classical guitar

The top 10 classical guitar pieces for beginners are great for aspiring guitarists.

Learning them will train your hands and brain with proper technique. Even if you are not a classical guitarist per se, these pieces can help you with your ability on the instrument. 

These pieces work on different aspects of guitar technique and are also well-known among many. 

We’d also like to ask you to check out Roadie Coach. This tool comes with a comprehensive app and can fast-track your learning process on the instrument. Coach allows you to record your performances, and gives you personalized feedback on your practice sessions. Without further ado, here are the top 10 classical guitar pieces for beginners.

Ode to Joy

Ode to Joy is the best-known excerpt from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. It is a recognizable melody that is very easy to play. As a matter of fact, this piece is often one of the first ones that nylon string guitar students learn. It’s simple, beautiful, and easy to learn. 

Before you continue, make sure your instrument is in perfect tune. You can use the Roadie 3 for this. Just place it on the peg, strum and Roadie will do the rest. You can also create different profiles for your instruments and switch between 150+ alternate tunings. Plus, it doubles as a string winder and metronome, making it an indispensable tool for any musicians.

Romance Anonimo

This piece is a great workout for the right hand, as it features a continuous pattern that employs all three fingers and the thumb. It allows you to focus on the individual notes, while you work on consistency. Its tempo is slow, so you can literally take your time with it. This is perfect for those who are still developing their finger dexterity.

Bolero

This Maurice Ravel piece Making requires the periodic tapping of the body of the guitar. It features fingerstyle playing that is still simple but requires some dedication and practice. It is also a great piece for developing consistency on your thumb.  

Bourree in E Minor

This is a gorgeous piece by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is a great opportunity to work on stretching your fingers as well as developing fast movements. This is a popular piece among many guitarists and the trick is to work on it as slowly as possible, preferably with a metronome.

Andantino in G

Composer Ferdinando Carulli composed this beautiful melody in only 16 measures. It is short enough to learn in a day, especially if you have been playing for a few weeks. However, it is also long enough to push you to develop more dexterity on your fingers.

This piece has a colorful harmony and is one of the top 10 classical guitar pieces for beginners.

Für Elise 

Another masterpiece by Beethoven and also one of the most popular compositions ever. Although originally written for solo piano, there are plenty of arrangements for other instruments, including guitar. It is played a bit higher on the fretboard, in 4/4 time signature, and is a great classical piece for beginners. 

Lullaby 

Written by the mythical Johannes Brahms, this song is as beautiful as it is easy. The lyrics are actually from a German folk poems collection. This is one of the easiest pieces you can play on a classical guitar. Besides, it si is also well known and very singable, adding to the ease when learning it.

Lullaby is an excellent piece for beginner players. It does have a little challenge in it, as it is written in a ¾ time signature and a slow tempo. 

Lágrima

Written by Francisco Tarrega specifically for the guitar, this is quite popular among beginner students. It is one of the most popular pieces for solo guitar and is frequently featured in educational composition books. 

It takes about two minutes to perform, and it’s pretty simple and has a melancholic dash. With a A-B-A structure, this is a good piece to train your ears as it features modulations. 

Allegro 

This one is from Mauro Giuliani’s Opus 50 No. 13 from the famous book called Le Papillon. This book is a collection of easy compositions, recommended all over the world by different teachers. Is great for beginners getting into classical guitar. 

It’s set in a 4/4 time signature, employs basic chords, and offers a great chance to work on your finger-picking. 

This piece also allows you to work on coordinating the left and the right hand. Still, it is simple and great for every beginner guitarist. 

Op. 60, No. 1 

Fernando Sor’s pieces are mandatory for classical guitarists everywhere. Simply said, he is responsible for one of the most famous of all etude classical guitar collections. Op. 60, No. 1 helps you learn more skills and be able to play more complex compositions, much like Sor’s other pieces. 

It’s in the key of C major, and it’s really easy to perform. It contains a lot of repetitious sequences, so the guitarist will shortly learn the whole piece. It doesn’t contain barre chords at all, making it easy. 

These top 10 classical guitar pieces for beginners will make a better players. Even if you play rock, jazz, or other styles, learning this will help you develop better technique. Classical pieces are recommended for any student that wants to seriously improve, regardless of what instrument they play. 

So take advantage of these, and spend the time required to master them. Even though they are easy, you still need to dedicate yourself to practicing. Remember to have fun!