t overcomplicate it. All the arpeggios, textures, dynamics, etc., can be added later. At the core of every piece are chords (while I’m sure there are some exceptions, I’m unaware of as of writing this article).

How to Learn a Piece by Block Chords

While knowing a little music theory is beneficial here, you can pick out the notes in the piece and find the chord. To demonstrate this approach, we will use Drew Henderson’s arrangement of Silvius Leopold Weiss’ Prelude V (Original G Major) “London Manuscript.

Learn the Measure

When approaching a piece using this method, it is helpful to learn the music in bite-size chunks. Learning the first measure may seem simplistic to say, but for each phrase we learn, we start in this way (unless you’re learning the phrase backwards, in which case you would begin from the ending). Here is the first measure:

So, here, being familiar with a little music theory or at least chord shapes, we can pick out an A chord. Even though we have a ‘B’ note in the arpeggio, we can easily see the A chord starting with the A whole note, the E (played with the 1st finger), the A (2nd finger), and the C# (3rd finger). As a benefit, Drew includes a harmonic outline for this piece as well. Approaching this piece by looking at the block chords, we would see this first measure as:

How do we play this?

Simply by practicing the chord shape first, then playing the arpeggio (including the ‘B’ and the pull-off (slur)). You would play the block chord first a couple of times, which seems easy enough. I don’t know about you, but that’s not the way I usually play an A chord. However, by practicing the block chord, you are getting your fingers used to the configuration needed to play this section.

Learn the Phrase

As we work through the rest of the phases, learning each measure one at a time, we can pull out the rest of the chords. Again, Drew has already done this for us:

When we are learning a new piece of music, finding the chords in the phrase would be the first thing we would do. Now that we know the chords, we would practice the chords until our movements are fluid.

I recommend practicing each phrase like this at half the piece’s speed. Practice the chords in the phrase until you can play the chords back-to-back with no mistakes five times in a row. Use a metronome. Once you can play the chords in the phrase five times in a row with no mistakes, move the metronome up 10 beats per minute. Continue this process until you can play the phrase at 10 beats per minute above the stated speed of the piece.

Once you can play the chords in the phrase at 10 beats per minute above the stated speed of the piece, then go back to half the speed and play the piece as written (and use the same method as before. Practice the phrase five times perfectly in a row and moving the metronome up 10 beats a minute until you reach 10 beats per minute higher than the speed of the piece):

This seems counterintuitive; however, learning the chords first speeds up the overall learning process. By doing it this way, it teaches you first to learn the chords and to be able to change chords smoothly. Second, it teaches you the techniques needed to learn the piece. Third, by practicing the phrases, you give yourself small, bite-size exercises that help you grow as a musician. And the great thing about this is that you can do it with any piece.

Learn the Section

Once you have practiced all of the phrases in a given section, you can go back and play the section, slowly at first, until it becomes fluid and easy to play. Fortunately, the first phrase is the first section of this piece. I highly recommend playing each section slowly until the movement of your fingers becomes fluid. If you think about it, each section is its own little piece.

Learn the Piece

When you have learned all the phrases and sections of the piece, put it all together. Depending on the length of the piece, you can go back and play it all the way through slowly. If, however, a piece is longer, you might want to practice the sections on their own. Especially the ones that are still giving you trouble.

It is extremely important that you keep the music fresh by playing it (at least once a week). The newer the piece, the more times you need to play it. I will play a new piece every day for a month (or two) to make sure I have it. Then I put it in my repertoire to be played weekly. If I have been playing the piece for years, I might play it once a month. But usually, I play the piece once a week.

Conclusion

Block chords, the fundamental building blocks of harmony, are crucial for learning classical guitar pieces quickly and accurately. By breaking down a piece into manageable sections, starting with individual measures and progressing to phrases and sections, guitarists can focus on mastering the chords and their transitions. This method, combined with consistent practice and a metronome, accelerates the learning process and fosters musical growth.

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I had a Bad Experience with a Teacher Before

Yeah, I understand. I have had that as well. Honestly, not every teacher and student combination is going to be the right fit. A good teacher will listen and adapt to the student’s needs. They will support your goals while teaching you what you need to achieve those goals. The goal for the teacher, as well as being supportive, is to not overwhelm you and create lessons that build your confidence.

That being said, the teacher is there to guide you. A qualified teacher will know what you need often better than the student. I have had students that, when given homework or a task to complete, don’t do the task. I have tried to tell them that if they do the task or the exercise, it would help them to reach their goal.

