SECRETS TO AN EFFORTLESS, RELAXED
LEFT-HAND CLASSICAL GUITAR TECHNIQUE
Part 1 of 2

Sometimes you may think it is easier to leave a left-hand finger down. But doing so usually leads to choppy playing or creates problems with shifts. Lift the finger. Then prepare the finger for what is coming next. Just because it is an easy C chord, D chord, G chord or whatever, does not mean you want to put all the fingers of the chord down. Only place the fingers you absolutely need. Example #2.

3. Placing an entire chord at the very beginning of a piece or section is functional tension. Placing an entire chord during the piece when it is not needed is dysfunctional tension. Example #3.

4. In arpeggio passages, placing the fingers one-at-a-time as they are needed is functional tension. Placing the fingers of an entire chord simultaneously is dysfunctional tension. Example #4.

5. Preparing fingers by extending them is functional tension. Keeping fingers relatively relaxed will often lead to dysfunctional tension when you must execute a chord change or move to a full bar. Example #5.

Dysfunctional Tension in Other Body Parts

An important goal is to get rid of tension from body parts not directly associated with the operation of the left hand. For instance:

1. Clenching the teeth together
2. Making faces
3. Doing weird things with your tongue
4. Clenching your toes
5. Tensing leg muscles
6. Tensing foot muscles
7. Tensing throat muscles
8. Tensing eye muscles

These actions have nothing to do with the left hand. They have nothing to do with improving the efficiency of the fingers or hand. Therefore, they are all examples of dysfunctional tension.

Tensing other body parts will often transfer to or increase tension in the left hand.

Tensing other body parts can also mask your sensation of tension in the hand. Because another body part or parts is under tension, excessive left-hand tension may go unnoticed.

An Efficient Left Hand is the Sum of Many Parts.

The goal is to use no more effort than is needed to do a required job. Dysfunctional tension generates extra effort and sabotages efficient movement.

In the left hand, dysfunctional tension and lack of efficiency may be caused by one or several of the following factors. Reducing or eliminating dysfunctional tension is an extremely complex topic because there are so many interacting physical body parts and so many variations in body characteristics from player to player. Regardless, I will try to give you some broad principles, so you can self-diagnose your problems and focus on the things that might improve your left-hand efficiency the most.

USE THE CORRECT BALANCE BETWEEN USING THE THUMB, PULLING WITH THE ARMS, AND ARM WEIGHT

The Three Power Sources

The left hand has three sources of power from which to draw so it can play efficiently with minimal effort. An efficient left hand uses all three in constantly varying proportions depending on the demands of any given musical passage.

Power Source No. 1: ARM WEIGHT

Arm weight is the power source most teachers and players like to tout. It is absolutely a great power source but unfortunately is limited. The weight of the arm pretty much stays the same. It is sufficient for some demands required of the left hand, but is insufficient for many more. However, it is definitely the most efficient source of power. No effort is required for the weight of the arm to pull on the hand as it hangs on the guitar.

Power Source No. 2: ARM PULL

Arm pull is the most important power source. Arm pull is the act of pulling the guitar against the chest equally with both arms. The arms and shoulders are very strong and can handle substantial power demands with little effort. It is also probably the least understood source of power. Most players, even advanced players, are often unaware they are using arm pull most of the time they are playing. I often hear people scoff at this idea, but once explained and self-awareness turned on, it is very obvious that everyone uses arm pull.

Power Source No. 3: THUMB SQUEEZE

Most of the time, the thumb should not be a power source at all. It is weak and becomes fatigued quickly. Instead, the left-hand thumb is a PASSIVE PARTICIPANT in efficient left-hand technique. Its purpose is to channel or direct the power from arm weight and arm pull into the hand and provide balance and stability. If you use correct technique, RARELY should you feel tension or pain in the thumb.

How to Use the Three Power Sources

To hold notes, intervals, chords, or bar chords, the left hand should use a COMBINATION of the following three power sources. In general, we might use these percentages:

1. 45% pull with both arms.
2. 45% arm weight.
3. 0-10% squeeze between the thumb and fingers.

The percentages will change substantially depending on what you are playing. To play single notes, pulling with the arms may drop to 10% with 85% arm weight and 0-5% thumb.

On the other hand, playing a Db full bar chord in first position will use 80% arm pull, 10% arm weight, and 0-10% thumb squeeze. Example #7.

A great way to get a feel of how to use these elements is to practice WITHOUT THE THUMB ON THE NECK.

