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Inspiration for the Classical Guitar

Books, Blogs, Sheet Music and More!

Sounds Like Rain

A classical crossover EP.

Song Books and Resources

A collection of music books and practice resource for the classical guitar.

Online Lessons

Coming Soon!

The Public Domain Project

Classical Guitar pieces reset in modern type.

Original Guitar Compositions

Original music for the guitar by Paul Brooks Horn.

The Hymn Project

Hymns arranged for the classical guitar.

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If you sign up for the newsletter, you can get my monthly diatribes on the world of classical guitar. You will also be notified when I release new compositionsbooksvideosalbums, and that kind of stuff.

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Pauly's Blog

girls hands playing classical guitar
Unrealistic Expectations of Learning Guitar
When it comes to learning the classical guitar there can be certain unrealistic expectations. Some of those include being able to learn pieces quickly and easily. Since the guitar is sometimes considered an easy instrument to learn, the more advanced...
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teaching guitar chords
Thinking Practically About Guitar Chords
There is an elegance and beauty to the classical guitar, unlike any other instrument. I love the silky-smooth sounds that you can produce from it. There are many pieces written or arranged for the guitar to sit very comfortably under the fingers. Wit...
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man playing classical guitar in the dark
The Art of Practice: Structured Practice
Since taking up the guitar in 2009, I have had the privilege of gaining knowledge from many different sources. As with many other guitarists, it has been my goal to improve my technique and overall playing of the instrument. There are a lot of resour...
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computer on table with notepad, pen, coffee, and phone
2023 Behind the Screens Update
Wow! It has been a year already. For our new readers/subscribers, I always do a yearly update newsletter/blog in November. There has been a lot on my plate this year. So, without further ado, let’s dive in…What happened in 2023?A couple of things hap...
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girl with classical guitar laying in leaves
The Importance of Taking Breaks
Some of us who have taken up the classical guitar dogmatically push our skills to the limit. We have practiced and practiced, pushed the envelope, and reevaluated our routines, sometimes excessively. So much so that we fail to take breaks. So, in thi...
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classical guitar
The Composer’s Toolbox
In the last article, we talked a little bit about sheet music’s history and a few basic concepts. In this article, I would like to talk a little about, what I call, the composer’s toolbox. In addition to our blank canvas, we have lots of elements tha...
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Torn sheet music
Take the Stress Out Of Guitar Notation
How do you take the stress out of guitar notation? It is very simple actually. However, can I be honest here? Just for a minute? You always try to be honest, right? I have been avoiding this article. Not because of the subject matter. I find the work...
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open bible on the floor with a guitar
How to Memorize Guitar and Scripture
How do you memorize guitar music and Scripture? That might seem like an odd or even polarizing question to ask these days. However, I am a Christian. This is a Christian website (if you haven’t noticed). I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. So, ...
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sheet music on a table
Thoughts on Composing for Guitar
So, as I have said, in other articles, classical guitar is one of the most beautiful instruments in the world. Nothing compares to it when you have a great piece that is beautifully played. So how do you go about composing for guitar? There are a cou...
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classical guitar with broken string
The Changing of the Strings
The classical guitar is one of the most mellow and beautiful instruments in the world. Yes, that is a biased opinion. Starting from the wood used to the shape of the nails and the strings, it is a rich musical instrument. Let us look at a little hist...
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classical guitar laying across sheet music
The Classical Guitar: A History
The classical guitar is a beautiful and versatile instrument that has captured the hearts of many musicians and music lovers throughout history. With its soft, warm tone and delicate strings, the classical guitar has been used to create a wide range ...
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microphones in a studio
Thoughts On Releasing Your First EP
Sounds Like Rain is the first EP I have released. It took 12 years for 12 minutes of music in 5 songs. Here are a few thoughts on releasing your first EP.I finally did it. After 12 years, I finally got my act together. I released some of the original...
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apple on sheet music book
How to Add 48 Pieces to Repertoire
