Villa-Lobos Etude 3 Micro Study 1b
Villa-Lobos Etude 3 slurs practice in Micro Study 1b is a guitar lesson designed to help with playing slurs, in this case to help with Etude 3 by Villa-Lobos. These are extra lessons and are part of the #villalobos12in12 challenge.
Villa-Lobos Etude 3 Slurs
This is a short micro study which will help get closer to all those slurs, hammer-ons & pull-offs, in etude 3. It is a very small focused lesson which will get the study up and running a little faster, and improve your overall slur technique.
Notes:
Melodic segment on 1 string
This exercise will help strengthen the shifting, and guide fingers, used in etude no. 3.
The first exercise: works the main fingers of the LH, and the main guide finger in etude 2 – finger 2. Make sure that your slurred notes are as loud as the plucked notes. Start at a slow tempo to begin with. And remember: guide fingers lift up and float on top of the string, using it as a road to the next position.
Note: the guide fingers have been placed below to make it easier to see.
Below is the extension for this exercise. Here the idea has been moved onto string 2, still diatonic, but with a greater gap between the downward series of shifts.
Key Points
Lazer ahead & use guides
The ideas above need two things to be monitored. First, before you shift, make sure your eyes are ahead of your fingers. That way you move into sight. And second, guide fingers are crucial to keeping your LH under control. They anchor the fingers to the strings, thus no flailing about.
KEY Strategy
Co-ordination of RH & LH
The hands are co-ordinated in the exercises above. Get the slurs up and running first then concentrate on the co-ordination of the shifts.
Other Info
Note: This study uses the both hands, and all fingers of the LH. So go slow if you haven’t learnt this scale fragment before
Secret
Speed not Force.
Slurs sound best when played with fast LH strokes, not forced LH strokes. Make sure you are relaxed but poised with your strokes.
And Remember: move the stroke from the big knuckles, not the joints!
Want More?
Hammer-ons & pull-offs still new? Check out these starter posts to the technique.
#villalobos12in12! what is that?
I bet, like me, you want to play all 12 of Villa-Lobos’ awesome studies? Find it a little tough to get some of them started, or even finished? Want some help? #villalobos12in12 is a community led challenge that aspires to inspire and help get these fantastic pieces up and running. And it all starts here at CGRocks.
Check out this more detailed post on this – #VillaLobos12in12
If you want a free copy of etude no. 1 join the CGRocks community below.
