Hope you enjoyed this more casual, conversatonal and lightly edited video style :) If you did, please consider supporting me on Patreon! ❤www.patreon.com/beatrixguitar
I do enjoy your style. You are friendly, casual, intelligent, knowledgeable, and express yourself VERY well. Ask at the end of your presentation. I enjoy watching you and love how you go into detail. It is interesting and useful how you describe your own struggles For example, about posture. One teensy remark-you don't to need to ask, in the middle of your spiel, whether you're doing a good job or not (you are, but it breaks the rhythm). love hearing you describe how you feel and your experiences learning and playing. You have a great sense of humour
Problem 6 is a great point! And the solution of focusing on the quality of one note is a really good exercise. At 61 years old I'm just now starting to appreciate how much each note needs to be loved, nurtured and cared for in order to better serve the piece of music I'm playing.
I find that when making a mistake, it helps to consciously identify the specific cause of the mistake, e.g., "My ring finder isn't getting to the second fret of the 2nd string in time, so I need to aim better across stings with that finger," then practice the correction slowly until I'm successful. Once I understand exactly what I need to do, I back up a few measures and take it slowly a few times, then at tempo, (internally verbally) anticipating the move I need to make. This usually fixes the problem. I may need to consciously anticipate the correction a few times playing through the music, but it becomes second natures pretty quickly after that.
You mentioned very good points. Many of us are getting used to practice mistakes, and end up very good in playing mistakes. Slowing down normally exposes the mistakes and the causes of the them. Sometimes we need to rearrange the fingerings of the LH or RH to fix the mistakes. Yes, it is like cooking. Before making a dish, it is imperative to know what it should taste like, when it is prepared well. In other words, you should know what the tune sounds like when it is played well, before learning it.
This is very true ! Most people (including myself used to) think that you can just play a song after few times… one needs to zoom in bar by bar until you sound better… when you play a song the first time you will not sound good right away. It will take some times…
Another cool point of playing with metronome set on one click per bar is that most non-classical music uses bass drums set at one beat per bar. So basically when you learn to play with one click per bar, you're learning to keep up with the drums. Which is kinda useful.
Everything you have stated here is absolutely correct. I know because I've been through all of these phases...many times. It doesn't matter what style of guitar one plays either, everything you've stated applies. (Actually, the essence of what you've stated applies to learning any instrument and a great many other things in life.) I started playing at the age of 14 and am now nearly 72. Just a couple of weeks ago I decided that it was once again time to return to fundamentals to improve my playing, so I started pulling up relevant videos, yours being one of many. While I am not a classical guitarist, I did take three years of classical lessons when I wanted to learn to fingerpick back in my 30's. The thing I learned to most appreciate about the classical lessons was the detailed thought processes you've discussed here. The hardest part for me, initially, was learning to keep track of where each finger, on both hands, was at any given moment. I especially liked what you said about listening to oneself to evaluate the sound, starting with one note at a time. I would like to suggest only one thing to add to all of the excellent points you've made here, and that is recording oneself, even just using a cell phone, though the fidelity may be less than ideal. The point is to make it simple and quick to do so it doesn't create the feeling of inertia to have to overcome. Many years ago, when I was performing full time, I became aware that adrenaline from from nerves or excitement during live performance skewed my perception of tempo, causing me to play virtually everything too fast. For about six months, I recorded 30 minutes of every gig, which was 4-5 nights a week, on a cassette deck and made myself listen to it on the way home. It was difficult medicine to take, but it dramatically helped me learn to critically listen, while performing, and largely correct the problem. Thanks for your succinct descriptions in your honest and open manner...very helpful!
As a life long music student, but mainly non-professional, & mostly a multi-genre fiddler who used to play guitar & bass, I find this discussion very inspiring & appropriate for my study, & probably for almost any musician, no matter the instrument. Thank you Beatrix ... I'm enjoying your excellent videos
The brain will more effectively work on planting a memory if you do the pattern, then wait 30 seconds, then do the pattern again (and repeat). It will also remember mistakes, so go slowly enough to make sure your pattern is correct.
I'm not a classical guitarist, just someone who likes to play and sing pop and rock tunes on a steel string. I am so glad I tripped upon your video, these tips will definitely help me!
Nice video. All the main points are useful for any musician, regardless of instrument. The odd thing is that I ‘’know” all of these things but I still make these errors too frequently - play faster than capable, repeat whole sections to repeat mistake, pick stuff that’s too hard, get impatient with progress. I do this on guitar some; even more so with piano, my second instrument.
We all need a prod every so often from an external source. Teachers are good for that, but with so many of us being self taught or without resources for a full time tutor, these kind of videos are an important part of our self correction mechanism.
Piano is also my second instrument, but flute is my first while guitar is my third. Using these teachings from Beatrice has improved my playing on all my instruments over the past two months.
I’ve been playing classical guitar for decades and was also fortunate in a parallel life to be in a touring rock band. Being in that band afforded me a lot of studio time and through that I realized that what YOU hear is NOT what the audience hears. I used those recordings to help me fine tune many aspects of my delivery. Give it a shot, you’ll likely wish you hadn’t but be glad you did.
Hi Beatrix, 50 year plus player here, self taught with I'm certain many bad habits. I have constantly sabotaged myself the whole way. Enjoyed watching this and took the tips to heart. Thank you from a new fan 😊
Dear Beatrix, As a guitar teacher of 50 years, I agree with EVERY idea you mentioned here. The problems you mentioned are common to ALL beginners in every style of music. The solutions you offer are GOLD. I will send this video to all my students.
Thanks Beatrix. My biggest mistake is not developing my music reading skills. I can see that huge musical possibilites arise from being able to read well and being able to play from sight. This will be a major area of my practice for the coming months and years. Thanks for all that you do. David.
11 months into my guitar journey. Only in the last month did I have several "breakthrough" moments, not in my skill but when I realized something seemingly obvious about arm posture or finger positioning that made everything so much easier. My fingers still don't do what I want 80% of the time, but those 20% are all worth it. Classical Guitar is awesome!
thanks for your advices. They are universal and can be applied to learning any practical skill. Especially when you talked about attention. Any aspect of playing should be practiced separately, because you can't focus on multiple aspects of playing at the same time. It is similar to how we learn to drive a car. One more tip, referred to guitar: wash hands before playing. Washed hands(especially thumb finger) produce better sound :)
Im just getting into classical. No real fingerstyle experience. Iv been picking out some of these pieces but find the bass notes hard to get in time. So im here now ready to learn.
Slowing down in practice is key for me...aka: patience. I just watched your older video the other day about practice and you hit on that point as well. Lack of patience and attention to detail will sabotage me if I let it. By the way, I once opened a song book and considered playing Adelita....I closed the book after I glanced at the notes....lol. Great video and great content. Keep it up!
I've been learning regular guitar on and off for about ten years. I've just bought a classical guitar and am trying to learn classical now too. The playing the same string with different fingers, the position, the sight-reading when I'm used to tab... It's all tricky stuff
Just a big thank you from a 77 year young learner. My block till today, practicing in mistakes. I will slow down. Thank you. (Electric learner your advice is very sound.)