Every musician has a repertoire, but how do you maintain a multitude of pieces? Let’s learn how to add 48 pieces of music to your repertoire and remember them.If you are a musician then you know the importance of keeping a maintaining your repertoire...
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CCG Winter Guitar Festival - Composer Q and A - Paul Brooks Horn
It’s All About (The) Composing
CCG had a Winter Festival with workshops on composing, arranging, improvising, new compositions, open mics, and a meet the composers Q&A. Here is my interview.Who is CCG?CCG is short for Creative Classical Guitarist created by Daniel Ni...
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Pauly playing Carulli Op. 241 No. 11 on guitar
A Look at Carulli’s Opus 241 No. 1
This article looks at the first piece in Ferdinando Carulli’s Opus 241. We will analyze the piece and create a canvas for composing classical guitar music.The ComposerFerdinando Carulli, who lived between 1770 and 1841, was a prolific composer creati...
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Picture of a hand with classical guitar nails
How To File Classical Guitar Nails
When learning to play the classical guitar, you will be taught to grow the nails on your plucking hand. This is taught in the early stages of learning.History of NailsClassical guitarists tend to grow their nails out to produce a better, smoothe...
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Carcassi Opus 59 Sheet Music Song Book
Matteo Carcassi’s Opus 59
Matteo Carcassi’s Opus 59, Fifty Progressive Pieces, is from his guitar method originally printed and became famous in 1836.Behind the ProjectMatteo Carcassi’s Opus 59, Fifty Progressive Pieces, is the first full-length book in a series of books I wo...
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Resting Place Album laying on earphones on table
Resting Place: A Delightful Album
This month’s blog article is a review of David Chapman’s delightful album, Resting Place. A great combination of classical guitar, orchestra, and hymns. Introduction to a Delightful Album This, my friends, is the very first “album review” on this blo...
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computer, notepad, and coffee on a desk
Exciting Behind the Screens Update
We have an exciting behind-the-scenes update for this blog. There are quite a few things in the works, some of which you might have already noticed. What’s Going on Behind the Screens?Well, a lot. I gave blogging a try a couple of years ago and reali...
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classical guitar strings sound hole rosette
Playing Guitar for the Love of God
Should You Take Classical Guitar Lessons?IntroductionWay back in 2008, I took an eleven-year hiatus from playing the guitar (or any kind of music for that matter). I saved my pennies and purchased one of those beautiful Koa guitars from Ibanez. It wa...
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someone playing the classical guitar
Never Repeat a Phrase the Same Way Twice
How do you write instrumental music and repeat a phrase while keeping the music interesting? This is what we will explore in this article.IntroductionI’ve been playing the guitar off and on since the 1990s, and then playing classical guitar seriously...
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hands playing the guitar
Why Practice with a Piezo Pickup?
I absolutely love the silky-smooth sounds of a nylon string guitar and I can appreciate an equally well-played acoustic steel string, but a piezo pickup…Conversely, I absolutely hate the sound of an acoustic guitar played through a piezo pi...
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guitar instructor, guitar teacher, teaching student
Why Have A Good Teacher?
A Good Teacher Can Shave Off Years of Practice and Frustration. A Good Teacher Can impact a student for years to come.It’s been a while now since I started playing the classical guitar. I’ve learned a great many things since picking up the instrument...
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classical guitar and sheet music book
Snagging the Hard Parts
An article that suggests an approach to working past the challenging parts in any piece of music on the classical guitar.Have you ever?Have you ever tried to learn a piece of music and found that most of it is easy enough to learn, but there is alway...
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boy playing from a guitar method book
5 Things You Need to Learn Classical & Fingerstyle Guitar: A Method Book
Creating a Good FoundationThere is a plethora of guitar methods in the world. Most of them that I’ve seen contain a great number of accomplished exercises for the guitarist to learn. From Carulli and Giuliani’s studies to The Christopher Parkening Gu...
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About Pauly

My name is Paul Brooks Horn. I’m a classically trained guitarist, composer, arranger, and teacher. I have had the privilege of being taught by a few great teachers. First, Dr. Phil Synder who performs with the Georgia Guitar Quartet, and Mary Ackerman of the Akerman Teixeira Duo. Mary, who among other achievements has had the honor of being selected to perform in the 1986 Segovia Master Class. Finally, I’ve also been taught by Dr. Daniel Nistico of CCG (the Creative Classical Guitarist). You can visit my website at Pauly's Guitar Journal.com.

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