Rekindling Technique Training

[adeklerk]

Hey all,

Ive been playing guitar for almost 6 years now. I am reluctant to say I have almost completely let my technique training go these past few months. Does anyone have some suggestions on how to get going again and what training to include in my exercise program?

[M. Stephenson]

Well, you will probably not get this type of answer from anyone else on this forum, but the following two things have had a tremondous influence on my technique.

The first suggestion is the one that will give good results in a short amount of time:

1. Play classical music on a steel string guitar (one that is set up well and has light guage strings). It will build hand strength both hands and the narrower neck will demand greater accuracy from both hands. It forced me to play on the tips of my left hand fingers. You will find that you will have to modify some techniques - but that is good in that it increases ones awarness of how one really plays.

2. Play MIDI guitar. Your technique and timing between the two hands needs to be almost perfect to pull it off well. Again, it will increase the awarness of what your hands are really doing and that awarness will lead to better technique.

Now the classical guitars are much easier to play and I get better tone form them.

I am not much for drills and such anymore - I find my technical challenges in the music I learn. Sometimes I learn a piece because of the technical challenges - so it is both a piece of music and a technique builder.

Besides, I think that the fine points of technique can come only from being observed and critiqued by a good instructor.

I will let the others recomend classical material...

[Clement]

The first suggestion is the one that will give good results in a short amount of time:

1. Play classical music on a steel string guitar (one that is set up well and has light guage strings). It will build hand strength both hands and the narrower neck will demand greater accuracy from both hands. It forced me to play on the tips of my left hand fingers. You will find that you will have to modify some techniques - but that is good in that it increases ones awarness of how one really plays.

This is a very interesting observation. I have two guitars, one a modern classical and the other a replica of an Anton Stauffer (ca. 1840). The latter is a smaller instrument, obviously, with a much thinner neck width (48 mm vs 52 mm). When I first received my Stauffer, I found that the neck width made for some easier technique (barres) and I played this guitar almost exclusively for about one year.

Lately, I started playing my other classical again and have been switching back and forth (almost every other night). Apart from the fact that I improved over the last year, the thing that become obvious, as you indicated above, is that the smaller neck width does demand more precision. At first, I thought switching back to the modern guitar would be difficult but then as I switched back and forth on a regular basis I found that the period guitar can actually be more difficult to play because this issue of accuracy and playing more on your finger tips. It can be less forgiving. Also, in my case, the Stauffer is a more delicate instrument with an increased sensitivity to right hand attack. This has also helped me with the right hand approach on the modern guitar. Finally, the Stauffer has a very fresh attack and less sustain than a modern guitar which also reveals mistakes more easily.

[adeklerk]

M Stephenson

I dont own a steelstring but I do own 2 electric guitars. They both have quite thin necks and low actions. Will playing these guitars also improve my classic ability? I have found that the left hand position (thumb curling around neck) on the electric must be seperated from the classic guitar neck technique which places the thumb more to the middle of the neck.

What are your views for these different techniques required for the electric and classical?

[Thomas]

I don't think an electric will do the same things for you as a steel string acoustic. The techniques aren't all that different when you really look at them .If you don't use the 'thumb over' when playing either style, you'll probably be better off anyway. The diiferent setups of different guitars will ultimatly compliment each other most likely. I like to play all three and I don't really approach them any differently. The only things that don't crossover are rock andfolk stuff on the classical guitar. I never do that, but do play classical on a steel string, and sometimes on an electric for the heck of it.

[joell84]

I would recomend the old 1234 tequnique with both rest an free stoke i also use 234 triplets for different string skipping tecniques, I personally dont play finger style on steel strings as I tend to break nails. (that sounds realy girly but hey.) I also use a jazz standards book and "comp" along using chords and this really helps my left hand dexterity.

[rdubb]

Hey all,

Ive been playing guitar for almost 6 years now. I am reluctant to say I have almost completely let my technique training go these past few months. Does anyone have some suggestions on how to get going again and what training to include in my exercise program?

I like what a teacher said to me one time about 'breaking it down':

You basically have 3 categories of movements:
1. Scales
2. Slurs
3. Arpeggios

(well, 4, if you also count block chords, but block chord could be thought of as a simultaneous arpeggio, hehehe)

Do a bit of concentrated work on each every day. 15-30 min if possible. Slowly at first of course. Build speed WITH control....what good teachers always say.

Personally for 1. Scales, I do the 1234 4321 chromatic combos, and 2 octave major scale forms
for 2. Slurs I do vertical slur triplet combos doing all finger combos
and 3. Arpeggios, well, I don't always do them, hehe, but when I do I arpeggiate tonic and dominant of a key 6th-1st string, like in the Royal Conservatory book.

Oh, and my new thing that REALLY supercharges your technique quicly is to practice REALLY slow and INSTATLY *prepare* the next note with both LH and RH. After you prepare and are poised for the next note a. examine where on your fingertip you landed, b. your overall hand position, and c. what parts of your hand and body are still holding tension.

[rdubb]

2. Play MIDI guitar. Your technique and timing between the two hands needs to be almost perfect to pull it off well. Again, it will increase the awarness of what your hands are really doing and that awarness will lead to better technique.

I will let the others recomend classical material...

Indeed. Similar to this I recommend getting a plug-in classical (god my terminology is bad....sorry), and playing amplified a bit.

I noticed this that when I did background music gigs it helped my left hand touch because of the amplification i naturally used less energy in both my hands because I didnt' have to.