Conseils techniques (premiers grades)

Introduction

Hey, guys!

Before we get into the specific technical exercises for level one, I wanted to discuss a few techniques and important things to bear in mind when you're playing.

Relaxation

The first thing to remember when you're playing the guitar, whether it's scales or a piece, is to relax.

• It's easy to tense up your shoulders, neck, arms, wrists, and fingers when you're concentrating.
• This tension wastes energy, so try to be aware of it.

You'll often notice this tension in your fingers. If you've had to dig hard into the guitar to play, you might see deep lines in your fingertips. This indicates that you've probably been exerting too much force on the fretboard.

Experimentation

It's fascinating how little pressure you actually need to apply! You can experiment with this by picking any note on the guitar. For example, let's pick the seventh fret on the G string:

1. Rest your finger on the string and start picking.
2. At this point, it's muted because you're not pushing down at all.
3. Gradually, begin to push down harder until you hear the note you want.

And there it is!

Now, on a scale of 1 to 10:

• 10 = Pushing down as hard as possible
• 1 = Pushing down feather-light

I would say that the pressure I just used is about a 3. It's really, really light.

Key Takeaway: When practicing, try fretting a little bit lighter. You'll be amazed at what you can get away with, and it allows you to play with less tension.

Finger Positioning

Next, let's discuss getting your position right within a fret.

• Let's pick a random note. I'll choose the third fret on the G string.
• When playing the third fret on the G string, you can position your finger anywhere in the space near the fret.

Optimal Position

The best place to be is right up against the metal of the fret.

• Avoid placing your finger on top of the metal or too far back.
• If you position your finger right into the fret, it requires the least amount of pressure and gives you the best tone.

If I move my finger to the back of the fret, I have to work much harder to get a clean tone, and pushing down with the same pressure leads to a buzzy sound, which isn't desirable.

Practical Application

Always try to fret nice and into the front of the frets to achieve a lovely sound.

For example, if we're playing a C major scale:

• Start right in the fret, not back.
• If you're right on top of the metal, you'll generate a muted sound, which isn't particularly nice.

Conclusion

With these tips in mind, let's take a look at the technical exercises themselves!