Sergio Assad 24 Studies

Sergio Assad is widely considered one of the most important figures in the guitar world. As one half of the world-renowned Assad Duo (with his brother Odair), and a member of the guitar quartet Brazil Guitar Duo, his performing career has spanned decades. As a composer and arranger, Assad is celebrated for blending the classical tradition with the rich oral traditions of Brazilian popular music. His compositions often require a high level of rhythmic precision and a deep understanding of Brazilian styles such as choro, samba, and baião.

In the current classical guitar landscape, there is a crisis of relevance. Many young players can play Recuerdos de la Alhambra perfectly, but they cannot swing. They cannot improvise a levada (rhythmic groove).

Sergio Assad’s 24 Studies are the antidote. They force the guitarist to become a musician first and a technician second. They demand that you listen to Pixinguinha, to Tom Jobim, to Hermeto Pascoal. They are a masterclass in rhythm, harmony, and the unique sonority of nylon strings. sergio assad 24 studies

If you are stuck in a rut—playing the same Giuliani exercises until your fingers bleed—buy this book. Spend six months with Study No. 4. You will emerge not just a faster guitarist, but a more colorful, rhythmic, and joyful one.

The collection follows the historical model of "cyclical" etudes established by composers like Chopin (Op. 10 and Op. 25) and Sor (Op. 6), structuring the work around the circle of fifths. The set includes: Sergio Assad is widely considered one of the

By composing in all 24 keys, Assad forces the guitarist to navigate fingerboard positions and harmonies that are often avoided in the standard repertoire (such as keys with many sharps or flats, which are notoriously difficult on the guitar).

The 24 Studies were composed with the intent of bridging the gap between the traditional etudes of the 19th century (such as those by Sor, Giuliani, and Carcassi) and the complex rhythmic and harmonic language of modern Brazilian and Latin American music. By composing in all 24 keys, Assad forces

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.