The Beginner and Good Movement
Published: 1990 Author: Rebecca Crosby
MOVEMENT IS ALL-IMPORTANT in the development of good musicians. Control of finger movements from the earliest stage forms an integral part of rhythm. The beginning, and more significantly for guitarists, the end of the note, are formed through movement. From the results I have heard in my teaching, not enough attention has been paid in the early stages to good movement, that is movement based on a relaxed sitting position founded on straight lines. Faults resulting from a failure to grasp this fundamental concept include a weak sound, inability to stop notes or ‘play’ rests, poor alternation, bad sight-reading and an inability to play scales fast, evenly and with variable dynamics. No doubt most teachers have observed these faults.
Good movement begins with a good sitting position. In many violin tutors, for example, there is a method, in stages, of holding the instrument, a step-by-step system set out and photographed. There is no reason why such a formula should not work out for the guitar. To set up a good hand position I use a four stage method:
Make sure the pupil is sitting comfortably on the edge of the chair. Straighten the back and shoulders carefully, taking care not to force a good posture as this can be gradually improved. Legs should be just apart and weight centralised. The left foot is put on the footstool as if lifted with a sling under the knee, the footstool height being adjusted to suit the individual.
Hand the guitar to the pupil. Making sure that the head of the guitar is tilted upwards, bring the right arm round to sit comfortably against the edge of the instrument. Exactly where between wrist and elbow the forearm rests depends on the length of the arm and the size of the instrument and is one of the only variables.
Hold the arm from elbow to fingertips in a straight line. Drop the thumb onto the bottom string.
Let the fingers bend gently from the knuckle joint down onto the strings.
Having recently started a job where pupils have suffered from never being told how to play, how to hold the guitar or strike the strings, the results of concentration on basic movements (back to open strings in all cases, even where stu-dents had been playing for seven or eight years) have surprised me. There was much initial suspicion as the children thought themselves able to play difficult tunes and pieces. However, even after a few months they have responded well, treating the exercises I give them as either difficult puzzles or warming up jumps, hops and skips (akin to a primary school approach to physical education), according to age. There seems to be no need to dress things up in the manner of ‘Isn't this fun, children?’ The excellent A Dozen a Day graded exercises for piano do not try to masquerade as anything other than exercises and, what is more, children enjoy them. Given sufficient material to concentrate on and, all-importantly, a reason for each exercise, it is surprising how many difficult children (and adults) shut up and concentrate hard.
Striking the open strings is therefore the basis of my early teaching. Rest stroke and free stroke interrelate so that the latter is understood as the rest stroke that misses the adjacent string. I often start with index, middle, and anular in a line on the B string and the thumb on the bottom string. Each finger is in turn wiggled around and swung back and forth. This exercise is then extended to playing four Es with the index while the other fingers remain on the B string. This is done in every subsequent lesson. The same approach is used with free stroke beginning with thumb on the E string, index on G, middle on B and anular on top E. Each finger is moved across the string and then placed back on it. thus creating rests. Pupils are encouraged to make up and write down their own patterns. The emphasis is always on a still hand and finger movement from the knuckle joint.
In teaching pupils of all ages and all standards I have never been afraid of taking pupils back to basics. Many more respond to the concentration necessary to gain control of their finger movements than give up. Basic concepts are essential to the understanding of any subject and accurate rhythmic playing is founded upon good movement.
Copyright © 1990 by Rebecca Crobsy