left hand help

left hand help (Full Version)

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Miguel de Maria -> left hand help (Jul. 20 2003 12:20:41)
I have been working so hard on my right hand, picado, arpeggios, tremolo, rasgueo, that my left hand has fallen dreadfully behind. Does anyone have any ¨quick fix¨ideas to get my left hand back on track? I have good ligado and don´t have problems playing scales, but I do have problems with position shifts, random buzzing and sloppiness, and discomfort and buzzing with barres.

Florian -> RE: left hand help (Jul. 20 2003 12:43:53)
I have 2, look in Tab forum, i will uploade it there.

Thomas Whiteley -> RE: left hand help (Jul. 20 2003 17:49:08)
Michael; I would have to sit down with you and go over these topics to really see what is going on. Some basic and not so basic verbal concepts follow: 1. Economy of movement is your goal, whenever it is possible. A. Anchor one finger when possible and play chords and picado whenever possible using an anchor. This reduces the requirement or tendency to move all the fingers as you play. You want to minimize any and all movement. This takes practice. 2. Become comfortable with chord changes in different keys and inversions (neck positions). A. A secret here which Mariano Cordoba taught me is to keep the fingers of the left hand always close to the strings and when you change chords as an example you lift straight up – just a little, before you break contact with the strings. After the fingers are clear of the strings you change position. This will help prevent or eliminate any string noise from fingers sliding. 3. Random buzzing is caused by not having the fingertip over the string in good position. Normally, you have the fingertip just behind the fret. It does not take much tension to hold down the string. Do not force the muscles of the left hand or you will exhaust and even injure your muscles, tendons and ligaments. Too much of the wrong practice will not help correct or improve your playing. Think about what you are doing – observe yourself playing and do it very slowly. Think about each finger position of a piece. I went through a period of evaluation of what left-hand finger to use and why. I spent hours evaluating a piece I had played for years. In the end I found a much better way to play it and I was happy with my decision. I found that the recommended way was not good for me. Since peoples hands are different I leave it to you to decide what is best for you. I cannot stress strongly enough that you must think of what you are doing. Try to correct one thing at a time but think of what you are doing. Tape the result and date it. Start slow and build speed. This topic is complex but shows you are interested in going to the next step, which is something you have defined. Some words from Juan Serrano concerning playing guitar relate to the end result we hear. Juan says there are two kinds of flamenco guitar players – those that play clearly and those that do not. The choice is yours as to what type of flamenco guitar sound you wish to have. Some people actually equate sloppy playing with flamenco. Lots of buzzing, etc. 4. Discomfort – watch how much pressure you use (use the minimum required) and do not over due your playing. I think you spend a lot of time playing techniques? Do not over due it! 5. Barred chords – do you place the index finger just behind the fret? You have to find what is best for you. For some people you should contact the strings with the flat part of the finger. For others you use the inner part of the finger – just a very slight rotation – too much and you will see the problems.

Miguel de Maria -> RE: left hand help (Jul. 21 2003 13:40:36)
Thank you very much guys. Tom, thanks for the thoughts. Thinking guides technique, I apreciate this approach. In a closer analysis at my left hand technique, I find vestiges of myself 12 years ago, antiguated movements which need to be discarded. My bars are horrible and I have been putting up with dead spots for years now. It´s simple laziness perhaps, but I want to play clean. I want my bars to sound as good as first position. I don´t want any buzzes at all, many of the good players here play lots of fast chord changes and taranta type stuff with no slop, this is where I want to go. I will certainly concentrate on position changes without sound. And you answered my question about moving the thumb, to move it hardly at all, that makes a lot of sense. Of course, my hand, the hand of a 5´8¨guy is not as big as a 7´6¨guy, but I will certainly try to keep the thumb anchored. Lots of work to do!

Florian -> RE: left hand help (Jul. 21 2003 14:12:07)
Tom do you have any good left hand exercises that are not on your website ? whats your favourite left hand exercise for example ?

Thomas Whiteley -> RE: left hand help (Jul. 22 2003 1:29:18)
Florian; I created two guitar exercise books one each for our son and daughter. I will have to compare those with my web site to see what differences there are. I believe in good basic exercises to get the hands to work together. From there I like to teach patterns for left and right hand for specific palos. The more patterns the better. Also I like to teach the elements of the palo and variations. From there you are on your own.

Florian -> RE: left hand help (Jul. 22 2003 1:53:02)
SOme good exercises in your website Tom.

Fergusito -> RE: left hand help (Jul. 22 2003 2:08:26)
I have just got hold of Pumping nylon and realised from the left hand excercises in that book that I too need some work on left hand, economy of movment and syncronising left and right hands. I'd recomend that book to anyone wanting to put some solid technical practice in. Fergus

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