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Technique thoughts and more
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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 Technique thoughts and more
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First, I want to announce that Miguel de--actually, Michael W. Cho was married to Kim R. Brown at the Royal Palms in Phoenix, AZ this 14th of February, 2004! I have been very busy lately, and this should taper off a little now. The ceremony was wonderful, my partner Arturo played and provided the entertainment. At my wife's request, I performed the "Mariachi Song (Morena de Mi Corazon)" during the ceremony--my first public singing performance! It went over very well :)
There are a few things I have learned about guitar lately. Due to concentrating more time on the left hand,things there have gotten easier. If you missed that-- Concentrating your attention on something will enable you to improve on it. It seems simple and it is, but maintaining focus in an organized way is such a key to improving your playing. I think Jerzy, who has very little time ot play guitar, exemplifies this truth. Perhaps Jerzy could post his practice schedule to show how organized one can be?
Second, we flamencos, and to a lesser degree classical guitarists, are obsessed with power. Flamencos have to compete with hoarse voiced screamers and herds of elephants dressed in polka dots. We need the power. Classical guitarists, like opera singers, have a recent history of feeling piano envy when they want to be heard at the back of the hall. The mistake so many of us make is to equate power with muscle, with a gripping, ferocious kind of tension. This is not how it works. Power comes from skill, from know how to apply pressure and when to do so. It has more to do with rhythm and touch than the kind of muscle you see in a bodybuilder. That being said, there is a muscular component too it, of course.
Learn power by lightening up. I have been gifted with association with two virtuoso musicians, one flamenco one acoustic pickstyle. Both of them advised me to never try for power, that it will come with time. Trying to power up your picado will result in rigor mortis. Tension is the bane of correct, effortless playing, and projection as well. When you lighten up you free your fingers to find the correct angles and pressures, a complicated thing, that will eventually result in the ability to project--effortlessly. Sure, give a big Arnold Swarzeneggar lifting a car grimace when you hit the golpe superior--but that's just showmanship.
Another thing... many of you know how much picado has haunted and obsessed me. I have finally gotten a bit of a grip on this elusive skill, after many scales and exercises. I got to the point where I could play very quickly sometimes, after warming up. Still, sometimes things would get out of whack, as easily as a weekend warrior golf swing, and I'd be slicing it to the right in no time. So frustrating! What happened is that my fingers would catch. The string would all of a sudden feel like it was made of steel. The picado would become plodding, uncomfrtable to play, slow and clumsy.
I realized that I never had this sensation while playing free strokes. So I combined the two. I am in the early stages of this, but I think it is the key to my troubles. Play rest stroke, think free stroke. Play a free stroke passage, then play it rest stroke, trying to incorporate the ease of the free stroke into the rest stroke. This seems to work miracles.
Good luck. Feed me back. If anyone wants to send me a wedding present, just send it to Miguel de Maria New Fancy Guitar Fund, 127 E Indian School Rd.... etc. etc :)
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Feb. 18 2004 18:09:29
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Patrick
Posts: 1189
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Portland, Oregon
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RE: Technique thoughts and more (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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Michael,
I too congratulate you and have missed your post as well.
I know you have spent a considerable amount of time using the teachings of Jamey Andreas with Guitar Principles. About a month ago I re-read his book (the second time), and finally started to put his methods in practice. I have always been the “play it more and it will get better” type of guy, unfortunately in many cases, to no avail. What I had really been doing was imbedding all those mistakes that I just kept playing over and over again, hoping they would correct themselves.
I finally came to the realization that “practice” does not make perfect, “correct practice” makes perfect. I have been using his method of “ultra slow” left hand finger placement, attempting to maintain awareness of any tension buildup. This method imbeds in our muscle memory, correct, relaxed technique.
I have really noticed a marked improvement in just the last few weeks. I am playing much more relaxed, with more accurate finger placement. When I bring a passage up to speed, I am able to recognize the areas that need attention. I then isolate those areas, going back to slow, deliberate finger placement to reinforce proper muscle memory. I feel I am at a point that mistakes are not being treated as negatives, rather positives to be addressed.
I also wonder how many of us have really experienced true “effortless” playing. Jamey, in his book talks about the “light finger”. The “light finger” describes the mechanics of using just the correct amount of pressure the left hand fingers apply to fret the string (no more, no less). This is an experience that almost shocks you when you first feel it. After you play a passage you set back and say “was it really that easy to play”!
Again, congratulations
Pat
PS, as of last week, you can now call me “Grandpa”. Nine-pound boy.
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Feb. 18 2004 19:46:20
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