Guitar Q&A: Ask Away with Martin!
Join us for an engaging Guitar Q&A session with Martin! It's been a while since our last guitar livestream, and we're excited to reconnect with you. This is your chance to get answers to all your burning questions on technique, musicality, and more. Whether you're curious about refining your practice routine or exploring new musical ideas, we're here to help. Bring your questions, and let's dive into a lively discussion together!
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I hope to see a lot of excitement for this Q&A session!
Whether you have questions about perfecting your technique, improving musicality, finding inspiration, or overcoming challenges in your practice routine, now's the time to ask! What aspects of your playing are you looking to explore further? Let's dive deep into these topics together—I can't wait to hear what’s on your mind!-
martin I just learn about Ida Presti and really fascinated by her playing. From what little I understand, when you relax your wrist, your finger are naturally slightly floorward pointing but not as crazy as Segovia. When you attack the strings with a free stroke with a drooping wrist, it has a bit more resistant hence a louder projection - I think.
Compared to how most of us are playing, attacking with the left side of the nail with a more straighter wrist and seems to require a bit more effort. Would love to hear your thoughts on why so few players adopt that technique even though most would agree that Ida Presti had one of the best technique. Thanks!
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martin Do we add questions in this forum and then you'll answer them in the livestream, is that how this works?
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Hi @martin, thank you so much for this livestream. I have tons of questions, lined up below. I can anticipate many questions from others, so it'd be alright if you address only a few (starting from question no,1) of them, as I don't want to hog all the time.
1. I seem to have a wider gap in terms of speed from my M to I fingers, compared to I to M. I can observe this clearly when I play a fast triplet like MIM or IMI on a single string. I notice this when I play tremolo as well (PAMI, whereby the gap from M to I is wider). What could be the reason? Does it have something to do with the unequal lengths of the I and M fingers and how we extend them? Do I adjust or modify my angles or extensions of the finger?
2. How can I be sure that I'm making optimum use of gravity and arms of the LH while holding barres? In the last HVL challenge, I severely strained the tendons thumb-wrist base joint while practising barres in that piece. I've benefitted from watching lessons on barres, including the one from you. I can usually get clean-sounding barres, the challenge is playing them for extended periods without creating stress.
3. How do you play louder (and switch back to softer volume) without disturbing the balance of RH fingers, while preserving a good tone quality?
4. How do you put equal and balanced pressure on LH fingers while holding down difficult chords? I tend to press too hard with some fingers.
5. Could you address the issue of 'shifts' between chords that have diagonal/transverse shapes like in the Preludio Saudade of La Catedral? I have a particular difficulty on extensions between the 3rd and 4th fingers of the LH.
6. How do you use rubato while playing on time, especially on slower pieces? I'm a bit confused on how to phrase this question, but lets say, there are 3 quarter notes in a bar in 3/4 time. can you lengthen or shorten note values while being on time with 3 clicks on the metronome? Ignore the example if I'm not making much sense and just address the issue of rubato.
7. Do you learn a new piece technically first and use musicality thereafter, or do you use both right from the start? Opinions seem to be mixed on this. I heard Denis Azabagic saying he uses the second approach.
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Hello Martin,
Sometimes it is better to hear other stuff than technical details.
I myself, I really enjoy to know more about the people I am dealing with.
For me I would really enjoy to hear more about you.
Where were you born ?
Were you living in a musical family ?
What did bring you to guitar?
Did you start Classical ?
Where did you study?
Who were your teachers or coaches?
I am sure you can fill the holes.
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Andre Bernier Haha, that'll be a fun bonus round of questions, thank you for that!
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I am studying J. McFadden's "Fretboard Harmony" i have watched is video with you several times.
his exercise 23 is confusing. He talks about Degrees and stuff that I do understand. Major scale cell No. 1 (CMaj) he uses 2-4-1-2-4-1-3-4. But in Exercise 23 it is written as 1-2-3 ect.. Then when I watch the video I pay attention to his left hand fingerings he seems to start with his 2nd finger and so on. Which do not follow his fingering(Degrees) as he has in Cell No. 1. Am I missing something. Please help.
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peter hancock Would you mind posting the exercises in question as screenshots or photographs here?
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martin
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martin
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peter hancock I think he uses the word “degree” to mean the number indexing the notes of the scale, and this is different than the numbers used to indicate the fingering. For C major, C = degree #1, D = degree #2, E = degree #3, F = degree #4, G = degree #5, A = degree #6, B = degree #7. The fingering numbers for these notes (degrees of the scale) are C = 2, D = 4, E = 1, F= 2, G = 4, A = 1, B = 3.
In the instructions, he seems to be asking the student to say the scale degree number aloud, not the fingering number. So you would call out 1 for C （but be using your left hand finger 2), and so on for each degree of the scale.
In exercise 23, I would say “one” (1 ) for C but use my 2nd left hand finger to depress the string 4 at fret III, say “two” (2 ) for D but use finger 4, say “three” (3) for E but use finger 1, and so on for the rest of the exercise. (Man oh man, do I ever struggle with all the fingering numbering in guitar scores!)
I am thinking that it might be helpful to me to also say aloud the note name as well as the degree especially when transposing, when the scales will have sharps and flats, so as to continue identifying frets with notes in the context of scales. I am getting back to McFadden this fall. It’d be nice to have access to more instructional videos explaining the intention behind each study.
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David Thanks I now see what you said is logical and makes sense. I was so confused with terminology. I know the about the intervals, degrees, and the conservative names "tonic ,supertonic, and ect." It is the nomenclature that really confused me. Thanks again for pointing that out.
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peter hancock Do you know of a source of videos to accompany this textbook? I wonder if Martin would consider another Guitar Harmony course. It would be helpful to have the ear training aspect and visual demonstrations of the concepts discussed. Transferring keyboard harmony to the fretboard has not been too easy for me on my own.
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David Yes the video was from Tonebase Live stream with Martin and J. Mcfadden a few months ago. There was no video with the book.
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For the fast scales in HVL Etude #7, how did you achieve your lighting fast speed?
Did you position your right hand and fingers angles a certain way?
What was your RH fingering and did you use free stroke or rest stroke?
Do you move your right elbow back when descending from treble to bass strings?
what exercises to practice for speed?
Thanks!
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If you were trying out a new guitar, what routine or piece fragments would you play in order to put it through its paces?
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Will we in the future, have guitar pro files for some of the lessons and compositions at Tonebase?
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Hi Martin, thank you very much for the livestream. my question for you is regarding Practice, I'm struggling with preparing for my lessons, I have so much to cover and always feel that I'm behind in each lesson, do you have any tips for structuring a practice routine? thanks for your time
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martin Hi Martin, I was not available to watch live, but just watched the replay.
Thank you very much for your excellent detailed answer to my question about fast scales in HVL #7. I appreciate you spending the time on it!
Were some of these ideas based on your training with Joaquin Clerch?
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Hi Martin.
what are your thoughts about a side hole so that you can hear your own output better. Does it work? Does it hurt the guitar?