Sometimes teachers can have a hard time communicating these things also. Many times because they know them so well. They can skip something because it’s second nature to them. Having a good line of communication with your instructor, being able to ask questions, is very important.

Classical Guitar Seems Too Serious or Formal

People tend to get overwhelmed when something looks complex. Classical guitar is complex, but it is its simplicity that makes it look that way. Every style of guitar has a form of technique. Classical guitar is an approach to playing the guitar. Like everything else, it is built on smaller, easy forms of technique.

Building technique is a step-by-step process. I like to compare it to climbing a mountain. You don’t just go straight to the top; you climb smaller sections of the mountain a little at a time. You may have heard the saying, “don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill.” Well, mountains are made up of little mole hills. Climb one mole hill at a time, and eventually, you will climb the mountain.

Once the technique is learned and you have it under your fingers, it can open doors to expressive playing and musical understanding—but the learning can still be fun and relaxed.

I’m Not Planning to Perform, So Why Take Lessons?

Back when I only strummed the guitar, I got bored with it. I had to make a decision: if I was going to pursue the guitar seriously or not. The other problem I had was that I couldn’t sing (and still can’t). But I really wanted to play music, and the guitar was the instrument that I was drawn to. I wanted to learn to play better and to “push my skills to the edge” and see how good I could get.

Lessons aren’t just for performers. They're for people who want to better themselves and their playing. Think about it. Anything that you are really interested in, you put time and effort into it. Classical guitar is the same.

As for performing, I don’t think in the beginning I was planning on performing. I just wanted to play better. Now, having studied the instrument for years, I’m finding opportunities to play, perform, and to compose. Something I love to do.

So, if you decide not to perform, you can still learn to play beautifully. However, if, after a while, you do decide to play, there are countless groups, online opportunities, and ways to find, or create, places to play.

I Don’t Want to Play ‘Boring’ Music

Me neither, that’s one of the reasons I took up classical guitar. For me, at least, playing all around the neck is one of the most exciting and interesting parts of playing the classical guitar. And, if I may be so bold, strumming is boring. That may be because I can’t sing. If I could sing, I may have a different outlook. However, I have grown to love finger-style guitar, so I would probably still play that way even if I could sing.

Plus, classical guitar has so much more to offer. It has centuries of rich, moving, and even modern repertoire. Lessons can include music that you really enjoy, including today’s pop music. I have even seen rap and hip-hop music played on the guitar and played well.

You may have to learn some pieces that you don’t like so that you can understand the guitar. However, all of this goes towards pieces you do like and want to play. Sometimes we need to do the things we don’t like so we can learn to do the things we do like. Plus, you never know, classical guitar music might grow on you.

I’ll Never Be As Good As I Want To Be

Hopefully not. When you think you are a good player, that is when you stop learning. The feeling of not being good enough is normal. You learn to enjoy the process and not just chase perfection. You can learn the techniques that help you play with joy and confidence.

There is a quote attributed to Pablo Casals when someone asked him “why he continues to practice four and five hours a day.” His response was “because I think I am making progress.” (From American Harp Society)

Even after becoming a world-renowned cellist, he still worked for and pursued excellence in his playing. That is how we should approach the guitar. We should have a mindset of always improving, always moving forward. Lessons help us to do that.

Making Excuses

There’s a part of me that actually enjoys hearing people make excuses for not taking lessons. It tells me that they are not really dedicated to the craft and would probably quit in six weeks or less anyway. While this is unfortunate and they are missing out on learning a great instrument, it does tell you their level of commitment.

I partially blame our society. We are so used to ordering what we want at one window and getting it at the next. Many people, not all, don’t know how to appreciate the process. They just want to get to the end result. I get it. Sometimes I don’t want to work on a phrase for weeks at a time. But the payoffs are huge!

I remember trying to learn a phrase in a piece that was very challenging. I had to go back and watch the video of the performer, slowing it down to .25 just to see what she was doing. I worked on that phrase for weeks, but then I got it. Now I can play it at full speed. It was a wonderful learning experience, even though a little frustrating in the beginning.

Conclusion

Classical guitar lessons are beneficial for anyone interested in improving their playing, not just performers. The learning process, though challenging, can be enjoyable and rewarding, building technique and confidence. With dedication and a growth mindset, anyone can progress and find joy in playing classical guitar.

