Right Hand Review
Right, so...this one was an undertaking! I often get questions and comments about my right hand fingerstyle technique, so in this video I tried to summarize all the important components, my influences, and shared some of my go-to picking patterns for anyone who wants to go on the right hand deep dive with me!
Nail Care (00:47)
As stated in the video, the brand of the glass nail files doesn't matter but being Czech glass specifically does! I've accidentally bought some trash glass files on Amazon that I couldn't imagine anyone who likes their nails using, so watch out for those. This is one of the sets I currently have:
Mont Bleu Professional Set of 3 Czech Glass Nail Files
Hand Position (03:08)
Subtopics:
Hand and wrist position: 03:08
Pinky anchoring: 04:06
Placement over soundhole: 06:27
Not much to add here, but I'd be remiss if I didn't credit the great tutelage of Apostolos Paraskevas at Berklee for setting the foundations of my right hand. Those were a valuable couple semesters!
Pumping Nylon also has some great info on hand position.
Approach and Influences (07:26)
Subtopics:
Influences: 07:26
Four-finger playing: 08:23
Non-expert thoughts on thumbpick use and hybrid picking: 09:58
As mentioned, I've learned a lot playing songs and arrangements by John Renbourn, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, Pierre Bensusan, and Joan Baez. (Not to mention Bryan Rahija, Stefan Grossman, and probably many others I've forgotten!)
As ever, I highly recommend John Renbourn's Fingerstyle Guitar book, and for getting your alternating bass driving and solid, Bryan Rahija's tunes are a joy to play.
Classical Exercises (11:38)
Subtopics:
Giuliani exercises: 11:38
Carcassi etudes: 13:54
Brouwer etudes: 15:11
Here are my Brouwer videos:
I often reference the playing of Patrik Kleemola as I'm working on the Brouwer and Carcassi etudes:
Patrik's Brouwer Etudes playlist
Patrik's Carcassi Etudes playlist
Resources:
Giuliani Exercises (Free PDF download)
Pumping Nylon (Amazon purchase)
Carcassi 25 Etudes (Free PDF download)
The Complete Carcassi Guitar Method (Amazon purchase)
Brouwer Etudes Simples/Estudios Sencillos (Amazon purchase)
Bonus: I didn't touch on this in the video, but Beatrix Kovacs has a fab video of her Top 11 Exercises/The Only Exercises You Need (right and left hand) and an accompanying PDF download I'd also recommmend checking out!
Favorite Picking Patterns (15:57)
Patreon backers get access to the downloads automatically, but anyone can purchase them here!
Subtopics:
Classical notation info and thoughts on right hand practice: 16:10
Rolling Arpeggios: 17:20
Go-To Travis Picking: 25:00
Rolling Arpeggio Hybrid Pattern: 32:10
There are loads of great tutorials and books for Travis picking out there - if it's a style you want to learn, pick any you like and go for it. But one video I thought was exceptionally tidy and neat in its delivery was Paul Davids' Legendary picking pattern - 'Travis Picking'. If you're new to this, I think that'd be a great additional resource for you.
My tunes and arrangements that feature these patterns:
As I Roved Out (rolling arpeggios)
Flowers of Roslindale (Travis)
Island of Woods (rolling arpeggios-ish)
Lovely Molly (Travis)
Omie Wise (Travis)
The Parting Glass (rolling arpeggios)
Si Bheag Si Mhor (rolling arpeggios-ish)
Twisting of the Rope (rolling arpeggios-ish)
When I Was Not But Sweet Sixteen (Travis)
Wrenley's Waltz (rolling arpeggios)