Are you looking over my shoulder, Beatrix??? LOL! I am an old, self-taught guitarist (pop-folk) who is trying to learn to play classical guitar. I can play the “A” part of Adelina without too much struggle. But the “B” part is hard work for me. But I’m s-l-o-w-l-y getting there. In a year or two, I’ll be there! Lagrima is going much better.
Really good advice here. I was practicing playing god for weeks at 50 percent speed and it sounded rough. But my ego told me that I was already past the point of slowing down and I was already so far behind tim Henson. But then I took it down to 25 percent and really took my time. Now a month later and can play it well at 75
Thank you for the videos Beatrix. My biggest foul up is playing through my pieces, usually each time thinking., allright this time I will get it. Thank you the reminder to break each piece apart and work on the mistakes.
Your suggestion 'bout setting the Metronome was eyeopening to me. I still don't think i like them but... for practical reasons... trying to get those eight A's plus one with a tail and one more A, then a rest, to sound like "In the Mood"; A metronome set to like one click per four A's might help me with timing. ( if i can get my fingers to switch faster that is - always the noob am I)(edit.. hey do you know what those notes are called that have a dot on the one part but the connecting note has an extra half line on the bar that connects the two notes; and the sounds goes wiggly together?...Google was no help for my autistic research.) The slow down and listen, break downs you offer are comforting to me, trying to learn on my own. I make content about the journey. Ya know what else is hard.....Strum Patterns and songs that only have two chords. Yeah that is hard to me but heck lets play Glenn Miller.
It's a good idea to record yourself on your mobile phone, either video or just audio. listen back through good headphones or speakers. Also, if your guitar has a pickup, play through a speaker or pa system, you'll hear things louder or quiter and different textures. Don't be afraid to critique yourself. Let your ear decide❤
I stumbled on to Lovacs video and after watching i was impressed she explains everything to detail but I'm not looking to be a classical guitarist the music is very inspiring but i always wanted to play old school rock i haven't picked up a guitar in 36 years and i dont even own a acoustic guitar only own electric ones so its like starting over all again . I do like her videos and she is obviously very talented. Maybe i will join her site and see how she can help me .
I am learning guitar from last 1.5 years, and very strongly relate to all these points made by you here. These are superbly valuable insights which you have shared here, I really liked the point that music is not a goal, but more of a journey to enjoy, learn and then in the process get better 👍👍thanks you for generously sharing these valuable ideas
I like the tip to set the metronome to every other beat, or only one beat a measure. When I turn on the metronome I feel so pressured. This many solve that problem.
I can totally relate to everything.. Especially when tension or muscle starts to get tight somewhere in my body, I am going to fast; unless im actually trying to over-speed the piece to make normal tempo seem slower-more relaxed. But when I get tight somewhere in my body, then its like a break preventing me from EVER playing faster or more ballanced untill I start playing with completely relaxed body again.. But problem 4(dunning-kruger effect) hits me at EVERY new piece, and I have been playing for ~20 years. So funny. I consider myself a beginner-intermediate, but learning just 1-4 bars is usually possible, and with time...(..sooner than never)the entire piece is played as a walk in the park. Super advice-all of them‼ I still try to remember to do exactly the things you mentioned. The metronome should be used some more though, I know I should and I know I dont(enough). Great video- just started to learn the classical guitar as a ~beginner~-but with a serious mindset; so very nice with these *_remember to.._* P.S. side-tip ♪♫ ♦When I have problems getting rid of a mistake, like uneven rythm, vibrato, bend or triad, I actually practice *_~the mistake~_* to get a good control of the motions creating the mistake, and then play with and play without. Strong 1st beat, strong 2nd beat, strong 3rd beat, all strong then no strong. Over-doing the mistake, then non-doing it, lol. That usually helps me A LOT.. ♦..another thing I do is to pretend someone is trying to guess which finger is picking when, and my task is to make it hard→impossible for them to guess it. A balance between even and fast, but even first. ♠Once I cant clearly hear my mistakes I get someone skilled to listen and point out some stuff to improve, and often there are some stuff that the ear has gotten used to and thinks is correct..
From your videos I've seen, you always make sense, Beatrix😊 I go too fast because I get excited about how good little sections are sounding. I hold tension in my hands, forearms and shoulders because my brain thinks that's how I can focus on learning notes and patterns. I definitely push too hard most of the time. But I'm learning to do those things less. Great idea about playing notes less loud to reduce tension! Great teaching videos like yours are extremely helpful for reminding me about how to approach learning amd improving at guitar ❤
❤❤I go thru periods of keeping my guitar in its case for months at a time due to frustration and "suckiness," and I've owned NICE guitars for FIFTY YEARS! I think you are right that I need to slow down, get back to basics, and really learn small item by small item as I build guitar skills! As it is now, I play little bits of a lot of songs, but not one entire song sounds good enough to perform for a bunch of 10-year olds! That's pitiful!❤❤
One of the best instructional music videos I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a few, and I don’t play classical guitar. I play steel string acoustic and electric (and sing). Everything she said applies to all instruments.
Hi, I just recently found (and subscribed) to your channel. Your teaching style is unique, effective and sets you apart from a lot of teachers. I enjoyed your finger drill video - especially your instruction to focus on a few important drills and do them well. Second, I found this video very helpful in teaching how to actually *sound good* by focused, slow practice. I thought your suggestion to feel and enjoy the meditative nature of a slow metronome was excellent! I'm certain your channel will grow to supply you with an abundant income because you are blessed with a unique gift to teach musicality. Thank you!
Great point that evaluation of your own work is very different than comparison of your work to that of others. There is an expression that has been said different ways, but basically goes: "Comparison is the death of joy."
I am a pure beginner and my first lesson was to play a clear pitch on a string low notes and melody notes. My personal starting was to play bass line and simple kids melody ... and really that enough for the first step! I need to be able to navigate on the guitar and play the right tone in a good shape. After that step, so I could start to learn basic chords (CAGED) and basic strumming .. I think.
When you said the fucking buns I choked on my meal. I did not expect that. No worries I swear alot. When I was younger I found a few cool tips from players who play for philharmonic orchestra. Places like that .
Some metronome apps allow 500bpm. I like to set these to sixteenth notes and work on left and right hand individually, at tempo, to get the REQUIRED feel and technique into each hand at tempo. Then, also using the metronome to sync up the hands, that can now play with no breaks in tempo...are much easier to get in sync. You can also work in the lightest possible touch at TEMPO as the added momented from the speed will increase the volume...you don't have to hammer as hard, pull as hard, or pick as hard. These realizations are difficult to come upon only practicing at much slower tempos. Is this a frustrating approach? Maybe at first if you choose to think of it that way. But the mindfulness practice that you mention here helps, and is what I love about guitar practice. I guess it's a form of meditation, that once you've allowed into your life is difficult to cease. Get fast by "starting at speed" as Troy Grady has now named this approach. Modern metronome apps indeed are our good friends!
You pretty much hit on every issue i have when playing/practicing. I will certainly start this practice routine today and update you on my progress down the road. But everything you suggest is everything i dont do. But i will start today. Thank you.
