Building A Better Right Hand: October 2 Video Update

[augusti...@yahoo.com]

http://betterrighthand.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-2-2011-video-update.html

Tom Poore
South Euclid, OH
USA

[Cactus Wren]

On Oct 2, 1:36 pm, "augustinere...@yahoo.com"
<augustinere...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> http://betterrighthand.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-2-2011-video-upda...

>
> Tom Poore
> South Euclid, OH
> USA

That the road to playing quickly is to play lightly is not a buried
revelation--it is CG doctrine! Philip Hii's book and Brower/Fisk's
book about scales are based upon it. You are reinventing the wheel...

[Cactus Wren]

Speak of El Diablo, I just read this on Christopher Davis' blog.

"CG: Do you have a one, most important tip for aspiring guitarists?
What is it? What are some other tips?

Philip Hii: I think the most important advice I can give is lightness
of touch. Many people play too hard. You don’t need to exert all that
force. All you need to do is caress the guitar strings gently. I
always say, imagine yourself stroking a cat. Once you master the light
touch, you can use it to achieve incredible speed and create
effortless power. If there’s one quality that defines virtuosity, it’s
lightness of touch.

Another tip is rhythm. Rhythm is really the key to control and
expression. Most of us don’t give it much thought, and we end up
rushing through our performances, or if we have the control, we play
too mechanically, without any subtlety or swing. Rhythm is crucial, of
course, for the control it gives us, but it’s also a great expressive
device."

[augusti...@yahoo.com]

Cactus Wren wrote:

> That the road to playing quickly is to play lightly is not a buried
> revelation--it is CG doctrine! Philip Hii's book and Brower/Fisk's
> book about scales are based upon it. You are reinventing the wheel...

The Brouwer book offers nary a word of advice on how to
develop speed.

> Philip Hii: I think the most important advice I can give is lightness
> of touch. Many people play too hard. You don’t need to exert all
> that force. All you need to do is caress the guitar strings gently.
> I always say, imagine yourself stroking a cat. Once you master
> the light touch, you can use it to achieve incredible speed and

> create effortless power. If there’s one quality that defines vir-

> tuosity, it’s lightness of touch.

Before I reply to this, consider the following scenario. A stu-
dent is playing a piece, and is clipping notes by the truckload.
After finishing, his teacher points out that the student isn't
really listening to what he's playing.

"Whaddaya mean I'm not listening?" retorts the student. "I'm
not deaf!"

The teacher is right. But he's going about it in the wrong way.
His comment is too vague, and implies that the student is
stupid. Instead, he needs to chip away at the problem in
small steps, directing the student's attention to specific de-
tails of the student's playing. (Having the student listen to
a recording of himself is one good approach.)

Much of what Hii says in the above quote is correct. But
by itself, it may be meaningless to a student who can't play
fast. It's too vague to be of practical use. And some of it is
more poetic than illuminating. His example of stroking a
cat simply misses the mark--it's not at all applicable to
the guitar. In fact, it's flat wrong: anyone who's stroked
a cat knows that cats often like something more than
a light touch.

> You are reinventing the wheel...

If the wheel isn't described in sufficient detail, then one
has no choice but to reinvent it. For example, if one in-
vents the wheel, but reports his invention to others by
simply saying "it's round," then there's no guarantee that
others will be able to replicate the invention. They might
come up with anything from a beach ball to a manhole
cover.

The devil is in the details.

[Slogoin]

On Oct 3, 9:34 am, "augustinere...@yahoo.com"

<augustinere...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Much of what Hii says in the above quote is correct. But
> by itself, it may be meaningless to a student who can't play
> fast. It's too vague to be of practical use. And some of it is
> more poetic than illuminating. His example of stroking a
> cat simply misses the mark--it's not at all applicable to
> the guitar. In fact, it's flat wrong: anyone who's stroked
> a cat knows that cats often like something more than
> a light touch.

Woosh!

You might want to rethink the idea that poetry is not illuminating
when it come to talking about music. So much of what we say is about
our internal world not the external "facts" as a scientist might see
them. The recent comment by Stanley about the "weight" used in
fretting is a good example.

[2cts]

On Mon, 3 Oct 2011 06:34:41 -0700 (PDT), augusti...@yahoo.com wrote:

> If the wheel...

