Left-hand technical studies

[Stu Foley]

Hi All,

I'd like to incorporate some direct and purely technical drills to tidy up my fretting hand. Has anybody any views on the following books?

-Troy Stetina's Speed mechanics for lead guitar. (Falls in the heavy metal domain, so a lot of the pull-off/hammer-on and string bending work might be superfluous)

- Jody Fisher's 30 day workout. (Jody's work is usually very thorough. I believe that there is much chordal work)

- Buck Brown's Jazz chops for guitar. (Title looks promising)

Anyway given that I'm probably going to take some time with a technique book I thought that I'd better get one that comes with the team's recommendation.

[randalljazz]

http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/k...dies-6379.html

http://www.amazon.com/Technique-Supp.../dp/0898987024

a lifetime of work...

[Stu Foley]

Thanks for your input Randalljazz. The thing is, I'm strictly a pick player and I presume that there are many exercises solely applicable to fingerstyle within these books.

Whilst I'm at it, has anyone had any success with an online speed trainer such as guitarspeed.com.

I wouldn't want to be seen to be all about speed but it's nice to have it in the tank for when needed.

[randalljazz]

the left hand is the left hand...

[bako]

What left hand technical challenges do you encounter when you are playing that you would like to improve?

[Stu Foley]

I take your point Bako. I was thinking of a kitchen sink approach where nothing is left out. A sort of daily workout as it were. If I were using your targeted approach then, off the top of my head, I suppose two consecutive descending notes on adjacent strings but on the same fret can be a little rough for me. I have less problem with the finger roll when ascending. I'm sure there are other situations that are problematic. I was really thinking preemptively, in terms of general speed and accuracy drills. I would intend this to be a small but consistent part of my practice routine.

[dingusmingus]

I've used the The Jody Fisher book a bit. There is a set of a few constant warm ups, then each day has one chord drill and one single note drill. The single note stuff would probably fit the bill for you. If I recall correctly, it starts with chromatics and gets a little more complex each day.

[MackBolan]

- The best guitar technique book on the market is still
Jack Zucker-Sheets of Sounds,pricey but best,
kind of a rosetta stone of Pat Metheny asking Allan Holdsworth on an GIT seminar:
"Man,how do you do your stuff" and getting the answers.

[Stu Foley]

Mack, I'm slightly daunted at the prospect of having to re-arrange well rehearsed patterns to accommodate three notes per string passages in the name of economy picking. I mean would I effectively have to throw the CAGED system out of the window? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[jazzgtrl4]

- The best guitar technique book on the market is still
Jack Zucker-Sheets of Sounds,pricey but best,
kind of a rosetta stone of Pat Metheny asking Allan Holdsworth on an GIT seminar:
"Man,how do you do your stuff" and getting the answers.

I second Jacks book. Ya if you are already using economy picking then its great as alot of stuff in the book is geared towards that. I use Jacks book all the time. really gets your left & right hand working together,

[henryrobinett]

Mack, I'm slightly daunted at the prospect of having to re-arrange well rehearsed patterns to accommodate three notes per string passages in the name of economy picking. I mean would I effectively have to throw the CAGED system out of the window? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

I haven't read the reference indicated, but I do the 3 notes per string, don't do the CADGE system and don't do economy picking.

[GuyBoden]

"Sheets of sound vol.1" is a one on my fav books, yes, there's 3 note per string playing and economy picking, but there's also alternate picking and Hybrid pick/fingers.

[JakeAcci]

I have Stetina's book and it has some good stuff.

"Pumping Nylon" is excellent, a fun read, and has great advice regarding the left hand

I do not own Andrew Green's "jazz guitar technique" book but I've heard it's good and Green really has impressive "chops."

Monster Chops by Jack Grassel is a cool one too.

I've also skimmed Paul Gilbert's video material (it's all online at this point.) Obviously gets less relevant to jazz, but some interesting food for thought in there.

A lot of the "shredder" material is silly of course, but there is always some insight into fast picking, from guys who really devote their lives to it.

I've never studied classical guitar seriously but I hope to get a hold of more of the literature and maybe take a few lessons some day, as those guys often have a much better understand of left hand mechanics than jazz or rock players do.

---

Stu, I'll say that as a 'jazz guitarist' (I'd feel like a fraud not putting quotations around the term) I have spent quite a lot of time on very specific technical issues regarding both hands. I definitely learned a lot and developed new ways to approach passages that might have been impossible before. However, when I look back on all the time spent (and it really was quite a lot) and the progress I made (which was...ok) I wish I had spent that time working on vocabulary and execution of specific vocabulary rather technical drills.

Part of it is that we have to improvise our vocabulary and I think the problem an improviser might face when they are playing uptempo or about to attempt a fast line isn't just pure technical ability but a complete aural as well as technical grasp on the material they use to improvise. So part of what I'm saying is that it's not technical versatility that's required, but the ability to play the material that you want to play cleanly and convincingly.

Wayne Krantz said in a clinic that the faster the tempo the more a player has to rely on pre-arranged material. (I think it also just applies to faster lines as well, at any tempo.) I think this is very true. I've taken some lessons with players with 'monster' chops and they all have material they work out beforehand (including fingerings and pick direction) that they apply to their solos. Also consider when listening to players that have great chops, that play lots of fast, impressive lines, that they repeat themselves often. A good example of that is Charlie Parker, who had many 'licks.' that came up in all of his solos.

