Micro Study 19 – Right Hand Basics 2

Micro study 19 – right hand basics 2, is part of a new series – #6stringinspiration – of short and sweet studies that target very specific ideas. These are for those who have very little time and want huge gains from tight focused practice ideas.

Micro Study 19 – Right Hand Basics 2

This is a right hand exercise for basic planting, execution and tone; and thumb independence.

KEY Strategy

Move from the knuckle joint still

This is a very basic micro study, part of a daily warm up routine, that covers the mechanics of using the right hand effectively to play arpeggios. It is the continuation of micro study 18, where the stroke began by using full planting. Now we are breaking the fingers up into a basic arpeggio technique, going forward (low to high notes) and the reverse (high to low notes) with the thumb playing the bass.

Note in the video, there is a level two to this exercise, which is for practicing thumb Independence: the bass strings then are controlled exactly as you would have to do in a musical performance. This is once the RH is stable and fluid.

Other Info

Note: This study uses the open strings on purpose, by cutting back on coordination and thus complexity, you are able to concentrate on getting the stroke into your nervous system properly. Thus making it a natural part of your technique. Coordination is a skill set unto itself and should be practiced as such.

Secret

Planting

The key to playing fingerstyle is planting. Planting is the pads of the skin touching the string first, then you stroke back across the nails – thus moving the string and producing tone. Micro study 19 covers the two core planting techniques, full planting in the forward section and then sequential planting in the reverse. Both are key to gaining security on the strings, that way you always know where you’re fingers are playing.

Note: in the video the thumb control exorcises only use sequential planting.