BEST RIGHT-HAND EXERCISES
FOR THE CLASSICAL GUITARIST
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Douglas Niedt is a successful concert and recording artist and highly respected master classical guitar teacher with 50 years of teaching experience. He is Associate Professor of Music (retired), at the Conservatory of Music and Dance, University of Missouri-Kansas City and a Fellow of the Henry W. Bloch School of Management—Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Doug studied with such diverse masters as Andrés Segovia, Pepe Romero, Christopher Parkening, Narciso Yepes, Oscar Ghiglia, and Jorge Morel. Therefore, Doug provides solutions for you from a variety of perspectives and schools of thought.
He gives accurate, reliable advice that has been tested in performance on the concert stage that will work for you at home.
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BEST RIGHT-HAND EXERCISES
FOR THE CLASSICAL GUITARIST
By Douglas Niedt
Copyright Douglas Niedt. All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reprinted, but please be considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.
These are the best exercises to practice to improve a classical guitarist's right-hand technique overall and to improve right-hand speed, accuracy, strength, agility, and finger independence.
Arpeggios
Arpeggios are one of the essential exercises to practice to improve the right hand. There are many arpeggio exercises you can practice, but instead of the Giuliani or Carlevaro arpeggios, here is one of the best. This exercise will greatly improve your finger independence, especially between "m" and "a," and will also improve your speed, and accuracy.
"Etude No. 1" by Heitor Villa-Lobos.
To build speed with "i" and "m" for playing fast scales (and other arpeggios) practice "Etude No. 1" by Heitor Villa-Lobos. But instead of the printed right-hand fingering use this fingering: "pipi pmpm imim pipi." This is Pepe Romero's fingering. It is very fast and although this is an arpeggio, practicing this finger pattern will increase your right-hand speed to play fast scales.
Practice difficult arpeggios, scales, and other passages from pieces you play or are learning.
Practice them (perhaps with the right hand alone) as daily exercises. Here is more information on practicing with the right hand alone. It is a five-part series! And here is one more article on how to utilize this valuable technique in your practicing.
Rasgueados
Many teachers such as Pepe Romero, believe rasgueados are very beneficial to building right-hand strength, right-hand finger speed and independence, and general right-hand relaxation. Here is Part 1 of my technique tip on rasgueados that explains the basics.
Caution: Don't over practice exercises
The right kinds of exercises such as these are very valuable. But don't spend all your practice hours practicing exercises. You will learn nothing but how to play exercises! You need to spend the majority of your time practicing real pieces.
If you have 30 minutes to practice, practice exercises for 5-10 minutes.
If you have an hour to practice, practice exercises for 15-20 minutes.
If you have two hours to practice, practice exercises for 30-40 minutes.
If you have three hours to practice, you can practice exercises for 45-50 minutes.
These are all approximations, but you get the idea. The focus should be on practicing repertoire—real pieces.
Besides, as I point out above, some of the best exercises you can practice are those derived from the pieces you know or are learning.