Lately, I've noticed that the worst 'self-sabotaging' I do on my post-surgery comeback path is that I was forgetting to start by sitting on a bar stool rather than trying to stand for my 'duets by request' where I'm multitasking guitar with vocals. One of my karaoke scene colleagues requested for me to join her when she sings 'Bring Me to Life' by Evanescence with backing vocals and guitar; and the first two attempts weren't nearly as good as I hoped because I tried to stand up like it hadn't been 20+ years since I've played in my cheesy cover bands and I wasn't just four months into resuming daily practice sessions after recuperating from shoulder surgery and a hiatus of 5+ years from practicing at all. Just plain trying to do too much too soon. Just because I've been playing guitar since the 1970s and played in bands from 1979 to 2002 didn't mean I would just be able to go onstage again like there weren't huge gaps since those 20+ years of experience. Too much multitasking too soon is a perfect recipe for embarrassing f•••-ups.
Great ideas! Muscle memory can work for good or bad while practicing. I get overwhelmed sometimes at how much I have to learn. And then I try to remember to breathe and relax about it. Thank you!
Csodálatos vagy! Magyarországról is vannak ám nézőid. 🥰 Nem kicsit menő, hogy ennyi emberhez eljuttatod a gitár szeretetét és megosztod a tippjeidet. 🤩
Thank you! Each moment moves on. Each Moment Matters! They Build on each other, good and bad! Stringing notes together, is the rhythm of storytelling! My bump You asked, is expecting all notes to be voiced clearly. Practicing and watching arched tip placement, blending muting and ringing clear, is fun (and agonistic!) Imenclely wanted in My Practice right now. Witnessing these notes you mark all through this mini podcast is good to ring through my head, to allow the voicing of this journey! Thank you! Could say more,....
Great video & topics ! I think starting slowly just inherently "feels" frustrating once you've been playing for a number of years because you "feel" like you *should* be able to learn something more quickly... Also - there's the joy of getting something to click - once you've experienced that - you kind of get addicted to that vibe and you want to hurry up and get there haha
I really resonate with this. I’ve been playing flute for a while and it never occurred to me to start a new piece slowly if the metronome marking was under quarter note equaling 80.
As the very basic begginer id suggest taking a few minutes to try something new. Ive noticed im learning a lot by just trying a new style, sound, chord, or scale and somehow itt transfers back to what i was working on origonally.
I often think of it as training vs practice. I have to remind myself to train on specific techniques rather than just 'practice' the same songs poorly.
Thank you for stating that even you have to start slowly when you are learning a new piece. I really needed to hear that from a guitarist that I have come to admire. Being a special education and ESL teacher in my day-to-day life, I have come to respect you as a fellow teacher as well. At this time, I am in the process of waiting for one house to sell in one city while renting a house in another city. Once things are settled, I will be glad to support you on patreon. I did, at least, purchase your digital book of exercises today. I will also be praying for you and the success of your channel. May God bless you for being humble in your gifts and talents.
Ok the points at 14:00 SUPER helpful. I think I may vaguely analyze a piece like this but not specifically and I think that is a FANTASTIC point I haven’t heard previously. Also the points about exercises. I’ve been feeling guilty I have a very few and one specifically I mostly use a few minutes a day (even though the one drastically seemed to improve, well, everything I do significantly). I do think it’s about finding those few exercises that connect WITH YOU. And maybe also, figuring out when to switch it up. Maybe test a certain one for a while. Great video. (And hey stop taking down to yourself. You are fantastic. You HAVE a “real job” and you know what you are doing.)
You said you should use a metronome to slow down. After I heard you say that I started to think about that a bit. I’ve now started using my metronome to do just that. I’m becoming aware of mistakes because I can now “hear and see them” at a slower beat. Can you guess what’s now happening with my practice? I’m becoming less frustrated. I’m slowly repeating measures to make sure I get them right. My playing from memorization is improving. What is happening??? That horrid device called the metronome is now becoming my friend because I’m using it as you suggested. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I practice with cloth on the string when encountering difficult sections to avoid the annoyance of sounding really bad , not sure if that's a good idea but probably anyone listening thinks so lol. Thanks for the ideas in the video.
Thank you very much for this valuable and motivating video' You have a very pleasant way of explaining and presenting complex topics in an easy to understand way. I started playing the guitar 6 years ago and I'm still a newcomer to the guitar universe. Although in terms of age, I'm more of a granny among beginners. 😀 From rich onwards, I really enjoy the journey and am happy about every little bit of progress. 🎶🎸
Good points. Thanks for sharing. I've been getting frustrated on one piece I'm working on. But these points have motivated me to saddle up and try again.
@@Blue501st I'm working on a song from a video game actually. It's called Sad Song from Mario RPG. John Oeth has a wonderful video of his performance along with tabs plus sheet music on his Patreon. I've also been working on Erik Satie's Gymnopedie.
If I may, a metronome set to a very slow speed is more difficult to play than a fast speed. I have never set my metronome to one click every other beat or once per measure. I will have to give that a try. Here is how I was taught to use a metronome. Set a tempo you are comfortable to learn the part at. Now here is the tricky part. When you can no longer hear the click of the metronome against you playing not because you’re playing loud but because you are playing the downbeat notes exactly the same as the metronome clicks. When this happens you are playing perfectly in time. If you anticipate you will play before the click and if you wait to hear the click you are playing behind the beat. Learning to do this will help you not speed up or slow down and your timing will become like a clock. It is no easy thing to do. I hope this helps someone out their. MI learned this at Berklee College of Music decades ago.
I appreciate all this terrific advice - especially your point about making peace with your personal progress. To build on that thought, I would add one more piece of advice. And that is to try to be kind to yourself during the challenging journey of learning guitar. I wouldn’t tell a friend who is learning guitar that they suck. I’d try to be positive and kind and encouraging. If that’s the way to treat a friend, shouldn’t I treat myself in the same kind manner? Telling myself I suck never makes me better.
i did not really know how bad i coud sound at times until i bought a condenser mic to record my pleying.. MADRE DE DIOS! that thing put a microscope to every ugly thing i was doing! thank to that im now aware of my poor sound production and im actually fixing it slowly
I think a flaw I have may be waiting until I make a mistake in practice to slow down to get it right. Perhaps if I remembered to always start slow there would be a cumulative effect of avoiding mistakes and having space to think about expression.
I dunno, jumping between telecaster and my classical guitar can confuse me a little - neck thickness being the issue but unplugged the Tele gives the neighbours a rest. 😁 Playing softly is a good thing as is slowly and not repeating sections if for 1 mistake but more focused few bars to cover the error before moving on. Finish the practice on a good feeling and not frustrated or feeling crappy even ig it means going to a different piece of music.👍
Yes, it's a challenge to play electric guitar with say a 43mm but and then change to classical that uses around a 50mm but or less. Godin make nylon strung guitars with a neck more suited for electric players swapping over to nylon strings. I'm having the problem where I prefer 48/50mm nut and Godin also do a nylon midi guitar with classical dimensions. Godin are in no way a replacement to a proper classical guitar. I would maybe investigate whether your classical guitar is too thick from fretboard to the back of the neck. Older classical guitar were built like tanks - even collectors guitars. Modern guitars are more comfortable- although the don't compare to a telecaster. Neck width affects where each string is placed. Poor classical guitars do not have precision placement of strings. That's a big problem if you are swapping between guitars. Solution, buy a bone nut that has not been fabricated and carefully make a new nut with proper spacing for each string. Or, copy the spacing of your telecaster. Yes, that would be weird - having all your strings placed to the lower side, but it might help you decide what is best. Or get a tech to do that.
