Carlevaro - Technique

This discussion thread is dedicated to Carlevaro's technical aspect of his work.

How to Get Started

Maestro Carlevaro introduced his technical ideas to his students by using the technical Cuadernos accompanied by the School of Guitar book.

  • School of Guitar: Exposition of Instrumental Theory
  • Didactic Serie for Guitar, Cuaderno #1 - Diatonic Scales
  • Didactic Serie for Guitar, Cuaderno #2 - Right Hand Technique
  • Didactic Serie for Guitar, Cuaderno #3 - Left Hand Technique
  • Didactic Serie for Guitar, Cuaderno #4 - Left Hand Technique (Conclusion)
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    • Barney
    • Barney
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Dale Needles Blaise Laflamme Moyses Lopes   Does anyone have a video showing Cuarderno 3 Ej. 24 performed correctly?  I'm looking at it and I'm not clear how on to play the rhythm correctly.  Also,  the previous LH exercises have a repetitive pattern.  I don't see it yet for Ej. 24...Is there one?  Thanks!!

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Thanks Dale!  I appreciate your guidance.  Very helpful.  Regards.

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      • Moyses Lopes
      • Classical Guitarist and Electroacoustic Interpreter
      • Moses
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles As usual, you rock, Dale! I'm planning a recording of 24 too, as your suggestion, but I  need more time to put it on the hands. Allow me a question: this indication of quarter note até 112 is serious? Half of this is difficult...

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    • Moyses Lopes That would be great if you could record Ej 24. I was not sure if you were going to do it this month, so suggested to Barney that I would record it.  In any case, if you could record it, that would be great, and I may not need to.  This will be very helpful to Barney as well as others who might try to tackle this exercise.  I agree it is difficult and there are places where it is not possible to hold the notes to their fullest.  My recollection was that in several places, Carlevaro did not require one to hold the notes to their fullest.  For example, in measure 23, the B flat, cannot be held over into measure 24. And, again in measure 24, the A on the first string need not be held down for its entire value when shifting to the G Sharp (I lift it off when I shift to the 2nd finger on the inner voice and do that as well before I shift to the G natural when I shift to the 3rd finger on the inner voice).  I think that this is more in line with shifting by substitution rather than having to extend your fingers to do the shift.  I studied this exercise with Carlevaro do not recall him requiring extensions of the finger/hand.  Does that make sense to you? Blaise Laflamme Do you have opinion on this?  

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    • Dale Needles In ex. 24 there are a some spots related to finger patterns that are hard to keep full note values. I don't think this is necessary there compared to the appropriate application of the left arm movements combined with the left hand finger fixations. I think one needs to fully control those 2 aspects through ex. 13 before moving on ex. 24 because it adds even more arm movements. As you said this not about finger/hand extensions but mostly about the arm to place the fingers.

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme Whoever decides to record Ej. 24, it would be very helpful if it was done at a slower exercise speed.  (not performance speed).

      This would make it easier for us newbies to understand.  Any comments during the video which you feel would be helpful to us is very welcome.  Thanks!!

      Like 1
      • Moyses Lopes
      • Classical Guitarist and Electroacoustic Interpreter
      • Moses
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Barney I'm in charge of recording, Barney! Good to read your notes, I'll keep them in mind during the recording process.

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Moyses Lopes Thanks Moyses!

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    • Barney
    • Barney
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Dale Needles  Question about Carlevaro fingering notation  -for example, in Cuarderno 3, Ej. 23:  What do the small lines (__) under the notes to be played with  "p" Thumb mean?

    Thanks!

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    • Barney Those are his accent marks for the thumb

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Okay, thanks!

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    • Barney Hi Barney, I also do not think that I mentioned Ej. 25 in Cuaderno No. 3.  It is also an excellent study that uses the Barre for shifts by substitution and could be studied before Ej 24.  

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Got it!  Thanks Dale!

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    • Barney Hi Barney, I was thinking that if you are comfortable with those longitudinal shifts, my recommendation is to apply them to scales.  Carlevaro always emphasized that one of the most important reasons for practicing scales is to continue to strengthen one's muscle memory regarding longitudinal shifts.  

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Hi Dale,  When I work on Scales, is it okay to use The "Segovia Scales" fingering, which has plenty of shifts?  ( I'm already familiar with the standard patterns for the different keys) or is there some special reason to use Cuaderno #1?

      When doing shifts, I usually use "guide fingers', and gently slide on the string.  On the treble strings, it is noiseless, but the basses would have some noise.  What do you suggest?  Thanks!

      Should I reach out to Moyses on the Ej. 24 video,  or it's too soon.  I don't want to put any extra pressure on him to do it.  Not sure if he had the time...

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    • Barney Hi Barney, no problem using Segovia's scales.  However, I would suggest to try the shifts without the glissando, even on the treble strings. You can always add it later when it is musically appropriate but building the muscle memory of lifting off the string using the arm is key.  Regarding Ej. 24, I know Moyes is close so hopefully you will see it soon.  

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Got it! Thanks Dale!  I forgot to ask about right hand fingering.  I usually use Rest Strokes (apoyando) i-m when playing scales.  What about that?

