A Scientific Approach
Product Description
I am often asked what I mean by “a scientific approach”. Some people seem somewhat reluctant to accept that a scientific approach to guitar is a good thing; their reasoning being that, after all, guitar playing is an art. My response to this is both yes and no. The interpretation and playing of music is most definitely an art, but the physical aspects of playing the instrument (technique) are most effectively developed by treating the subject as a science.
In science, hypotheses are tested by observation and experimentation. The results are analyzed to draw conclusions and develop theories. This leads to the formation of new hypotheses…and the cycle continues. The bottom line is that if you treat the study of technique as a science, you will always be able to generate continuous improvement in your playing. Wikipedia defines “Scientific Method” as:
“Scientific method refers to the body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. It is based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. A scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.”
I consider any method that attempts to explain concepts from a cause and effect perspective, to be science based. This is a fairly loose definition but is characterized by methods that relate exercises to benefits in an unambiguous and verifiable way. I relate best to this type of approach and therefore researched all the science based methods I could find.
Aaron Shearer - “Aim Directed Movement”
Ricardo Iznaola - “The Physiology of Guitar Playing”
Lee Ryan - “The Natural Classical Guitar - The Principles of Effortless Playing”
Alice Artzt - “The Art of Practice”
Bryan Townsend - “The Guitarist’s Complete Technique Kit”
Emilio Pujol - “Guitar School” (Based on the Principles of Francisco Tarrega)
Jamie Andreas - “The Principles of Correct Practice for Guitar”
Anthony Glise - “Classical Guitar Pedagogy”
Richard Provost - “The Art & Technique of Practice”
Scott Tennant - “Pumping Nylon”
William Kanengiser - “Effortless Classical Guitar”
…and the list goes on…
Much to my delight I found that most of the methods were based on a very similar set of fundamental concepts: clear goals, deep thought and concentration during practice, beginner’s mind, s-l-o-w practice, awareness and reduction of tension, minimum effort, the use of gravity, focus on the movement process, planting, pre-placement, consistent fingering, keep inactive fingers close to the strings, visualization etc. Each author brings with them their unique style, insights, and exercises, but the fact that so many intelligent/talented people are saying similar things adds credibility to their findings.
The problem was, that even armed with this information, I found it difficult to bring the techniques into my playing, to make the transition from theory to practice. As the saying goes:
“The difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference, in practice there always is.”
Many of the sources above (with one or two exceptions) did not provide enough information to enable me to really “get it”; they left too many details unsaid. Without the fine details, I found the task of applying what I had learnt during practice, to actual playing situations, to be a very difficult task. In the process of searching for answers I developed numerous hypotheses and tested them by developing exercises. The exercises were evaluated and revised until they delivered tangible results. This was the foundation of Intelligent Guitar Technique - A Scientific Approach.
In the book there is a section entitled “State-of-the-Art Guitar Technique” which highlights the common set of rules that the methods listed above advocate. With the aid of examples from numerous sources the book briefly shows what these rules look like in action. It then goes on to respect the rules in the most extreme way possible to create some very revolutionary and effective exercises. These exercises were not developed lightly; they were the result of a huge amount of thought, effort, and experimentation. The explanations and instructions are amongst the most detailed that you will find anywhere.
Treat guitar technique like sports science. To start the process of developing expert technique you must learn to think like an expert coach. Expert technique coaches:
• are capable of bringing all their movements into conscious awareness
• have the vocabulary to talk about the different components and stages of the process
• practice each movement in isolation to improve technique
• practice synchronizing their movements to achieve the best possible results
• constantly re-evaluate their technique in light of new information and as their understanding grows
If you can summon up the mental discipline to do this, you will escape the plateau pattern of development endured by so many people; you will enjoy continuous improvement.
In science, hypotheses are tested by observation and experimentation. The results are analyzed to draw conclusions and develop theories. This leads to the formation of new hypotheses…and the cycle continues. The bottom line is that if you treat the study of technique as a science, you will always be able to generate continuous improvement in your playing. Wikipedia defines “Scientific Method” as:
“Scientific method refers to the body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. It is based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. A scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.”
I consider any method that attempts to explain concepts from a cause and effect perspective, to be science based. This is a fairly loose definition but is characterized by methods that relate exercises to benefits in an unambiguous and verifiable way. I relate best to this type of approach and therefore researched all the science based methods I could find.
Aaron Shearer - “Aim Directed Movement”
Ricardo Iznaola - “The Physiology of Guitar Playing”
Lee Ryan - “The Natural Classical Guitar - The Principles of Effortless Playing”
Alice Artzt - “The Art of Practice”
Bryan Townsend - “The Guitarist’s Complete Technique Kit”
Emilio Pujol - “Guitar School” (Based on the Principles of Francisco Tarrega)
Jamie Andreas - “The Principles of Correct Practice for Guitar”
Anthony Glise - “Classical Guitar Pedagogy”
Richard Provost - “The Art & Technique of Practice”
Scott Tennant - “Pumping Nylon”
William Kanengiser - “Effortless Classical Guitar”
…and the list goes on…
Much to my delight I found that most of the methods were based on a very similar set of fundamental concepts: clear goals, deep thought and concentration during practice, beginner’s mind, s-l-o-w practice, awareness and reduction of tension, minimum effort, the use of gravity, focus on the movement process, planting, pre-placement, consistent fingering, keep inactive fingers close to the strings, visualization etc. Each author brings with them their unique style, insights, and exercises, but the fact that so many intelligent/talented people are saying similar things adds credibility to their findings.
The problem was, that even armed with this information, I found it difficult to bring the techniques into my playing, to make the transition from theory to practice. As the saying goes:
“The difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference, in practice there always is.”
Many of the sources above (with one or two exceptions) did not provide enough information to enable me to really “get it”; they left too many details unsaid. Without the fine details, I found the task of applying what I had learnt during practice, to actual playing situations, to be a very difficult task. In the process of searching for answers I developed numerous hypotheses and tested them by developing exercises. The exercises were evaluated and revised until they delivered tangible results. This was the foundation of Intelligent Guitar Technique - A Scientific Approach.
In the book there is a section entitled “State-of-the-Art Guitar Technique” which highlights the common set of rules that the methods listed above advocate. With the aid of examples from numerous sources the book briefly shows what these rules look like in action. It then goes on to respect the rules in the most extreme way possible to create some very revolutionary and effective exercises. These exercises were not developed lightly; they were the result of a huge amount of thought, effort, and experimentation. The explanations and instructions are amongst the most detailed that you will find anywhere.
Treat guitar technique like sports science. To start the process of developing expert technique you must learn to think like an expert coach. Expert technique coaches:
• are capable of bringing all their movements into conscious awareness
• have the vocabulary to talk about the different components and stages of the process
• practice each movement in isolation to improve technique
• practice synchronizing their movements to achieve the best possible results
• constantly re-evaluate their technique in light of new information and as their understanding grows
If you can summon up the mental discipline to do this, you will escape the plateau pattern of development endured by so many people; you will enjoy continuous improvement.
