Spanish Guitar Techniques: #2 Tremolo

Spanish Guitar Techniques is a free video guitar lesson series by Brian Riggs. Check out Brian’s guitar blog and be sure to subscribe for more free guitar lessons!

Tremolo is one of the great techniques in the Spanish guitarist’s arsenal, both because the way we do a tremolo is unique and because it just sounds really cool. By repeating a note very fast, we can create the illusion of a long sustained note.

This video guitar lesson features a demonstration of a popular tremolo piece, “An Alm for the Love of God,” by the early 20th century guitar virtuoso Agustin Barrios. Agustin Barrios was known as the Paganini of the guitar; and he was the original guitar rock star, performing sold out concerts all over South America and Spain.

We’ll take a look and analyze the elements of tremolo technique and discuss strategies for effective practicing, and work on a short tremolo study that’s inspired by flamenco music.