The Micro Study System

A classical guitar micro study takes one bar, one technique, one voice — and drills it until the outcome is measurable. This is the method behind every lesson I publish.

One element at a time

A micro study isolates one specific technical challenge — one bar, one technique, one interval, one voice. Never two problems at once.

Measurable outcomes

Every micro study produces a concrete, testable result — bars 1–8 at 80bpm with consistent right-hand tone, not "improve your tremolo."

Sequence matters

The order of micro studies is not arbitrary. Each one builds on the last, with what comes before and after made explicit.

How a micro study works

Take a tremolo passage in Recuerdos de la Alhambra. Instead of running the whole piece and hoping the tremolo holds — it won't — use the micro study system:

  • The micro study isolates bars 1–8 at 80bpm — slow enough that the ring finger lands after the index, not before, on every repetition.
  • The outcome is specific: bars 1–8, clean, at 80bpm.
  • Once that is consistent, the tempo moves, then the bar range extends. Nothing is added until the current micro study is solid.

One secret: you practise hands separately.

Who this is for

Adult classical guitarists who want to work on advanced repertoire:

  • the Chaconne
  • the Villa-Lobos études
  • Leyenda
  • Recuerdos
  • Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios

Guitarists who choose their own pieces and want a structured, sequenced way through the specific technical problems those pieces present — and who actually want to succeed at achieving these big pieces. Just check out the comments below.

Why I built it

I started classical guitar at 21 and was constantly being told it was too late. It was not talent that got me to a Masters in Music and a teaching post at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. It was hard work, extra hours, and a lot of sweat.

Through my studies, my teaching, and all that sweat, I created a better way to achieve my goals: the Micro Study System. It meant breaking every piece down into precisely sequenced micro studies instead of practising in vague, unmeasured blocks — which is what I used to do. That is what helped me ascend the challenging pieces of classical guitar. The Micro Study System is that method, applied to the repertoire you want to learn. That is what this channel teaches.

Go deeper

Scores, lessons, videos and more — all built around the Micro Study System

Insider

£5/month

Monthly micro study PDF + enhanced score with fingerings for each new piece. Early YouTube access.

Maestro

£12/month

Everything in Insider, plus a monthly live Q&A and practice session — the closest thing to a private lesson at the cost of a coffee.

Get it on Patreon Visit the shop →

Straight From the Comments

Real messages from the lessons on YouTube — kept exactly as written, typos and all.

 

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