Thanks for watching. Here's my lesson archive page: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/lessons/ Enjoying my channel, visit my support page: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/donate-support/
Great lesson that shifts from why to how masterfully. Thank you. Love the honesty. I'm a year into my refocus, and I'm finding that I lack the confidence to not look at the tab so... quick looks to the fretboard are hard speed-wise, and my eyes do not focus quickly enough. This is not ideal, BUT now I find my ear is warning when I play the wrong notes (overall and I've been listening to Sor's Op.60 along with the Werner Edition)
Oh this is great, thank you) I think this is the only UA-cam video on the topic that clearly explains and teaches the thing to us classical guitar students) I actually learn flamenco guitar and I asked my teacher how he does it - and he is like "what's the problem, just stop looking at the guitar, look at the girl dancing!!!")) And then again electric guitar players also make it part of their overall skill - so that they can look at their fans not their guitars while on stage)) but classical guitarists seem not to bother too much... Although even aesthetically being mesmerized by their left hand looks awful during a live performance. So thank you very much for your tips and a couple of really helpful exercises) will start practicing tomorrow)
I have a slightly different problem - I wear bifocals and the near focus is set to around 12". With the neck angled up the fretboard is so badly out of focus that I'm better off not looking at it. Should I get special glasses made for guitar playing? 6-8" for the fretboard and 12-15" for the sheet music?
I doubt the fretboard has to be perfectly in focus but the sheet music certainly does. I guess it will depend on if you are reading or playing by memory but if you're reading I'd focus on that vision.
Thank you, Bradford. You didn't mention a couple of points which I find useful. If you're jumping to 9th position, then you learn what it feels like to have the body of the guitar against the side of your hand. And if you have a guide finger then you learn what it feels like for two, say, or three frets to pass under your fingers. Horrors... when jumping to first position I sometimes deliberately overshoot to get my position from the feel of the angle of the head.
For sure, there are tons of tips for shifts that I have in other videos but shifts are only one factor here, although, I admit, a big factor for many people.
Excellent. You forgot to mention that it is best that you keep the neck at exactly the same angle every time, otherwise it will throw your muscle memory off. Same size guitar too.
Playing with eyes closed so that you can listen to the music and be completely submerged in it is my ultimate goal. But it's not easy. Strangely enough, hitting the right fret spot is not the problem, but touching the right string, mainly the B,G or D string, when playing chord grips, even if you don't put all the fingers down at the same time. To watch that you have to bend more forward, which has too many disadvantages. I hope it will work out someday.
I would put that under the Technique section. There is a good exercise in Pumping Nylon called "Opposing Motion" which is a good one for string accuracy.
Everybody looks at the left hand and it's just a pretentious conception that for some reason you shouldn't. There are times when you can take your eyes off the neck and times when it's important to look, which helps you with placement of your fingers. There's a strange idea but you're not a good guitarist if you look at your hands but in fact I've seen many top class world guitarists rubbish this idea themselves.
I agree with you but I think this particular question focuses on "constantly staring at the fretboard", as in, an unhealthy habit of not being able to look away and also not being about to reading music while playing which can often be required, for example, with chamber music or other situations. But, ya, like I said, I look over plenty when playing memorized music.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar yes of course I agree with that too. You can't be fixated on the fretboard. You have to be able to look away. Mainly glancing back to check, specially when you have a major change in position
Thanks for watching. Here's my lesson archive page: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/lessons/
Enjoying my channel, visit my support page: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/donate-support/
Great lesson that shifts from why to how masterfully. Thank you. Love the honesty. I'm a year into my refocus, and I'm finding that I lack the confidence to not look at the tab so... quick looks to the fretboard are hard speed-wise, and my eyes do not focus quickly enough. This is not ideal, BUT now I find my ear is warning when I play the wrong notes (overall and I've been listening to Sor's Op.60 along with the Werner Edition)
Oh this is great, thank you) I think this is the only UA-cam video on the topic that clearly explains and teaches the thing to us classical guitar students) I actually learn flamenco guitar and I asked my teacher how he does it - and he is like "what's the problem, just stop looking at the guitar, look at the girl dancing!!!")) And then again electric guitar players also make it part of their overall skill - so that they can look at their fans not their guitars while on stage)) but classical guitarists seem not to bother too much... Although even aesthetically being mesmerized by their left hand looks awful during a live performance. So thank you very much for your tips and a couple of really helpful exercises) will start practicing tomorrow)
Ha, well, "stop looking" is certainly part of it, all this other stuff just makes it happen way faster and builds confidence.
It is a really good question and the answer you give is really honnest, detailled and useful, thanks a lot for your constant help !
Glad it was helpful!
I really liked your disclaimer! Very honest and humble.😊
Ya, the context is needed for this particular question.
Wonderful thank you
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the excellent expanation, I'll go ahead with your techniques,
Thank you😃🙏
You're welcome 😊 Thanks for watching!
Great topic, great advice! Thanks for your insights.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching!
🎉 thank you Sir
I have a slightly different problem - I wear bifocals and the near focus is set to around 12". With the neck angled up the fretboard is so badly out of focus that I'm better off not looking at it. Should I get special glasses made for guitar playing? 6-8" for the fretboard and 12-15" for the sheet music?
I doubt the fretboard has to be perfectly in focus but the sheet music certainly does. I guess it will depend on if you are reading or playing by memory but if you're reading I'd focus on that vision.
What is the scale supplement book you mentioned?
Scale Pattern Studies For Guitar by Aaron Shearer : www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/scale-pattern-studies-for-guitar-aaron-shearer/
Thank you, Bradford. You didn't mention a couple of points which I find useful. If you're jumping to 9th position, then you learn what it feels like to have the body of the guitar against the side of your hand. And if you have a guide finger then you learn what it feels like for two, say, or three frets to pass under your fingers. Horrors... when jumping to first position I sometimes deliberately overshoot to get my position from the feel of the angle of the head.
For sure, there are tons of tips for shifts that I have in other videos but shifts are only one factor here, although, I admit, a big factor for many people.
Excellent. You forgot to mention that it is best that you keep the neck at exactly the same angle every time, otherwise it will throw your muscle memory off. Same size guitar too.
Good point, although I don't personally find it too much more difficult if I'm sitting "wrong" or something.
❤
Playing with eyes closed so that you can listen to the music and be completely submerged in it is my ultimate goal. But it's not easy. Strangely enough, hitting the right fret spot is not the problem, but touching the right string, mainly the B,G or D string, when playing chord grips, even if you don't put all the fingers down at the same time. To watch that you have to bend more forward, which has too many disadvantages. I hope it will work out someday.
I would put that under the Technique section. There is a good exercise in Pumping Nylon called "Opposing Motion" which is a good one for string accuracy.
Everybody looks at the left hand and it's just a pretentious conception that for some reason you shouldn't. There are times when you can take your eyes off the neck and times when it's important to look, which helps you with placement of your fingers. There's a strange idea but you're not a good guitarist if you look at your hands but in fact I've seen many top class world guitarists rubbish this idea themselves.
I agree with you but I think this particular question focuses on "constantly staring at the fretboard", as in, an unhealthy habit of not being able to look away and also not being about to reading music while playing which can often be required, for example, with chamber music or other situations. But, ya, like I said, I look over plenty when playing memorized music.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar yes of course I agree with that too. You can't be fixated on the fretboard. You have to be able to look away. Mainly glancing back to check, specially when you have a major change in position
Ana vidovic always watches her hands