Basic Classical Guitar Method, Book 2: Guitar Book & Online Audio

Tennant writes from the perspective of someone who has performed professionally and knows exactly where technical breakdowns happen in student playing. Book 2 builds systematically on foundational knowledge without skipping the difficult middle steps that other methods gloss over. The inclusion of photographs and drawings transforms abstract concepts like right-hand position and nail shaping into something a student can actually see and replicate.

Working through Book 2 feels like being mentored by someone who refuses to let you settle for approximate technique. The progression from single-note passages into block chords and more complex right-hand patterns builds confidence gradually, and the photographic guidance removes guesswork from how your hand should actually look and feel.

This book is designed for guitarists who have completed Book 1 and are ready to deepen their technical foundation. It serves students working privately with a teacher as well as those in group classical guitar classes who need a structured, progressive approach to right-hand development and intermediate repertoire.

• Study the right-hand fingernail photographs carefully before attempting passages that demand a specific nail length or shape. Take your own photos of your hand position to compare against the book's examples, then adjust gradually.
• Practice rest stroke slowly with open strings before applying it to melodic passages. The sensation should feel markedly different from free stroke; if it doesn't, your hand position likely needs adjustment.
• Block chord shapes require separate practice from the melodies they accompany. Master the chord voicing in isolation, then layer the melody on top once your fingers move confidently.
• Use the online audio to hear how proper technique produces tone. Listen with attention to the quality of the sound, not just the notes, so you develop an ear for what you're aiming toward.

Use Book 2 as the core text for a second-year classical guitar curriculum, where students meet twice weekly for structured lessons. Pair it with supplementary repertoire that applies the techniques introduced in each chapter, so students see immediate musical context for their technical work.

• Rest stroke execution and control
• Block chord voicing and transitions
• Right-hand fingernail management for tone production
• Intermediate right-hand independence and finger dexterity
• Proper hand positioning for advanced playing