Analyzing the Guitar Technique of Andrés Segovia

[@uboatism]

Nothing can be further from what he was ❤

[@nonretrogradable]

This is a wonderful video. I’m studying with Jack Cecchini who met and worked with Segovia in masterclasses. He is close friends with Oscar Ghiglia as well. I’m proud to be inheriting the Segovia legacy.

[@stanlee-eq7lu]

I'm just discovering Andrés Segovia. He could run circles around the majority of modern day guitar players.

[@n.nelson6592]

I was watching a video of Oscar Ghiglia and his right hand reminded me of Segovia. Of course, Oscar was large. He drank too many Cokes back in the sixties, I was told. Thank you for this superb lesson!

[@charllamprecht7325]

Thank you Charles for your brilliant analysis of Segovia's playing and technique - the best comments I have heard so far. Especially in a time where it seems to have become fasionable for many to speak down on the obvious genius of Andres Segovia's playing and musicianship. Whenever I listen to Segovia's sound and music on recordings, it remains a mystery on how he achieves the sound, phrasing, contrasting textures and imagination that is created by him on guitar. He played like no one alike - with sound and interpretation that are immediately recognizable - something that is rare to experience in classical guitar performances today. Segovia himself said that 'interpretation (on the guitar) is an explosion of freedom'. That is probably one of the reasons why his recordings remain captivating, interesting and endlessly inspiring for me to listen to. (My apology for the lengthy comment).

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Lengthy comments are the best kind! I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and your thoughts are spot on. When I got into classical guitar, people around me talked about Segovia like he wasn’t worth listening to. It wasn’t until grad school when I decided to study him for myself, and discovered that no one did more for the guitar, or played it with as much craft, than he did. It’s not a coincidence that his career has not been able to be replicated, despite all the amazing players that have come after him.

[@melarrow6202]

When you hear Segovia you know it’s Segovia. It’s that sound. The articulation and the colors. Similarly, when you hear Bream you know it’s him. But with Bream it’s that exquisite phrasing. There are many wonderful young players but none that I know of who have that instantly recognisable voice.

[@Benbenforever]

I was taught by him in Sienna two years 1962/3. It was a great experience but most of the actual teaching was done by Aliro Diaz who was his protege. Happy days.

[@yurib7067]

I enjoyed this presentation.

[@pacopersia]

Great video thanks for making it. Pity that background music was playing on Segovia video!

[@Benbenforever]

I play scales now exactly the way Segovia did. You shift as many times as you can to give you practice in placement. The reason why so many young players today have such a bad thin sound is that they won't watch and learn the best right hand position. Watch and learn..

[@romaric9874]

The real reason is that the young players play in the idea to be mic. More, they are always recorded so they need to avoid all mistakes. Segovia gamme are useless. You have lot of method with better thing.

[@StephiSensei26]

First Bream and then Segovia all in one go! Whew! I'm pooped. So much to absorb and consider. Great stuff and thank you very much. I had the pleasure of hearing him play in Stockholm in 1974. The last row in the Concert Hall. It was amazing! OK, back to practicing! Scales, scales, scales, ugh! Maybe one day?

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Two of these videos in a row?? You deserve an award! Sure glad you’re enjoying them. Practice practice practice, I can relate!

[@StephiSensei26]

Of course, what else have we got to do for the rest of our lives? Enjoy!@@CharlesAlexanderAllred

[@johnoverthrow206]

Thanks l rank myself amongst the devotees of this amazing virtuoso Segovia..its interesting you mentioned when first hearing him play l also recall that l thought l was listening to a piano..lol its astonishing how his finger techniques can produce a variety of instruments..people that can't stand classical music still luv Andre Segovia..esp the bach gavot😅 cheers x

[@rixtafford]

The thing I have long noticed about Segovia’s technique is how resonant he got the guitar to sound. Listen to how he gets the guitar to ring on Ponce’s “Waltz” or Crespo’s “Nortena.” Excellent review of Segovia’s technique.