@@fusion-music some good advice, I just get over it and learn to adjust but I do keed to ditch the 10-46 strings on the Tele for something a bit more feel like a nylon setup. I love the smell and sound of my Spanish Classical with a Cedar top and traditional fan brace. I use some Italian synth gut strings on it, it's magic. No nails for both and no plec either for the Tele. I have a bridge pickup on my classical so I can amo it if I want for experimenting. 👍 Thanks for the input.
@@pierrebroccoli.9396 Thanks Pierre. I would say no steel strings will feel like Nylon (Tension) unless you opt for 9's and have a really good action. You don't want the action so low that it chokes the sustain though. I do have some heavier strings on my jazz guitar, but I have got the action pretty refined - and that all depends on the neck and how good it is - as it is now - or whether you can change it. It's good to keep regular playing of both nylon and steel to get your brain used to how everything should feel. You obviously have spent quite a bit of time on both, if you are feeling you are getting better at adjusting. All the best.
0) Learn some technique and how to improve, feel it and develop it* (hard to say, it's also very subjective and could be matter for a series of videos alone) 1) Studying wisely, not more. Quality over quantity. 2) Having clear in your mind: what do you need to solve a piece/passage technically? Once done, musicality will be easier to train. 3) Give yourself smaller goals to reinforce positively instead of kicking your ass because you're not getting fast progress. 4) TRAIN. YOUR. LIVE. PERFORMANCES. People skip this but how to move, react, and how to perform under pressure is NEEDED if you want to get better at real concerts. 5) Do not compare to others. Please. 6) Remember EVERY TIME why do you play music and what was the motivation to do it. Some people tend to forget the love for music and they lose themselves in the competitive / toxic / depressive part of having such a hard work that is to be a good musician.
Beatrix, how do you address getting nervous. I have an issue with this. I play pretty well on my own, but when I play in front of other people, my skill level drops significantly. Sometimes, I forget where I am in the song, and it's pretty much over. Any ideas on how to address this?
Biggest mistake is listening to teachers who are very advanced and have played for many years. They always forget to teach the hardest things to find out about playing. For instance how to decide on right hand fingering and technique for a specific piece. How come no one teaches such things? Makes no sense to me... Probably it is not important but why does no one say so?
The "Suck" is an ever moving scale; to those who believe in it. Remember when you finally played a song through without mistakes? That was not "Sucking" no matter the timing was off or miner muted noted. it was satisfying & accomplishing. So now the imaginary Suckery bar moves. (if you buy inti it) The point is. Some of us play for fun and distraction; and don't aspire to be "a pro". Also as you become more adept at playing the "Suck bar" moves again. And the more adept players like yourself. feel even intermediate players as "Suck". When that not-Suck bar is one you'll never get over. It is the proverbial "Carrot in a String. There will always be someone to dazzle with something not seen before. And if you can't play it you'll "Suck". So if you are not looking to be a pro? Then practice a few of your songs til your comfy. Progress in your playing will come naturally from that. In reality Suck does not exist. It is something made up to try to make music into some kind of team sport,(it's not) There is no "Suck". If it does? it's in your own head. you are the only one that matters. So get over it and play on. Not that anyone is wrong; suck bar or no suck bar, There just are different perspectives. And players should not be held to just one. Sorry for the long diatribe. Peace Out.
First thing to do is listen to as many styles of the instrument you want to take on the challenge to learn. I went to college to study classical guitar. After 40 years of performing and teaching, I wish I took a different approach to music. After listening to classical guitar, I didn't realize how boring the solo guitar music was, especially especially classical guitar. 1) I think everyone should study rhythm or some type of drumming. 2) I think everyone should be able to sing in tune to better the ear to internally connect to what you are hearing and feeling. 3) If you do decide playing an instrument, always start with the piano. It is exactly how music is layed out and the sound effects are enormous, much more than electric guitar. When studying music in college you are required to study piano and ear training with singing. So if this lady is telling you how not to suck. My word advice study rhythm and singing first. And the first instrument definitely piano 🎹. That advice is coming from a guitarist 🎸. Good luck and God Bless.
you have to have a healthy soul---after you learn to do all of the physical things that help you play better---to reach the highest level of expression it comes from deep within your soul---that is for each one of us to tap into in our own way---but this must be addressed ---when you play a sad piece you must cry a little---when you play a joyful piece you must feel joy. Using your physical tools in the most effective way is only the first step.
Beatrix, I resemble all these examples. Im not trying to make excuses here ,and maybe this is a long shot BUT, do you or any of your classical guitar colleagues know of a hand surgeon who can fix my deformed right hand index finger ( a table saw mishap Labor Day weekend of 2020). I haven’t been able to find anyone here in America.
If a person plays in an ensemble and learns and then practices alone, they must learn to use a metronome. How someone uses a metronome to learn and practice is variable. Learning to play various levels of complexity, eighth notes, quarter notes, quarter note triplets, eighth note triplets, demands a metronome.
Hope you enjoyed this more casual, conversatonal and lightly edited video style :) If you did, please consider supporting me on Patreon!
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Sure
I do enjoy your style. You are friendly, casual, intelligent, knowledgeable, and express yourself VERY well. Ask at the end of your presentation. I enjoy watching you and love how you go into detail. It is interesting and useful how you describe your own struggles For example, about posture. One teensy remark-you don't to need to ask, in the middle of your spiel, whether you're doing a good job or not (you are, but it breaks the rhythm). love hearing you describe how you feel and your experiences learning and playing. You have a great sense of humour
Yes very good
Problem 6 is a great point! And the solution of focusing on the quality of one note is a really good exercise. At 61 years old I'm just now starting to appreciate how much each note needs to be loved, nurtured and cared for in order to better serve the piece of music I'm playing.
I find that when making a mistake, it helps to consciously identify the specific cause of the mistake, e.g., "My ring finder isn't getting to the second fret of the 2nd string in time, so I need to aim better across stings with that finger," then practice the correction slowly until I'm successful. Once I understand exactly what I need to do, I back up a few measures and take it slowly a few times, then at tempo, (internally verbally) anticipating the move I need to make. This usually fixes the problem. I may need to consciously anticipate the correction a few times playing through the music, but it becomes second natures pretty quickly after that.
You mentioned very good points. Many of us are getting used to practice mistakes, and end up very good in playing mistakes. Slowing down normally exposes the mistakes and the causes of the them. Sometimes we need to rearrange the fingerings of the LH or RH to fix the mistakes. Yes, it is like cooking. Before making a dish, it is imperative to know what it should taste like, when it is prepared well. In other words, you should know what the tune sounds like when it is played well, before learning it.
