Left-Hand Technique and the Limits of the Possible
Author: Ricardo Iznaola
44 pages, 21 musical examples, bibliography, appendix
RICARDO IZNAOLA attempts a theoretical exploration of left-hand guitar technique from the standpoint of movement coordination amongst the various limb joints, from the shoulder to the finger phalanges. Conventional wisdom established by traditional methodology, regarding left-hand demeanour and operation, is contrasted with this viewpoint to produce a more dynamic, ergonomic approach to achieving effective and efficient left-hand technique. Specific terminology borrowed from functional anatomy, related to joint structure and movement, is used to avoid imprecision or vagueness in the description of limb activity.
The traditional concept of shifting is redefined and expanded to serve as an umbrella concept that is in use whenever finger presentation over the fingerboard changes. Basic technical procedures of the left hand are analysed, and illustrated with musical examples, within the context of how three newly identified types of shifting (interpositional, intrapositional and compound) can be applied in the execution of those techniques. Scales, arpeggios, slurs, extensions and contractions, the barrée, and vibrato are all discussed in detail from this perspective, as well as more general topics such as alignment, leverage, limb poise, etc.
A concluding section studies ‘limits to the possible’ through concise movement analyses of several examples drawn from the virtuoso guitar repertoire.