Asturias - Isaac Albeniz

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Hans-Erik
Jon Lambo
Niko Fran
Mike Ridenour
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centurion

Hey GMcers, this time I am with the Great classical piece Asturias or Leyenda. I will do a series of lessons for the whole piece. This is the first part.

The fifth movement of the Suite Española, Op. 47, Asturias (Leyenda) is probably most famous these days in the classical guitar world, even though it was originally composed for piano and only later transcribed to guitar by Francisco Tárrega. Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz (May 29, 1860 – May 18, 1909) was a Spanish pianist and composer.

Let's get started...

E||----------------------------|----------------------------|
B||----0---0----0---0---0----0-|----0---0----0---0---0----0-|
G||----------------------------|----------------------------|
D||------9---10---7---9--------|------9---10---7---9--------|
A||--7--------------------10---|--7--------------------10---|
E||----------------------------|----------------------------|



----------------------------|----------------------------|
----0---0----0---0---0----0-|----0---0----0---0---0----0-|
----------------------------|----------------------------|
------9---10---7---9--------|--7------------7------------|
--7--------------------10---|------9---10-------9---10---|
----------------------------|----------------------------|

----------------------------|----------------------------|
----0---0----0---0---0----0-|----0---0----0---0---0----0-|
----------------------------|----------------------------|
------9---10---7---9--------|------9---10---7---9--------|
--7--------------------10---|--7--------------------10---|
----------------------------|----------------------------|



----------------------------|----------------------------|
----0---0----0---0---0----0-|----0---0----0---0----0---0-|
----------------------------|----------------------------|
------9---10---7---9--------|--7-------------------------|
--7--------------------10---|------9---10---7------------|
----------------------------|-------------------10---8---|

The characterstic feature of this piece is the repeating B note.
Left hand fingering is very easy.Look at the video carefully for the left hand fingering.
The difficult part is the right hand technique.All bass notes are Played with the thumb.and the B note can be played by
1.Only by index finger (i)
2.Only by middle finger (m)
3.& 4.Index and middle finger Alternate (i,m) or (m,i)
I advice you to try all of them beacause each give you different exercises for your right hand and it will be very useful through out the whole piece.

Tips for Practising:Play very slowly. first Play only the Thumb notes.Then add the B note with any finger combination above.work with that fingerpicking until you become very familiar with it.Then move on to next fingering mode.After some time use one type but practise all of them.I recommend i,m.

   
  |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|    |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|  

------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|
----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|
--------4-----5-----------4------0----|--------4-----5-----------4------0----|
--------------------7-----------------|--------------------7-----------------|
-(7)----------------------------------|-(7)----------------------------------|
--0-----------------------------------|--0-----------------------------------|


    
  |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|    |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|  
 ------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|
----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|
--------4-----5-----------4------0----|--------------------------------0-----|
--------------------7-----------------|--7-----4-----5-----7-----4-----------|
-(7)---------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
--0-----------------------------------|--------------------------------------|


   
  |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|    |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|  
  
------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|
----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|
--------4-----5-----------4------0----|--------4-----5-----------4-----0-----|
--------------------7-----------------|--------------------7-----------------|
-(7)----------------------------------|-(7)----------------------------------|
--0-----------------------------------|--0-----------------------------------|


  
  |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|    |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|  

------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|------7-----7-----7-----7-----7-----7-|
----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|
--------4-----5-----------4-----0-----|--------------0-----------------------|
--------------------7-----------------|--7-----4-----------------------------|
-(7)----------------------------------|--------------------7-----5-----------|
--0-----------------------------------|--------------------------------8-----|

()Optional note
if you want Play it.

now different techinque here.
Right hand fingering : base notes - p
2nd string - i
1st string - m
This is the most difficult part in the piece.So practise it very slowly.This is in triplets.
If I stops with this video I am sure you will ask me one common question
"Hey How can I build the speed?"
My answewr is........ Go to the next video!

Lesson Questions, Feedback & Comments

Kristofer Dahl	18th December 2007
GMC Founder & Rocker	Sounds awesome and exotic (to me!) - well done Vinod!

Juan M. Valero	18th December 2007
Instructor	WOW !!! I love that piece you play really good it !!! amazing, Vinod

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	Thanks for the inroduction Kris And thanks Juan

TheClansmanDK	18th December 2007
Member	I love this piece so much! My favorite classical piece at all times! You play it very well Vinod. Do you plan to do the full piece later on? Thanks

TheClansmanDK	18th December 2007
Member	Oh my bad, i see you said you will make more parts!

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	QUOTE Oh my bad, i see you said you will make more parts! Yes I will be doing lessons for next parts. Let me know If You have any questions regarding playing the first part

Tuubsu	18th December 2007
Member	Fantastic! I started playing guitar by rock and trash and blues but these classical pieces just keep getting more interesting, this is great.

Lester	18th December 2007
Member	I just have started acoustic and i geuss this will be too hard for me now...but I will learn this!! Great lesson!!

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	@ Lester Use the lesson Planner and Try easy ones first. Hope you will be Playing asturias reasonable soon Good luck

coffeeman	18th December 2007
Member	Wow beautiful Vinod!

david80	18th December 2007
Member	Great lesson vinod. I love this piece,no easy to play...

