Sérgio Assad - 24 Studies for Guitar (2020) Study n.2 - Nazarethiana Recorded live in Hannaford Hall (Portland, ME) on August 19 YouTube·Portland Chamber Music Festival Gnattaliana by Sérgio Assad: João Luiz, guitar
| Study No. | Key | Core Concept / Rhythmic Feel | Difficulty | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | C Major | Legato & Syncopation (Samba feel) | Advanced | | No. 2 | A Minor | Arpeggio fluency with shifting accents | Intermediate | | No. 3 | G Major | Slurs (Hammer-ons & Pull-offs) | Intermediate | | No. 4 | E Minor | Right-hand independence / Baião rhythm | Advanced | | No. 5 | D Major | Scale passages in 3rds and 6ths | Advanced | | No. 6 | B Minor | Chord melody and voice leading | Intermediate | | No. 7 | A Major | Rapid string crossings | Expert | | No. 8 | F# Minor | Tone production (Dolce vs. Ponticello) | Advanced | | No. 9 | E Major | Campanella (Bell-like) effects | Expert | | No. 10 | C# Minor | Tremolo (Not standard; rhythmically complex) | Expert | | ... | ... | ... | ... | | No. 24 | D Minor | Final fugue / Toccata (All techniques combined) | Virtuoso | sergio assad 24 studies
The studies are often grouped or categorized by the specific technical hurdle they present. While they do not follow a strict "cycle of fifths" like the etudes of Villa-Lobos, they cover the gamut of the instrument's capabilities. Sérgio Assad - 24 Studies for Guitar (2020) Study n
Unlike mechanical finger workouts, Assad gives every study a poetic title ( “On the Wings of Light” , “Lullaby for a Little Sinner” ). No. 7, “Lamentos no Sertão” (Laments in the Backlands), isn’t just practicing slurs—it evokes Brazilian sertão drought and longing. 3 | G Major | Slurs (Hammer-ons &
Many individual studies are "portraits" or tributes to influential Brazilian composers and musicians. Notable examples include: Barrosiana: Dedicated to Pery Ribeiro (Barroso). Jobiniana: A tribute to Tom Jobim. Recording & Publication:
Unlike the often-mechanical exercises of previous eras, Assad’s studies are deeply rooted in the idiom of Brazilian popular music (MPB), samba, and choro. They are designed not merely to train the fingers, but to train the ear and the internal sense of rhythm. The collection functions as a comprehensive tool for the intermediate-to-advanced student to assimilate the unique "accent" of Brazilian guitar playing.
While Villa-Lobos used harmonics for color, Assad uses natural and artificial harmonics to play the entire melody . You must learn to produce crystal-clear harmonic tones at high speed—a nightmare for recording, but stunning for live performance.