guitar technique
The most perfect technique is that which is not noticed at all.
Pablo Casals (1876-1973)
The Song of the Birds, Lloyd Weber (ed), 1985
Technique - the skills required to play the guitar.
Technical Control: clear articulation, speed, fluency and accuracy.
Technical Control: clear articulation, speed, fluency and accuracy.
Techniques
Tremolo
right and left Hands
Right hand - Alternating (Walking) Fingers
Right hand - tone control
Right hand fingerings (scales, arpeggio and tremolo):
Scale:
im/mi, ma/am, ia/ai (tirando and apoyando)
pi (tirando)
Arpeggio:
pima in various repeating patterns i.e. pami,...pmia,...paim,... (tirando)
Tremolo:
pami, piami, pmi/pim/pam/pma (tirando)
Left hand - Fingertips/Finger-Tunnels
Your left fingertips should press inside the frets. Flat thumb - Your left thumb should be flat, situated under your second finger.
Articulation:
Legato - Slurs ~ Campanella (L.V.)
L.V. (laissez vibrer - let ring)
Staccato
Dynamics and Accents
pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, cresc, dim.
Other tonal Effects:
Harmonics, natural and artificial (harm nat. harm art.)
Vibrato (vib.)
Glissando (gliss.)
Pizzicato (pizz. ~ Bartok pizz.)
Decoration:
Trills - tone and semi-tone
Mordents/inverted mordents - tone and semi-tone
Grace notes
- Raised wrist - Your right wrist should be raised into an arch so your fingers can "swing" freely onto and off the string.
- Walking fingers - Your index (i) and middle (m) fingers should pull the strings, one after the other in an alternating or "walking" motion. Play with rest strokes or free strokes.
- Rest stroke (Apoyando) - After pulling the desired string, the finger should come to rest on the adjacent string before springing back out in a smooth motion. Mainly used for single line melodies and Scalic passages.
- Free stroke (Tirando) - After pulling the desired string, the finger should swing free of the adjacent string before springing back out out in a smooth motion. Mainly used for chords and arpeggiated passages.
Right hand - tone control
- Natural (nat.) - play over the sound hole, slightly towards the bridge.
- Ponticello (pont.) - play near the bridge (hard, metallic tone).
- Tasto (tasto) - play over the start of the neck (mellow, sweet tone).
Right hand fingerings (scales, arpeggio and tremolo):
Scale:
im/mi, ma/am, ia/ai (tirando and apoyando)
pi (tirando)
Arpeggio:
pima in various repeating patterns i.e. pami,...pmia,...paim,... (tirando)
Tremolo:
pami, piami, pmi/pim/pam/pma (tirando)
Left hand - Fingertips/Finger-Tunnels
Your left fingertips should press inside the frets. Flat thumb - Your left thumb should be flat, situated under your second finger.
Articulation:
Legato - Slurs ~ Campanella (L.V.)
L.V. (laissez vibrer - let ring)
Staccato
Dynamics and Accents
pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, cresc, dim.
Other tonal Effects:
Harmonics, natural and artificial (harm nat. harm art.)
Vibrato (vib.)
Glissando (gliss.)
Pizzicato (pizz. ~ Bartok pizz.)
Decoration:
Trills - tone and semi-tone
Mordents/inverted mordents - tone and semi-tone
Grace notes
guitar technique publications - recommended
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Pumping Nylon by Scott Tennant (2nd edition book [2016] with online audio and video)
Upon its first publication in 1995, Pumping Nylon became an instant classic and a must-have technique handbook for all classical guitarists. This complete edition includes additional early intermediate through advanced repertoire. Scott Tennant's encouraging style, sense of humour, and unique approach to technical training helped Pumping Nylon gain countless devotees throughout the world. At the heart of Pumping Nylon is the famous Daily Warm-Up Routine, which includes 11 clever, helpful exercises to get both hands in shape and ready to play while also improving your technical skills. |