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Title: Right and Left hand techniques -
Level: beginer - intermediate
Style: theory (etc.)
Instructor: Tim Fullerton
This is part three in a series of how to develop good right and left
hand technique for pick-style guitar.
PART III -- left hand position (cont.)
This series is the approach that I use to teach pick-style
technique to all of my students. For best results, take these
articles to an educated and experienced teacher who is stylistically
broad based and who knows this approach, so that (s)he may coach you.
**Disclaimer**
This approach is to attain the maximum possible cleanliness and
articulateness in ones tone. Also, it will give, ultimately, the
greatest speed with the least health risk. I am careful never to say
that it is the CORRECT way to play. There is no such thing, and many
people do great things with really sloppy technique. Wherever
possible, though, I will indicate the exact benefits of each
technique.
If you are left handed, please excuse my right-handed bias, and
reverse all of the relevant direction and hand indications.
D) LEFT HAND WRIST ALIGNMENT:
The palm of the left hand should be parallel to the underside of
the neck. Untrained people tend to place their hand so that the bone
leading to their index finger is much closer to the neck than the bone
leading to their pinky. This forces the pinky to reach. A way to
exercise this out is to place the bone to the pinky AGAINST the
underside of the neck. Try this as you play the pseudo-chromatic
exercise presented in lesson II. Understand that this is an
EXAGGERATION so that one may get used to how it feels when the palm is
parallel to the neck. Play with the bone to your pinky against the
neck just while you practice until the awkwardness is gone; play with
your palm parallel when you play.
E) THE PINKY:
It should be CLOSE. Addressing the problems in "D" usually
halves the distance that the pinky stays from the neck. Nonetheless,
people invariably still have problems with left hand pinky height
until they tackle them.
In short, always keep your pinky less than an inch from the neck . Not only that, keep it directly over the fret for which it is
responsible.
If this is a challenge, treat the pseudo-chromatic exercise
in the following manner:
While you ASCEND, keep your pinky FRETTING the string that you just
finished playing. Don't pick it, just keep it there.
like this...
E|------------------------------------------1-2-3-4-------------|
B|---------------------------------1-2-3-4--4-4-4---------------|
G|-------------------------1-2-3-4-4-4-4------------------------|
D|-----------------1-2-3-4-4-4-4--------------------------------|
A|---------1-2-3-4-4-4-4----------------------------------------|
E|-1-2-3-4-4-4-4------------------------------------------------|
While you DESCEND, place your pinky on the next string AS SOON AS
IT IS DONE WITH THE CURRENT STRING.
E|--5-4-3-2------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----5-5-5--5-4-3-2---------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------5-5-5--5-4-3-2------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------5-5-5--5-4-3-2---------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------5-5-5--5-4-3-2------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------5-5-5--5-4-3-2---------------|
Really, all of your fingers should be less than an inch from the neck,
but if you concentrate on your pinky, that should take care of them all.
Benefits:
It places less of a burden on your pinky when your palm is parallel
to the neck. It also makes it easier to keep your pinky close to the
strings.
If there is less of a distance for your pinky to travel to fret a note,
then you can ultimately achieve higher speed because of the travel time.
Not only that, it is easier to coordinate your picking with your left
hand because there is less margin for error.
Class Assignment:
Do the pseudo-chromatic exercise from Lesson II with the following
criteria:
A) Guitar Position (see part I)
B)1. Left Hand Thumb Position and range of motion (midline [G
string] to edge... see lesson II)
2. Left Hand Thumb Pressure (NONE! PERIOD! again, see lesson II)
C) Left hand wrist. (straight as a ruler, palm away from the neck...
again, lesson II)
D) Left hand wrist. (parallel to the underside of the neck)
E) Finger placement. (close to the neck)
RELAX
PLAY SLOW ENOUGH TO DO EVERYTHING PERFECTLY
PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE
more to come...
copyright 1993 by Tim Fullerton. Used by permission.
by Tim Fullerton
fullerto@cis.ohio-state.edu
1987 Upper Chelsea Road
Columbus, Ohio 43221
(614) - 488 - 9322
==============================================================================
FUTURE LESSONS
--------------
No Name Style Level Instructor
12 Modes Theory I Dave Good
13 Octaves Theory B Bill Quinn
==============================================================================
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