Fernando Sor Study in Bm
Learn to play the Sor Study in Bm on Ukulele in this lesson. This is one of six solo tunes collected in our Selected Solos for Fingerstyle Ukulele book. Download a free PDF of the TAB to follow along at the link below.
Download the TAB + Sheet music.
This famous study by Fernando Sor originally was originally written for classical guitar. Sor places a beautiful melody on top of a series of arpeggios in the key of B minor. This challenges the right hand to keep the arpeggios flowing, while also bringing out the melody with good voicing. Right-hand independence is a necessity to make the phrasing smooth.
The left hand has its fair number of challenges as well, with many barres and long-held bass notes throughout. Sor brilliantly weaves all of this together in a carefully crafted harmonic progression that destined this piece to be one of the classics in the classical guitar repertoire.
Sor Study in B minor for Fingerstyle Ukulele
Jeff’s ukulele arrangement of Sor’s Study in Bm (Op. 35, No. 22), adapts the beloved classical guitar piece for the ukulele, preserving its lyrical phrasing and flowing arpeggios. Originally written as an etude for developing smoothness and finger independence, this arrangement brings Sor’s refined melodic lines to the ukulele, emphasizing clarity and expressive voice leading. The arrangement has been carefully adapted to keep the harmonic structure intact, allowing ukulele players to experience the beauty of Sor’s composition through a new tonal perspective.
In this version, players focus on sustaining a steady, flowing rhythm while shaping each phrase with a gentle touch. The ukulele’s bright timbre highlights the elegance of Sor’s melody, while the arrangement uses common fingerings that encourage efficient hand movement across the fretboard. This study provides an excellent practice in right-hand finger picking and tone control, making it a rewarding piece for players to enhance their musicality and technical finesse.
Sor Study No.25 is just one of the pieces included in our collection Selected Solos for Fingerstyle Ukulele. This book includes six solo tunes for fingerstyle ukulele from different genres including Classical, Hawaiian, Blues, and Folk. Hereʻs a list of all of the pieces in the book:
- Für Elise by Ludwig van Beethoven
- Malagueña, trad. Spanish
- Aloha ʻOe by Queen Liliʻuokalani
- Greensleeves, trad. English
- Study No.25 by Fernando Sor
- Delta Blues by Jeff Peterson
The book includes both TAB and sheet music and has notes on each piece with some performance suggestions. But you can watch lessons on each of the pieces at the Selected Solos page.
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