Group 2
We’re thrilled to introduce our upcoming Two-Week Intensive (TWI): "Avoiding Exponential Left-Hand Tension" with guitarist Arturo Castro Nogueras! This interactive, online course is designed to help you identify and manage left-hand tension, equipping you with techniques that will elevate your playing to the next level. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, this TWI is packed with valuable insights and exercises tailored for all skill levels.
Sign-Up: October 1st - October 6th
Course Dates: October 7th - October 18th
Where: Our community forum
What You'll Learn Over These Two Weeks:
- How to Spot Tension Build-Up: Learn how to recognize early signs of left-hand tension and how to relax your hand before it impacts your playing. Arturo will provide practical advice on maintaining a relaxed approach to your technique.
- Exercises for Continuous and Active Relaxation: We’ll explore specific exercises that promote ongoing relaxation, helping you stay mindful of your hand positioning and tension levels during your practice sessions.
- Mastering "Position Zero": Discover the concept of "position zero" and how to use this foundational technique to keep your left hand relaxed, improving your overall control and sound quality.
How to Participate:
- Join the course discussions on our community forum.
- Watch Arturo’s video assignments, and share your progress.
- Receive feedback directly from Arturo Castro Nogueras throughout the two-week journey!
Ready to relieve tension and unlock smoother playing? Mark your calendars and get ready to dive into this intensive learning experience. See you on the forum! 
Assignments
Hello everyone!
It's great to be back with a new TWI. This time we are going to focus on left-hand relaxation!
Exercises:
1. Observe your relaxed hand. Play simple notes or chords and in between always consciously relax your hand. This first part of observing your relaxation will be very important for our next exercises.
2. Record a couple of bars of a simple piece you are practicing right now, returning to "position zero" in between of every position change.
Looking forward to your questions and comments!
Exercises for the second video:
1. Identify the structural sequence to design a practice pattern
2. Practice the three steps to change between positions. (relax - prepare - play)
The music examples are in the comments. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Exercises for the third video:
1. Practice the first line of Estudios Sencillos No. 2 and apply the 3-step system for relaxing (relax - prepare - play)
2. Count five seconds between each step so you take time to feel your hands and observe the process.
I'll post the excerpt of the etude on the comments.
(Sorry if the video is a bit longer than usual, I got exited with the subject. Pinky promise that the next one will be shorter :)
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Hi Arturo For some reason I am not able to upload a video. He tells me that the file is not able to be uploaded.
I am videoing on a Macbook pro using the video function and it plays on Quicktime Player. So if there are some tech wizards who know what I need to do some advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Michelle
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Mark de Beer Hello Mark and also Jack. Thank you so much for taking the time to give me a solution to my problem. But I have to also ask you to please forgive me when I say that I am not fond of any type of social media including youtube. I have no social media accounts and I am really reluctant of signing up for any of the social media outlets. If I am not able to upload the video I have taken then I will somehow battle on. I do have a teacher so I can always bounce ideas off him. Once again many thanks you are very kind.
Michelle
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Hello all,
Here is a recording of this morning practice.
As I am traveling, this is not the best setting. I just hope this will work out OK.
As I am already working on the piece Landslög II from Gulli Bjornsson. I decided to use it for the exercise. There is a lot of space between the cords and a few chords without the left hand. This allows for full relaxation of the left hand.
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Andre Bernier thank you for sharing your video. That looks good. I am glad you are feeling your hand becoming relaxed. May I suggest preparing the next chord? It is simply putting your fingers on the next chord without pressing and preparing the position after you feel your hand without tension. Let me know your thoughts.
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Arturo Castro Nogueras Thanks for your comments Arturo. I will work on that and try to post anoter video tomorrow.
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I have made videos of exercise 1 and 2. Initially I thought I wouldn't be making any videos as I am travelling and I only have my Yamaha Silent Guitar with me. However nice this guitar is, is not the same as a genuine Spanish guitar. And, of course, it is silent. However, I hope that for the purpose of these exercises the lack of sound is not critical and that these videos are still useful for feedback purposes. Here's the link to exercise 1. Any feedback is highly appreciated.
