TOPIC OF THE DAY:
Articulation
Have you ever considered the term “articulation” with regard to your guitar playing? We often refer to a person who is articulate as someone who speaks clearly and distinctly. This type of person usually takes their time to enunciate each word in a manner that is easily heard and understood by others.
Articulation – “to speak distinctly.” ~The Scribner Bantam English Dictionary
Articulation is an important aspect of guitar playing as well. Whether you are playing a classical guitar piece or a lead solo to a popular rock and roll song, the objective should be to play it as cleanly as possible.
Guitar students will often emphasize speed over articulation. For some reason, many seem to associate playing fast with being a good guitarist, but this isn’t necessarily true. Speed is one of the least areas of importance in my opinion. In fact, it can actually become a detriment to the development of good technique. Playing something fast, without executing a clear tone with an even tempo, isn’t going to impress anyone.
You’ve heard the saying “practice makes perfect” but, let me give you a word of caution here. If you make a habit of practicing bad technique on a regular basis, that’s exactly what you will develop- bad technique! This can backfire down the road when you discover you have to unlearn these bad habits in order to play a more difficult piece of music.
Here are my suggestions when you’re practicing a new piece of music or song:
- Begin slowly.
- Identify any trouble spots.
- Isolate trouble spots and practice them separately until the movement required is fluid and easily executed.
- Play through the entire piece at the same speed with which you are comfortable playing the most difficult part.
- Listen to the sound you are producing. Are the notes and chords clear and sustaining through their full time value? Do you like what you hear?
- Increase the speed. Use a metronome and speed drills to develop your timing and rhythm. Push ahead by playing at a faster tempo than required, then drop back to the normal tempo.
Once you have achieved a good clear sound and are able to maintain an even tempo, then you should consider the expression of the music. This involves the emotional response you are trying to achieve through using different dynamics, such as when to be loud or soft. Dynamics tend to produce the most effective results after one has developed an intuitive feel for the music. So, the more familiar you become with the music, the better expression you will be able to convey. Make it your own.
Please DON’T BE FOOLED INTO TAKING SHORT-CUTS! Go slowly, listen to yourself and work on developing your skill level one step at a time. If you develop good practicing habits, your skill level will improve and you will be on the way to becoming a good guitarist!
GUITAR TIPS:
Learn how to read: NOTES ON THE FOURTH STRING
Remember that the lines used in TAB represent your guitar strings and the numbers represent the fret. If you need more help with this, please refer to my online guitar lesson.
FOR MORE INSPIRATION:
THE ART OF PRACTICING – How to See Real Results
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Musically yours,
Kathy Unruh
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