Marco Tamayo - Ask Me Anything about Tension & Relaxation, Articulation & Phrasing
Welcoming a Force of Nature to the tonebase Community!
We are thrilled to welcome leading virtuoso and elite expert on all things classical guitar Marco Tamayo to the tonebase community! Recently called to the UdK Berlin as a guitar professor, he will substantially shape the future of classical guitar education. We couldn’t be more excited to have him available to answer your questions on crucial technique concepts like tension & relaxation, as well as articulation & phrasing!
Feel free to leave your questions to Marco here in the community
Check out Marco’s exclusive tonebase releases here:
How to Participate
- Ask your questions right here until November 6th!
- Marco will answer questions from November 7th - 11th!
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Hello Marco, I comprehend that phrases can be played at various positions. My question is to ask for guidelines as when it is best to play a phrase in a lower or higher position. For example, certain phrases in Julia Florida may be played high on the fretboard, or low. What rules the decision for placement? Tone, style of music, preference, other? Thank you. Stephen Holland
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Stephen Holland Dear Stephen, thanks a lot for your question. Interpreting a phrase in one position or another depends above all on the character of the phrase itself, and the character of the work in question to be interpreted. For a "cantabile" passage as far as the musical line is concerned, it is preferable on the second string, if possible. (I mean the upper melody) the second string offers us a sweet color and many more vibrato possibilities. The first string could be taken into account, but if possible, and by that I mean technically feasible, the second string would be ideal. If, on the other hand, the line is in the Baritone register, then the fourth or fifth strings are preferred. I would not interpret the passage on the fourth and third Strings. But once again, it must be technically possible and it must respond to the character of the work. Julia florida, in the first phrase, for example, when reaching the cadence before retaking the theme, the E (long note), it is preferable to play it on the second or third string. The traditional way to finger this passage has been to go for the third string towards that mi. However, the second string offers a possibility. What I would not do is play that E on the first string because it cannot be vibrated, it will not communicate in the same way, it will not transmit warmth, love, passion.
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Hello Marco, I would like to know more about your approach to the BWV 1006 Prelude as you impressively perform it in your last year YT video
. I also wonder if you can share your fingerings, they seem to be more than effective about control and relaxation, to say the least! Thank you.-
Blaise Laflamme Dear Blaise !Thank you very much for your interest!
The prelude to BWV 1006 is a Toccata like character. For this reason, it must be active, optimistic, brilliant, well articulated and, in addition, it must preserve the elegance of the bel canto in expressive moments. Thus we can hear it in the original version of J. S. Bach in the Cantata BWV 29, with the organ as solo instrument and accompanied by the entire baroque orchestra. The fingerings of course will allow us to play it this way. The fingerings must respond to the physiognomic principles of our organism and our hands. (See my book Essential Principles for the performance on the classical guitar) Only in this way is it possible to play it with as little effort as possible without being devastated at the end of the work. And yes, I hope to be able to post the fingerings soon. I have had a lot of work and things to do in recent times, which is why the Editorial is in terms of publications in Standby. But soon I will resume work on new posts. All the best! -
Thank you Marco for your generous and enlightening answer! I'll definitely taker another listen to the Cantata, I've totally forgot about it by the years. Also can you point me out where I can get a copy of your mentioned book, I'm more than interested in what you have to say and teach on the subject!
And you're so right when saying... «without being devastated at the end of the work», can't wait to get your publication on it, by chance you'll find some time 
. All the best and so happy to have you here! -
Blaise Laflamme Thanks Blaise. It is a honor and pleasure to help with my modest ideas and knowledge the guitar community worldwide. Big hugs!
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Marco well... I think you had the auto-corrector replacing by «modest» what should have been written «modern»! BTW I followed the link in a previous post about you shop and discovered a few publications. It looks like «Essential Principles for the interpretation on the classical guitar» is only available printed and not as PDF? Do you plan on making it available as a PDF, that'd be great and convenient, and also do the two others publication about scales and warming up are included in the former? Again big thanks for taking time to answer me (us)
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Blaise Laflamme Dear Blaise, yes, the book is only available printed. The reason is the beauty and symbology of it. All that will get lost while going PDF so although it is much more work for us, we decided to keep it that way for the moment. Maybe in the future there is a way to go online, but believe me, I don‘t think so. The other articles are related to it as all is related to the principles and basic moves, but those articles are separated, not included in the book price. (Which for the content is cheap still) Best regards! Marco.
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Hi Marco,
thank you for the AMA!
I have been struggling for years with tension and specifically, my left shoulder (I am right handed). I have been trained to use my large muscles when playing guitar but I found that I often would tense my shoulder when playing barre chords or impinge the shoulder if my hand is playing at ear or above shoulder level.
In recent years, I have been standing to play guitar and using a guitar strap. I adjust the strap so my guitar hands lower and I keep my elbow close to my body when possible.
When I sit, I have a lot of pain. How do you find a pain free motion from fret 1 to fret 22?
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Thanh Hello!!! At first, thanks a lot for your interest and question.
First of all, thank you very much for your interest and question.
The movements (as far as the left hand is concerned) should not imply tension for the rest of the body. However, the vast majority of guitarists use force for any movement, especially when it comes to playing loud. Many guitarists think that having a loud sound is the result of playing hard or using force. However, it is quite the opposite.
The pressure that is exerted when executing a bar in the left hand should be a local pressure, not shoulder pressure. It is often good to understand this idea without the guitar, trying to barre your hand in the air and not on the instrument.