Jerry Arcidiacono	18th December 2007
Instructor	Great playing Vinod! This theme is also contained on "Spanish Caravan" by The Doors!

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	QUOTE Great playing Vinod! This theme is also contained on "Spanish Caravan" by The Doors! Thanks Jerry.I didn't know about the Spanish caravan.Thanks for that

misha	18th December 2007
Member	yeah the same would i say to it sounds like spanish caravan from the doors!!!! thats great vinod good job

Bogdan Radovic	18th December 2007
Bass Instructor	Wow great job !! I really like this piece!!

Muris Varajic	18th December 2007
Instructor	Beautifully done Vinod!! I guess this is new guitar,congrats once more, looks and sounds nice!

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	Thanks every one @ Muris Yes this is my New Guitar.But I recorded it with external mic. Because Built in pick up doesn't sound good in Asturias. You may notice birds are whislting in background Perhaps they may be trying for giving bakcing for my recording

Muris Varajic	18th December 2007
Instructor	Nothing wrong with birds imho Vinod, give more native feel to whole lesson.

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	Thanks Muris

Dejan Farkas	18th December 2007
Instructor	One of my favorite pieces Excellent work Vinod! I like the birds backing

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	QUOTE I like the birds backing Ok I'll tell the birds Thanks Dejan.

Iluha	18th December 2007
Member	Woah, I remember requesting this when you only joined us thanks for doing this!

Vinod Saranga	18th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	@ iluha Yes I also remember.Sorry for the long delay. anyway finally you got it. So practise it

Toni Suominen	18th December 2007
Instructor	Very nice Vinod!

inertia	18th December 2007
Member	Sweet playing Vinod, I plan on learning this one.

The Uncreator	18th December 2007
Fire Up The Blades, Moderator	Beautiful Piece!

shellshock1911	18th December 2007
Member	Can't wait to get my classical guitar next week

Owen	18th December 2007
Member	I havent paid much attention to classical stuff before but when my wrist heals i am definitely trying this!

Hisham Al-Sanea	18th December 2007
Instructor	good job vinod and welldone

SLASH91	19th December 2007
Member	This is absolutely beautiful. Great job!

Vinod Saranga	19th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	Thanks for every one. Again to remind you that If anyone have questions regarding playing this part don't hesitate to ask me.

Bedlam	19th December 2007
Member	I used to love to play this one. Thanks for reminding me! Great job.

shellshock1911	19th December 2007
Member	In rock you would pick up each finger for each note in an arpeggio or notes in a chord formation but I notice that on classical guitar, the guitarist just frets the whole thing and does it. That is correct right?

Kosei Kubota	19th December 2007
Classical Instructor	Very clear playing. I like the birds, too. Can't wait for the following lessons!

Hemlok	19th December 2007
Member	Yahoo!!! I heard this on classical internet radio and thought to myself, wow i hope we get a lesson on that. And you came through! Well done Vinod and thankyou very much.

Pavel	19th December 2007
Instructor	Asturias is an amazing guitar piece. I remember my guitar teacher playing it when i was in music school - he played it a bit faster and it was totally amazing. Good job Vinod!

Marcus Lavendell	19th December 2007
Instructor	Great lesson Vinod!!

Pablo Vazquez	19th December 2007
Instructor	Excellent Lesson!! Awesome.

Gabriel Leopardi	19th December 2007
GMC Coordinator & Instructor	This piece is amazing! I will learn it! thanks Vinod

Bedlam	20th December 2007
Member	@Pavel Yeah, It's fun to play this one insanely fast. I would try play this one so fast that it got a little ridiculous.

Vinod Saranga	20th December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	@ Shellshock It is true more often calssical guitarist fret the whole thing in a bar and Play but there are minor variations In some pieces the story is very different Thanks for everyone

Moon Boots	20th December 2007
Member	I joined yesterday and I simply can't pull myself away from the classical section. Thanks to you my fingers are getting blistered Keep these coming Vinod!

Vinod Saranga	23rd December 2007
Acoustic Instructor	QUOTE I joined yesterday and I simply can't pull myself away from the classical section. Thanks to you my fingers are getting blistered Keep these coming Vinod! Yes sure Enjoy Classical pieces!

Layzer	6th January 2008
Member	great vinod! i can hear birds chirping!

Joe Kataldo	14th January 2008
Instructor	Me too is it grievous symptom

Danilo Capezzuto	8th March 2008
Instructor	Great great.

texaspain	15th March 2008
Member	At the seond half of asturias there is a /-3-/ what does that mean? Thanks

Carlos Carrillo	4th April 2008
Instructor	excellent lesson Vinod!!!

Vinod Saranga	11th April 2008
Acoustic Instructor	@ texaspain It means that you should play them in triplets.

Niko Fran	26th April 2008
Member	Wow, I'm so gonna learn this Regonised the "Spanish Caraven" theme by the The Doors around 13-16, dindt know they were inspired by this piece. I suggest you all go hear Spanish Caravan aswell, really rocks! And you rock to Vinod

Vinod Saranga	11th May 2008
Acoustic Instructor	Thanks

fredloveguitar	13th May 2008
Member	AWESOME!