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And here's the link to the video of exercise 2. That's me attempting the opening of Sor Op 6. No. 8.
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Mark de Beer thank you very much for sharing your videos. I hope you don't mind if I reply here to both.
First video:
Your hand looks like it is relaxing, so the aim of the exercise is definitely there. Nevertheless, from my perspective it looks like a uncomfortable position. It seems there is a lot of tension on the back of your hand. How does it feel to you?
Second video:
It looks fine in general. Now, it is important you can separate the structural from the artistic work. I'll explain that in my next video. But what I mean is play each chord and give yourself enough time to relax your LH and prepare the next chord. Let me know what you think.
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Arturo Castro Nogueras Thank you for your comments. Yes, my hand is in a uncomfortable position. In general I still struggle to keep an overall good posture. This is complicated at the moment because I am not at home but instead sitting outside on a foldable stool and a somewhat slanting terrain, while playing a travel guitar. But still, I thank you for pointing this out, I must continue to improve the position of my left hand. I welcome any advice you may have.
Regarding taking the time: I should play the exercises much slower. I shall pay attention to this.
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Hello! Marshall from Maine here. I really relate to Arturo's description of exponential tension, particularly with difficult transitions, shifts, slurs, and barre. I am also guilty of trying to play too fast when learning a piece, which does not help! I am excited for this TWI, thank you! I have uploaded my attempt at the exercise.
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Marshall thank you for sharing your video. That looks very good. It seems the reflex is there and it comes immediately. Feel free to share or ask me about other sections or passages where you might feel it's difficult to relax.
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Here are a few bars of a Sor/Segovia study. I went very slowly and tried to be aware of lifting my fingers to the neutral position. Looking back on it I am not sure I have done this. By the way, this is my first attempt at uploading a video so apologies if there is a technical hitch anywhere.
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Gordon Macdonald thank you very much for sharing your video. In general it looks very good. How does it feel for you?
I would encourage you when we practice the relaxation to do it even slower and taking the tie to differentiate relaxing and preparing. Like two different steps. Eventually they become one movement. I'll post a video today talking about this. Let me know your thoughts.
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Arturo Castro Nogueras Thanks Arturo. The two step process sounds like a good suggestion as my hand didn’t feel as relaxed as perhaps it should.
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Focused on measures 27-to-30. This has been my most difficult phrase to iron out the chord transitions.
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Jose Luis Ochoa thank you so much for sharing. Yes! this is the idea. Look at the second example I posted yesterday, Estudio IX, and you'll see a nice exercise for that passage. Also try it with the three steps I mentioned in the second video.
Let me know if this helps :)
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Here are the two musical excerpts which I mention in the video. You don't need to play them, just follow the example of how I identify the structure or chords and then practice the three steps.
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A member of the other group recorded this video on minimal pressure for your LH. I find it very interesting. Let me know what you think.
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Arturo Castro Nogueras Yes this is very useful. I've seen a video of David Russell using the same exercise to teach how you find the right pressure to use
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Here is a second video trying to follow the (relax-prepare-play) concept.
Work in progress that will improve when I will have memorized the chords I have top play
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Andre Bernier thanks :) This is much better. I still recommend you separate the processes more. Step 1 and 2 (relax and prepare) can still be done as two independent movements. Observe the relaxation and then start preparing. Let me know how it goes.
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Here's my attempt at the Sor B minor. Trying to consciously relax. That goes better one moment, less the next. Work in progress, obviously.
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Mark de Beer very good. That's the idea. I still would recommend you do it slower, just to observe your hands and fingers and feel them.
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And here's my attempt at the 3-step approach. Not the Sor/Segovia 9 but from another study. I find it difficult to form and contain the correct shape of my hand as I move along the fretboard. I hope this will get better with practice.
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Mark de Beer great, thanks for sharing. As I wrote above, you can still benefit more from this exercise if you do it slower. Also, separating the steps a bit more will help you create a clearer reflex.
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Arturo Castro Nogueras Thank you for the feedback. I will slow down, slow down!
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