Rhythm Technique Melody Harmony Repertoire Improvisation Shop Rhythm Technique Melody Harmony Repertoire Improvisation Performance CONTACT TUITION PUBLICATIONS RECORDINGS PERFORMANCES BIOGRAPHY SITE MAP Acts Classical Guitar and Strings The Whole jazz - Jazz Guitar Peter Inglis - BIOGRAPHY HOME PAGE - www.thewholeguitarist.com Acts - SOLO Guitar
Repertoire
Learning pieces

Most western music tells a story with melody and creates mood with rhythm and harmony.
  • What is the rhythm of the piece - walk - run - skip - sway?... or something else?
  • What is the key?
  • Listen to the melody
  • Mark the phrases with curved lines
  • The phrases will usually end with a cadence. Cadences are musical punctuations - pauses, anticipations and endings.
By marking the score this way you are making clear the plan of the piece - the underlying architecture.
  • Where are the main arguments?
  • What are the main characters?
  • Is there a dialogue going on?
Fingerings should really be the very last thing you look at. Learn the story first. Get the broad sweep then fill in the details.

Why learn fingerings last? Here's one example.

Let's say the melody in a particular section is broad and impassioned, simulating the pain of lost love. That sort of emotion is going to be conveyed much better by playing up and down the length of the string rather than staying in one position and crossing strings.

Now in practice, especially with the demands of solo guitar music, you may not be able to play the melody on one string and keep the accompaniment going. But at least you have identified the character of the melody - and even played it on one string for a while, as expressively as possible. That will show in your interpretation.

Now if you had just looked for a convenient fingering without reference to the character of the melody - your fingering would dictate your expression.
CLICK HERE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT ADVERTISING IN THIS SPACE
'Guitar Playing and How it Works' - The 3rd Edition of this acclaimed book opens doors to musical performance for guitarists of all styles - Click here to read excerpts and order your copy.

'Guitar Playing and how it works' - This is the book you need to GET THE BASICS right for ANY style of guitar playing. Work out the best approaches to mastering any style of music. Open the doors to your own personal style - click here to read excerpts and see videos.



Content of "The Whole Guitarist" website www.thewholeguitarist.com is copyright © 2004 - 2007 by Peter Inglis, Sydney Australia. All rights reserved.