This is very true ! Most people (including myself used to) think that you can just play a song after few times… one needs to zoom in bar by bar until you sound better… when you play a song the first time you will not sound good right away. It will take some times…
Another cool point of playing with metronome set on one click per bar is that most non-classical music uses bass drums set at one beat per bar. So basically when you learn to play with one click per bar, you're learning to keep up with the drums. Which is kinda useful.
Everything you have stated here is absolutely correct. I know because I've been through all of these phases...many times. It doesn't matter what style of guitar one plays either, everything you've stated applies. (Actually, the essence of what you've stated applies to learning any instrument and a great many other things in life.) I started playing at the age of 14 and am now nearly 72. Just a couple of weeks ago I decided that it was once again time to return to fundamentals to improve my playing, so I started pulling up relevant videos, yours being one of many. While I am not a classical guitarist, I did take three years of classical lessons when I wanted to learn to fingerpick back in my 30's. The thing I learned to most appreciate about the classical lessons was the detailed thought processes you've discussed here. The hardest part for me, initially, was learning to keep track of where each finger, on both hands, was at any given moment. I especially liked what you said about listening to oneself to evaluate the sound, starting with one note at a time. I would like to suggest only one thing to add to all of the excellent points you've made here, and that is recording oneself, even just using a cell phone, though the fidelity may be less than ideal. The point is to make it simple and quick to do so it doesn't create the feeling of inertia to have to overcome. Many years ago, when I was performing full time, I became aware that adrenaline from from nerves or excitement during live performance skewed my perception of tempo, causing me to play virtually everything too fast. For about six months, I recorded 30 minutes of every gig, which was 4-5 nights a week, on a cassette deck and made myself listen to it on the way home. It was difficult medicine to take, but it dramatically helped me learn to critically listen, while performing, and largely correct the problem. Thanks for your succinct descriptions in your honest and open manner...very helpful!
As a life long music student, but mainly non-professional, & mostly a multi-genre fiddler who used to play guitar & bass, I find this discussion very inspiring & appropriate for my study, & probably for almost any musician, no matter the instrument. Thank you Beatrix ... I'm enjoying your excellent videos
The brain will more effectively work on planting a memory if you do the pattern, then wait 30 seconds, then do the pattern again (and repeat). It will also remember mistakes, so go slowly enough to make sure your pattern is correct.
I'm not a classical guitarist, just someone who likes to play and sing pop and rock tunes on a steel string. I am so glad I tripped upon your video, these tips will definitely help me!
That's awesome!
Nice video. All the main points are useful for any musician, regardless of instrument. The odd thing is that I
‘’know” all of these things but I still make these errors too frequently - play faster than capable, repeat whole sections to repeat mistake, pick stuff that’s too hard, get impatient with progress. I do this on guitar some; even more so with piano, my second instrument.
We all need a prod every so often from an external source. Teachers are good for that, but with so many of us being self taught or without resources for a full time tutor, these kind of videos are an important part of our self correction mechanism.
Piano is also my second instrument, but flute is my first while guitar is my third. Using these teachings from Beatrice has improved my playing on all my instruments over the past two months.
I’ve been playing classical guitar for decades and was also fortunate in a parallel life to be in a touring rock band. Being in that band afforded me a lot of studio time and through that I realized that what YOU hear is NOT what the audience hears. I used those recordings to help me fine tune many aspects of my delivery. Give it a shot, you’ll likely wish you hadn’t but be glad you did.
Hi Beatrix, 50 year plus player here, self taught with I'm certain many bad habits. I have constantly sabotaged myself the whole way. Enjoyed watching this and took the tips to heart. Thank you from a new fan 😊
Dear Beatrix, As a guitar teacher of 50 years, I agree with EVERY idea you mentioned here. The problems you mentioned are common to ALL beginners in every style of music. The solutions you offer are GOLD. I will send this video to all my students.
Thank you!
Thanks Beatrix. My biggest mistake is not developing my music reading skills. I can see that huge musical possibilites arise from being able to read well and being able to play from sight. This will be a major area of my practice for the coming months and years. Thanks for all that you do. David.
Good luck David, you got this! If you manage to force yourself to practice it daily you’ll get used to it in a few months only I’m sure
11 months into my guitar journey. Only in the last month did I have several "breakthrough" moments, not in my skill but when I realized something seemingly obvious about arm posture or finger positioning that made everything so much easier. My fingers still don't do what I want 80% of the time, but those 20% are all worth it. Classical Guitar is awesome!
thanks for your advices. They are universal and can be applied to learning any practical skill. Especially when you talked about attention. Any aspect of playing should be practiced separately, because you can't focus on multiple aspects of playing at the same time. It is similar to how we learn to drive a car. One more tip, referred to guitar: wash hands before playing. Washed hands(especially thumb finger) produce better sound :)
Im just getting into classical. No real fingerstyle experience. Iv been picking out some of these pieces but find the bass notes hard to get in time.
So im here now ready to learn.
Slowing down in practice is key for me...aka: patience. I just watched your older video the other day about practice and you hit on that point as well. Lack of patience and attention to detail will sabotage me if I let it. By the way, I once opened a song book and considered playing Adelita....I closed the book after I glanced at the notes....lol. Great video and great content. Keep it up!
I've been learning regular guitar on and off for about ten years. I've just bought a classical guitar and am trying to learn classical now too. The playing the same string with different fingers, the position, the sight-reading when I'm used to tab... It's all tricky stuff
Just a big thank you from a 77 year young learner. My block till today, practicing in mistakes. I will slow down. Thank you. (Electric learner your advice is very sound.)
Are you looking over my shoulder, Beatrix??? LOL! I am an old, self-taught guitarist (pop-folk) who is trying to learn to play classical guitar. I can play the “A” part of Adelina without too much struggle. But the “B” part is hard work for me. But I’m s-l-o-w-l-y getting there. In a year or two, I’ll be there! Lagrima is going much better.
Really good advice here. I was practicing playing god for weeks at 50 percent speed and it sounded rough. But my ego told me that I was already past the point of slowing down and I was already so far behind tim Henson. But then I took it down to 25 percent and really took my time. Now a month later and can play it well at 75
Thank you for the videos Beatrix. My biggest foul up is playing through my pieces, usually each time thinking., allright this time I will get it. Thank you the reminder to break each piece apart and work on the mistakes.
Your suggestion 'bout setting the Metronome was eyeopening to me. I still don't think i like them but... for practical reasons... trying to get those eight A's plus one with a tail and one more A, then a rest, to sound like "In the Mood"; A metronome set to like one click per four A's might help me with timing. ( if i can get my fingers to switch faster that is - always the noob am I)(edit.. hey do you know what those notes are called that have a dot on the one part but the connecting note has an extra half line on the bar that connects the two notes; and the sounds goes wiggly together?...Google was no help for my autistic research.)
The slow down and listen, break downs you offer are comforting to me, trying to learn on my own. I make content about the journey. Ya know what else is hard.....Strum Patterns and songs that only have two chords. Yeah that is hard to me but heck lets play Glenn Miller.
