Richard Jernigan -> RE: Rasgueo-Rest (Dec. 11 2011 20:30:37)
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ORIGINAL: Ruphus Besides, the way of resting the arm that you describe, because of the bouts slope will remain no true rest. It takes brest muscles, the latissimus and the shoulders to both press the arm laterally and lift it. Even if you might not notice the efforts due to habit. Not at all. If the guitar were held as you describe, it would indeed cause problems. It has for many players. In the traditional position done right, however, the guitar is held with the neck pointing somewhat upward, so the inward slanting part of the side is horizontal. Then the guitar is held purely by the weight of the arm, not by muscular tension. In the "Paco position" the arm indeed contacts the guitar on the curve of the lower bout. The waist is placed over the right leg, which is stabilized either by crossing the right ankle over the left knee, or by the leg resting against the chair. The angle of the arm and the pivot of the shoulder cause the weight of the arm to exert a slight force to the player's left on the guitar. This is balanced out by the reaction of the right leg against the waist of the guitar. Again, the weight of the arm is sufficient to hold the guitar without any muscular tension. Is it reasonable to think that generations of virtuosi, each spending tens of thousands of hours, would not have arrived at an ergonomically efficient way of holding the guitar? There are at least three ways: the classical position, illustrated in numerous photos of Tarrega in the 19th century; the traditional flamenco position, illustrated in photos of Ramon Montoya and many others in the first part of the 20th century; and the "modern" flamenco position. I put "modern" in quotes because Sargent's "El Jaleo", contemporary with Tarrega in the 19th century, gives a very accurate portrayal of how Paco holds the guitar. quote:
Also, a forearm suspended by engagement of the upper arms muscles introduces not only constant demand to actively keep the hand in position, but also hampers the lower arms and hands muscular apparatus. The upper side of the guitar is closer to the body than the lower, tilting the top slightly toward the ceiling. Thus a part of the weight of the forearm is directed toward the guitar top. This part of the weight lends more power to the action of the right hand. Adopting the traditional flamenco position with my best classical guitar alters the sound radically by changing the action of the right hand from its classical version to flamenco. In picado, arpeggio, pulgar and alzapua it becomes a very good flamenco guitar. It is slightly less effective in rasgueados than my good flamencas. quote:
If you´re curious about how apparently remote body parts effect external limbs down to the finger tips, for an example try to focus on relaxing your neck before raising your arms to play and watch how magically right- and left hand cooperation can improve ( as long as you´ll keep the neck relaxed ). Any serious student of any instrument is aware of this effect. quote:
Differences with flamenco and classical guitar unquestioned, principles like reducing movement / efforts to a required minimum remain useful for both, like with any art. Accordingly, imperfect flamenco technique might show a lot of up and down movement of hand / forearm, while advanced technique will as much as possible reduce rotation to a rolling forearm, with the wrist actually showing relatively little of vertical movement. ( Advanced technique will also reduce individual fingers activity to a minimum, be it during whirls, rasgueados, arpeggios, picados, thumb techniques and what have you. Usually by said economy through upper limbs.) Who knows, maybe one day I´ll discover to have been wrong, though quite doubting yet. Until now however that popular "to each his own"- mantra, technique wise to me appears to be moonshine, as long as we´re talking average people whose physiology tends to be quite the same. Limbs proportions to each other, muscle / tendon connections etc. being outlayed in quite the same way, and thus their optimal coordination too. Naturally, certain things will be harder or easier to execute for the individual player. However rather due do to motoric habits ( and their following detours) than to any immovable factor. And as it commonly being all the same approaches / postures / preparations that abet further techniques, it shouldn´t hurt to recognize those and spare oneself superfluous efforts / paths of potential stagnation. As an original autodidact dummy, I think to know in relative detail why notice and acceptance of general physical points could be of practical sense. Correct and detailed envision ( if that´s a right expression ) is the key. I'll steer clear of the subject next time I talk to Paco. He would be disappointed to learn he has wasted his life playing the guitar the wrong way.[:@] quote:
So, Richard, would you try such an armrest first, or keep dismissing it in advance like a mulish dromedary? [:D] [;)] Just teasin´ Ruphus No thanks. I don't think I'll try an armrest. I don't experience any of the problems they are said to cure. It would just get in the way of classical technique, and it would make either flamenco position impossible.. RNJ
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