Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A
left hand fingers distance from fret...
so i've been reading "pumping nylon" and he suggests that the fingers should move no more than half an inch to an inch away from the fretboard when you play.
i find this impossible to do. my pinky moves up to one and a half to two inches when i play.
try a 1,2,4 slur on the sixth string. how much does your pinky move when you go back to the 1st or 2nd finger?
is this a problem i have to worry about? am i being non-economical? is scott tenant crazy?
RE: left hand fingers distance from ... (in reply to at_leo_87)
how long have you been playing? i have only been playing for a few months and find it very difficult to do but my finger position is better now than it was when i started, so hopefully in a few more months it will be natural. it just comes with experience and practice i guess.
RE: left hand fingers distance from ... (in reply to at_leo_87)
About the 1-2-4 slur.. watch Nunez' Encuentro. His pinky flies there too. I think its the sound that matters. If you really think you sound bad, then there are different possibilities which could be the reason. I would also be curious what the advanced players here have to say on that.
RE: left hand fingers distance from ... (in reply to XXX)
the reason for that is a totally different mechanism.
and no, it is an anatomical thing and a mechanical thing. organic mechanisms wear out, all mechanisms do, the way to maximize efficiency and speed with minimal wear is the least amout of travel and the least possible effort.
its not about sound, distance to fretboard has nothign to do with sound. actually the momentum generated from being farther away would pull the strings sharp. so if you are concerned about sound, best bet is to be closer to the strings.
for hammer ons, it makes sense to come from farther off the board because you have to generate the sound with your left hand only.
Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A
RE: left hand fingers distance from ... (in reply to XXX)
quote:
About the 1-2-4 slur.. watch Nunez' Encuentro. His pinky flies there too.
i dont have that video but his videos on youtube clearly shows how his pinky and other fingers fly around a lot, definitely more than an inch away from the fretboard. watching other pros, their hands move around a lot too.
it actually feels awkward to keep the fingers so close. when playing certain chords, some fingers just seem to WANT to move out of the way. but i dont know if it's the way i conditioned my fingers to move or because it's just what the hand naturally wants to do.
quote:
and no, it is an anatomical thing and a mechanical thing. organic mechanisms wear out, all mechanisms do, the way to maximize efficiency and speed with minimal wear is the least amout of travel and the least possible effort.
to counter that, i could say that the extra movements provide momentum which makes things easier and requires less effort/force and therefore less strain/tension/wear. you can create a lot of power with little effort. think of using momentum to lift heavy weights. or winding up to swing a bat or to punch. BUT, what you say makes sense too.
so what i'm trying to figure out is, which way is right?
Printable Version
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread