Jorge Cardoso is a recognized performer who has travelled the world over giving hundreds or concerts as a soloist, in duos, and with orchestras. There are innumerable recordings of his performances, and he is a prolific composer whose works have been recorded by other guitarists in more than thirty albums. Cardoso is also a master teacher with followers around the world.

This DVD traces the historical path of the guitar, showing the instrument's ancestors and tracing its development to its current form. It includes a visit to the workshops of Manuel Contreras II and Ars Antiqva, Jose Angel Espejo's workshop, followed by a detailed analysis of the factors that contribute to the proper development of classical guitar technique. The DVD covers everything from the seat, the position of the body, and the devices used to improve it “Aguado's machine”, Sor's support system, the foot-rest, attachments, and an ingenious, simple and practical system created by the author, to the mechanical workings of the hand, its main ways of gripping, and the problems posed by the ring finger. All of these topics are approached through the scientific reasoning of the author, backed up by his knowledge as a doctor.

As Jorge Cardoso says in the introduction, this course “can be useful both to beginners and to more advanced players. . . it can be useful to anyone who plays a plucked stringed instrument.” It includes basic demonstrations and explanations about how the hands work from the moment they are placed on the guitar, as well as exercises and concert pieces of the highest level. There is a discussion of strumming technique, of “toque mixto” and four complete pieces interpreted by the author. The course will also be useful for electric guitarists and others who have focused on the use of the pick and have neglected other essential guitar techniques.

120 minutes

5 Languajes: Spanish, English, French, German and Japanese

Score booklet included (58 pages)

DVD full compatible with all countries (PAL and NTSC).

Contents of the DVD

Concert themes

Misionerita (Lucas Braulio Areco)

Performance in the Colegiata Sta. M'. A major as an homage to his teache

Milonga (Jorge Cardoso)

Jorge Cardoso's best-known work interpreted by the author himself

Vals peruano (Jorge Cardoso)

Performance of this piece from the Suite Sudamerican

Canción (Jorge Cardoso)

Piece interpreted with flamenco tremolo

Pizzicato (Mª Luisa Anido)

A virtuosic fragment from a piece by Mª Luisa Anido

Tambora

Includes a fragment from Preludio y Danza

Introduction to the guitar

The modern workshop - A visit to the workshop of M. Contreras II

Early instruments workshop - A visit to the Ars Antiqva workshop of Josd Angel Espejo.

A review of the guitar's predecessors ("Paysanos" as background music)

The "toque mixto.” A baroque five-string guitar technique with surprising results applied to the anonymous composition

"Los Impossibles"; seemingly simple but of a high technical level

The technique

Introduction

Introduction, outline of the course, general comments.

Anatomical problems of the ring finger.

The seat

Factors to keep in mind when choosing a seat.

The positions

Historic review of the ways of holding the guitar

The "máquina de Aguado" (“Aguado's machine”)

Sor's support system

Attachments and equipment

Cardoso's design

Tuning

A detailed description of the classical technique for all levels

Hand grips, placement, and positions

The main hand grips. Transverse and longitudinal positions.

Basic exercise: 12131214

Twelve patterns for the development of all the fingers

Longitudinal extension

Exercise for “stretching” the left hand

Development of sensory perception

Right hand techniques

Two fingers, dedillo, figueta and variations

Left-right combinations

Table and exercises with 12 of the possible combinations

Four-part arpeggios with preparation

Arpeggio technique with preparation to achieve tactile references

Six-part arpeggios

24 combinations of six parts

Accenting of arpeggios

Table with 32 patterns for thumb independence

Summary exercise

Studies N. 1 and N. 2 for applying arpeggio patterns

The ring finger in arpeggios

The fingerings of Merchi and others

Slurs

Table with 20 possible combinations (upward and downward)

Basic slur exercise

Use of slurs in ornamentation

Performance of measures 5 - 10 of the Suite in E minor for Lute by J. S. Bach

Incorrect slurs

Scales

Creation of patterns related to improvisation

Tremolo

Classical, flamenco and others

Strumming

Exercise for strumming patterns with clicks

Variations on Las Folías de España by François Le Cocq

Harmonics

Natural and artificial

Dampers – vibrato – bars

Transverse extension

Exercise for “opening” the left hand

Other examples

Guárdame las vacas, theme and ornamented variation

: Partita N.2, Chaconne (J. S. Bach). Arpeggio with “violin bow” pattern

Etude in E minor (F. Sor) without using the ring finger

Galop (M. Carcassi)

Preludio y Danza (Eduardo Falú)

Improvisation using thumb dedillo