Group 4
Assignments:
- Watch the first of three video and practice the exercise "Cross String by Thirds"
- When you're feeling comfortable, share a recording or ask a question!
All About String Crossings with TY!
If you conquer the cross-string training, you can play any scales or passages in music with ease, power, and confidence. This training course aims to provide exercises to enhance our right-hand rest-stroke cross-string abilities with details on how to practice and both hands' fingerings. We will have three assignments plus one bonus exercise for those who are finished early!
About TY
The highlight of TY Zhang’s international career was the Grand Prize of the 2017 Guitar Foundation of American International Concert Artist Competition (GFA-ICAC), known as the most prestigious guitar contest in the world. TY become the first Chinese to be honored with this prize. His win was followed by a tour with over 50 concerts in the U.S., including his Carnegie Hall debut. In 2018, TY released his solo album with Naxos company as the Laureate Series · Guitar Recital. It was praised as: “one of the most talented young players… I’m struck by the extraordinary levels of mastery, comfort and relative ease.” - Classical Guitar Magazine.
- Sign-Up: now until November 11th
- Course Period: November 14th - 25th
- Class Size: 4 Groups á 10 Participants
- Optional check-In via Zoom: November 19th, 11 am PST
Link to the Zoom Check-In: https://usc.zoom.us/j/9596313032
Passcode: tonebase
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Hi all, today I managed to record a few minutes of playing the exercise 1 with different finger alternations and different speed. For me, a-m or m-a is most difficult to coordinate, I need more "thinking" about the movements, maybe it is also a matter of angle of attack. a-i or i-a feels not uncomfortable, I think because of the similar length of the fingers. However, most comfortable is i-m or m-i at the moment.
Have fun and good practice! See you here...
Sorry for showing only the right hand here due to limited space in the room and therefore a limited camera angle. At least my face can be seen next to my name.
The left hand will be shown in my next video with better recording conditions - but this exercise is focused on the right hand anyway.
Here is my video:-
Robert Hi dear Robert, so fluent and clean! Very controlled! I see that you changed fingerings in the middle of the scale to make the string crossing with all normal shifts, the reason we use both normal and backwards shifts is because we need to make our fingers to learn both ways so we get stronger. Normal shift is when M is on 1st, I on 2nd. Backwards shift is when I is on 1st and M is on 2nd. Please ask me questions!
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TY Zhang Dear TY, thanks for you valuable comments! I think the change in the middle was more intuitively than intentional. ;-) In the future, I will focus on maintaining the finger alternation throughout a whole down and up round of the exercise for strengthening the fingers.
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Hi TY and everybody, here is my first take
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Khiem Nguyen Hi Khiem, thanks for your comment on my video.
Thanks also for sharing your video. It is very nice, too. To me, it sounds and looks as if it is very well under control. Bravo. -
Khiem Nguyen Dear Khiem, when you go to the lower bass strings, still try to use rest strokes, and I suggest you to explore with slightly curl the right hand A and little fingers inside while playing scales of I and M. This way sometimes we could feel more in control with our I and M fingers! Great Video and Thank you!
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Here is the exercise first with I-M at slow, and then a little faster speed.
Next is the M-I combination at slow then faster speed.
Please let me know your comments and kindly discuss how best to negotiate from string to string for speed with the position change (in millimeters) that needs to occur. Also, for this movement , does the arm/elbow move, or does the wrist get raised or lowered to accommodate the new string your going to?
Since fingers i and m are generally used for fast scale passages, what is the purpose of practicing the other RH combinations with "a" ?
Thanks!!
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Barney Hi Barney, thanks for sharing your excellent video.
Personally, for me, the other combinations are useful for general purpose and general finger exercise, in particular since (as you already have mentioned) i and m are more often used. I do not want to loose speed etc. in other fingers/combinations and want to strengthen other combinations. I think overall my playing will be improve from that and there will be a general benefit, for example in playing arpeggios.
I think, TY will give good answers to that and to all your questions. -
Robert Thanks for your comments Robert! I agree with the general benefit. Just wondering if the other combinations with "a" would benefit more if done with free stroke...
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Barney Dear Barney, WOW! Nothing to say just Bravo!!! You could try dotted rhythm next for speed training, as well as playing at maximum volume for strength training!
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TY Zhang Thank you TY!! I see you have not answered my specific movement questions. Should I raise them in the Zoom meeting tomorrow?
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Very nice tone and speed Barney. I like your recording setup.
I’ve enjoyed this exercise as it focuses on one specific aspect of guitar playing instead of my more random approach. Lots to improve but good to have a marker for comparison.
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Leon Thanks Leon!
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Sorry about my first attempt to upload a video.
It's all a learning curve.
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Leon I love this! Very very great relaxing hand and control, minimum hand movements on the right. I suggest to draw the right hand a little back, so the fingers can easily play into the next string, for the rest stroke movements! Right now the right hand position is more of “3rd joint right on top of the string you are playing,“ this way it is harder for the fingers to do the rest strokes!
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Gosh, this exercise demonstrates my need to review the use of Rest Stroke. I am currently working through a tonebase video that Martin Zimny that features a workshop on Rest Stroke. I am halfway through the workshop. I also have my Scott Tennant Pumping Nylon book at the ready. I need to work on my basics. Thanks to all for the commentary to my original posting.
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Here are the next two assignment videos including the scores!
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TY Zhang martin Will you be posting the recording of TY's Zoom Check-In soon?
I would like to review again some of the great tips and advice TY gave us. Thanks!
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Here is the link to the recording of the Zoom Check-in: https://youtu.be/JI1hNbdz6to
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martin Sorry Martin - I got the day wrong! I must look at the forum more often! I will watch the recording!!!!!
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TY Zhang martin Hi TY, Would you please post the score with fingerings of the "Bonus" exercise you demonstrated in the Zoom Check-In?
Thanks!!!
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Barney OKAY!!! Let me post it here soon!
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Bonus Exercise!
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TY Zhang Thank you TY!!
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TY Zhang Here is my current status on the last few exercises. It requires much more practice to memorize the sequences to avoid the silly mistakes, and gain speed. The 2-week challenge is coming to an end, so even though this really isn't ready, I still wanted to submit and receive your comments/suggestions. Thanks!!
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Barney Very nice, Barney. Thanks for sharing this.
I do agree that it needs much for focus to keep the alternation. At the moment, for me it is not a more or less "automated movement", so I really need a bit of "thinking" in between to keep the alternation and rhythm stable. I think, this is mostly a matter of practicing this a lot (in order to avoid, for example, using the same finger after a reststroke, being already positioned on the next lower string. I hope to be able to record and share my next video(s) during the weekend...Again: bravo!
ps: At the beginning, there is a problem with your movie. Audio and video are not synchronized, for example there is sound of your playing while you are not playing but handling your sheets of score.
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