You might consider that the only way to speed is

to patiently OPTIMIZE EACH Detail time and again

of the "movement" of the entire body including mind.

For instance, consider the total difference when playing
notes on the same string vs. 2 adjacent strings. There is
no way to everything by doing "seven at one blow" anyhow.

There is no other way except for rather young children...

[2cts]

On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 22:23:44 -0700 (PDT), Cactus Wren wrote:

> Philip Hii: I think the most important advice I can give is lightness
> of touch. Many people play too hard. You don’t need to exert all that
> force.

Yes, but nevertheless does one NEED force, i.e. muscles, at first...

[Lutemann]

On Oct 2, 11:35 pm, Cactus Wren <elegantspanishgui...@gmail.com>
wrote:

Cactus, I think what light playing does is allow the fingers to move
naturally. When you play slowly and lightly, the natural return is
allowed to break through. It looks to me (and it's just a hunch) that
Poore is plodding along running the extensors against the flexors.

[Slogoin]

On Oct 3, 10:22 am, Lutemann <lutem...@aol.com> wrote:

> Poore is plodding along running the extensors against the flexors.

Plodding being the operative word; no gesture and still strapped to
the metronome for dear life.

Sadly I can't see how he'll ever get the feel of playing without
plodding as he just keeps practicing it that way and never even tries
to learn fast musical gestures. Too much thinking, not enough feeling.

[2cts]

On Mon, 3 Oct 2011 07:22:23 -0700 (PDT), Lutemann wrote:

> Cactus, I think what light playing does is allow the fingers
> to move naturally.

But what does "naturally" exactly mean!?

A high jumper jumps up to 2,45 meters high and this looks very
easy, elegant, naturally, etc... But this comes only after one
builds the many little muscles a bit in order to do so. Another
example is when nice little girls do floor exercises with all
these many double and triple somersaults etc. I also saw you on
one of your videos playing the banjo pretty elegant, but as you
weren't developing all your muscles up to yet, you unfornately
cannot do all these somersaults mentioned above at all or even
elegantly or naturally UNTIL you develop the required muscles
quite a bit... But "we" can do! ;)

Also: looking at and watching the "extensors and the flexors"
of a high diver, say, does not allow you to tell whether he is
high class or middle class in the same way as you cannot "see"
whether one has got perfect pitch or not...

[Cactus Wren]

On Oct 3, 6:34 am, "augustinere...@yahoo.com"

Tom, I appreciate your taking the time to respond. However, Brower's
book is in fact highly relevant to developing touch--and speed. Touch
is preliminary to speed and you lack it. You can learn it. You need
to spend some time just working on it and really using your ears.
Brouwer's book can help guide you in this. Philip Hii understands
something important about teaching--you cannot move your student's
hands for them. You must use whatever means you can to try to
transmit your experience to them, to teach the unteachable. The feel
is more important than anatomy and leverage and muscle type. We
cannot control our bodies by verbal/analytical micro-instruction; we
must use feel, which is kinaesthetic sense that we all have, but often
suppress.

The proper approach for one who does not know, such as yourself, to
learn from someone who does know--from them--is not to criticize or
question them but to try to break your mind open and try again to
understand. It is the parable of the full tea cup. They are trying
to help you. So don't resist. Try again... This is how you can
achieve your goals. Add it to your admirable work ethic and you will
succeed.

[Lutemann]

Yea, he doesn't really listen to anybody who might be able to help
him. It looks like he got rid of the straight 'i' finger, but his
fingers move as if they were made of cement. (Tom, I hope you don't
mind if we talk about you as though you were not in the room.)

[Lutemann]

> succeed.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Cacus says, "You must use whatever means you can to try to

transmit your experience to them, to teach the unteachable. The feel
is more important than anatomy and leverage and muscle type. We
cannot control our bodies by verbal/analytical micro-instruction; we
must use feel, which is kinaesthetic sense that we all have, but
often
suppress. "

Well put. With beginners who have been taught an efficient finger
position from the start, you usually only have to say, "now lightly
alternate i,m on the 2nd string as fast as you can" and they crank it
up to a continuous 140 mm. And then you tell them to remember that
feelling. Next you have them work on open string crossing exercises -
the trick is to not involve the left hand or reading music in this
game. I'm repeating a story here, but I had a guy in his thirties
from this list visit me when I taught in Louisiana. He wanted to know
what the ballistic motion thing was all about. I told him the above
and it just worked for him. He was lucky. It won't "just work" for
Tom.