[@johnlay3040]

I think Segovia's technique is very well passed on through his many outstanding students and followers. But what is unique about Segovia is his interpretation of music, especially the Spanish ones. No one to this day, expresses music the way he did.

[@RobMasonguitar]

Great series, very well thought out and put together. Thanks for these Charles.

[@ricdavid7476]

interesting video thanks. I am 70 and have played the guitar since i was 10. I have never progressed much despite having a lot of lessons. A few days ago i purchased a jose ramirez 1a in the hope that having a beautiful instrument it would encourage me to push through to the next level but i still think a gifted player could make a better sound out of a cornflake packet a broom handle and string.

[@ccaissie113]

What were you playing prior to trying the 1a?

[@ricdavid7476]

@ccaissie113 I have a 1959 flamenco guitar made by a violin maker what do you have

[@GilbertKoller-y9k]

​@@ricdavid7476 Jose Ramirez workshop 1974 Cypress Made by Alphonso Checa

[@ricdavid7476]

@BillDo-gd5me I sold it and bought a preston 18thc guittar i think i am going to give up altogether

[@ricdavid7476]

@BillDo-gd5me Hiya thanks for the encouragement . I believe in A God and heaven but not reincarnation. I believe we are spiritual beings and I saw a good quote the other day at a classical concert i went to it said " when words fail music speaks" I think that is a pretty good quote. I am sure i had undiagnosed learning difficulties probably dyslexia because as hard as i have tried over the decades i have never been able to learn how to read music and despite loving playing with other people spontaeneously not being able to read music does limit development and can be incredibly frustrating. In addition to my learning difficulties i also had terrible social anxiety and find relating to others troublesome to this day. Playing music with others transcends those problems i have found. Yes i believe God loves to hear us play music just as he loves and tends to all his creation so i agree with you no music is ever lost and it may well have an impact on eternity. I have found during my over 60 years of playing music that there are peaks and troughs and moments of progress and stagnation so whilst i sounded pretty negative in my previous comment i probably wont throw the baby out with the bathwater

[@gbee8888]

What’s also obvious is how closely he is watching his left hand. Can’t imagine him closing his eyes and drifting off with the music. ?

[@andrewtaylorohren]

Segovia was my teachers teachers teacher. As my teacher learned from Christopher Parkening. You are right about Segovia.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Nice. He was my teacher’s teacher, Robert Guthrie

[@picksalot1]

Thanks for this outstanding video, presentation, and analysis. I think the RH chord plucking and moving his hand away from the strings may have helped with cleanliness of the stroke, but more importantly with physically accentuating and staying in tempo with the rhythm, which he was outstanding at doing. I found it very interesting to see his use of vibrato parallel to the frets, particularly with his 3rd finger. When playing rest stroke, his RH 3rd and 4th fingers are slightly curled towards his palm and barely move. He does seem to have had unique hands. Do you happen to know how tall Segovia was? There are varying accounts. In most photos I've seen, he doesn't look very tall, maybe 5 foot 5-7 inches.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

I am not sure how he tall he was. But if he were any taller, his hand may have been the size of baseball mits haha.

[@joelpenazzo7248]

Great reportage! 🙏 But what about his vibrato.?. Unique vibrato

[@jaybavet1]

My teacher's teacher went to Segovia's semenar. And my teacher made me go see him play. When I started learning classical guitar. Afterwards I practiced 10 hours a day. Nobody can play classical guitar to this day like Andres Segovia. Always my professor professor professor

[@JasonBorgeson]

. At 35:00 or 36:00 his vibrato goes across the fretboard. My problem is that when i use steel string guitar technique like this you can hear the string grind against the fretwire. 39:57

[@JasonBorgeson]

.

[@58MrMike]

My favorite piece is the famous Bach Chaconne. Segovia’s very early recording of this is my favorite. Unfortunately, the fast parts are way too hard for me to play.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

I used to listen to that every night before I went to sleep

[@mpojr]

its in Segovias eyes where you see the expression and passion,,very clearly you can see this.