Start with Single Notes

1. Begin playing this E major scale fragment with the thumb on the neck. Be sure you have the guitar leaned back against your chest, so you can easily see all 6th strings on the fretboard (this makes it easier to take full advantage of arm weight—see video #7). Example #8.

2. As you repeat the fragment, take the thumb off the neck. You are now experiencing the use of 100% arm weight to hold down the notes. Wiggle the thumb around a bit to be sure it is loose.

3. Then, add the thumb but do not apply pressure with it. Play the fragment several times. The hand learns it can have the thumb on the neck (exerting zero pressure) and continue to use 100% arm weight.

4. As you repeat the fragment over and over, alternate between placing the thumb on the neck and taking it off as you play. Notice how putting the thumb back on the neck helps stabilize the position but that it does not need to exert any force of its own for you to be able to hold the notes.

This will teach the hand that the thumb is a passive participant (it only stabilizes and balances the hand) as you continue to use 100% arm weight. In real-life playing situations, the thumb will usually exert a bit of pressure, but it should be minimal.

Chords

1. Play this F major chord in 5th position with the thumb on the neck. Be sure you have the guitar leaned back against your chest, so you can easily see all 6th strings on the fretboard (this makes it easier to take full advantage of arm weight—see video #7). Example #9.

2. As you repeat the chord, take the thumb off the neck and keep the right arm resting lightly as normal on the guitar. The chord will buzz. You are experiencing the use of 100% arm weight to hold down the notes. Wiggle the thumb around a bit to be sure it is loose. But the chord is buzzing. The use of arm weight alone is not sufficient to hold this and many other chords and formations.

You could put the thumb back on the neck and squeeze and get the chord to come out clearly. But, it will take a strong dose of pressure. Not very efficient. Instead, proceed to step #3:

3. As you play the buzzing chord with the thumb off the neck, begin to pull the guitar against your chest with both arms. You will feel the guitar dig into the right arm as you pull with the left arm. This keeps the position of the guitar stable.

Pull just enough to stop the buzzes. Wiggle the thumb around to be sure it is loose. You are now using maybe 70% arm weight and 30% arm pull.

4. Continue to play the chord and add/take off the thumb from the neck. You can use zero thumb pressure, or add a little thumb pressure to reduce the amount of arm pull.

The arm weight will always be present. You will adjust the amount of arm pull and thumb pressure as needed for different situations. In general, use a minimum amount of thumb pressure. The arms are far more powerful than the thumb. Using functional tension in the arms is far more efficient than squeezing hard with the weak thumb.

Bar Chords

1. Play this B major chord in 7th position with the thumb on the neck. Be sure you have the guitar leaned back against your chest, so you can easily see all 6th strings on the fretboard (this makes it easier to take full advantage of arm weight—see video). Be sure the right arm is resting lightly on the guitar. Example #10.

2. As you repeat the chord, take the thumb off the neck and keep the right arm resting lightly as normal on the guitar. The chord will buzz badly. Wiggle the thumb around a bit to be sure it is loose. You are experiencing the use of 100% arm weight to hold down the bar chord. The chord will sound terrible. The use of arm weight alone is no where close to being sufficient to play most bar chords.

You could put the thumb back on the neck and squeeze and get the chord to come out clearly. But, it will take a huge amount of pressure. Not efficient at all. Instead, proceed to step #3:

3. As you play the buzzing chord with the thumb off the neck, begin to pull the guitar against your chest with both arms. You will feel the guitar dig into the right arm as you pull with the left arm. This keeps the position of the guitar stable.

Pull just enough to stop the buzzes. Wiggle the thumb around to be sure it is loose. You are now using maybe 10% arm weight and 90% arm pull.

4. Continue to play the chord and add/take off the thumb from the neck. You can use zero thumb pressure, or add a little thumb pressure to reduce the amount of arm pull.

Once again, the arm weight will always be present. For bar chords, you will mostly adjust the amount of arm pull as needed for different situations. Use a minimum of thumb pressure. The arms are far more powerful than the thumb. Using functional tension in the arms is far more efficient than squeezing hard with the weak thumb.

Read my technique tips on bars for specific information on the "secrets" to playing bar chords: The Secret (Little Jennifer's Secret) of How to Play Clear Bar Chords and How to Learn to Play a Bar Chord in Under 2 Minutes.

End of Part 1. More to come next month in Part 2!