Classical pieces performed on non-classical instruments are nothing new. From mandolin and banjo to even Moog synthesizer, reinterpretations have long been part of the musical landscape. Likewise, playing fingerstyle classical guitar pieces with a pick isn’t a recent development. William Leavitt, who chaired Berklee College of Music’s guitar department for 25 years and helped shape its curriculum, released Classical Studies for Pick-Style Guitar—a collection many Berklee-trained players know well—back in the 1980s.
Is it essential for flatpickers to study classical pieces? Absolutely not. But for those who’ve been grinding away on fiddle tunes and bluegrass solos for months or years, mastering a short classical arrangement can be a refreshing break from the routine—and a good way to build some new skills.
Matteo Carcassi’s 25 Etudes are foundational works in the classical guitar repertoire, composed to develop technique. In the November/December 2020 issue of this magazine, I shared Etude No. 13, an arpeggio study that explores two patterns for navigating cross-picking. In this lesson, I break down Etude No. 1, which features speedy scalar runs, wide string crossings, double-stops, and jumps up and down the neck.
The first eight measures use descending scalar runs in open position. Throughout this section—and the rest of the piece—I recommend using alternate picking in the right hand. Downstrokes fall on the beats, upstrokes between the beats. The piece maintains a steady rhythm of eighth notes, so alternate picking continues consistently until measure 41. Measures 11, 15, 18, and 20 include wide string jumps; with alternate picking, this means hitting a higher string with a downstroke followed by an upstroke on a lower string—something that can feel awkward at first.
Several sections involve leaps up and down the neck. The first comes in measure 9. I play this passage in two positions: starting in open position, then shifting to fifth position on beat 4 by placing my first finger on the fifth-fret A. I stay in fifth position until the open E string in measure 10, which provides a chance to return to first position. Other leaps appear in the arpeggiated section in measures 29–36. To navigate these, I “crawl” the chord—placing my finger on the first note and striking it, then letting the other fingers follow. This gives a split second of extra time to grab the full shape.
A final tricky section involves the double-stops in measures 23–25, where a downstroke plays the double-stop and an upstroke follows on a single note. I try to let the lower note of the double-stop ring while playing the rest of the passage. These techniques are difficult to master, but if you’re up for the challenge, you’ll likely develop skills that carry over into many other areas of your playing.
