D01 Classical guitar lesson 02

[Craig McCallum]

James,

My feedback is probably a bit related to Binh's - in the 2nd and 3rd videos it looks like your guitar is sitting very low against to your body - if you can raise your left leg on something (footstool, block of wood, even a couple of books - anything pretty steady that gives you the right height), then the guitar will sit higher, which'll hopefully put the neck of the guitar in a better position to fix the left hand issue that Binh's mentioned. If you can sit on a slightly higher seat to get your thighs parallel to the floor with your feet flat, that could help as well. Watching youtube videos, most people's guitar seems to sit so that the upper bout sits at roughly the middle-top of their chest.

But don't give yourself too hard a time over how you think you're playing - you're hitting all the notes, which is a good start. I'd repeat my advice to Juan on lesson 1 and think about slowing your practice way, way down, and concentrate on getting the right notes to the right rhythm, and only adding speed when you're getting both 100% right for each phrase.

[James A. Showalter]

Craig,
Thank you for your comments and suggestions. I will certainly take them to heart especially the part about slowing my play to strive for exactness. That coupled with Binh's suggestion to limit the motion of the left hand.

Now I am at a point where I have to explain. These past 5 years I've practiced guitar on my own and of course use the common posture where the right thigh holds the guitar. So classical posture is somewhat new to me. When I submitted my 1st lesson John Montes observed that I traveled a lot with my right hand and advised that I should practice keeping the right wrist as nearly stationary over the string position as possible. I was playing that 1st sequence that changed from the index finger playing an open G-note alternately with the thumb playing the D-string fretted at F#. Because my right wrist is fused (long story) I couldn't do it. In response I realized that if I altered the position to more of a Cello players position then my thumb was in-line with where my fingers played and I did not have to shift my hand so much to reach the notes. In short, I will never develop a classical posture or playing technique. But I certainly will try.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I think it speaks volumes that the amount of instruction, derived from actual evaluation of individual effort, that is provided through this lesson series is of such quality. It certainly supports the old adage that the best things in life are free.
James

[Angela Carter]

Timothy, You made me laugh.

James,
I can only reiterate what others have said. I did want to add to the discussion about the posture though. Although you are still able to hit the notes on the easier music with your left hand and body in that placement you will have to contort that hand greatly when we start getting into more complex music. That’s why classical guitar posture is important.

If it is the choice between moving the right hand and being able to freely move your left hand versus having your right hand stationary but having to contort your left choose letting your right hand move a little.

The right hand moving a little might prevent speed but the left hand having to contort can cause buzzing, dead notes and worst of all injury.

That’s just my opinion. I’m no expert, but I do have carpal tunnel and I know if I held the guitar that way it would immediately exacerbate it.

There is another way too. You could use a thumb pick. They come off the side of the thumb so you can change your right hand placement without changing the guitar position. It might work, it might not. I can’t say for sure but it does change my position when I use one and feels different.

[Craig McCallum]

James,

I can see why you're struggling to find a good position if you have issues with wrist mobility.

As with Angela, if it's a choice between having to move your right hand a little in the particular scenario of the Lesson 1 exercise, or taking a good left hand position the rest of the time, I'd probably take the good left hand position. I guess it'll come down to finding the compromise that works best for you, though.

[James A. Showalter]

Thanks Angela and Craig for your very insightful recommendations.

I never thought about using a thumb pick as part of my classical guitar training. I own one and have a little bit of experience using it playing slide guitar. I may try it but I suspect that the tone achieved with the thumb stroke will have a different quality or tone than with my fingers. I find it difficult to practice with nails long enough to be considered picks so my finger strokes are from the fleshy finger-tips. It is something that I will explore. But I think the best way forward is to learn a modified technique of the right-hand while not compromising use of the left. I'll return to practicing in a proper position. Or I could follow Tim's rationale and buy another guitar. I think I'd like to own a Spanish Flamenco guitar anyway.