[Matt Faunce]

Tom, were you improvising at the end of that video, or was that pre-written music?

I can't remember if I broke down the reason for suggesting Juan Martín's Farruca Falseta. That 8th note triplet can be stretched out all the way to taking up a quarter note, or condensed to a 16 or less. *see next paragraph* You can choose from the whole range. Condense it when if feels good and expand it when you think you might otherwise force it. Take that motif and use it in your improvisations. That freedom based on how you feel is one reason I advocate improvising. In other words, with improvisation you aren't railroaded into playing something you don't feel ready for, so you are less likely to "force it." Forcing it (I think you know this but I'll say it anyway) is when your muscles work against each other when you want them to work together.

Here's the motif. The aaa is the triplet at the end of the measure, and the following a is the first note of the next measure, and the target note. These are the the same tone. The x's are any tones and rhythms. A crescendo toward the target note would probably be helpful.

x x x aaa|a x x x

2ct is right about developing muscles. And I think you understand this. You need to both develop your muscles and develop a light touch.

There is nothing wrong with your use of the metronome (contrary to what the angry white male in this group says). You were nailing the beat every 8 or 16 but loose as a goose in between. Good.

Those runs at the end of your descending scales seemed fairly fast. Is this a sign of improvement? Or did you have this all along?

Matt

[himme...@verizon.net]

Here we go again with the legendary beginners who can alternate at 140
bpm! What age group are these wonderful naifs? How many lessons have
they had? Is it rest or free stroke they are executing so fluently?
And how many such beginners have you worked with?

I've taught maybe 100 to 150 absolute novices in my 25 years of
teaching. I am familiar and conversant with the principles of
efficient finger motion. (My college guitar pedagogy textbook was an
advance copy of Shearer's Learning the Classic Guitar that was given
to my pedagogy professor, n. Goluses) I have had some students who
develop such amazing alternation, but it was not while they were
beginners! Maybe it's because I start many students at age 5-7.

But I really feel that this is a bit far-fetched and would like to
hear more about it.

S

[2cts]

On Mon, 3 Oct 2011 13:19:53 -0700 (PDT), Matt Faunce wrote:

> x x x aaa|a x x x

Yep, exercising triplets is always one very important key - because it
ensures to put the accent on either finger rotatorily, e.g. on i and m:

like |: x x x | x x x :|

[2cts]

On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 13:36:20 -0700 (PDT), augusti...@yahoo.com wrote:

> http://betterrighthand.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-2-2011-video-update.html

Hey Tom, in case you do not already do so, please do me this
favour: close your eyes during your exercises as often and as
permanently as possible and see what happens in front of your
"inner screen" - you should try to "imagine and see" what your
body is doing. In case this feels uncomfortably to you in the
beginning be sure this will pass by quickly. This alone could
do you kind of a revolution time by time.

[Matt Faunce]

I'm glad you said that, because it reminded me that it's also useful to practice quintuplets, for the same reason you gave.

Either |:x x x x x|x x x x x:|

or as my example above:

x x x aaaaa|a x x x

Incidentally, in the specific Falseta I was referring to, a quadruplet would ensure you are starting on the alternate finger each time. This is because the triplet makes the total notes in the measure even. Or you could eliminate one of the other notes in the measure. Or you might want to reinforce the same motion over the whole exercise, so not alternate which finger starts the triplet.

It was speed exercises where I first developed my sense of the more complex meters of 5, 7, or 9 over 2. (Mostly because I didn't want to adjust the metronome when switching to m and a. I bet that's fairly common.)

Matt

[2cts]

Matt Faunce wrote:

> 2ct is right about developing muscles

So, how long can anyone play "things"

like |: 4342 | 4140 :| (which even employs an "empty finger")

eg. on a single string - 3 minutes, 30 seconds, 20 secs?

Does one improve that one with developing muscles?

rgds

[Lutemann]

On Oct 3, 3:46 pm, "himmelh...@verizon.net" <himmelh...@verizon.net>
wrote:

> S- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

By beginners I mean people who have played for several months, By
playing continuosly at 140 mm, I mean on one string, free stroke. This
does not translate into playing scales at 140 mm, but it is where I
think you must start. I'm not the only one who says these kinds of
things, BTW.

