Let us start with a few questions first: What is guitartechnique? For who is guitartechnique? When do you need guitartechnique?
What is Guitartechnique?
Anything we play on the guitar where we use our left-or right hand I consider as guitartechnique. Think of playing with a plectrum, using the fingers of your right hand, playing chords, playing hammer-ons/pull-offs with the left hand, slurs and slides etc. All of these movements of the hand are considered as guitartechnique, and all of them need to be carefully developed one by one.
Who needs Guitartechnique?
Anyone who wants to make sounds coming from a guitar, simple eh?!
When do you need Guitartechnique?
Any musical idea [ a riff, a chordsequence, a simple single string melody etc.] you may want to play on the guitar requires some form of technique. The truth is you ALWAYS need SOME technique to play the guitar. Another truth is: You can ALWAYS IMPROVE your guitarPLAYING no matter how experienced you are. The conclusion from what is mentioned above is that guitartechnique is part of your overal development as a guitarplayer and a musician. The process of improvement never stops, it can be enjoyed if nurtured with the right approach.
The Approach
When it comes to guitarlessons and the learning of new guitar-and musical related ideas I find it helpful to approach the process with an attitude like this: “I am starting all over again with the guitar and making music” I pretend not too know too much, and anything I am introduced to is new to me. This approach, at least in my experience, helps me to keep things fresh and makes it able to rethink what I already know. It also helps to see my own guitarplaying from another angle. I will explain a lot of this later on in future blogs, will also add a lot of playingexamples you can use for your own guitarplaying, for now I only want to set the pace of the blog and introduce you to the bigger picture of your guitarplaying, your learning process and the development of your musical skills in general.
The Process
When it comes to learning to play the guitar everyone goes through a similar process– whether you are a pro-minded musician or play guitar just as a hobby–most people stuggle in the beginning with the co-ordination of hand and fingers: It may be difficult to change from one chord to another, playing across the strings may feel awkward for your wrist, some fretted notes may not sound at all whilst being pressed down etc. All of these “problems” are very common, and anyone who plays the guitar has experienced them at some point in their life [including myself!!] At some point, usually after a lot of years of playing, the problems mentioned above “disappear” or your fingers simply get better at “feeling their way around the fretboard on the guitar” It is my personal belief that a lot of problems related to guitartechnique can be solved a lot quicker. I also believe you can ENJOY your playing from day one when you start out with the guitar and your guitarlessons. You really should, as this is the only way to survive as a guitarplayer. In the next few entries about guitartechique it is my intention to break down any particular techniqual problem related to guitarplaying and to provide you with plenty of exercises and analysis to help yourself and improve your playing. For the next blog I will break down the fingering of the left hand — the main issue of concern — will talk a lot less! and start playing more!!
Stay Tuned, Eddie