Pumping Nylon: Easy to Early Intermediate Repertoire: Guitar Book & Online Audio

This book bridges the gap between technical exercises and genuine musical expression by pairing technique-building repertoire with pieces that students actually want to play. The mix of new compositions by Andrew York alongside 19th-century classics from Tárrega, Carcassi, Giuliani, and Sor means your students encounter the techniques they've drilled in an authentic musical context, not isolated studies.

The collection spans intimate lyrical pieces and more energetic technical showcases, all crafted with the classical guitar's voice in mind. Playing through these pages feels like a master class: each piece asks something slightly different of your hands while maintaining musical integrity and dignity.

Early intermediate classical guitarists working through or alongside Pumping Nylon who need appealing repertoire that reinforces technique in musical contexts. This book serves both private studio teachers looking for repertoire with pedagogical intent and students preparing for festivals or recitals at the easy to early intermediate level.

• Refer to specific exercises in Pumping Nylon when preparing a new piece; this book is designed as a direct extension, so revisiting the relevant technical foundation makes learning faster and more confident.
• Listen to Scott Tennant's interpretations on the included audio multiple times before playing through a piece; his recording demonstrates phrasing, voicing, and tempo choices that written notation alone cannot convey.
• Work through the pieces in the order presented; the progression deliberately moves from easier to intermediate difficulty, allowing technique to accumulate naturally.
• Slow down the tempo initially to master left-hand positioning and right-hand pattern consistency before building speed; rushing these pieces undermines the technical benefits they're designed to provide.

Feature individual pieces on student recitals alongside concerto movements or more challenging contemporary works; these selections provide satisfying performances that don't overshadow higher-level repertoire. Since this book is a Federation Festivals 2020-2024 selection, it pairs naturally with festival season prep and competitive performance planning.

• Arpeggiation patterns and right-hand consistency across changing finger sequences
• Tremolo technique with controlled tone and steady rhythm
• Scale velocity and left-hand fluency at moderate tempos
• Memorization strategies applied to 19th-century and contemporary repertoire
• Phrasing and musical interpretation beyond mechanical exercise playing
• Fingerboard navigation and position shifts in classical contexts