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Hi, I have been trying to study flamenco guitar on my own for one year now, and this is an attempt to play the solea de concierto from manuel granado's first book.
A guitarist friend thinks my left hand goes too much forward, and it's true that my thumb is usually very low, almost on the side of the neck. However I tried to change that but I really can't understand how, so what do you think ?
My two thumbs have the same problem : the bone that connects them to the hands "jumps" (it's always been like that) : so when I my thumbs moves away from the fingers, at one moment, the bone goes inside and the tip of the thumb goes down. I hope it's clear.
My other big problem is that on my left index, a hole has formed, and it won't go. It's a track made by the strings, but it is not well placed, it goes from the tip to the side of the nail, in a diagonal. The flesh won't come back to normal. Has it ever happened to one of you ?
Also, of course, any other comment and advice would be very welcome.
Thanks !
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I think you have a really long thumb......you'll have to just make do. It's coming along though, my only advice would be practice with a metronome, tighten up the compas a bit. Good work so far though, keep at it.
Check some video of Melchor de Marchena...he has the same double jointed thumb issue....didn't seem to bother his playing at all.
THe only really help you need I can see, is work with metronome...basic click....sometimes you take a liberty between phrases and the metronome will help you play more fluid. Other than that sounds pretty good! Good luck!
Thanks to everyone for the nice comments ! Leñador, yes, it's exactly what I have ! The difference is that my first joint won't go backward, the thumb is straight, and that forces me to push it low enough for the nail to be more parallel to the strings. And what do you mean by compensating ? That being said it's not my biggest concern right now, I'm more worried about my left hand position and that "track" that won't go away, now it's all covered with horn near the nail, and it's just painful to fret the G# on the 3rd string. And that doesn't help solea.
Compensating is probably the wrong word. Since it breaks so easily at the hand joint I just let it break and then play like that. You can see it in my videos.
For your finger I'm stumped..SOUNDS like a callous but I don't know. If it's a callous it should fully develop in a couple months......your left hand form looks fine though.
thanks ! I have a last question and then I'll have no more excuses :)
When I'm practising, after a while my left hand just goes numb. Sometimes I just can't feel my m finger anymore. So I guess It's due to bad tensions, but then again, I have no clue on what to do.
I'm sorry this is a moaning thread but we'll bury it very soon :)
Definitely sounds like tension, I used to get numb and sore all the time and my teacher at the time was like "well your obviously doing something wrong." Relaxing is really under rated by newer players, you can do actual damage to yourself if you don't learn to play relaxed. There's a lot of threads on here about that.
thanks ! I have a last question and then I'll have no more excuses :)
When I'm practising, after a while my left hand just goes numb. Sometimes I just can't feel my m finger anymore. So I guess It's due to bad tensions, but then again, I have no clue on what to do.
I'm sorry this is a moaning thread but we'll bury it very soon :)
I have had that a few times. I read somewhere that if your fingers go numb when driving, the problem is actually the NECK....they advised moving your head side to side and such to release pressure on the "nerve bundle" or something, the leads to finger numbness. So for musicians it might translate, once again to posture. Practice in front of mirror and move your head around, avoid looking over at the fingerboard for too long.
Unfortunately, It would take too much typing for me to try and explain exercises that help balance the muscle apparatus in question.
However, another helpful thing on the passive side (beside of ALWAYS watching out to not tense up during playing, which is the most relevant point a -beginning- player may focus on) is stretching of the spine through suspending oneself upside down.
Unless your physician objecting for some individual reason, regularly hanging oneself upside-down seems to be a good thing. (Be moderate though, encreasing sessions as you go.)
And aside from the body loosening you will discover that: # It is great for preaparing the blood system before doing sports. # Greatly effective for becoming clear in the head (perfect when you need to shake up for whatever thought-engaging tasks.) # That it will be doing good to your facial look / skin.
Yoga headstand besides effects similarly, however without stretching of the spine and support against the issue mentioned in this thread.
Ruphus
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