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Play and Read Music in the Higher Positions

Much of beginning and intermediate classical guitar music has us firmly anchored down in the first position. However, eventually, we long to go into those lesser known regions above the 5th fret. These higher positions can have an air of mystery and uncertainty, like swimming in the deep dark parts of the lake at night. We fear losing our way and getting lost, finding ourselves in strange places with no familiar landmarks. But if we want to play the full breadth and wealth of guitar music, we must venture bravely into these realms. We must find a guide and walk new paths.

This course is your guide to the upper positions, pointing out landmarks, establishing new home bases, and teaching you the skills to survive and thrive in this formerly threatening territory.

In This Course, You’ll Discover:

How to find your way above the 5th fret
How to name notes all over the guitar
How to master upper positions
How to shift smoothly and quickly
How to read high notes more easily
How to be comfortable up high
How to find the familiar in new places

With This Course, You’ll Be Able To:

Make music on your entire instrument
Feel at home all over the neck
Memorize new landmarks
Name any note quickly and easily
Understand how the guitar works
Find your way in any key
Shift gracefully like a skater on ice

Includes:

34 Videos
Includes PDF Materials
Lifetime Access

Course Level: EARLY INTERMEDIATE

This course is at the EARLY INTERMEDIATE level. This means that most of the notes will be in the lower positions, with occasional notes moving into higher positions (usually just on the 1st string). The rhythms are mostly simple. Chords are mostly common, open-position. TABs are included for an alternative to music notation. For more advanced players, pieces in this level can be used as a study to improve learning, memorization and phrasing techniques.

About CGS Courses

The courses you’ll find here on Classical Guitar Shed are among the most in-depth, detailed and high-quality classical guitar courses available anywhere. Each course explores a single guitar skill or piece of music. And each course features high-quality HD video with multiple camera angles, as well as one-of-a-kind custom learning materials. This means you always know exactly what’s going on.

Repertoire and skills are divided into small sections or concepts, and worked through one at a time. You’ll get suggestions on varied subjects, which may include:

How to count and play any tricky rhythms
How to polish difficult transitions
How to phrase the music, when to swell or fade
How to apply advanced phrasing techniques to make the music more beautiful
How to practice so you learn the piece most quickly
How to memorize the music more easily
How to troubleshoot hard spots
How to avoid common traps that slow players down

How to make small changes that make big differences
How to understand the composer’s intentions
How to choose the right tone quality for each part
How to make the melody sing
How to make the rhythm more lively
How to practice to increase your speed and precision
How to maintain the piece after you learn it
among others

When you purchase a CGS Course, you get lifetime access to all videos and materials. You also get full support and your questions get answered via on-page comment or email.

Note: Videos stream only and are not available for download.

Members of The Woodshed Program get full access to all Courses and Study Guides, as well as the complete program, for the life of their membership.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee, Plus…

I want you to be completely happy with your new course. If you don’t feel it’s the best choice for you, email me within 30 days and request an immediate 100% refund.

But a refund isn’t enough. In addition, you can also choose ANY premium course or Study Guide to keep, just for your time. (You can even choose a more expensive course than the one you purchased.)

In the worst case, you’ll learn some new skills without spending a penny. In the best, you’ll have a fun new adventure exploring music and guitar. Either way, you have nothing to lose and much to gain!

Sincerely,

I appreciate the organized, well thought out progression of each level, as well as a measurable means to determine when to proceed to the next level. I had burned myself out by pushing too hard and playing beyond where I was comfortable. This course is just what I needed, and I am happy to be back on the road to playing again.

-

I have lost my entire metallic sound while I am playing now. Even my single note practice sounds more melodious, less tinny. [The Woodshed technique practice] has made a major difference in my tone. Thank you.

-Harlan Friedman

Play Play and Read Music in the Higher Positions: $39

This course on Play and Read Music in the Higher Positions costs $39
for lifetime access to the course and all supplementary materials

**Become a member of The Woodshed and get full access to this and all courses included in your membership.**

Purchase This Course Now and Get Started

Purchase just this course.

Join the Woodshed and Access This Course, PLUS Much More

The Woodshed is a complete program to learn classical guitar.

Access to every course on CGS.
A step-by-step technique program.
Access to a massive library of play-along skill-building videos.
One-on-one feedback and support included.

The Woodshed is $49/month, billed automatically. Cancel anytime, with no contracts. Full money-back guarantee, plus keep this course for free, just for trying it. Learn more here.

After you’ve paid for the course, you can come back to this page and the modules below should be unlocked. You can view and access all your courses anytime on the My Courses page, found in the top menu bar of any page.

Hi Allen, I am a Dutch guy who plays classical guitar (solo and together with a flute player). Unfortunately I have been suffering from focal dystonia since begin 2016. Of course I tried physical therapy which didn't help… But I tried some of your [technique] lessons (I had teachers before but I was never taught your techniques) and to my big surprise the nasty feeling in the back of my right hand which pulls my index finger upward was gone! So now I practice your lessons. Anyway, I am very happy to have found you on the internet. Thanks very much!

-Arnoud Reinders

Hi, I’m Allen Mathews.

I started as a folk guitarist, then fell in love with classical guitar in my 20’s. Despite a lot of practice and schooling, I still couldn’t get my music to flow well. I struggled with excess tension. My music sounded forced. And my hands and body were often sore. I got frustrated, and couldn’t see the way forward. Then, over the next decade, I studied with two stellar teachers – one focused on the technical, and one on the musical (he was a concert pianist). In time, I came to discover a new set of formulas and movements. These brought new life and vitality to my practice. Now I help guitarists find more comfort and flow in their music, so they play more beautifully. Click here for a sample formula.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I have questions about the course?

What if I buy this course and it’s too hard for me?

What happens next?

If you are ready to purchase this course, you can click the purchase button above or below this text.

After you complete the checkout, you will have access to the course.

If you do not already have a username and password, one will be emailed to you. (Your username is usually your email address).

You can login at the top of any page.

Once you are logged in, you can find your courses in the “My Courses” tab at the top of any page.

To begin the course, print your materials and progress through the lessons.

If you ever have technical difficulties or something doesn’t seem to be working correctly, you can contact me and I’ll help as soon as I am able.

How long do I have access to the course?

How can I tell if this piece is good for my level?

As you watch the video and look and the excerpt above, ask yourself the questions:
“Have I played music using these notes?”
“Do I recognize any of the “shapes in the left hand?”
“Are there markings or techniques I don’t recognize or understand?”
“Does this piece get me excited, and just a little scared?”

Most pieces of music can be a wonderful experience for a wide range of players. If you’re a beginner, your challenge will be getting the notes and controlling your hands. If you’re a more advanced player, the notes may come more quickly, but you may need to work on playing more beautifully (phrasing, connecting the notes, balancing the voices, etc).

There is always more to learn. As long as you take your time and focus on specific challenges one at a time, you can enjoy moving forward and learning a wide variety of music.

Does this course include the sheet music?

Most courses include sheet music. You can see above in the grey box with the sheet music excerpt whether or not this course does. If so, you get both standard musical notation and TAB PDFs to download, save, and print. You’ll also find the music separated into small sections for closer study, as well as any other helpful study-aids.

If the music is not included, you’ll see a notice stating this above as well.

Can I view this course on my phone or tablet?

Can I go at my own pace?

Can I download the course videos or access offline?

Are TABs included?

As I said before, I think your site is outstanding. I have spent my life teaching adults difficult stuff that they really wanted to learn but didn't have the time to learn at the speed we teach university students. Thus I understand only too well how many hundreds of hours you must have spent perfecting your lessons to make my learning as quick and easy as possible.

-Mike Barron