I’m taking lessons again, from myself…

Posted by on May 1, 2020 in #techandtone, composition | No Comments
I’m taking lessons again, from myself…

Am I Ready? I am in a phase when I am learning music I wrote from September 2019 to January 2020. It’s a blast. I want to record soon, but am I ready? Never, of course! But

Thumb Songs 1 & 2 | from Sketches I

Posted by on Aug 21, 2019 in #techandtone | No Comments
Thumb Songs 1 & 2 | from Sketches I

I will let this tutorial video on thumb technique speak for itself. Here’s a quick overview of the principles involved: The thumb has three joints and is closely tied to the position and movements of the wrist

Single String Etude #6 | more thumb melody

Posted by on Jul 31, 2019 in #techandtone | No Comments
Single String Etude #6 | more thumb melody

Watch the entire playlist at YouTube, or read all the corresponding blogs here. Thanks to Aaron Green for the use of this beautiful 1939 Hauser guitar. Review of the basic principles (notes from the edition) Even in

Polyphonic basics | how to make voices clear | Part I

Posted by on Jul 24, 2019 in #techandtone | No Comments
Polyphonic basics | how to make voices clear | Part I

In my video/blogs about Single String Etudes I, I repeatedly spoke of rest stroke on melody, free stroke on accompaniment. We discussed the essential rotation of the forearm to aid the angle of fingers so that thumb

Legato in Single String Etude #5 by Frank A. Wallace

Posted by on Jul 10, 2019 in #techandtone, video | No Comments
Legato in Single String Etude #5 by Frank A. Wallace

  Legato melodies sing Single String Etude #5 provides more opportunity to improve your melodic skills. What are melodic skills? This series of videos and articles offers a simple oversight of various techniques to enhance your playing:

Single String Etude #4 | thumb rest or free stroke?

Posted by on Jun 26, 2018 in #techandtone, Blog, video | No Comments
Single String Etude #4 | thumb rest or free stroke?

Rest or free stroke? The thumb is a remarkable digit that can easily move between rest or free stroke with striking musical results. A precise angle of approach to the string combined with a small tempo change

Single String Etude #3 – vibration in the top

Posted by on Jun 4, 2018 in #techandtone, Blog, music | No Comments
Single String Etude #3 – vibration in the top

Vibration is all Why do we play guitar – or music in fact? To feel vibration. That’s all it is. No vibration equals no sound, no feel, no emotion, no joy or sorrow. Nothing. So what matters

Shifting melodically on the guitar | Single String Etude #2

Posted by on May 21, 2018 in #techandtone | No Comments
Shifting melodically on the guitar | Single String Etude #2

Shifting to Learn Shifting is a technique that I believe should be taught very early in a guitarist’s studies. Fear of upper positions is created when we get stuck playing chords and arpeggios in first and second

Lessons from Sketches I – Single String Etude #1

Posted by on May 15, 2018 in #techandtone | No Comments
Lessons from Sketches I – Single String Etude #1

Hi – I present here a series of videos to talk about my compositions and my approach to the guitar – mini lessons, if you will. They will be short, and to the point. If you want

Stretch to Improve Your Guitar Playing

Posted by on May 28, 2015 in #techandtone, Blog | No Comments
Stretch to Improve Your Guitar Playing

It’s Good to Stretch We frequently see magazine articles that start with a statement like this one from the recent issue of the newly revamped Classical Guitar Magazine: ”5 stretches to help you prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.”