CommonMisunderstandingsinLeftHandtechnique(Parts2and3)by

KevinRGallagher
YoutubeVideo
Part2UnderstandingLeftHand"Support"anditsUses
Simplyput,"support"impliesthatthestringsareeitherheldinplaceorpushed
slightly
towardsthe
6thstringwiththearm/wrist.Supportisusedwhenfingersareindangerofmutingadjacent
stringsinchords,orwhenweareperformingdownwardslurs.Symptomsof"nonsupport"are:
mutedstringsinchords,difficultdownwardslurs,the1ststringfallingoffthefretboard,overarching
wrist,etc.

Giulianiop.48#2

LlobetTestamentDAmelia

SorOpus35#3

ScarlattiSonataK11(Segoviaed.)

Part3Playingonthetips"andbeingclosetothefretwire
Thelefthandtechniqueisverydynamic.Althoughagoodruleofthumbistoplayonthetipsofthe
fingers,manytimesitisuncomfortableandimpracticaltodoso.Whenweareplayingbass,
middle,andmelodylinestogether,oftenthetipscannotbeusedoneverynote.Tryingtoplayon
thetipsofthefingersatalltimescreatesunnecessarystrainonthewristanddifficultyinthe
technique.
Thegeneralruleofthumbisthisifyouneedanadjacentstringtovibrate,playmoreonthetips,
butifyoudontneedanadjacentstringtovibrate,allowthefingertorestontheadjacentstring.
Restingyourfingersononnonvibratingstringsisasmuchpartofgoodtechniqueasisplayingon
thetips.

J.S.BachBoureeinEminor

FrescobaldiAriaconVariazioni(Segovia)

DifficultstretchesarealsohelpedbyNOTplayingonthetipsofthefingers.
BarriosLaCatedral(movement2)

AnotheraspectofgoodLeftHandTechniqueisrecognizingwhenyoudontneedtoplayasclose
aspossibletothefretwire.Thisinnocentguidelineoftencreatesunnecessarydifficultyforplayers
whotrytofollowtheruletotheletter.Wherethefingerisplacedonthefretcanvarygreatly,as
longasthereisenoughpressureonthefretwiretomakethetoneclean.Herearesome
examples..

AlbenizGranada

SorOp.29#13

Thankyouforlistening.Iwishyoumuchsuccessinyourpracticeandunderstandingofthis
magnificentartformKevinR.Gallagher

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