I'm wondering how best to move my hand when playing a scale across all six strings (pretty much the major scale with roots on 6th, 5th or 3rd strings, using four frets, one finger per fret except during the transition from root 5th string to root 3rd string, where I slide my hand down four frets before resuming the pattern.)
(1) Do I rotate my hand around the neck of the guitar as my hands move to the higher strings, so that my thumb moves up the back of the neck as my fingers move down?
(2) Do I maintain the same hand position, and move my entire hand down (lower my hand from the elbow, and bending my wrist as I move up to higher strings), so that the thumb always maintains roughly the same position behind my fingers relative to the neck?
(3) Do I keep my thumb planted and my hand position roughly fixed, and bend / arch my fingers more for higher strings?
(4) Or do I do whichever feels comfortable (none of them, yet :) )?
Second Question: When I play scales, should I lift my fingers after playing a note, or leave them anchored until I switch strings? And if I play the scale descending, should I try and pre-place all my fingers, and just lift them to hit a note? And if so, should I only place the fingers necessary for the scale, or all four fingers. For example, say I play the notes C - B - A on whichever string. Do I place four fingers on all four frets, including A#, and then lift two fingers when I play the A note, or do I place only a finger on C, B, A while leaving my index finger raised?
Third question: If playing a scale or pattern with a tricky bit (such as sliding my hand down the neck while switching between the 5th string root and 3rd string root), is it okay to use an extra beat of the metronome for the tricky bit, rather than slowing down the whole beat to the point where I can make the tricky bit in time?
Oooh, so many questions...thanks for even taking the time to read them...
6th string root should be relatively simple (starting with the 2nd finger on the tonic note) - a certain amount of hand movement will occur naturally as you move across the neck, but there's no need to force the hand to rotate about the neck. 5th string roots play well using the 1st and 3rd fingers on the 3rd string, and then moving up 3 frets to use the 1st and 3rd fingers again - there will be a shift in hand alignment as you move through the position shift.
Try and avoid bending the wrist too much, as it will inhibit your finger movement. Go for comfortable - it'll get there.
2nd question: As you progress to higher speeds, you'll find that you'll need to get the fingers moving whilst you're playing another note, so you won't always be able to leave them anchored. For the moment, if it makes playing the scales easier, leave the fingers in place. When playing descending, you're going to lose rhythm if you try and pre-place all your fingers, so don't try it.
3rd question: scales on a guitar are all capable of being played ascending and descending without missing a beat. So long as you have the pattern of finger placements right you should be able to do this. Slow down your metronome until you can play smoothly, without missing a beat, and don't try to increase the speed until you've nailed being able to play smoothly at the slower speed consistently.
Trust me - a 3-octave scale of E Major at 116 half-notes per minute (two notes per click) at Grade 5 is very hard work at first, but it is possible; you need to build up to it.
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
As you progress to higher speeds, you'll find that you'll need to get the fingers moving whilst you're playing another note, so you won't always be able to leave them anchored.
Are you saying that, if I don't need to anchor them, I shouldn't? Or don't need to. Because I've always played and learned them unanchored (one finger at a time), but someone told me I should be anchoring them...even playing descending.
Trust me - a 3-octave scale of E Major at 116 half-notes per minute (two notes per click) at Grade 5 is very hard work at first, but it is possible; you need to build up to it.
Is there anywhere I can look up what the various formal music grades requirements are? I've never taken music formally, but it would be nice to see where I rank after a year...Oh, can't read much music...bit of a handicap, that!
Ooh, I can play a scale across two octaves at 110bpm...I only need to DOUBLE my speed. :shock:
Thanks a bunch for the answers.
Are you saying that, if I don't need to anchor them, I shouldn't? Or don't need to. Because I've always played and learned them unanchored (one finger at a time), but someone told me I should be anchoring them...even playing descending.
If you've been advised to anchor your fingers whilst descending, you've been badly advised. It's not so hideous on an ascending scale, but sooner or later you'll need to play without anchoring or you simply won't make it to the next note in time.
I don't have my books on me as I'm accessing the site from the office, but at Grade 5 you're looking at:
At 116 half notes per minute (two notes per click - yes, 232 individual notes per minute)
Two octave Major scale in any key (6th string root for G-B and 5th string root for the rest)
Three octave scales of E Major, E Harmonic Minor and E Melodic Minor
Two octave scales of Ab Major, F Harmonic Minor and F Melodic Minor (4 flats)
One octave scales of E Major in 3rds and 10ths at 58 half notes per minute
Three octave arpeggios of E Major, E minor and E dominant 7th at 88 half notes per minute
Then a melody in 4 flats, and three performance pieces at various tempos involving position shifts up to 9th position, some playing from sight (a score you've never seen before in anything from 1 flat to 4 sharps), musical knowledge questions (including the meanings of some of the Italian words), and aural tests (intervals up to an octave including the tritone) and identification of cadences.
I also have a student on exams this week at Step 2 (pre-Grade exams, Grade 1 is next). He has to do ascending and descending scales of C Major and A harmonic minor (one octave), G Major and E harmonic minor (two octaves), all at 80-something quarter notes per minute (and three performance pieces).
Playing scales for their own benefit is pretty dull, I gotta say it.
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
The reason students are told to anchor their fingers while ascending (not descending) is that it promotes good legato phrasing, which is much harder to do than staccato phrasing.
The only time you'd anchor descending is in preparation for a pull-off, or a series of pull-offs.
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