For the Composer: A Compositional Aid for the Classical Guitar

About the Compositional Aid

For the Composer: A Compositional Aid for the Classical Guitar was the culmination of my practice-led research undertaken as part of my Master of Arts degree in 2024/25 at Edinburgh Napier University. Alongside this compositional aid, a dissertation contextualised the research by articulating the epistemological, theoretical, methodological, and practical frameworks informing its development. However, the dissertation is not included; this is solely the compositional aid itself. 

I chose to create this compositional aid because my practice is primarily situated within contemporary music and involves working with living composers. However, there is a distinct lack of literature and pedagogical material specifically tailored to, readily available for, and easily accessible to composers seeking support throughout the compositional process. To contextualise this compositional aid within a composer-centred framework, I employed autoethnographic and qualitative research methods. These methods drew on my own experience working in contemporary music with composers to identify key themes to inform the development of this compositional aid, and incorporated consultation with composers and classical guitarists in order to determine what they would find most useful.

I think it is important to emphasis two points here. Firstly, this compositional aid is not intended to be a replacement for a collaborative relationship with a classical guitarist — this process is crucial to composition, however, it is not always accessible. Rather, this aid aims to bridge a gap in available, visible, and comprehensive resources for composers, providing foundational principles to advanced knowledge of the classical guitar, both as an instrument and within the compositional context. Secondly, while this compositional aid is both necessary and useful, it is not intended as a prescriptive method that stifles your own voice; rather, it presents a framework and creative approach to the classical guitar. The real creativity belongs to you, the composer. Explore the instrument, push boundaries, disregard anything written here if it does not serve your vision. Do not be encumbered by tradition — bring something new that is uniquely yours. As a friend put it, “In some ways, it is up to you as a composer to forge your own manual through your compositions”.

This compositional aid is structured in three chapters: the first discusses the guitar and its parts, geometric function, fingering notation, sonorities, colour, tone, and timbre; the second covers techniques; and the third provides a comprehensive list of visual and audio examples for each technique used in different contexts, as well as additional useful resources.

Finally, it is important to acknowledge that while this compositional aid is one of few resources tailored to composers writing for the classical guitar, some the information is inevitably dated as this stage, and not all possible techniques are documented. The classical guitar repertoire is continually evolving, with new techniques being explored through both individual and collaborative efforts. As such, this compositional aid will need ongoing updates over time. Additionally, although I have written this compositional aid and am a classical guitarist, I myself have limitations in knowledge and expertise regarding some of the techniques discussed, and there are some techniques I have not yet been able to discuss. This aid will never hold all the answers you seek, and self-directed exploration will always be key to your own compositional process.

This compositional aid — in the aim of being an available, visible, and comprehensive resource — will remain free and accessible to everyone who needs it. All I ask is that those who engage with it provide feedback on what is useful, what could benefit from further explanation or simplification, and what can be improved and refined. I see this compositional aid as a community project — something that can be continually improved and refined by those who use it, for the benefit of future composers. My deepest thanks to all who have already contributed towards it.

- Kieran McCrossan, January 2026.