Classical Guitar - Frederic Hand Page 3/4

The bottom three bass strings are for your thumb (as a general rule) and the top three strings for your first three fingers. OK in other styles like say for example: Merle Travis, Merle only used a thumb pick and his 1st finger so it depends but Merle wasn't playing classical guitar was he? Mr. Hand gets this triplet thing going on with intervals he sweeps 90% of the time with his three finger tips or and 10% of the times only two finger or even one.

But he says it himself it all comes out of this shape and move. I want to believe him desperately. Just to get the mechanics down you understand. Of note: Frederic's guitar has no fret board dots so it makes it harder to know what fret he is on on the tight shots. So Typical. Its minor however. And yes there is a pamphlet.

So the mother move from which all these other moves come is to use the three fingers in a sweep up and down on all of the string sets and to alternate that and pinch them all at once. He has exercises too. You'll build up your natural facility. I am going to try this!

I recommend this as a way to learn finger picking even if you don't have a nylon string guitar laying around that you can beat on. Buy a used one. Nylon strings are easier on your fingers or skip that step and play on your steel string. It depends on your stage presence guitar really. Fredrick Hand our host has been around the block like to Symphony Hall and has a tendency to talk basic technique really simply (which is what I want) but his guitar examples are advanced. There is TAB in the beloved pamphlet.

Now I'll bet a lot you are like me and already have a comfort zone of some small fingerpicking patterns you poke around with every other Sunday. Well stop it and get serious or not. But if you do want to get serious basic instruction that you could use to teach yourself to hybrid pick even, then this puppy is barking at you!

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