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Fingerstyle vs Classical Right Hand position - Session 10 on the Learn and Master course.


Eduardo

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OK, so in Session 10 Steve shows us the Thumb, 1st, 2nd, 3rd finger positions for finger-style playing (my favourite style by far!) and then the PIMA system for classical work.

He talks about the Giuliani right hand exercises (I put them up in a different thread, they're available online for free), and says they're a really good resource.

According to standard fingerstyle, the thumb hits the bottom three (EAD) strings where the 1st finger takes care of G, 2nd takes care of B and the 3rd takes care of E. At least until the end of Session 10. Maybe things get substantially more complicated than that later on! However, in Giuliani's studies (check out study 4, attached) the right hand moves up and down the guitar body and the thumb (p)  hits the bottom note of each triplet, whatever string it's on, and the 1st and 2nd fingers (i and m) take care of the 2nd and third notes in each triplet, irrespective of the string that they're on. So in the first group of notes, C-E-G, it's p (thumb) on the C (5th string - A), i (1) on the E (4th string - D) and m (2) on the G, (3rd string, G). Effectively, the 1st and 2nd fingers have moved physically upwards (down in pitch) a string each.

So, my question is this. If we're aiming for good fingerstyle technique, should we do this as Giuliani indicates or should we stick to "standard" and keep the thumb working the bottom three strings and leave the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers on the G,B, and E strings respectively?

If it's really hard to follow what I've tried to explain, then check out the photo. I pencilled in TT1, T12, etc above the notes to show what I mean by the standard right hand fingering.

Incidentally, if anyone wants to know what P-I-M-A stands for, it's "pulgar" (thumb) "índice" (index) "medio" (middle) and "anular" (ring) in Spanish. I wish I could say that the Spanish invented the guitar but it was supposed to be the Arabs who brought it to Spain, like the Alhambra and the Mezquita of Córdoba...

Thanks for your answers guys. I hope I haven't opened a can of worms.

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@Eduardo It's not important that the thumb stay on the three low strings, unless the music calls for it. It's important that the thumb does what you want it to do. Session 10 is a toe dip into the shallowest water of fingerstyle and classical. You can't go wrong with advice from Mauro Guiliani or, say, Christopher Parkening.

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It never hurts to work on a technique that pushes you. I have explored some of the exercises myself. 

For myself I play a lot of fingerstyle which is mostly me winging it, and it still sounds great. On the other hand I would not call my technique precise. If you want just a certain sound you need be precise. If you want to play Stairway to Heaven then there is a very specific path to follow. I know because I have the Led Zeppelin Box Set Authentic Guitar Tab which shows the magic. I took the time to learn the fingerstyle for Stairway along with the 6 other sections, it was challenging and great fun to hear that sound come from my guitar. 

Steve taught me several other fingerstyle songs including If, Hallelujah, and Dust in the Wind. 

I play fingerstyle to change up song sections too. 

Have fun with it!

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@Eduardo Do what works best for you.  Nuances and techniques of finger style are scattered all over the board.  Thumb and 1 finger, thumb and 2 fingers, along with the ‘standard’ thumb and 3 fingers have worked for many artists.  I personally favor the ‘standard’ only to stabilize my right hand and allow me to focus on what the music is asking of me.  A good example is an alternating base groove (with muted palm for that trademark thump) with a busy melody on finger style blues.  
 

So just enjoy the ride,

Bryan
 

 

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