If you’re looking for classical guitar tabs, you’re in the right place. Welcome to Best Guitars Now, a blog run by a passionate guitarist! I know how difficult it is to carry on with your musical journey. You bought your classical guitar, learned a few songs and.. now what? It’s easy to get lost at this stage. Hence, I created a list specifically for everyone who’s interested in learning more about fingerstyle guitar and classical music.
Here’s 25 great classical songs with tabs that you can play on your guitar. My list mostly consists of classical music tracks, although there are some more popular songs included too. Moreover, you can play it all on absolutely any guitar! Nevertheless, there is something beautiful about these melodies combined with nylon strings of a classical guitar. That’s totally up to you, though! Firstly, we’re going start with a list of tunes. In the second part of my article, I will explain you how to learn guitar songs effectively. Additionally, in the last part of the article we’re going to cover the most frequently asked questions about classical guitars. Ready? Let’s rock!
25 Classical Guitar Songs + Tabs
| Christian Petzold – Minuet in G Major | See Tabs |
| Ludwig Van Beethoven – Für Elise | See Tabs |
| Antonio Vivaldi – Summer | See Tabs |
| J.S. Bach. – Bourree In E Minor | See Tabs |
| Andres Segovia – Malaguena | See Tabs |
| Henry Mancini – The Pink Panther Theme | See Tabs |
| Star Wars – The Imperial March Theme | See Tabs |
| Amazing Grace | See Tabs |
| Ludwig Van Beethoven – Ode To Joy | See Tabs |
| The Beatles – Blackbird | See Tabs |
| Passenger – Let Her Go | See Tabs |
| Elvis Presley – Love Me Tender | See Tabs |
| Frank Sinatra – My Way | See Tabs |
| Frank Sinatra – Strangers In The Night | See Tabs |
| Franz Schubert – Langsamer Walzer | See Tabs |
| John Lennon – Woman | See Tabs |
| Johan Strauss Jr. – The Blue Danube | See Tabs |
| Kris Kristofferson – Me And Bobby McGee | See Tabs |
| Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World | See Tabs |
| Jack Johnson – I Got You | See Tabs |
| Joan Baez – 500 Miles | See Tabs |
| Elton John – Sacrifice | See Tabs |
| Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues | See Tabs |
| Mason Williams – Classical Gas | See Tabs |
| Ludwig Van Beethoven – Die Himmel Rühmen | See Tabs |
If you prefer learning with video materials, feel free to check out the video below. It includes tabs to 10 really simple fingerstyle songs. I’m absolutely sure that if you learn even half of these songs, you will be a much better guitar player. Pick up your classical guitar and check out the video below (tabs are included!).
8 Tips On How To Learn Effectively
As you can see, there are a lot of songs that you can practice with. Grab your classical guitar, pick a song and give yourself some time to practice. Learning how to play the guitar is not really that difficult, although the key to success is practice and patience. Nevertheless, I know that the beginning is not easy. That’s why I created this list of 8 tips that will help you with learning effectively.
1. Choose the right musical gear.
It’s absolutely important to learn guitar playing on a guitar that’s set up properly and doesn’t cause any issues. In fact, I’ve seen a lot of amateur guitar players who give up, because their string action is too high. Unfortunately, it happens – most of cheap guitars are not the best. Hence, I highly recommend choosing only the well-known and reputable models. What’s more, the top quality doesn’t mean that it’s going to be expensive. Check out my list of the best and most affordable guitars for beginners – you will definitely find something interesting for you.
2. Start with the basics.
Once you have the right guitar, you need to learn some basics before you move on to the next stage. Firstly, learn how to hold the guitar properly. If you’re right handed then sit down, put the guitar on your right leg and pull it close to you. Remember to sit up straight. I know how tempting it is let the guitar slide down just to see everything more clearly. Nevertheless, it’s something that you need to avoid, especially at the beginning.
Next important step is to remember the string names. The most of classical guitars are tuned in EADGBE tuning. In fact, the string names follow the same order. If it’s easier for you, feel free to check out the image below.
3. Tune your guitar.
It’s also really important to know how to properly tune a guitar. Although it may seem difficult in the beginning, it’s actually very simple. As I mentioned before, the most common tuning is EADGBE. There are a few ways to tune a guitar. Once you get more experience, you will be able to tune it mostly by ear. Nevertheless, if you’re a beginner, try to stick with the tuner. You can either use a physical device or an app in your phone. Personally, I think that the app tuners are a great idea. GuitarTuna is free and offers really simple and enjoyable user experience. Check it out on Apple Store or Google Play.
4. Learn the basic chords.
Once you know how to sit with the guitar and how to maintain it in tune, it’s time to learn some chords! Fun fact: although there are dozens of chords out there, you actually need to know only 8 chords to play thousands of songs. It sounds a little bit crazy, but it’s actually true. The most important chords that you absolutely need to know include: A, Am, E, Em, C, D, F and G.
Bear in mind that you can skip the F-chord at the beginning, because it requires a little bit more practice. Your will need to build some muscles in your fingers to be able to play that chord smoothly. Check out the video below if you want to find out more about these chords. Undoubtedly, once you learn how to play them and transition between them, you will be amazed how many tracks you can actually play.
5. Don’t stop practicing.
As an intermediate musician with over 13 years of experience as a musician, I can honestly tell you that we – guitarists – never stop learning. There are always things that can be improved and understood more deeply. You’ll see that even after a few years of playing you’ll still think that you barely know anything at all. In my opinion, playing the guitar is a never-ending marathon. It’s not a sprint and you can’t learn everything in one day. But at the same time, there is no finish line. That’s why the key to success is to practice, practice and practice.