It's a good idea to record yourself on your mobile phone, either video or just audio. listen back through good headphones or speakers. Also, if your guitar has a pickup, play through a speaker or pa system, you'll hear things louder or quiter and different textures. Don't be afraid to critique yourself. Let your ear decide❤
Indeed.
Wholeheartedly agree! As painful as it can be sometimes, recording is a must!
Respect the tempo, you can apply that to any instrument and even also in some day to day life situations
I stumbled on to Lovacs video and after watching i was impressed she explains everything to detail but I'm not looking to be a classical guitarist the music is very inspiring but i always wanted to play old school rock i haven't picked up a guitar in 36 years and i dont even own a acoustic guitar only own electric ones so its like starting over all again . I do like her videos and she is obviously very talented. Maybe i will join her site and see how she can help me .
I am learning guitar from last 1.5 years, and very strongly relate to all these points made by you here. These are superbly valuable insights which you have shared here, I really liked the point that music is not a goal, but more of a journey to enjoy, learn and then in the process get better 👍👍thanks you for generously sharing these valuable ideas
I like the tip to set the metronome to every other beat, or only one beat a measure. When I turn on the metronome I feel so pressured. This many solve that problem.
I can totally relate to everything.. Especially when tension or muscle starts to get tight somewhere in my body, I am going to fast; unless im actually trying to over-speed the piece to make normal tempo seem slower-more relaxed. But when I get tight somewhere in my body, then its like a break preventing me from EVER playing faster or more ballanced untill I start playing with completely relaxed body again..
But problem 4(dunning-kruger effect) hits me at EVERY new piece, and I have been playing for ~20 years. So funny. I consider myself a beginner-intermediate, but learning just 1-4 bars is usually possible, and with time...(..sooner than never)the entire piece is played as a walk in the park.
Super advice-all of them‼ I still try to remember to do exactly the things you mentioned. The metronome should be used some more though, I know I should and I know I dont(enough).
Great video- just started to learn the classical guitar as a ~beginner~-but with a serious mindset; so very nice with these *_remember to.._*
P.S. side-tip ♪♫
♦When I have problems getting rid of a mistake, like uneven rythm, vibrato, bend or triad, I actually practice *_~the mistake~_* to get a good control of the motions creating the mistake, and then play with and play without. Strong 1st beat, strong 2nd beat, strong 3rd beat, all strong then no strong. Over-doing the mistake, then non-doing it, lol.
That usually helps me A LOT..
♦..another thing I do is to pretend someone is trying to guess which finger is picking when, and my task is to make it hard→impossible for them to guess it. A balance between even and fast, but even first.
♠Once I cant clearly hear my mistakes I get someone skilled to listen and point out some stuff to improve, and often there are some stuff that the ear has gotten used to and thinks is correct..
From your videos I've seen, you always make sense, Beatrix😊
I go too fast because I get excited about how good little sections are sounding. I hold tension in my hands, forearms and shoulders because my brain thinks that's how I can focus on learning notes and patterns. I definitely push too hard most of the time. But I'm learning to do those things less. Great idea about playing notes less loud to reduce tension!
Great teaching videos like yours are extremely helpful for reminding me about how to approach learning amd improving at guitar ❤
❤❤I go thru periods of keeping my guitar in its case for months at a time due to frustration and "suckiness," and I've owned NICE guitars for FIFTY YEARS! I think you are right that I need to slow down, get back to basics, and really learn small item by small item as I build guitar skills! As it is now, I play little bits of a lot of songs, but not one entire song sounds good enough to perform for a bunch of 10-year olds! That's pitiful!❤❤
One of the best instructional music videos I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a few, and I don’t play classical guitar. I play steel string acoustic and electric (and sing). Everything she said applies to all instruments.
Hi, I just recently found (and subscribed) to your channel. Your teaching style is unique, effective and sets you apart from a lot of teachers. I enjoyed your finger drill video - especially your instruction to focus on a few important drills and do them well. Second, I found this video very helpful in teaching how to actually *sound good* by focused, slow practice. I thought your suggestion to feel and enjoy the meditative nature of a slow metronome was excellent! I'm certain your channel will grow to supply you with an abundant income because you are blessed with a unique gift to teach musicality. Thank you!
Wonderful recommendations. Thank you. Something that helps me is memorization. It gets a lot out of the way.
Great point that evaluation of your own work is very different than comparison of your work to that of others. There is an expression that has been said different ways, but basically goes: "Comparison is the death of joy."
I am a pure beginner and my first lesson was to play a clear pitch on a string low notes and melody notes. My personal starting was to play bass line and simple kids melody ... and really that enough for the first step! I need to be able to navigate on the guitar and play the right tone in a good shape. After that step, so I could start to learn basic chords (CAGED) and basic strumming .. I think.
When you said the fucking buns I choked on my meal. I did not expect that. No worries I swear alot. When I was younger I found a few cool tips from players who play for philharmonic orchestra. Places like that .
Some metronome apps allow 500bpm. I like to set these to sixteenth notes and work on left and right hand individually, at tempo, to get the REQUIRED feel and technique into each hand at tempo. Then, also using the metronome to sync up the hands, that can now play with no breaks in tempo...are much easier to get in sync.
You can also work in the lightest possible touch at TEMPO as the added momented from the speed will increase the volume...you don't have to hammer as hard, pull as hard, or pick as hard. These realizations are difficult to come upon only practicing at much slower tempos.
Is this a frustrating approach? Maybe at first if you choose to think of it that way.
But the mindfulness practice that you mention here helps, and is what I love about guitar practice. I guess it's a form of meditation, that once you've allowed into your life is difficult to cease.
Get fast by "starting at speed" as Troy Grady has now named this approach.
Modern metronome apps indeed are our good friends!
Been playing for 50 years! Very good lecture! " You can Teach An Old Dog " ! Thanks 💙🦘🐶
You pretty much hit on every issue i have when playing/practicing. I will certainly start this practice routine today and update you on my progress down the road. But everything you suggest is everything i dont do. But i will start today. Thank you.
You got this!
Lately, I've noticed that the worst 'self-sabotaging' I do on my post-surgery comeback path is that I was forgetting to start by sitting on a bar stool rather than trying to stand for my 'duets by request' where I'm multitasking guitar with vocals. One of my karaoke scene colleagues requested for me to join her when she sings 'Bring Me to Life' by Evanescence with backing vocals and guitar; and the first two attempts weren't nearly as good as I hoped because I tried to stand up like it hadn't been 20+ years since I've played in my cheesy cover bands and I wasn't just four months into resuming daily practice sessions after recuperating from shoulder surgery and a hiatus of 5+ years from practicing at all. Just plain trying to do too much too soon. Just because I've been playing guitar since the 1970s and played in bands from 1979 to 2002 didn't mean I would just be able to go onstage again like there weren't huge gaps since those 20+ years of experience. Too much multitasking too soon is a perfect recipe for embarrassing f•••-ups.
Great ideas! Muscle memory can work for good or bad while practicing. I get overwhelmed sometimes at how much I have to learn. And then I try to remember to breathe and relax about it. Thank you!
