Tárrega
Tárrega — Prelude in A major (No. 7)
Offbeat chords
Level 4/5 · 31 bars · Practice tempo · 54 bpm
The chords answer the melody on the offbeats. The pickup counts as bar 1. In bar 10, release the lower A when the melody takes over its string. In bar 16, let the B on the fourth string ring under the following chord. The suggested practice tempo is 54 quarter notes per minute.
Skills to prepare
- Offbeat chords
- Barres and slides
Before learning the piece
- Move between barres VII and II five times, easing pressure during the shift. Practise this skill.
- Sustain a melody note above two quieter answers. Practise this skill.
These checkpoints belong to our learning path. They do not set a deadline for your progress.
Tablature and fingerings
The six lines represent the strings, with high E at the top. Numbers show frets; 0 means an open string. The letters p, i, m and a indicate right-hand fingers.
Read the complete static tab · Download the alphaTex file
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Your phrase-by-phrase plan
Work on a short passage. Aim for five clean attempts in a row, then connect two phrases. Bar numbers follow our transcription, including a separately numbered pickup where applicable.
Phrase 1 · bars 1–3
Pluck the grace-note third and guide both fingers into the first chord.
Phrase 2 · bars 4–5
Keep the thumb light as the melody descends towards position II.
Phrase 3 · bars 6–7
Sustain the melody while the other fingers play the offbeat.
Phrase 4 · bars 8–9
Play the bass alone, then add the chords on the second and fourth eighth notes.
Phrase 5 · bars 10–11
In bar 10, hold B and F-sharp and free the fourth string for C-sharp.
Phrase 6 · bars 12–13
Bring out the melodic accent and touch the open first string lightly in the answer.
Phrase 7 · bars 14–15
In bar 14, bring out the three successive melody pitches above the bass.
Phrase 8 · bars 16–17
In bar 16, let the fourth-string B ring under the offbeat.
Phrase 9 · bars 18–19
Ease the left thumb as you shift from position X to IX.
Phrase 10 · bars 20–21
In bar 20, slide to the small bass note before plucking the main note.
Phrase 11 · bars 22–23
Keep the bass present under both answers in bar 21.
Phrase 12 · bars 24–25
Let the bass C-sharp ring throughout bar 24.
Phrase 13 · bars 26–27
After the pull-off, count four even sixteenth notes per beat.
Phrase 14 · bars 28–29
At the end of the ascent, prepare the three fingers of the chord in bar 29 together.
Phrase 15 · bars 30–31
Listen to the bass E before the resolution and let the final fermata ring.
Watch and listen
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Lesson · This is Classical Guitar
General lesson: compare the tone of the melody and the offbeat chords.
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Sources and transcription choices
The notes follow the credited sources. Fingerings, phrase divisions and practice tempos are editorial learning choices. How our transcriptions work.