[himme...@verizon.net]

Understood, Kent, but what ages? Also, who else is saying this?
Anyone else on RMCG? I haven't run into them in my travels to
teaching workshops in many states.. Learnwell, Kevin T., Douglas S.,
what say you? Anyone else?

S

[2cts]

Lutemann wrote:

> By playing continuosly at 140 mm, I mean on one string, free stroke

BTW...: this one is MUCHOS more than HARD stroke... of course, now,
so the call it free one stroke... hopefully you are much free too...

[Cactus Wren]

On Oct 3, 7:05 pm, "himmelh...@verizon.net" <himmelh...@verizon.net>

Philip Hii (I know, I'm wearing his name out), writes that if the
conditions are present, you may reach fluency in a few months, but if
they are not, you will not reach them at all.

I don't think Kent's statement is far-fetched. Can you wiggle your
fingers in the air at 140? Then can you transplant that to the
guitar? Yes, it will sound terrible, but I think this could be done
in a few months. It contravenes typical CG training that places
precision and tone above fluency and rhythm.

[Matt Faunce]

On Monday, October 3, 2011 8:39:14 PM UTC-4, 2cts wrote:
> Matt Faunce wrote:
>
> > 2ct is right about developing muscles
>
> So, how long can anyone play "things"
>
> like |: 4342 | 4140 :| (which even employs an "empty finger")
>
> eg. on a single string - 3 minutes, 30 seconds, 20 secs?

Well over five minutes. I do a more difficult exercise, sustained for five minutes.

> Does one improve that one with developing muscles?

Yes. And it helps in ways you might not realize. Your accuracy and expression will improve.

DaveA and I had a debate about this. In this thread, the 40th post, I give an example of an exercise I use sometimes which I find very useful. It's worth comparing to DaveA's way.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.music.classical.guitar/power$20slurs$20Matt/rec.music.classical.guitar/Xtlmc3wSwWg/Q2R5jd4kh24J

Here's my example again:
************************************************
Here's an example of my slur exercise.

For 3rd finger: On string one, anchor fingers 2 & 4 on F# and G#. With
the 3rd finger play D–B Bb–G over and over up to 5 minutes. (start at
30 secs and over the weeks work your way up to 5 mins.) The idea is to
anchor the adjacent fingers as you trill with the one you're working
on.

For the 4th finger: Anchor 3 on an A (3rd string) and 2 on C (2nd
string), trill with 4, G–E D–C over and over.

I capo the sixth fret when I do these. You can move up the neck, and/
or change the notes you're anchoring to get different sounds, thus
making it musical, which is a huge motivating factor.
************************************************

Matt

[Lutemann]

On Oct 3, 9:05 pm, "himmelh...@verizon.net" <himmelh...@verizon.net>

Himmelhoch,

Provost, Hii and Cactus will confirm (more or less) what I'm saying.
If you e-mail me at kmur...@jaguar1.usouthal.edu, I will e-mail you
a sample of a 60+ year old beginner and you can judge for yourself.
The reason that I (conditionally ) advocate starting students with
pick style is so that they won't lose their natural fluency. As a
teacher, you can't control what they do outside the studio. I would
like to see someone try this idea out. I don't have time right now.
The idea is to start the student out with a pick for the first three
or four months (or year, ir you want) and develop a solid left hand.
The left hand development would use the upright bass 4th finger system
in the beginning. Over these beginning months the right hand would be
worked on only in the lesson under the careful eye of the teacher.

[Slogoin]

On Oct 3, 10:53 pm, Cactus Wren <elegantspanishgui...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> It contravenes typical CG training that places
> precision and tone above fluency and rhythm.

Both work together but many sacrifice one for the other. Again it's
balance that matters. Perhaps the most difficult part of playing CG is
creating clear polyphony which is rarely mentioned whereas we get a
lot of interest in learning the "effects" we can do like tremolo,
arpeggios and scales.

To do polyphony correctly takes some interesting mental juggling.
The interesting part is where your "eyes" are when you juggle. You
don't track one ball at a time just like when playing polyphony your
mental attention has to be between voices but always shifting the
balance to bring out the symmetries. You can't let any voice fail to
make sense to any listener tracking that voice.

