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Carlevaro - School of the Guitar

Chapter 2 RIGHT ARM

A. FUNCTIONS.
Carlevaro lists two functions for the right arm:
1 - "...its role as a a contact point... any part of the (right) arm touching ... the guitar should be able to hold it in place."
2 - "... the unit it creates with the hand." Note that the repositioning of the hand to change strings should be effected by movement of the arm... the hand and fingers are to remain passive during this.

B. CONTACT POINT
He stresses that the player should find a contact point which enables the displacement of the fingers around the soundhole area.

C. RIGHT HAND DISPLACEMENT.
He defines 3 basic types of displacement:

1 - (my diagram)

Displacing the arm

  2 - The wrist bends to allow the fingers to cross the strings vertically, mainly to maintain an even timbre.


( MY DIAGRAM )

3 - No contact point.

D. RIGHT HAND ATTITUDE
"... one of repose, free from any stiffness .... slightly concave."

In this point I agree 100 % with Carlevaro. The "natural" hand position has varying degrees of curvature, depending on a individual's patterns of usage. Whatever that position is, it should be the starting point for all playing.

Let the hand sit in it's accustomed curve, and then the arm bringing the fingers to bear on the strings.

Simply use the arm to position the hand so that each finger has equal access to the strings.



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