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    • Barney Carlevaro also recommends using i-m, but he uses his free stroke which he refers to as "toque 1" in the School of Guitar book.  Carlevaro also has a unique approach to the traditional apoyando stroke which he describes in the School of Guitar under his description of "toque 3."  He does not like the technique of resting on the adjacent string, but rather he puts emphasis on the opposing movement of the finger after striking the string so that it either does not touch the next string or at least does not rest on it.  I know this is a big shift away from the traditional approach and can be difficult to apply.  Also, since you have an excellent right hand, I would not stress too much about it, but if you want to delve into it some more, I would be happy to help guide you through his Cuaderno No. 2.  

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Thanks Dale!  I think for now I will use my traditional right hand approach.  I would rather focus more on the left hand gestures at this point.     I'll let you know if later on, once I feel the left hand is more or less "mastered" ( It would be only my opinion, and not sure if totally correct) if I wish to explore Cuarderno No. 2.

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    • Barney 👍

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    • Moyses Lopes
    • Classical Guitarist and Electroacoustic Interpreter
    • Moses
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello, Barney , Dale Needles and Blaise Laflamme . Here we have exercise 24, from Book 3 of the Guitar Teaching Series, by Abel Carlevaro. It was recorded at 30 bpm and I hope it is useful to see the movements of the hands, arm, forearm and wrist. It is not a perfect recording, there are some flaws and mistakes, but I think it can fulfill its role. Later I will record a faster version, after studying a bit more, of course! 😉

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Moyses Lopes Dale Needles Blaise Laflamme Thanks very much Moyses!!

      It is very helpful and perfect at this speed to see gestures and rhythm.  It looks like lowest bass notes are usually held down ( even though notated differently).  Is this what Carlevaro intended? or does it not matter?  I understand purpose is mainly to execute proper movements of the arm, and wrist.

      Is there some consistent musical/physical pattern that repeats in some way to make it easier to digest and memorize this study? Also, once the notes are mastered, did Carlevaro want the repeated bass notes played very softly and the upper voice louder while following crescendo/decrescendo markings?

      I really appreciate this recording, Moyses;  thanks again!!

      Like 1
    • Barney Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme Muchas gracias a Moyes for making this excellent recording of Ej. 24 from Cuaderno No. 3.  Moyes did a superb job of showing the left arm, hand, finger movements which is key to this study.  Here are some of my thoughts and suggestions for practicing this study. 

      Again, the importance of this study is the arm movement to actuate both the transversal movement and the longitudinal shifts by substitution and not get too hung up over maintaining all the notes to their fullest duration.  To validate this point, I reached out to Alfredo Escande and here is what he wrote, “The main importance is the movements of the arm, and the impossibility of maintaining some notes. But with the right movements of the arm, and a good use of the right hand it is possible to play it as if those "impossible" notes were maintained to their fullest duration. It is possible to create that illusion...” 

      For example, in the first measure, it is less important to hold down the F# for its fullest value and more important to make a clean longitudinal shift by substitution with fingers 2 to 1 on the middle E.  The same goes for the G flat on the first string (which is impossible hold down) in the third measure when making the longitudinal shift by substitution with fingers 2 to 1 on the middle F. This same movement which is found throughout the first pattern going up the fret board also applies to the second pattern going back down the fret board. 

      Another important movement that Carlevaro employs in this exercise is the "transveral" movement of the left arm/hand/fingers.  This can be seen in the first measure where he uses the second finger on the middle E as a pivot when he does a transveral shift using finger 1 on the low F (sixth string) to the high F (first string).  

      As far as a musical pattern goes, I would divide it into the first section which has a repeated pattern going up the fretboard (frets 1 - 16), small transition (frets 17 - 21), the second section a repeated pattern going back down the fretboard (frets 22 - 36), transition to the Coda (Frets 37 - 42) and the Coda (Frets 43 - 47).  

      Other musical components include the importance of the rhythm, as Carlevaro noted, this exercise employs the Afro-Latino Candombe rhythm popular in Uruguay.  Additionally, I would play the bass and treble notes on a similar plane except where Carlevaro places accents as well as following his other dynamic markings.

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      • Barney
      • Barney
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Dale Needles Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme  Thanks Dale for this explanation and for reaching out to Alfredo for confirmation!  This is very helpful as I try to work through this one.  The speed marking is crazy.  I'll be happy if I can just play it at medium speed.  Was there a particular reason for this high speed after learning it?

      Like 1
    • Barney Dale Needles Moyses Lopes ideally when I work on these exercises I tend to emphasis (or exaggerate) the left arm movement at low speed to ensure I'm aware of what's going on and as you raise up the speed those movements become smaller... it's only at full speed (or at some point) that the movements become obvious and not only interesting at a concept level. I personally think that it's easier with #13 to reach that point of awareness... I'll post you an example for #13 (that applies to #24 as well but with less movements to think about) but that won't be until later next week... Keep your work on this! 💪

      Like 1
    • Blaise Laflamme Barney Moyses Lopes I agree completely with Blaise to take all these exercises initially very slow and to exaggerate the left arm movement. Once you master the movement and the muscular memory is set, then little by little increase the speed.  As far as the speed for #24 is concerned, I only knew (in addition to Carlevaro himself) one of his students who could play it at the noted speed of 112.  On my best day, I might get it up 80.  I think the reason for the high-speed marking is that at the noted speed, the Candombe rhythm really stands out but with that said, keep it slow.  

      Like 1
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