I need an excercise

ok this classical book I'm working through is going to be very slow and boring at first because I am starting from the beginning. In the meanwhile I would like an excercise or two to help develop my technique with my right hand scales. First of all, in classical, when playing scales do you continually use 'i' and 'm' through the whole scale or do you also use 'a' when there are three notes on a string?

Can one of you fine young shredlings tab out one scale and one arpeggio and indicate the proper use of right hand fingers for me?

It sucks because I don't have long nails yet but I'm growing them....anyway later and thanks.

You play i-m-i-m-i-m etc. Don't use the a finger, that will just mess things up.
Of course you could play with your ring finger, and with your pinky as well if you
would want to, but I recommend you to only use i & m fingers.

Here are two runs you can practice the i-m-i-m technique on. Enjoy!

This is a run from "Gran Jota".
Start with i then m then i etc etc.
It takes some time to get used to it, because you pick the open strings
with different fingers almost each time, so it might seem a bit awkward at first,
but as usual; practice hard and thee shalt be enlightened.

-----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------0-1-2-3-4-5-
-------------------------------0-1-2-3--------------
---------------------0-1-2-3-4----------------------
----------0-1-2-3-4---------------------------------
0-1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------


This run is from "Passacaglia", it's a bit more difficult.
All of the notes are 8ths, except the three last notes, they're 4ths.

-3-2---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----5-3-----------------------------------------------------------------
---------5-4-2-------------------------4-5-7-5-4-2-------------2-5-0----
---------------5-4-2-------------4-5-7-------------5-3-2-0-2-3-------3-2
---------------------5-3-2-4-6-7-----------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------0-------------
----------------0-1-3-1-0-7-0----0-5-3-----5-----3--0--3----3-1-0-------
------------0-2---------------2-1-------5-2--0--2--5--0--0---------2----
1-----1-2-4------------------------------------4------------------------
--2-4--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------
--------------------------
-0------------------------
---4-2-0------------------
---------3-2-0------------
---------------3---2---0--

thanks a lot for the reply...those look like they'll keep me busy for a while hehehehehe. So with last last Passacaglia riff (or whatever it's called) I use only i and m alternating as well?

and one more easier question....when I fingerpick traditional chord based melodies my hand is and more from the side of the guitar but in my classical book it shows the hand hanging down more so over the top...is this position used for everything you encounter in classical?

question.. What's the difference in playing when you have longer fingernails, isn't it worse, since the long nails are limiting your playing skills???

Originally Posted by: Marauderthanks a lot for the reply...those look like they'll keep me busy for a while hehehehehe. So with last last Passacaglia riff (or whatever it's called) I use only i and m alternating as well?

and one more easier question....when I fingerpick traditional chord based melodies my hand is and more from the side of the guitar but in my classical book it shows the hand hanging down more so over the top...is this position used for everything you encounter in classical?[/QUOTE]
1. Yup, use only i-m.

2. I'm not 100% sure I know what you mean, which hand are you talking about?



[QUOTE=gusjDT]question.. What's the difference in playing when you have longer fingernails, isn't it worse, since the long nails are limiting your playing skills???

Well on the fretting hand yes, on the picking hand no.
The nails works as picks giving you more sound, more tone and greater control
than without long nails. It might look bad but it's a whole new dimension!

Ah, ok :D Thanks, I might consider that, but then again, another stupid question, wouldn't it be better to use the _pick_ as a pick? Or.. long nails... eh.. look cool..? Again it's a stupid question, but I just want to know.

If it looks cool?
Well, thats a matter of personnal taste. I think it looks awful,
but since the advantages with long nails are so great, I still have 'em.

You can use a pick on for example the runs above, but if you instead
have this in front of you, you would be in trouble with a pick:

---------------------------0-------32-3-------------
---------1-0---0----0-31-1---3--3-----0--30------0-
--02---2-2--2----02-0----0------0-----------0--2---
4----04--0----------------------------2-----0-------
5------------------------3------2-------------------
---------------3----0-------------------------------

You could use banjo-picks, I've never tried it, but it might work.
(Banjo-picks are like long finger-nails of steel.)

If it looks cool?
Well, thats a matter of personal taste. I think it looks bloody awful,
but since the advantages with long nails are so great, I still have them.

You can use a pick on for example the runs above, but if you instead
have this in front of you, you would be in trouble with a pick:

---------------------------0-------32-3-------------
---------1-0---0----0-31-1---3--3-----0--30------0-
--02---2-2--2----02-0----0------0-----------0--2---
4----04--0----------------------------2-----0-------
5------------------------3------2-------------------
---------------3----0-------------------------------

You could use banjo-picks, I've never tried it, but it might work.
(Banjo-picks are like long finger-nails of steel.)

:s woa.. What is that?! That looks harder than trying to suck a golfball out of a hose. jesus..