[Douglas Seth]

On Oct 3, 10:05 pm, "himmelh...@verizon.net" <himmelh...@verizon.net>

Hi Seth,
Well, it is possible and I have had a few students execute i/m
alternation, quickly on one string right away, but it seems to be the
exception not the rule. I think it has far more to do with the
student than the teacher in many ways. The students I have had that
could alternate quickly right after I introduced it tend to have a
common trait. They were more athletic and seemed to be able to make
their body respond more reliably than others. And, they were older.
I have never seen someone really young do this, meaning under 12. Of
course, I am sure there are plenty of 12 and unders that after
watching Sponge Bob can do it. Personally, I haven't seen it. No
need to post the North Korean girl, I know it can be done. IMO, fast
alternation isn't going to happen right away for 99% of people. They
are going to have to do the same tried and true exercises that
everyone has to do to play fast. The double edged sword is--if you do
these exercises wrong, you will really screw up your technique and
never do it.

[Slogoin]

On Oct 3, 10:53 pm, Cactus Wren <elegantspanishgui...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Philip Hii (I know, I'm wearing his name out), writes that if the

> conditions are present, you may reach fluency in a few months, but if
> they are not, you will not reach them at all.

I've taught a lot of people to juggle. Some get it right away others
take a long time. One of the "secrets" to learning something is
emersion in it for an extended period. Obsession can be directed to
good things. Those who stretch it out work many more hours learning
and relearning to get to where it feels automatic.

A great lesson for kids is when I juggle as we sing Sol-Fa tunes.
You really notice when I get off and the kids laughs like crazy. I
think it's important for teachers to show student their own limits. :-)

[Douglas Seth]

On Oct 3, 10:53 pm, Cactus Wren <elegantspanishgui...@gmail.com>

> precision and tone above fluency and rhythm.- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

This is like Shearer's logic. If you can tap your fingers on a table,
you can play fast scales. One problem, the resistance of the
string!:) Everyone would be playing fast scales if it were this
easy. The light touch that Hii speaks of and you mentioned is
profound. One can make the movement with the fingers, feel the
resistance of the string, without adding the tension of powerfully
going through the string which is the deal breaker for most people.
Concentrating on the follow through of the rest stroke instead of the
point of attack is the most common mistake that slows people down,
IMO. Hii's writing is esoteric, but illuminating. He is right on
about so many things!

[himme...@verizon.net]

On Oct 4, 9:15 am, Douglas Seth <douglasse...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Hi Seth,
> Well, it is possible and I have had a few students execute i/m
> alternation, quickly on one string right away, but it seems to be the
> exception not the rule.  

Hey Doug,

This is my point!

I think it has far more to do with the
> student than the teacher in many ways.  The students I have had that
> could alternate quickly right after I introduced it tend to have a
> common trait.  They were more athletic and seemed to be able to make
> their body respond more reliably than others.  And, they were older.
> I have never seen someone really young do this, meaning under 12.  Of
> course, I am sure there are plenty of 12 and unders that after
> watching Sponge Bob can do it.  Personally, I haven't seen it.  No
> need to post the North Korean girl, I know it can be done.  IMO, fast
> alternation isn't going to happen right away for 99% of people.  They
> are going to have to do the same tried and true exercises that
> everyone has to do to play fast.  The double edged sword is--if you do
> these exercises wrong, you will really screw up your technique and
> never do it.

Thanks for your perspective, this makes more sense in my experience.

S

[Cactus Wren]

I agree! Today I was noticing how when I pronate my hand for tone,
the i and m interfere with each other, thus making alternation
clumsy. If I attack more straight on, the fingers move more freely,
but with a brightness of tone I'm not always looking for. To go even
faster, I have to open my hand using an extended pinky, which adds
some strain, but frees i and m from each other. Another compromise.

I have been messing around with simple Sor and Giuliani pieces and
paying attention to the mental process of "imaging" the music before I
play it. It is awfully hard to pay attention to both lines. There
does seem to be a switching process going on. And when I play, I
pretty much have to relegate one line to instinct and muscle memory.