Learning of MacArthur

In 2005, I had gone through yet another traumatic, life-changing experience. In the previous few months, I had also found a little-known podcast/radio show called “The Way of the Master Radio.” This had, among others, a name associated with it that I had grown up with: Kirk Cameron. Kirk had been on the wildly successful show “Growing Pains.” I was surprised to hear that he had repented of his sins and confessed Christ as his Savior.

Along with Kirk were a couple of others that I had never heard of, one of those being Ray Comfort. Ray would become a great influence in my life over the next few years. The other is the infamous Todd Friel. Not only did the show fuel my growing interest in church culture, it also encouraged me in my evangelistic endeavors.

In many segments of the show (as I remember it), Todd, the main host, continually talked about another man whom I had never heard of: Dr. John MacArthur. Todd would play snippets of Dr. MacArthur’s sermons and comment on them all the while calling him, jokingly, the Evangelical Pope. This, of course, peaked my interest in Dr. MacArthur and Grace to You, the ministry of Dr. MacArthur.

Enter Christopher Parkening

In and around the same time, I had decided to pick up the guitar again and, if you know some of my story, began strumming it through 2008. By the end of the summer, I was bored. Bored I tell you! Strumming guitar is great, but unless you can sing, it becomes quite monotonous. So, I had a decision to make. Either I put the guitar down again, maybe strumming it every now and then, or I go deeper into the rabbit hole. Well, you know what I chose.

I was told, and recommend, that if I really, really wanted to learn the guitar, I should take classical lessons. I called the local college and found my first guitar teacher. Here I would begin my classical guitar journey. He told me to pick up a copy of Christopher Parkening’s Guitar Method, Vol. 1.

Now, mind you, I’m a Christian. I really didn’t want to learn and play this world’s music (secular music). Although playing instrumental music seems okay with my conscience. So, off I went to the music store to pick up a copy of the method.

At the music store, I flipped through the book, still unsure if this was really the route I wanted to take. And then I read Christopher Parkening’s testimony in the back of the book. It begins, “I have a commitment to personal excellence which at its heart seeks to honor and glorify the Lord with my life and the music that I play.” (The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method, Vol. 1, Pg. 107). Okay… I’m hooked and so started the journey.

The Johnny Mac Connection

And then, out of the blue, in the eleventh paragraph on dedicating his performances to the Lord, he writes, “For more insight on this topic, I recommend reading Anxiety Attacked by none other than John MacArthur, Jr.

As it turns out, Dr. MacArthur was Christopher Parkening’s pastor. He also wrote one of the forwards to Mr. Parkening’s autobiography, Grace Like a River. In it, MacArthur states, “This is the riveting story of the experiences of a man who has conquered his two worlds (classical guitar and fly-fishing). More important, it is the story of how the grace of God has conquered him.”

Both men have had an influence on my life. My interests are mostly in theology and music. Dr. MacArthur and Mr. Parkening have helped shape those areas, respectively.

Going Deeper

As I have studied music with Mr. Parkening’s influence, so have I studied theology with Dr. MacArthur’s influence. My love for the study of God’s Word really kicked into high gear two years after Christ saved me. When I heard of Dr. MacArthur, I started digging deeper into his ministry, books, and sermons. These have helped to shape a more grounded Biblical worldview.

One of the books that has helped me is Saved Without a Doubt. As many Christians struggle with knowing whether they are saved or not, this book pointed me back to the Scripture during a low point in my life. One Scripture in particular is Ephesians 2:8:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

I would say that at the time of this writing, about thirty percent of my library is Dr. John MacArthur. I love the John MacArthur Study Bible and the commentaries. These have helped me dig deeper into God’s Word. I also enjoy the “Know Your Bible” series of booklets as I love reading sermons as well as listening to them. After years of listening to Dr. MacArthur and reading his books, he has become one of my most trusted resources.

One of the Greats

I also want to recognize that God has allowed us to live in a time of one of the greatest preachers/teachers in history. Dr. MacArthur is in a long line of godly men who faithfully preached and taught His Word to the household of God. Some that come to mind are Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and even R.C. Sproul.

The ministry of Dr. MacArthur will certainly not be forgotten. Thankfully, Grace To You will continue on into the future and allow those who seek a deeper walk with Christ to learn from this man. I can, without reserve, highly recommend Grace To You… to you. I’m so thankful to God for His servant and allowing us to live in a time where the influence of a godly man can be felt around the world.

In this article I have linked to the Grace To You website and store. I do not receive anything compensation for these links. They are for recommendation purposes only.