It definitely can and that is a good strategy. 👍
Csodálatos vagy! Magyarországról is vannak ám nézőid. 🥰
Nem kicsit menő, hogy ennyi emberhez eljuttatod a gitár szeretetét és megosztod a tippjeidet. 🤩
Thank you! Each moment moves on. Each Moment Matters! They Build on each other, good and bad! Stringing notes together, is the rhythm of storytelling! My bump You asked, is expecting all notes to be voiced clearly. Practicing and watching arched tip placement, blending muting and ringing clear, is fun (and agonistic!) Imenclely wanted in My Practice right now. Witnessing these notes you mark all through this mini podcast is good to ring through my head, to allow the voicing of this journey! Thank you! Could say more,....
Great video & topics ! I think starting slowly just inherently "feels" frustrating once you've been playing for a number of years because you "feel" like you *should* be able to learn something more quickly... Also - there's the joy of getting something to click - once you've experienced that - you kind of get addicted to that vibe and you want to hurry up and get there haha
I really resonate with this. I’ve been playing flute for a while and it never occurred to me to start a new piece slowly if the metronome marking was under quarter note equaling 80.
As the very basic begginer id suggest taking a few minutes to try something new. Ive noticed im learning a lot by just trying a new style, sound, chord, or scale and somehow itt transfers back to what i was working on origonally.
I often think of it as training vs practice. I have to remind myself to train on specific techniques rather than just 'practice' the same songs poorly.
Thank you for stating that even you have to start slowly when you are learning a new piece. I really needed to hear that from a guitarist that I have come to admire. Being a special education and ESL teacher in my day-to-day life, I have come to respect you as a fellow teacher as well.
At this time, I am in the process of waiting for one house to sell in one city while renting a house in another city. Once things are settled, I will be glad to support you on patreon. I did, at least, purchase your digital book of exercises today. I will also be praying for you and the success of your channel. May God bless you for being humble in your gifts and talents.
Great advice i get stuck on certain parts and the same mistake happen on same part every time so it becomes frustrating😅👍
Ok the points at 14:00 SUPER helpful. I think I may vaguely analyze a piece like this but not specifically and I think that is a FANTASTIC point I haven’t heard previously. Also the points about exercises. I’ve been feeling guilty I have a very few and one specifically I mostly use a few minutes a day (even though the one drastically seemed to improve, well, everything I do significantly). I do think it’s about finding those few exercises that connect WITH YOU. And maybe also, figuring out when to switch it up. Maybe test a certain one for a while. Great video. (And hey stop taking down to yourself. You are fantastic. You HAVE a “real job” and you know what you are doing.)
Heyy thank you, I appreciate the kind words! 😁🫶
You said you should use a metronome to slow down. After I heard you say that I started to think about that a bit. I’ve now started using my metronome to do just that. I’m becoming aware of mistakes because I can now “hear and see them” at a slower beat. Can you guess what’s now happening with my practice? I’m becoming less frustrated. I’m slowly repeating measures to make sure I get them right. My playing from memorization is improving. What is happening??? That horrid device called the metronome is now becoming my friend because I’m using it as you suggested. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I practice with cloth on the string when encountering difficult sections to avoid the annoyance of sounding really bad , not sure if that's a good idea but probably anyone listening thinks so lol. Thanks for the ideas in the video.
👏👏 Thank you. Great tips/ helpful advice and explanations of becoming an exceptional classical guitarist. 😊🎼
Good video , I get it it’s hard to explain the part of the metronome and number of notes within a click. Keep up the great work
It only hit me that I was playing too fast and sloppy when I videoed myself. Having the opportunity to self-criticise is sobering!
Excited. Watching from India 🇮🇳
Thank you very much for this valuable and motivating video' You have a very pleasant way of explaining and presenting complex topics in an easy to understand way. I started playing the guitar 6 years ago and I'm still a newcomer to the guitar universe. Although in terms of age, I'm more of a granny among beginners. 😀 From rich onwards, I really enjoy the journey and am happy about every little bit of progress. 🎶🎸
Thank you.
Good points. Thanks for sharing. I've been getting frustrated on one piece I'm working on. But these points have motivated me to saddle up and try again.
What is the piece you are working on? :)
@@Blue501st I'm working on a song from a video game actually. It's called Sad Song from Mario RPG. John Oeth has a wonderful video of his performance along with tabs plus sheet music on his Patreon. I've also been working on Erik Satie's Gymnopedie.
@@Blue501st Are you working on a specific piece?
@@TheinMoka Just starting with Centerpeace by Andrew York. :)
If I may, a metronome set to a very slow speed is more difficult to play than a fast speed. I have never set my metronome to one click every other beat or once per measure. I will have to give that a try. Here is how I was taught to use a metronome. Set a tempo you are comfortable to learn the part at. Now here is the tricky part. When you can no longer hear the click of the metronome against you playing not because you’re playing loud but because you are playing the downbeat notes exactly the same as the metronome clicks. When this happens you are playing perfectly in time. If you anticipate you will play before the click and if you wait to hear the click you are playing behind the beat. Learning to do this will help you not speed up or slow down and your timing will become like a clock. It is no easy thing to do. I hope this helps someone out their.
MI learned this at Berklee College of Music decades ago.
Hello miss kovacs I have been watching your videos and learning a lot of things. I wish I could be able to play guitar like as you.
Thanks a lot 🌹❤️
I appreciate all this terrific advice - especially your point about making peace with your personal progress.
To build on that thought, I would add one more piece of advice. And that is to try to be kind to yourself during the challenging journey of learning guitar.
I wouldn’t tell a friend who is learning guitar that they suck. I’d try to be positive and kind and encouraging. If that’s the way to treat a friend, shouldn’t I treat myself in the same kind manner? Telling myself I suck never makes me better.
Always the best content. Thank you, from Brooklyn, NY
i did not really know how bad i coud sound at times until i bought a condenser mic to record my pleying.. MADRE DE DIOS! that thing put a microscope to every ugly thing i was doing! thank to that im now aware of my poor sound production and im actually fixing it slowly
If you don’t mind my asking, which condenser mic do you have?
Thank you very much, Beatrix!! 🤗❤
That was well done.
such great tips! You are awesome!!!! I love that book effortless mastery and your a wealth of invaluable info too! ty ty ty so much!!!!
I think a flaw I have may be waiting until I make a mistake in practice to slow down to get it right. Perhaps if I remembered to always start slow there would be a cumulative effect of avoiding mistakes and having space to think about expression.
That's worth a sub. Thanks!
It’s an honour Fake Jesus 🫠😃😃😃
I dunno, jumping between telecaster and my classical guitar can confuse me a little - neck thickness being the issue but unplugged the Tele gives the neighbours a rest. 😁
Playing softly is a good thing as is slowly and not repeating sections if for 1 mistake but more focused few bars to cover the error before moving on. Finish the practice on a good feeling and not frustrated or feeling crappy even ig it means going to a different piece of music.👍
Yes, it's a challenge to play electric guitar with say a 43mm but and then change to classical that uses around a 50mm but or less. Godin make nylon strung guitars with a neck more suited for electric players swapping over to nylon strings.
