When you first hear of a composer writing 24 studies, the immediate ghost is J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier (24 preludes and fugues in all keys) and Chopin’s Op. 10 and 25. In the guitar world, Villa-Lobos wrote 12 (though he intended 24). Aguado wrote 24. Sor wrote 24.
So why did Sergio Assad feel the need to add to this crowded canon? sergio assad 24 studies
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1952, Assad is one half of the legendary Sérgio & Odair Assad Duo. Unlike many academic composers, Assad grew up steeped in the choro, samba, and bossa nova of Brazil. He realized that most traditional guitar studies taught the instrument as if it were a European piano—linear, harmonic, and rigid. Weeks 2–4: Isolated practice
Sergio Assad’s 24 Studies were written to fill a specific void: they teach the guitar as a polyphonic percussion instrument. They demand the rhythmic ferocity of a Brazilian drummer and the harmonic subtlety of a jazz pianist, all while maintaining the classical guitar’s lyricism. Weeks 5–8: Integration and musical shaping
"These studies are not about speed," Assad has said in interviews. "They are about control, color, and the specific way the guitar breathes."
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:
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).
