Practice Routine
Exercises, Studies and Pieces
Adva nced Level
Dan i e l N i st ico
1 Year Plan for Guitar Mastery: Part 1 (3 Months)
Month 1 (pg. 2)
Technique: Segovia Scales (pg.3-9)
• Speed Bursts - Aim for 120bpm
• Altering rhythms: 8ths, triplet 8ths, 16ths - Aim for 120bpm
• Standard (i-m, i-a, m-a and reverse) and Non-Standard using thumb and pinky combinations fingerings
(p-i, p-m, p-a, p-c. i-c, m-c, a-c)
• Dynamics: crescendo ascending and decrescendo descending
Studies: Villa-Lobos Etudes 1 and 2 (pg. 10-14)
• Speed burst for each repeat (aim for 150bpm for Etude 1 and 120bpm for Etude 2)
• Dynamics - echo for each repeat
Month 2 (pg. 15)
Technique: Mozzani Chord Progressions in all keys (pg. 16-20)
• Analyze progressions
Studies: Carulli Suite a la Methode, 1st part (6 Arpeggios Studies) (pg. 21-36)
• Analyze keys and modulations
Month 3 (pg. 37)
Technique: Scales in Intervals (Pelzer) (pg. 38-43)
• Add tremolo pattern
Studies: 6 Etudes by Sor, op.29 (44-52)
• Analyze form, keys and chords
1
Month 1
Technical Work: Segovia’s Diatonic Major and Minor Scales
Studies: Villa-Lobos Etudes 1 and 2
Scales: These are perhaps the most valuable exercises you can practice, as they lead to greater flexibility,
dexterity and co-ordination of the hands. Here is a suggested plan of practicing them:
Week 1: Learn all scales fluently using the standard right hand fingerings.
Week 2: Use burst rhythms (see below) to improve speed and co-ordination.
Week 3: Practice with non-standard right hand fingering.
Week 4: Practice with dynamics (crescendo when ascending, decrescendo when descending) and a
combination of the above.
Burst Rhythms
œ œ ˙ etc.
4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
&4 œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ ˙ etc.
œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
3 3œ œ œ œJ ˙ etc.
œ œ
& œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œJ œJ œ Ó
3 3
3 3 œ œ œ œ ˙ etc.
œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
œ 3 3
Standard right hand
& ∑ ∑ Non-standard right
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
fingerings hand fingerings
i-m, m-i p-i, i-p i-e, e-i
i-a, a-i p-m, m-p m-e, e-m
m-a, a-m ∑ ∑ p-a, a-p
∑ ∑ a-e, e-a
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
& p-e, e-p
2
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
3
( )
4
(5)
5
(6)
6
(7)
(8)
7
8
(1 )
Month 1
Technical Work: Segovia’s Diatonic Major and Minor Scales
Studies: Villa-Lobos Etudes 1 and 2
Studies: Etudes 1 and 2 by Villa-Lobos provide a great workout for both hands. You can achieve a maximum
intensity in a short amount of time.
Week 1: Add fingerings and analyze the studies’ harmonic progressions.
Week 2: Use speed bursts - i.e. play the first repeated bar at 1/2 tempo, then the repeated bar double tempo.
Combining Giuliani’s Right Hand
(ex. 60 for the first time and 120 for the repeat).
Week 3: Add Giuliani arpeggios to Villa-Lobos Etude 1 (see below).
Studies to Villa-Lobos Etude 1
Week 4: Practice with dynamics (do an echo effect for each repeated bar) and a combination of the above.
By Daniel Nistico
Giuliani’s arpeggio patterns
Adding Giuliani’s arpeggio patterns to Villa-Lobos Etude 1
10
Tempo to reach: 150bpm
11
12
Tempo to reach: 120bpm
13
14
Month 2
Technical Work: Mozanni’s Harmonic Progressions
Studies: Carulli’s Arpeggio Studies
Technical Work: Mozanni’s harmonic progressions will help you quickly get familiar with foundational chord
progressions in all keys.
Week 1: Practice tonic and dominant + arpeggios. Identify keys and chords.
Week 2: Practice I-ii-V-I + arpeggios. Identify keys and chords.
Week 3: Practice I-IV-ii-V-I + arpeggios. Identify keys and chords.
Week 4: Practice all progressions.
15
Tonic and Dominant
One
tempo = 70
16
No. 01 with arpeggios
17
I ii6 V7 I i iv V7 i
18
No. 03 with arpeggios
19
a.k.a Cadential 6/4
I IV ii6 I6/4 V7 I
20
Month 2
Technical Work: Mozanni’s Harmonic Progressions
Studies: Carulli’s Arpeggio Studies
Carulli’s Studies: These studies are a tour de force in arpeggios and modulations, frequently changing keys
while maintaining challenging arpeggio patterns.
Week 1: Practice studies 1 and 2. Analyze the keys and modulations.
Week 2: Practice studies 3 and 4. Analyze the keys and modulations.
Week 3: Practice studies 5 and 6. Analyze the keys and modulations.
Week 4: Practice all studies.
21
Tempo to reach: 100bpm
22
23
24
Tempo to reach: 70bpm
25
26
27
Tempo to reach: 120bpm
28
29
30
Tempo to reach: 120bpm
31
32
Tempo to reach: 100bpm
33
34
Tempo to reach: 60bpm
35
36
Month 3
Technical Work: Pelzer’s Scales in Intervals
Studies: Sor’s opus 29
Technical Work: These intervals are foundational to harmony and provide you with a thorough knowledge of the
fingerboard.
Week 1: Practice C Major and G Major
Week 2: Practice D Major and A Major
Week 3: Practice E Major and F Major
Week 4: Practice all with tremolo (aim for tempo of between 140-160)
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
Month 3
Technical Work: Pelzer’s Scales in Intervals
Studies: Sor’s opus 29
Sor Studies: The pinnacle of classical common-practice style for guitar. Sor’s studies make for great material to
analyze, while providing fantastic technical workouts for both hands.
Week 1: Practice studies 1 and 2. Analyze form, keys and chords.
Week 2: Practice studies 3 and 4. Analyze form, keys and chords.
Week 3: Practice studies 5 and 6. Analyze form, keys and chords.
Week 4: Practice all studies.
44
Tempo to reach: 40bpm
45
46
Tempo to reach: 60bpm
47
48
Tempo to reach: 70bpm
49
Tempo to reach: 60bpm
50
Tempo to reach: 80bpm
51
52