I'm having the problem where I prefer 48/50mm nut and Godin also do a nylon midi guitar with classical dimensions.
Godin are in no way a replacement to a proper classical guitar. I would maybe investigate whether your classical guitar is too thick from fretboard to the back of the neck. Older classical guitar were built like tanks - even collectors guitars. Modern guitars are more comfortable- although the don't compare to a telecaster.
Neck width affects where each string is placed. Poor classical guitars do not have precision placement of strings. That's a big problem if you are swapping between guitars.
Solution, buy a bone nut that has not been fabricated and carefully make a new nut with proper spacing for each string. Or, copy the spacing of your telecaster. Yes, that would be weird - having all your strings placed to the lower side, but it might help you decide what is best. Or get a tech to do that.
@@fusion-music some good advice, I just get over it and learn to adjust but I do keed to ditch the 10-46 strings on the Tele for something a bit more feel like a nylon setup.
I love the smell and sound of my Spanish Classical with a Cedar top and traditional fan brace. I use some Italian synth gut strings on it, it's magic.
No nails for both and no plec either for the Tele. I have a bridge pickup on my classical so I can amo it if I want for experimenting. 👍
Thanks for the input.
@@pierrebroccoli.9396 Thanks Pierre. I would say no steel strings will feel like Nylon (Tension) unless you opt for 9's and have a really good action. You don't want the action so low that it chokes the sustain though. I do have some heavier strings on my jazz guitar, but I have got the action pretty refined - and that all depends on the neck and how good it is - as it is now - or whether you can change it. It's good to keep regular playing of both nylon and steel to get your brain used to how everything should feel. You obviously have spent quite a bit of time on both, if you are feeling you are getting better at adjusting. All the best.
Very well explained. Thank you for the tips! ❤🫀❤
I forget who said it, but it's true, comparison is the thief of joy.
0) Learn some technique and how to improve, feel it and develop it* (hard to say, it's also very subjective and could be matter for a series of videos alone)
1) Studying wisely, not more. Quality over quantity.
2) Having clear in your mind: what do you need to solve a piece/passage technically? Once done, musicality will be easier to train.
3) Give yourself smaller goals to reinforce positively instead of kicking your ass because you're not getting fast progress.
4) TRAIN. YOUR. LIVE. PERFORMANCES. People skip this but how to move, react, and how to perform under pressure is NEEDED if you want to get better at real concerts.
5) Do not compare to others. Please.
6) Remember EVERY TIME why do you play music and what was the motivation to do it. Some people tend to forget the love for music and they lose themselves in the competitive / toxic / depressive part of having such a hard work that is to be a good musician.
I agree, good explained!
15:30 interestingly not for me, I actually struggle with 3 top strings more, than with full bar. Does anybody else?
@@kaspianocz6330 For some shapes, such as D shape, full bar is easier for me than four strings. F chord especially.
Beatrix, how do you address getting nervous. I have an issue with this. I play pretty well on my own, but when I play in front of other people, my skill level drops significantly.
Sometimes, I forget where I am in the song, and it's pretty much over. Any ideas on how to address this?
Please read the Inner Game of Music by Barry Green, it helped me a lot in this!
Biggest mistake is listening to teachers who are very advanced and have played for many years. They always forget to teach the hardest things to find out about playing. For instance how to decide on right hand fingering and technique for a specific piece. How come no one teaches such things? Makes no sense to me... Probably it is not important but why does no one say so?
I'd be surprised if you play Bossa-Nova. Be great to see you demonstrate it or teaching it if you do.
The "Suck" is an ever moving scale; to those who believe in it.
Remember when you finally played a song through without mistakes? That was not "Sucking" no matter the timing was off or miner muted noted. it was satisfying & accomplishing.
So now the imaginary Suckery bar moves. (if you buy inti it)
The point is. Some of us play for fun and distraction; and don't aspire to be "a pro".
Also as you become more adept at playing the "Suck bar" moves again.
And the more adept players like yourself. feel even intermediate players as "Suck".
When that not-Suck bar is one you'll never get over. It is the proverbial "Carrot in a String.
There will always be someone to dazzle with something not seen before. And if you can't play it you'll "Suck".
So if you are not looking to be a pro? Then practice a few of your songs til your comfy. Progress in your playing will come naturally from that.
In reality Suck does not exist. It is something made up to try to make music into some kind of team sport,(it's not)
There is no "Suck". If it does? it's in your own head. you are the only one that matters. So get over it and play on.
Not that anyone is wrong; suck bar or no suck bar, There just are different perspectives.
And players should not be held to just one.
Sorry for the long diatribe. Peace Out.
All common problems & good advice.
@Beatrix Kovacs What piece is playing at 22:48? It's beautiful
Thank you
Thanks!
Oh yay! Thanks!!
First thing to do is listen to as many styles of the instrument you want to take on the challenge to learn. I went to college to study classical guitar. After 40 years of performing and teaching, I wish I took a different approach to music. After listening to classical guitar, I didn't realize how boring the solo guitar music was, especially especially classical guitar. 1) I think everyone should study rhythm or some type of drumming. 2) I think everyone should be able to sing in tune to better the ear to internally connect to what you are hearing and feeling. 3) If you do decide playing an instrument, always start with the piano. It is exactly how music is layed out and the sound effects are enormous, much more than electric guitar. When studying music in college you are required to study piano and ear training with singing.
So if this lady is telling you how not to suck. My word advice study rhythm and singing first. And the first instrument definitely piano 🎹. That advice is coming from a guitarist 🎸. Good luck and God Bless.
you have to have a healthy soul---after you learn to do all of the physical things that help you play better---to reach the highest level of expression it comes from deep within your soul---that is for each one of us to tap into in our own way---but this must be addressed ---when you play a sad piece you must cry a little---when you play a joyful piece you must feel joy. Using your physical tools in the most effective way is only the first step.
thanks.
Just what I needed, a 20+ minute video on why im dogshit lol
Use a metronome that has random intervals.
So you can keep the beat
I hse rm lers t mae o av t il n t ets
@@LiamWakefield What
Thanks 😅
Beatrix, I resemble all these examples. Im not trying to make excuses here ,and maybe this is a long shot BUT, do you or any of your classical guitar colleagues know of a hand surgeon who can fix my deformed right hand index finger ( a table saw mishap Labor Day weekend of 2020). I haven’t been able to find anyone here in America.
What do you have there in the background? Is it a Cordoba Stage?
Problem 1 and 2 are really accurate. Say Beatrix, where are you originally from. Idk if you said on the video
Beatrix is Hungarian and still lives there.
Do you have a spy-camera in the room where I usually practice my techniques? 😃 Thanks for all your recommendations, thank you so much.
What kind!
Can you suggest relevant books to learn from
Thank you
If a person plays in an ensemble and learns and then practices alone, they must learn to use a metronome. How someone uses a metronome to learn and practice is variable. Learning to play various levels of complexity, eighth notes, quarter notes, quarter note triplets, eighth note triplets, demands a metronome.
Very good video. Worth one hundred 'how to play' videos.
Thanks for your gift doll.
She's giving away dolls! Where? I want one!