[Cactus Wren]

It's not a logical thing, but more of an approach to get the gesture.
Switching back between flapping the fingers and then trying to do it
on the guitar. IMO, there's something to be gained from this
approach. You just have to adjust to the resistance being there. I'm
not saying it's going to make you sound like Paco immediately, of
course.

[Douglas Seth]

On Oct 4, 1:15 pm, "himmelh...@verizon.net" <himmelh...@verizon.net>
wrote:

Your welcome. Since Tom mentioned ami scales in his post. I thought
i would test out my new zoom video camera for a little video talking
about this scale fingering. It is pretty impromptu and raw. My dogs
are even barking in the video! But it does demonstrate ami scales for
all who are interested. For a limited time only.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmI2wxkkQlU


Doug

[Lutemann]

> about so many things!- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Seth says, "This is like Shearer's logic. If you can tap your fingers

on a table,
you can play fast scales. "

I don't think Shearer ever said this. He did say the opposite of this
to me once.

[Douglas Seth]

At some point in the past year, there was a thread on RMCG, talking
about this. Comparing the ability to tap your fingers on a table to
prove one has the capablitiy to play fast scales. Maybe I am
mistaken...

[Slogoin]

On Oct 4, 3:06 pm, Douglas Seth <douglasse...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Since Tom mentioned ami scales in his post.  I thought
> i would test out my new zoom video camera for a little video talking
> about this scale fingering.  It is pretty impromptu and raw.  My dogs
> are even barking in the video!  But it does demonstrate ami scales for
> all who are interested.  For a limited time only.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmI2wxkkQlU

Camera works fine and your demo was pretty good for a test. Of
course ami scales go way back before any of the guys you mention. My
teacher was a scale maestro with great power and clarity. I have not
heard many who can do what he did but then he used to play with this
guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRaSjmAzwOA&feature=related

Not too shabby a player, eh?

[Cactus Wren]

I think that was mentioned by Tom, but I don't recall his attributing
it to Shearer.

[himme...@verizon.net]

i never said that.

S

[Matt Faunce]

On Monday, October 3, 2011 11:34:37 PM UTC-4, Matt Faunce wrote:
>
> Here's my example again:
> ************************************************
> Here's an example of my slur exercise.
>
> For 3rd finger: On string one, anchor fingers 2 & 4 on F# and G#. With
> the 3rd finger play D–B Bb–G over and over up to 5 minutes. (start at
> 30 secs and over the weeks work your way up to 5 mins.) The idea is to
> anchor the adjacent fingers as you trill with the one you're working
> on.
>
> For the 4th finger: Anchor 3 on an A (3rd string) and 2 on C (2nd
> string), trill with 4, G–E D–C over and over.
>
> I capo the sixth fret when I do these. You can move up the neck, and/
> or change the notes you're anchoring to get different sounds, thus
> making it musical, which is a huge motivating factor.
> ************************************************

I've applied the same principle to my right hand by repeating straight eighth notes throwing in triplet, sextuplet, or 12 note burst fairly often.

I used to do a lot of highway driving so I bought a baritone ukulele which sat on my lap with the neck in the crook of my left arm (I steer with my left hand) Then I'd do this sustained right hand work. It yielded great results, my expression was so much more free.

It was good for me, but it might not be for Tom or someone else. But it developed the muscles.

Matt

[wollybird]

you didn't have dead people in the back did you?

[Matt Faunce]

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011 7:23:49 PM UTC-4, wollybird wrote:

I didn't then. I do everyday these days though.

Matt

[Douglas Seth]

On Oct 4, 6:55 pm, "himmelh...@verizon.net" <himmelh...@verizon.net>

He was talking to me. The other Seth. I think Cactus is right, Tom
might have said it, a Shearer disciple.

[Douglas Seth]

I know that others did ami scales before Hii, but he really took them
to the next level. If your teacher was a flamenco player like Mario,
why don't you play flamenco? What did he teach you about scales? I
enjoyed the video.

[2cts]

Funny! I love that.

> It was good for me, but it might not be for Tom or someone else. But it developed the muscles.

Great!

[2cts]

wollybird wrote:

>> I used to do a lot of highway driving so I bought a baritone ukulele which sat on my lap with the neck in the crook of my left arm (I steer with my left hand) Then I'd do this sustained right hand work. It yielded great results, my expression was so much more free.
>>
>> It was good for me, but it might not be for Tom or someone else. But it developed the muscles.
>>
>> Matt
>
> you didn't have dead people in the back did you?

