Mircea Gogoncea AMA — Left Hand Technique [smoke test marker]

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martin.3
updated 4 days ago
32replies

Smoke test of update_topic regression after the update_event addition. Original AMA thread, no longer active.

- Head of Guitar
- Mircea
- 3 yrs ago
- Official response
- Reported - view
Thank you so much for your questions, everyone!

I have a little surprise for you - the answers will come in more than just text form. 😎 Looking forward to getting to them all! Thank you for taking part in this inaugural AMA.

I will tag each individual user when I answer your specific question.
- Debbie
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Hi Mircea! My horizontal stretching isn’t too bad but I have more a question about vertical stretching. Example: in mm 17 and following in Leyenda I struggle to keep the 4th finger stable on the 1st string while the other fingers are playing the melody. I practice daily the fixed finger exercises from pumping nylon and can do them ok but nothing seems to address this particular issue. Would love any help you can offer 😁
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Debbie Thank you so much for your question, Debbie! Since you were the first to ask one, yours is the first I'm answering in the response video I made for everyone!
- Debbie
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Mircea hi Mircea! I tried your suggestion of lowering the thumb more and that seems to be working. Specifically your mention of holding the hand like on a keyboard really helped. Thank you!
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Debbie Amazing!!! So happy to hear.
- Player
- Hancock30
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
There are 100's of left hand exercises for strength and accuracy. What three or four would you suggest as a daily warm up. Which ones would you avoid? Which ones are the most beneficial

Thanks

Peter Hancock
- Classical Guitarist and Electroacoustic Interpreter
  
  Moses
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Daily warm up is a great topic to address! I'm voting with peter hancock and Peter !
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  peter hancock Hi Peter! Great question - here's my answer to you: the video should start at 8:51
- Player
  
  Hancock30
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Mircea Thanks for the info. It was very well presented and will help me a lot.
  
  Peter Hancock
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  peter hancock Thank you, Peter! Glad to hear that.
- Peter.3
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Hi Mircea

i am interested in physical warm ups before picking up a guitar or in breaks during practice. Do you have any stretches and flexibility exercises you would suggest? With thanks.
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Peter Hi Peter! Here's my answer for you. The video should start at 6:46.
- Peter.3
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Mircea thank you very much.
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Peter My pleasure 🎩
- Gregor_Schneider
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Hi my Friends, playing Guitar for a while Barrees are still a problem for me. Is there a special Training Methode, to Build up more strenght and velocity (e.g. Weights, Kind of Workouts) ?
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Gregor Schneider Hi Gregor! Here's my answer - the video should start playing at 2:32. If it doesn't, find 2:32 in the player below:
- Gregor_Schneider
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Mircea thankyou for the whole Q&a‘s and esp. Your answer for me!!!😄💪🏻
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Gregor Schneider My pleasure, Gregor!
- Brian_Steele
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
When doing vertical stretch exercises, say with m on the high E and i on the low E, the a finger is making contact with the string almost on the nail yet the i finger makes contact with the A. That 's not right is it?
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Brian Hi Brian, thank you for your question! Here's my answer to you (the video should start at 11:24)
- Brian_Steele
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Brian Sorry, I meant stretches of the left hand. I'll just keep at it, so no need to revise your answer. Another question .... not for here but for some other time I'll ask for a reply. I just decided to switch from predominantly using free to rest stroke ... there's not much guidance out there about the topic and what's there is inconsistent. I'd like to hear your thoughts at some future time.
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Brian Oh, I see! I'm sorry to hear - I've seen people occasionally mix up the names of right-hand fingers (a,m,i) with left-hand fingers (1,2,3,4). It didn't occur to me that you meant 1,2,3, instead of i,m,a.
  
  That being said, I wouldn't worry too much about the nail touching the string on the left hand either - although I'd have to see a demonstration of your issue to understand what you're trying to solve. Looking forward to seeing you in future AMAs, virtual masterclasses, etc.!
- Brian_Steele
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Mircea Thanks! I didn't know about the different finger names.
- Guitar fever
- Steven_Liu
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Hi Mircea! I am an amateur in classical guitar. How would you advise on the allocation of time if I only have the practice time of about 45-60 mins per day. My present schedure is 5 min on technique, 5 mins on sight-reading, 10 mins on tremolo, about 25-40 mins on repertoire.

Thank you!
- Head of Guitar
  
  Mircea
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Steven Liu Hi Steven! Great question - here's my answer (video should start at 13:55):