tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-191952706132840163.post5870248173464588270..comments2023-04-25T23:46:07.460-04:00Comments on Building A Better Right Hand: Impasse?Tom Poorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08153348883423482697noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-191952706132840163.post-27745865147913011112011-07-27T18:11:45.208-04:002011-07-27T18:11:45.208-04:00Hey, have you considered getting yourself some pri...Hey, have you considered getting yourself some private lessons? I know you already have a degree and all, but I don't see anything written about you consulting with another guitarist at or above your level to see if he can diagnose you better than you can diagnose yourself.<br /><br />Also, have you considered a comprehensive strength training program which includes hand strength training on Captains of Crush (or similar high-quality grippers)?<br /><br />I think the role of domain-specific physical strength is often overlooked for musicians.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-191952706132840163.post-40364780278595013282011-07-26T17:21:57.364-04:002011-07-26T17:21:57.364-04:00On the point about a seamless transition between t...On the point about a seamless transition between two states, you may find benefit in thinking about overlap between two distinct modes of operation instead of a fixed point of transition. For example, a man can sing a melody in his normal or in falsetto, but in practice chooses one or the other depending on the musical line that is to be taken. The same idea could apply to the right hand across a range of tempi: choose the mode that fits the line.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06174918931417581117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-191952706132840163.post-71171911030583193362011-07-25T23:20:58.819-04:002011-07-25T23:20:58.819-04:00Tom,
I feel your pain. Looking over your posts, I...Tom,<br />I feel your pain. Looking over your posts, I can tell your approach is intelligent and thoughtful, but it doesn't seem to be particularly fruitful yet. A couple of random observations:<br />-One doesn't accelerate the growth of a tree by tugging at its branches. I think the speed bursts are not helping you at this point. They may later, but for now I think you need weeks away from speed work, and rather just concentrate on ease and mechanical fluency.<br /><br />-While my scale speed is not in the GFA winner category, when I work at it, I can play 16ths in the 140-150 range. I had a hard ceiling of 120 for years, and it only went away when I stopped working for speed, and concentrated instead on simplicity in movement and proprioception, eliminating all extra tension. ALSO, when I first found I had speed I didn't have before, I could only play things fast that musically required it. Scale runs in Invocation and Dance and the Aranjuez come to mind. This being said, I wonder if your very analytic approach needs some tempering with some meter, agogic and musical inflection. Perhaps some of the Tarrega single line studies?<br /><br />good luck,<br /><br />Steve BondySteve Bondyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05218490771269759519noreply@blogger.com