Españoleta is a beautiful Baroque guitar piece by Spanish guitarist and composer Gaspar Sanz. It was originally published in his 1674 guitar method, Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra española.
This short piece is great for developing fingerstyle control, especially when it comes to keeping a clear melody over the supporting bass notes. You’ll also work on smooth melodic movements, simple barres, and musical phrasing.
This lesson covers the guitar arrangement with tabs, along with some practical tips for learning the piece.
Grab your guitar and let’s get started!
3 tips for learning Españoleta on guitar
1. Let the bass notes ring
Throughout the piece, you’ll notice longer bass notes supporting the melody.
Try to let these notes sustain for their full duration while playing the melody above them. Be careful not to accidentally mute the bass when changing notes with your fretting hand.
Also, pay attention to the balance between the two parts. The melody should stand out while the bass provides a softer accompaniment.
2. Barre Notations
Marking such as B. 3, indicating a barre at the third fret.
Practice these measures with barres slowly, making sure the notes ring clearly without adding unnecessary tension in your fretting hand.
Once you’re comfortable with the fingering, practice moving into and out of these measures without stopping.
For additional help, see my guide to playing barre chords.
3. Keep the decorative notes smooth and in time
One characteristic of this arrangement is the use of short melodic patterns, such as the 1–0–1 and 0–1–0 grace notes on the first and second string.
These little details give the melody some of its character, but they can also cause you to rush.
Practice them slowly and listen for an even, connected sound. Since the piece is in 3/4 time, keep a steady count of 1, 2, 3 as you work through each measure.
Once you’re comfortable with the notes, try playing complete phrases without stopping so the music flows naturally.
Españoleta – guitar arrangement with tabs
The numbers next to some notes on the top staff indicate which fingers to use on the fretting hand. The tabs below show where to play each note on the guitar.
Start by learning a few measures at a time before connecting the longer phrases. Pay particular attention to the held bass notes and the decorative melodic patterns.
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