In this final three-lesson block, we’ll push your fingerstyle playing into more expressive and adventurous territory. Develop beautiful flowing classical arpeggios through Ave Maria, master melody playing, dynamics and vibrato with Jobim’s Wave, and discover the rich possibilities of Drop D tuning through pieces by Curtis Mayfield, Fleetwood Mac, Bach and A.J. Moore. It’s all about expanding your technique, musicality and repertoire—and becoming a more complete fingerstyle guitarist.
Originally recorded live in May 2026 and taught as a live Guitar Weekends online course. You’ll receive the complete lesson recording and detailed course materials, allowing you to pause, rewind and learn at your own pace. Selected courses may also include backing tracks and additional resources.
You will receive a 3 x 1hr video links plus the lesson pdfs via email after payment has been confirmed.
This page is just block 5.
Run by:
Andy Moore
Venue:
SHOP PURCHASE,
Here is a video of the version we will learn.
Watch the video below of version you will learn. You will get the mp3 backing track to practice to.
Watch the video below of a version you will learn.
One of the most important techniques classical guitar can give you is the ability to really master a flowing arpeggiating picking hand. You can create fantastic rolling sequences that are full of beautiful harmony, lilting melodies captured within the chords themselves and emotion that feels almost film like. Whenever I am asked to write something that encapsulates emotion and can be used in a film or for a soaring classical vocalist, this is the technique I come to.
We will be focusing on one of the world’s most famous versions of AVE MARIA, the Charles Gounod and Johann Sebastian Bach composition. The chords move through a delightful sequence soak in tension and resolve. The use of diatonic chords mixed with passing diminished chords and 7ths leads to something truly spectacular. I’ve performed this version so many times across the past 3 decades and it always brings a quiet to the concert hall. As a take away you’ll also get the lead melody for a second guitarist. This will allow you to record the arpeggio sequence and then try laying the melody over the top.
Nothing beats playing a stunning but fun melody over the top of a band, duo accompanist or backing track. But to play it well you need to have a good control of your picking techniques, dynamics and fretting hand vibrato. We will utilise both apoyando which stands for rest stroke and tirando which stand for free stroke techniques.
The melody we will be learning is one of the most recognised and loved from the Bossa nova and jazz communities, WAVE by Antonia Carlos Jobim. We’ll be providing you with a bespoke backing track so you’ll be able to play along properly once you’ve mastered the melody. I’ve added a cool extra solo section in the middle which will walk you through.
The great news is that the main melody is not overly complicated and is really made up of only 3 parts
Sometimes you just need that low end to be a little bit lower. In this session we will be doing exactly that, lowering the low E string down a whole tone to D. Using drop D tuning is one of my absolute favourite things to do. Yes it changes the way you can play your chords, you have to rethink where your bass notes are, but it also lets you move around the guitar neck in a different way and lets you use caged train shapes over the top of three open bass strings. We’ll delve into a selection of famous songs including
Each piece highlights differing techniques and styles and therefore there will be something for almost all fingerstyle lovers.
Block 5 is ideal for intermediate players upwards. Expect material that would sit a grade 5-6 level. But even if you are a low intermediate don’t worry. If you’d like to buy the course still do. The content may be difficult at this moment, but with practice and a set goal you will get there. Remember you have the complete lesson recordings, you can work through everything at your own pace and revisit more challenging sections whenever you like.
You should ideally be comfortable with:
You don’t need to read standard music notation or have an advanced knowledge of theory.
Each lesson includes:
Once your payment is confirmed, we’ll email your lesson materials and private video links as soon as possible.
The lesson PDFs and video recordings are for your personal use only. Please don’t share the materials, links or recordings with others or post them online.