Cheers.
James

[Craig McCallum]

Ok, video time again. Got myself a new webcam and USB mic as I really wasn't happy with the sound when recording with my iPhone, and I wanted to get a better mic position anyway. I thought about just getting an iPhone mic, but figure recording on the PC will give me more flexibility going forward.

This weeks thoughts... my left hand position seems to be all over the place in these videos - it's better in part 3 when I know I'll be using all of my fingers, but I need to stop allowing myself to be lazy (I guess it wont be long until we'll need all 4 left hand fingers for all the pieces anyway, so it might become a bit academic at that point). I'm occasionally finding myself re-using my RH index fingers when I'm coming down the strings rather than always alternating as well, which I should work on stopping.

A couple of little hitches in the timing here and there - C major scale, I need to work on the diminuendo... I get louder fairly smoothly, but the quieting down happens fairly suddenly; Jig is more or less at tempo now, but could do with some smoothing out; La Tete Bizarde is still early progress, so sticking with a slow tempo and am about ready to start speeding it up.

C Major scale


Jig


La Tete Bizard


EDIT - had to re-upload the Jig (problem at YouTube's end), and now realise that I'm missing the damping exercise... I'll get that recorded and uploaded this week when I can.

[James A. Showalter]

Craig,
Your stable posture and smooth transition is very well developed. That you provide an analysis of your lessons pointing out how you would improve on them leaves a person like myself just appreciating your music. I will learn from you.
James

[James A. Showalter]

I forgot one lesson.

Here is C-Major scale:

[Angela Carter]

Here are my videos. I’m far more graceful in my head. LOL I know my left hand is flying a little and my tempo is disjointed. I am really having a hard time with La Tete Bizarde but I’ll get there.

C Major Scale

Exercise 20

Jig

La Tete Bizarde

Craig, your rhythm is enviable. So smooth

[Angela Carter]

I keep trying to remind myself that it’s only been two weeks. My expectations are a bit unrealistic.

[Yucel Kamcez]

Hi,

Have a nice day to everyone. Here are my last effort. I am aware of myself that I am not playing in their tempo properly...
Therefore "la tete bizarde" was happened a slow "lazy lizard" ...
I guess you can catch my mistakes easily.
Thank you very much.


D01 p54 n1 - Gamme de Do majeur


D01 p59 n20


Anonymous: Doucement, doucement


Anonymous: Jig


D01 p14 -- Anonyme - La tête bizarde

[Angela Carter]

Hi Yucel, I think better to be accurate than fast while you are learning. Your tempo seemed fine to me.

I do notice that your left hand flies often which I guess increases the distance the fingers have to travel to ring a note.

Also, It looks like you are missing the muting. The flowers and Xs are there to tell you when to mute the last note. It’s especially noticeable in exercise 20 which, unless I am misunderstanding, has notation to mute every note either by actual muting or by using the rest stroke. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

[Yucel Kamcez]

Hi, Angela,

I think that you are right. I missed (x)s. So, i'll try and send it again. Thank you.

[Yucel Kamcez]

.... and should i play and send all other pieces again? could you say about it, please? sincerely.

[Binh NguyenKhac]

Here are my videos. I’m far more graceful in my head. LOL I know my left hand is flying a little and my tempo is disjointed. I am really having a hard time with La Tete Bizarde but I’ll get there.

C Major Scale

Exercise 20

Jig

La Tete Bizarde

Craig, your rhythm is enviable. So smooth

Hi Angela, good job! Your left hand posture is very good, the rhythm is correct.
In my opinion:

1. You might want to change the camera from portrait to landscape and focus to your hands. The light is too dark too so I hardly see your right hand.
2. Your right hand pinky is stiff

http://www.upsieutoc.com/image/pNwdyO

Play guitar is hard but the same time effortless. Any unnecessary movements and stiff muscles should be eliminated. Your right hand should be relaxed.

Please watch this video and his right pinky:



Note his camera was placed in landscape position.
Best regards