Appropriate Left Hand Tension on Classical Guitar (The Balanced Hand)

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[@ClassicalGuitarShed]

Looking for more help with Left-Hand Tension? Click the link below for more tips: ClassicalGuitarShed.com/left-hand-tension

[@robertfantazo4751]

Do this for the next fifty years..... Love your honesty!

[@charllamprecht7325]

Very valuable to me. Allen Matthews has a unique way of presenting practical advice on varied levels of a specific guitar technique, all in one go. Always with enthusiasm and a positive approach. Thank you for that.

[@ki-hongjang4101]

This is a really great video not for only guitar players playing European classical compositions but also for every guitar player (maybe not considering that there are many great musicians playing with their unorthodox way). Anyway, thank you so much! I've been trying to figure out the way how to reduce the tension with my left hand with solid balance... stay healthy and safe!

[@manudeteruel]

I reaally appreciate your hints, slow motio playing is a great idea...

[@adlib8096]

Or at least play with a tempo you can maintain throughout the part right?

[@bertaga41]

Superb as usual.My new resolution is to come back every month and check Im still doing this!

[@adlib8096]

Talking about tension, after 15 mins i have to forcefully recalibrate my whole body to a natural position. In the past few weeks however i noticed that even facial expression and body movement (on the beat) can help release tension. So now when im playing bach or scarlatti i look like a happy smirking idiot sitting uncomfortably on a chair with a guitar between my legs. But it works. I havent yet found the proper stance and facial expression when playing Villa Lobos though...

[@JohnCoughlan_JAC]

Haha, a little bit each day for the next 50 years is exactly how it feels. Great tips. Excess is one of my biggest obstacles right now so this was super helpful. Thanks!

[@WillyWanka456]

you have beautiful teaching technique, thank you for these videos

[@LilyWhite0]

Legend all your videos are just amazing youv helped many musicians thanks for that!!!

[@kratospchbus7625]

Thanks, it's the video I've always wanted

[@krismawyer55]

I wish this was as easy for me to do as it sounds so simple! One of your most challenging lessons! 😂

[@Benn61]

I played a certian classical peace, my left thumb is usually really tired near the end, but not this time while doing this :)

[@joshuajaimes121]

I've been there before. lol

[@zeinmrshd5753]

Relatable

[@transformationearthmusic]

Subtle but really important and helpful!

[@gulumayroz]

ANOTHER GREAT TUTORIAL !🧡🙏

[@wmg1958]

Good lesson. I will try to work this into the Requerdos de la Alhambra course.

[@kikocruziii8647]

Thanks!!!

[@wdashwor]

Very helpful - thank you!

[@karenwoods211]

Excellent advice Allen. I’m going to try my best to incorporate this in to my practice.

[@dr.tapasdasawriterandpaint1793]

Nice

[@marcaurelius2574]

Thank you for this video. Could you please explain us how you mute open strings when playing a melody that requires it ? That is, you play a new note while muting the preceding open string note.

[@MladenBruck]

That is not possible. I tried.

[@matiasfuentealba898]

❤

[@timriley69]

only 50 years!

[@fitzywings92]

I'm new to classical guitar. I find the wood is groaning/creaking while I play and move my hand around the neck. Am I gripping too tightly?

[@fryingwiththeantidote2486]

Disagree about the thumb thing. I thing if you look at your hand your thumb is always to the left of your index, that is its natural position. If you were to relax your forearm and lift it wjth your shoulder only and slide in the guitar neck it would naturally have the thumb to the left. I think its a misconception how much the thumb is involved in keeping the left hand rooted and steady.

[@mns8732]

Good thinking. But 50 years is rushing it IMHO.

[@Dudeli]

Hello dear classical guitar community! I bought a classical guitar 3 months ago. Assuming the strings on it were also new, I find it curious that the strings are starting to get rusty red at some places. Isn‘t it too early for that? Or is that normal

[@manadrain9561]

I'm pretty new to this as well, but in my short experience, there's several things that might be going on. And i base that on other experiences I have like metalwork. Not certain why you're getting red oxides (rust), it's sort of unusual on nylon/silver based strings if that's what you have. 1. I wash my hands before every practice session and try to wipe strings with a soft cloth afterward, this helps keep corrosive oils and salts from your hands to a minimum. 2. Pretty much all metals oxidize. period. some tarnish very slowly (like the silver around most bass strings) but they all do just from contact with the air. And some people's hand oils are more corrosive to a given metal than others (ask a brass player). 3. three months is probably past the useful life of your strings depending on how much you play. 4. a lot of frets are nickel or nickel alloy. nickel does not play nicely with other metals, it tends to be an oxidizing agent (it really hates steel) so if your rust spots are above frets, give the frets a polish at your next string change to try to reduce this. This could also apply to other combinations of fret/string material. 5. the strings on the guitar if new were likely from when it was built. 6. shop around and find a string you and your guitar like. there's choices these days and I've tried four brands and they all have their pros and cons, so have fun. sorry for the long response, hope this helps and have fun.

[@Dudeli]

Mana Drain Don‘t apologize, I appreciate your dedicated answer! Thank you a lot, this helped me out! :) If you could pick one brand for nylon strings, which one would it be?

[@manadrain9561]

@@Dudeli It's an answer that's personal to you, your particular instrument, and your playing style... But the D'addario "student" classical strings (or similar) are likely a good place to start and don't cost a ton. A whole lot of guitar is "idiomatic practice" it's all about hand and body posture and movements, so changing strings gets you a slightly different tone (timbre), but you don't have to relearn much if anything. And newer ones will sound better than old ones, but they take a while to stretch out and settle in for tuning stability.

[@manadrain9561]

I guess what i'm trying to drive at is that 95%+ of guitar is you! The strings, setup, etc. are the last 5% or so. So don't let old strings take the wind from your sails.