6. Use the best resources.
You can totally learn everything on your own and you don’t need a guitar teacher. As a self-taught musician, I’m a great example of that approach. There are a lot of great materials available online that will help you with boosting your musical growth. Firstly, feel free to check out my complete list of 66 songs for beginners with chords. You can also find many more resources on my blog. Nevertheless, I also highly recommend checking out the most popular YouTube channels for beginner guitarists. Personally, I think that Paul Davids creates the best content for both amateur and advanced players. I highly recommend checking him out, because his videos provide a lot of value. Here’s a great video below.
7. Be patient.
Remember, you won’t become a great musician in a few days. It requires a lot of effort, patience and regular practice. There will be days when your fingers will hurt like hell. But at the same time, once you see that you can play a song that you couldn’t play in the past, you will feel absolutely amazing. Undoubtedly, being a good guitarist requires A LOT of patience. Don’t get discouraged and rememeber that sooner or later, the results will come. You can also try monitoring your progress by recording yourself. For me, it was really helpful. It allows you to actually see your growth on a video!
8. Don’t stress out.
It’s okay if a song is too difficult for you. Put it away and try learning it again in a few months. I know that learning how to play the classical guitar is associated with a lot of pressure. You keep on pushing towards your goal, especially when you see that others are already making progress. Nevertheless, you need to relax and take it easy. I think it’s one of the most important things that will help you with growing as a musician. Don’t stress out and learn everything at your own pace. You got this. You don’t have to play the guitar every day!
What’s interesting, taking breaks can actually help. I remember that when I was a beginner, there were a lot of songs that I couldn’t play. I used to get angry and I gave up on playing the guitar for a few days. Surprisingly, once I picked up the guitar again, I was able to play that same tune! I think it proves that it’s all in your head. Take it easy and don’t think about it too much. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!
How to choose the best classical guitar?
Undoubtedly, choosing a classical guitar can be really tricky. There are so many different models available online. In addition, every review says something different and recommends different gear. Well, I’ve been there and I’m aware that it’s tough. That’s why I created a short list of 5 amazing classical guitars suitable for both beginner and intermediate guitarists. Let’s have a closer look at each one of them.
| Cordoba C1 | See on Amazon |
| Ortega Classical | See on Amazon |
| Takamine GC5 | See on Amazon |
| Ibanez GA1 | See on Amazon |
| Huawind 3/4 Guitar | See on Amazon |
Cordoba C1
In my opinion, this is one of the best classical guitars for both amateur and more advanced players. Undoubtedly, it offers a great quality and it won’t break the bank at the same time. Cordoba is one of the leaders in the guitar game. They decided to use a combination of spruce top and mahogany back and sides, which results with a fantastic warm and resonant sound. Indeed, if you want to enter the nylon-string world, it will be a perfect starter guitar.
Ortega Classical
Great looking and great sounding instrument. The guitar features a mix of spruce top with catalpa back and sides with a black matte finish. What’s more, the guitar has a mahogany neck. What I like about the Ortega guitars is that their instruments are always well set up. This classical guitar will sound great straight out of the box, so you’ll be able to open some tabs and start playing start away. Great choice for both beginner and intermediate players!
Takamine GC5
Another absolutely amazing guitar. In fact, this is the most expensive guitar on my top five list. Undoubtedly, it offers a remarkable quality. Although it is not surprising. Takamine has a really solid reputation in the music industry and they prove to be a leader in the guitar game. If you’re not looking for the cheapest available option, you should definitely consider checking out the GC5 model. The combination of solid spruce top with rosewood back and sides offers a really warm and rich nylon-string tone. The guitar also looks very luxurious thanks to the gloss finish, gold tuners and the mosaic rosette. Certainly, it is an amazing guitar which I highly recommend.
Ibanez GA1
Ibanez is a Japanese company which is extremely popular among the electric guitar players. Nevertheless, they create a really affordable a great sounding classical guitars as well. The GA1 model offers unique sound and a really low price. In fact, I don’t think that you will find something better at this price level. The manufacturer decided to use a mix of spruce and agathis wood, which sounds really special. This guitar will be an ideal starter guitar for guitarists who are interested in learning how to play fingerstyle songs. I highly recommend checking it out.
Huawind 3/4 Guitar
This model is aimed specifically at younger guitar players or guitarists with smaller hands. Thanks to the smaller size, the guitar is also perfect as a traveling instrument. Undoubtedly, this is the cheapest classical guitar on my list. It may not be the best for intermediate players, but it will be more than enough for beginners. Classical guitar sound, warm tone, low price and a gig bag as a bonus – who needs more? I highly recommend this option for kids as their first instrument. Great choice!
Classical Guitar – My Thoughts
As you can see, there are a lot of great and affordable classical guitars out there. Whether you decide to buy the cheapest and more expensive guitar, these models will be definitely enough for a beginner and a more advanced player. If you already started your musical journey with the classical guitar, feel free to visit my blog from time to time to stay up to date with the latest tabs. Good luck and remember to practice!
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Dave, the author of this blog, is an advanced guitar player with more than thirteen years of experience as a musician. The aim of this blog is to spread knowledge about guitars and ukuleles and promote the best ways to learn guitar playing. Thanks for checking out my blog. Feel free to share this post to spread the word about this blog. It will be much appreciated!