[princeplanet]

Also consider when listening to players that have great chops, that play lots of fast, impressive lines, that they repeat themselves often. A good example of that is Charlie Parker, who had many 'licks.' that came up in all of his solos.

If I'm honest, I'd have to say that I usually prefer to listen to guys (any instrument) with a lot of great pre learned lines, than those with none. Of course, the ultimate, albeit common, aim is to combine both approaches with taste and hopefully a unique sound....

[Stu Foley]

Thank you for your extensive response Jake. Having seen some footage of you that you have put on here, I seem to recall that you have your playing chops in very good order. For me, I don't want technique to become the limiting factor when trying to play even fairly simplistic lines at tempo. To that end, I figured that a small part of my practicing time should be devoted to drilling myself on common playing situations. But I completely agree on learning the vocabulary first and foremost. And let's face it you can't learn the songs without training technique.

I picked up Jimmy Bruno's 'Art of Picking' DVD. On the face of it, it looks less intimidating than 'Sheets of Sound'. I suppose it's all about levels.

[JakeAcci]

Thanks for the kind words in return.

And let's face it you can't learn the songs without training technique.

It's true that whatever you play you have to be physically capable of playing. My point (which I think you understood, just wanted to reiterate it) was to practice playing what you are going to play - use vocabulary (your own or others) as a means to address to technical challenges.

I'm definitely not saying to just learn licks and heads and it all comes together.

To be more specific, say you have an idea that you want to be able to play in a solo, but you can't get it up to the tempo you want. I think you can isolate very specifically the things that give you trouble within this idea - maybe it is a certain combination of notes, some use of the pinky, some awkward picking scenario, etc, and drill that or figure out a way around it (a re-fingering, moving some of the notes to a different string, a decision about which notes to slur, etc.)

[NSJ]

My teacher always said, when there's usually a technical problem, it's usually a RIGHT HAND problem. The left hand? Either you're playing the right note(s) or you are not. My biggest problems with the left hand were a collapsing pinky and not to be able to play notes legato well. As always, working on these. The left hand issues seem to me more problems with coordination between. L and R. Ultimately, as these are tackled, the bigger bugaboo is the right hand. All great players have one secret weapon-a monster right hand.

This thread made me break out the one page typewritten coordination studies I was given early on in my lessons. These are a series of 96 deceptively simple exercises in blocks of 4--so there are 24 of them. It maps out all the possible 4 fret combinations. I was told to practice these slowly, legato (not slurred but coordinated with the pick or right hand, so there is no break in sound).

So here are the first 8 of the 96, for example-- the numbers represent 4 consecutive frets and the 0 means open string

1234 0234 1034 1204 1230
1243 0243 1043 1240 1203

i was told to practice just these for WEEKS, absolutely slowly, evenly, and in time. It's really tedious but it helped.

[JakeAcci]

Cool NSJ. Guess it's practice for coordinating the hands.

I think it's essential to do these things picking down-up as well as up-down

Honestly I might like this exercise a little more if they were in blocks of 5 - then the picking wouldn't be symmetrical and, well, you'd be practicing quintuplets.

Using this site it's easy to get all the permutations:

0123 0124 0132 0134 0142 0143 0213 0214 0231 0234 0241 0243 0312 0314 0321 0324 0341 0342 0412 0413 0421 0423 0431 0432 1023 1024 1032 1034 1042 1043 1203 1204 1230 1234 1240 1243 1302 1304 1320 1324 1340 1342 1402 1403 1420 1423 1430 1432 2013 2014 2031 2034 2041 2043 2103 2104 2130 2134 2140 2143 2301 2304 2310 2314 2340 2341 2401 2403 2410 2413 2430 2431 3012 3014 3021 3024 3041 3042 3102 3104 3120 3124 3140 3142 3201 3204 3210 3214 3240 3241 3401 3402 3410 3412 3420 3421 4012 4013 4021 4023 4031 4032 4102 4103 4120 4123 4130 4132 4201 4203 4210 4213 4230 4231 4301 4302 4310 4312 4320 4321

using five you still get 120:

01234 01243 01324 01342 01423 01432 02134 02143 02314 02341 02413 02431 03124 03142 03214 03241 03412 03421 04123 04132 04213 04231 04312 04321 10234 10243 10324 10342 10423 10432 12034 12043 12304 12340 12403 12430 13024 13042 13204 13240 13402 13420 14023 14032 14203 14230 14302 14320 20134 20143 20314 20341 20413 20431 21034 21043 21304 21340 21403 21430 23014 23041 23104 23140 23401 23410 24013 24031 24103 24130 24301 24310 30124 30142 30214 30241 30412 30421 31024 31042 31204 31240 31402 31420 32014 32041 32104 32140 32401 32410 34012 34021 34102 34120 34201 34210 40123 40132 40213 40231 40312 40321 41023 41032 41203 41230 41302 41320 42013 42031 42103 42130 42301 42310 43012 43021 43102 43120 43201 43210

[NSJ]

Ya, excellent. I was always told to pick it 4 ways

down up
up down
all up
all down


since that time I've moved on the the world of p-i-m-a. . But I return to the plectrum world occasionally