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Question about Asturias So I'm starting to love the piece and find it relatively easy to play except for the section starting at bar 37 where the very wide C7 chord with the high e on top is alternated with the arpeggios starting with the pinky finger.
- Introduction and Preparation
- Technical Preparation
- A Section
- M. 16-17
- M. 24-32
- M. 33-37
- M. 40-46
- M. 49-61
- B Section
- M. 75-99
One of the most beloved pieces in classical guitar literature, “Asturias” was composed by Isaac Albéniz, a virtuoso pianist from Spain. “Asturias” is heavily influenced by flamenco music, specifically that of the Andalusian tradition. Andrés Segovia’s arrangement is the most influential edition used today, but you can use any arrangement to complet...
While it’s often tempting to jump straight into playing at full speed, it’s important to move slowly and work in sections. Identify the technical issues and work through them. Make sure that twenty to thirty minutes of scales and warm-ups are a regular part of your practice. Keep your left wrist straight, and press with the tip of your fingers. Kee...
Once you’ve selected a tempo on your metronome, keep it constant from beginning to end. You may play measures 1-16 with the right-hand fingering ‘p m p i’, or ‘p i p i”. Make sure the right-hand fingers move independently from one another. While practicing, you can accent the first beat slightly to help keep time. You can also practice with a dotte...
Play a slight crescendo in measure 16 so the octaves in measure 17 are very clear. Use the thumb for both strings to get the strongest sound with the least effort. Make sure you remain in tempo. The triplet arpeggios that begin in measure 17 should be very well articulated! You can also use a dotted rhythm to practice (as we did on the previous pag...
The piece should get gradually louder up to measure 25. Maintain a sound that isn’t too harsh. We should hear every note clearly in the chord at measure 25. Take your time here, but without losing the tempo or taking any pauses. Prepare the first-finger barre several notes before the chord. There are two ways to play measures 25-32. You can play ra...
Measure 33 is the loudest point of the A section. Emphasize this barre chord slightly more than the others, and then bring the dynamics down in the bars that follow. Keep your left-hand as relaxed as possible, even during the tricky fourth-finger stretch in measure 37 (pictured below). There’s no need to press very hard with the fourth finger or th...
As you transition from measure 39 to measure 40, the first finger must remain perfectly straight. Pause before shifting. Measures 41-46 should come down in volume. Don’t be afraid to take practice breaks! If you use too much pressure in this piece, you risk injuring your hand. Remember to keep the triplets well-articulated and keep the melody stead...
Let’s finish up the A section! Measure 49 is a repeat of the material at the very beginning. Measure 53 begins the final stretch towards the end. Push the elbow out a bit in measure 54. This helps you reach the sixth string. Don’t forget to add soft dynamics in this section, getting softest at the end of measure 58. It’s important to create a contr...
The B Section is quite different from the A section. Focus on enjoying the guitar’s sound and exploring as many expressive sounds as you can. Continue practicing with a metronome, however, there is no need to play fast! The more contrast you can create between the A and B sections, the better. Ana suggests playing the octaves simultaneously (as wri...
Bars 75, 76, and 77 feature a beautiful melody in octaves. Try playing a little louder, and dig into the strings a bit more. Let the fermata in measure 78 ring a bit longer than usual before moving on. Begin measure 79 softly and play a crescendo into the melody that follows. Feel free to take liberties with this section, as long as the changes you...
Jul 10, 2023 · “Asturias” by Albeniz is considered as a strong contender for the most popular and greatest guitar pieces of all time. Curiously, however, it wasn’t written for the guitar but for the piano…
- Steve Flack
Jul 8, 2023 · Steve Flack performs Asturias, argued to be one of the greatest and most popular guitar pieces of all time.Check out the fascinating history of this piece in...
- 7 min
- 890
- Steve Flack's Guitar Academy
Prelude (better known as either Asturias or Leyenda) by Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909), is probably the best-known virtuosic guitar piece not originally written for guitar. This lesson will explore its expressive use of the Spanish Phrygian mode, selecting editions, right-hand speed, and left-hand legato.
Friendly piece of advice: on the left hand (the one one the fretboard), try to position your thumb on the back of the fretboard so that it is relatively "in the middle" of the 4 fingers that are on the front side of the fretboard and in direct correlation with the 2nd and 3rd finger.
People also ask
Is Asturias a guitar song?
Is this easy Asturias guitar tab arrangement suitable for beginners?
What music influenced 'Asturias'?
Who wrote 'Asturias'?
Did Albeniz write a piece for the guitar?
What is the most popular guitar piece of all time?
Nov 29, 2022 · Albeniz never actually wrote a piece for the guitar, but arrangements of his music are staples of the guitar repertoire. In particular, Asturias (Leyenda) is one of the most famous and beloved music for classical guitar. The piece draws from Andalusian flamenco traditions.