Then and more, it is necessary to relax the hand to zero tension before any change or extension. Only this way we can executed in a relaxed manner. Let's not forget that playing relaxed implies using the minimum necessary tension, and before any change or exercise in the left hand, it is necessary to return to zero tension.
More about the subject, in my editorial:shop.marcotamayoedition.com/en/
Best regards! Marco Tamayo
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I salute you for your performance and technique.
I have focal dystonia in my right hand.
Because of self-taught practice, I had no idea the importance of right hand relaxation, and I ended up getting this disease.I'm not a music major, so I don't have an expert around for advice.
I majored in medicine and found this disease very difficult to cure.Have you ever known or heard of any good solutions for this disease?
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pbum Hello!!!!!!
I understand and I really hope you will find a solution for the problem soon. I know about a clinic in Barcelona which is specialised in this kind of problems. They have cured many musicians and many guitarist. Marco de Biasi is one of them and you could contact he on Facebook or similar. I had no experience on this matter but yes, I know that it is a consequence of wrong doing. I am so sorry and really hope you can get rid of it soon. But believe me, it is possible to cure! Best!
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David Leisner suffered from the same malady. And cured it himself you should look into his book.
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Hi Marco, thank you for doing this. I have a question on my right hand pinky. I made the switch to classical guitar from years of playing acoustic so my right hand is quite fixed in certain ways of playing. My right hand pinky is always jutting out when I'm playing. It is generally well behaved when I play scales or up down but it starts to have a life of its own when I start playing some pieces even if slowly. I made a short video to illustrate.
The thing is I don't feel tension at all but if I force my pinky to close in when playing I'll have dull ache the next day between the a and c joint. Not sure if it is something that I should fix now or I can just leave it alone. Thank you in advance! Don
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don Dear Don! Thanks a lot for your message and video. I can see the problem. Let me explain: a bit too much tension would cause the uprising of the pinky R. Hand. That it moves a bit is normal. But that it bends or close is a show of tension in the right hand. The proper way of identifying it is for example, if you let your hand fully relaxed and down, on your knees, then move easily the index of middle finger, and try to acknowledge how it feels. Doing it on the guitar connects to your reflexes learned previously and it may guide to a wrong end or understanding. Furthermore, I am happy you sent that video. I could see your fingers and moves. I must tell you that the fingers must correspond to the principles on the right hand in order to achieve relaxation. Relaxation is a consequence, not a fact that exists by itself.
For example, ring finger apoyando should never be played after middle apoyando. The basic moves are to be checked as well, and the principles to combine them are determining the fingers you or we use. Then relaxation will exist. is it more less clear? All the best dear Don! Marco Tamayo -
Marco Hi Marco, thanks for taking the time to answer. Do you mean cupping my right hand on my knees while seated and try to move my index and middle finger independently? Do I try that with my ring finger too?
Is there any resources for understanding more about those right hand principles that you mentioned? I understand what you say, right hand relaxation is a consequences of correct movement in adherence to certain principles. Once again. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.
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don Yes, mean exactly that. Acknowledging the almost no tension needed to move the fingers.
The book is called "Essential principles for the performance on the classical guitar"
see:
shop.marcotamayoedition.com/en/
All the best! Marco
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Marco Thanks Marco. Just ordered one.
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Hi Marco, sorry another question if you have the time. I notice whenever I start learning a new piece, my left hand will always be tense and often using more strenght than neccessary. But it will be become more relaxed when the piece becomes more familiar.
Is there a way to train to learn a piece playing in a relax manner right at the beginning. Thank you!
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don Well, the feeling of trust and confort will allow the relax status for the learning. I would need to see you learning a piece, so I hope one day we can meet and play for some time so that I can tell you precisely. But for now I can imagine that the situation is not that secure at the beginning when you start learning a piece. May be that really, there are no reasons for it. Perhaps you get into a kind of stress as feeling insecure or so, but if you recreate an atmosphere of trust while learning, and so you will achieve a brain frequency of in between 8 and mx. 28-30 Hz, the process of learning will be much productive. (Ideal, between 8 and 12 Hz)
Hugs!
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Thanks Marco, I think kinda understand what you mean. I hope I get chance to learn from you more in future. Thanks for taking the time to answer.
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Hello Marco. When playing Tremolo (ie. Recuerdos), I find tension increasing in my right hand as the piece progresses and my ability to maintain a relaxed even tremolo falls apart. What is the the best way to practice and perform Tremolo technique pieces to solve this problem? (also, increasing the volume of the Tremolo also causes more tension for me.) Thank you!!
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Barney Hi Barney! Thanks for your message and interest in the tremolo. Looking to it, tremolo is not more than one arpegio p-a-m-i, but three of the fingers play on the same string. There go my question? which is the principle of the arpegios? Knowing that, it would be clear that at the moment you will prepare the fingers, this would allow the relaxation needed to continue and develop the volume and speed. Have you checked the book where I speak about all that? Best regards!
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Hi Marco, One more question about playing fast scales. Does tension/relaxation of the right hand fingers somehow effect the ability to play fast scales ( both descending and ascending) ?
What is best way to practice the scale movements (on same string and moving from string to string) to achieve beautiful , even, fast scales with good tone, and address the most common problems achieving this? Thanks!
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Barney Hi Barney! It does!!!! The basic of a safe, healthy and natural performance is the relaxation. By the question I guess you may be using some tension for playing loud and fast. Believe me, it is all the opposite. While playing fast, still out is needed to relax between each note. Regarding the changes of strings while playing scales, more factor are to be considered. Are you changing your arm rest point when going scale up? I have taught a lot and explained about this. You can check around.... Hope to meet you soon live in order to check all that. Hugs!
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