Classic Guitar Technique, Volume 1 (Third Edition)

This third edition benefits from Thomas Kikta's perspective as both a Shearer student and pedagogue, bringing fresh clarity to technique topics that the original sometimes left implicit. The addition of recorded demonstrations and play-along tracks finally gives students an auditory model for tone production and interpretation, something every serious classical guitarist needs but few methods provide convincingly.

Working through Shearer's exercises can feel methodical and even austere at first, but the clarity emerges quickly; each technical challenge isolates a single element so thoroughly that progress becomes visible and tangible. There is deep satisfaction in this kind of systematic mastery, and the musical intuition that develops through careful observation of right and left hand coordination tends to transfer naturally to repertoire learning.

This book serves serious classical guitar students from early intermediate stages onward, as well as adult learners committing to traditional classical training. Teachers building classical technique curricula will find the comprehensive organization and pedagogical clarity invaluable, whether using it as the primary method or as a systematic reference work for problem solving.

• Spend time listening to the audio demonstrations before attempting each exercise; Shearer's approach depends on understanding how correct tone actually sounds, not just how it feels under your fingers.
• Work through exercises slowly enough that you can observe your own left-hand positioning and right-hand angle; rushing through repetitions defeats the method's core purpose.
• Use the duet tracks to develop steady tempo and ensemble awareness while building fundamentals; the social element helps students commit to consistent practice habits.
• Return to earlier exercises periodically as your technique advances; Shearer designed the progression so that previous material deepens and reveals new layers of control at higher levels of mastery.

Build a classical guitar curriculum around this method as your technical spine, supplementing with repertoire pieces that address the same technical priorities at each stage. Use it as a diagnostic tool in private lessons to identify specific technical gaps, then prescribe targeted exercises that students can work on independently between lessons.

• Right-hand posture, stroke production, and tone control across all strings
• Left-hand positioning, finger independence, and intonation accuracy
• Scales and arpeggios in multiple positions and keys
• Tremolo technique and finger articulation patterns
• Reading standard notation fluently across the full fretboard
• Building muscular endurance and consistent technical execution under fatigue