Which one is more dangerous: tapping fingers on your knee or on ukulele?

[Lutemann]

People keep mentioning resistance as a factor, but you have to ask
yourself why this resistance isn't at work when you play, say, a
repeated 'i' or 'm' finger? One can easily play a continuous 'i'
finger at 140mm, two notes to the click. I think the problem is not
resistance but the ability allow the natural return of one finger
while the other is flexing.

[2cts]

Lutemann wrote:

> People keep mentioning resistance as a factor

It's the same "factor" that Kung Fu fighters overcome, when
they smash a stack of bricks - but it is another thing how or
whether one is experiencing this as a problem or as a resistance.

After they have learned to "forget" this "factor" they just
smash the stack without feeling resistance - it is even the
opposite: if they stumble too much because of fearing this
"factor" they tend to break their hand... Of course, they need
muscles and require training before they can smash the pile.

> I think the problem is not resistance

Same with me - I haven't got this problem.

[Matt Faunce]

On Wednesday, October 5, 2011 5:20:30 AM UTC-4, (unknown) wrote:
>
> Which one is more dangerous: tapping fingers on your knee or on ukulele?

Any repetitive motion is dangerous, but the more tension you have when doing it the more dangerous. I never bothered with the knee tapping. There was a tread a while back where I mentioned how a greater difference in finger length between i and m makes it more difficult to go fast. And JPD gave a better analysis of that.

In short: When playing on a real string you're hand position is different than when knee tapping. And if there is a difference of length between i and m, each finger tip will be attacking the string from a different downward angle.

Most people use tension to maintain accuracy. The idea is to lose the unnecessary tension. 2cts Kung Fu analagy is excellent!

Matt

[2cts]

Yes, of course.

Anyhow, I just meant, "dangerous" with respect to the road trffic/safety ;)

[Matt Faunce]

On Wednesday, October 5, 2011 12:59:13 PM UTC-4, (unknown) wrote:
>
> Yes, of course.
>
> Anyhow, I just meant, "dangerous" with respect to the road trffic/safety ;)

Oh. My eyes never leave the road and my left hand never has to leave the wheel. Even when city driving, when I make a turn the neck of the uke just slides down my arm but never falls off. The attention to repetitive motion/sound is about the same as listening to the radio, and less than conversing with your passenger.

Here's the dangerous part: With cops looking for seat belt infractions they'll see the uke. That's the main reason I only do it on the highway.

Matt

[Slogoin]

On Oct 4, 8:07 pm, Douglas Seth <douglasse...@gmail.com> wrote:

> If your teacher was a flamenco player like Mario,
> why don't you play flamenco?

He was working with Tomas when I started with him and he was
interested in polyphonic music. Tomas was into his 8 string polyphony
and the approach was different. He didn't teach flamenco and felt it
was not good to work on while working to get his polyphonic tone
technique perfected, which was no have no extra musical sounds at all
and to control the balance of the voices.

> What did he teach you about scales?

We did a lot of scales. We used Pujol for things like scales in
3rds, 6ths and octaves but he extended a lot of the studies and we
messed around with them doing all kinds of patterns together. I did
the jazz work to understand the geometry and ran into ami scales from
that direction before I'd studied CG. Mostly I just learned to play
scales like he did and touch the strings the same way. Words were not
that important but sound was.

[Steve Freides]

augusti...@yahoo.com wrote:
> http://betterrighthand.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-2-2011-video-update.html

>
> Tom Poore
> South Euclid, OH
> USA

Why do you position your right arm so that you have to move it when you
play the lower strings? Doesn't it make more sense to have more bend in
your wrist so that you can reach everything. Holding my right hand like
that would drive me crazy.

-S-

[2cts]

Steve Freides wrote:

> augusti...@yahoo.com wrote
>> ...

> Why do you position your right arm so that you have
> to move it when you play the lower strings?

I know that - not enough muscle in the wrist... ;)

> Doesn't it make more sense to have more bend in your wrist
> so that you can reach everything.

Would probably be "more optimal".

> Holding my right hand like that would drive me crazy.

LOL...