[@lorenzopone869]

As a pianist directly trained by a Segovia's fellow, in terms of being both OGs, I can definitely tell that good sound at the piano is represented by one very thing: flesh. My teacher was Paul Badura-Skoda. But look at Horowitz, Cherkassky, Leonskaya, Ney... you'll just see an abundant use of flesh and flat fingertips. That's the secret.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Very interesting!! Well Segovia had plenty of that - some of the meatiest hands you’ll ever see

[@AbnerChamate]

Two things about guitar repertoire Segovia may have mentioned, I think probable he was referring to the Spanish guitar after Torres guitar construction and the fact that voice, violin and piano had a long repertoire before and during his time. Today we have a extensive music for the guitar after Segovia and recorded music explosion, so it goes with other new instruments as well.

[@ThibautKurt23]

Amazing video ! I’ve seen this one and the one on Julian Bream. Next : Paco de Lucia ! Could you do one on Alexandre Lagoya / Ida Presti. Maybe difficult to find footage but still… Thank you !

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

That is awesome friend! That is a great suggestion, I would love to get to them at some point.

[@ThibautKurt23]

@@CharlesAlexanderAllred to explain that weird right hand position that Ida Presti used , or the stretching and bending of her left hand fingers . And for Lagoya his famous « right attack » technique

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

@ThibautKurt23 lol idk if I can explain any of that but it sure would be interesting to analyze

[@classicG342]

Loved this video and critique of Segovia. Perhaps later on, you could do a video on Alice Artz (videos of her on KZbin giving instruction in 1970s); she has always played with the addition of her little finger with long nail (on right hand). Very interesting to see what she achieves with the extra finger most of us never use. Would be interesting to critique her unique expression. She still teaches guitar, I believe.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Thanks for the suggestion! I have heard her a few times, there’s this old video where she’s playing a Rachmaninov prelude, but I have never noticed her using her little finger. I will have to see if I can find that.

[@melarrow6202]

@@CharlesAlexanderAllred Laurindo Almeida also advocated the use of the right hand pinky. It is called the “c” finger I believe.

[@Americae_Primum]

I learned long ago playing classical guitar (unlike rock music and musicians) is that the "star of the show" is the piece of music being played...NOT the performer. Which in some ways, lots of movement from a performer can take your focus off the music to watch the performer's actions...even if it's just for a moment. In my opinion, Segovia knew this and that could very well and possibly be why he made very little body movements or facial expressions. It wasn't about "him" but rather about the music itself. Just my $0.2

[@wucks3666]

Great job once again! Thank you for this in-depth analysis. Have you considered doing one on Ana Vidovic? Her tremolo is fascinating.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

You’re welcome friend! Glad you enjoyed the video. Yes I have thought of Ana and believe that I will certainly get to her at some point. Her tremolo technique would be something to discuss for sure!

[@UKGeezer]

The raw power he got from those big fingers is incredible. There's a really fast double slur he plays near the end of the Bach piece you showed in your video that is very powerful and is incredibly hard to emulate the sound he got. I never could unfortunately, I think you need Segovia fingers to pull it off. Anyway, thanks for this - really interesting. Have you done a video on John Williams yet?

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

I agree, the Segovia fingers could do quite a lot of stuff. I have done a video on John Williams, there should be a playlist link in the description.

[@cordoar]

Regarding fingers, Andres Segovia spoke about the importance of fingers and nails, the direct responsibility for the sound that the performer achieves.

[@thomasmagnac997]

Elliot Fisk might be a good candidate for your analysis. Love his style btw.

[@hrburrell7587]

That past generation of players had musicality and a beauty to their playing that most of the modern players of today lack. Lots of very good technical players now but most of them play very mechanically and their playing has no soul to it. Bream was my favorite in terms of being lyrical, his interpretations were beautiful to listen to.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

I understand, I feel like there are many people who feel the same way. I often hear from them online. To me the overall level of playing has gone way up, but the number of truly great artists has not increased all that much.

[@markohalloran9455]

Tosin abasi has this same thumb!!. Look at it. And he's pioneering thumb work too

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Yes he also has a remarkably shaped thumb

[@gregthill6139]

I believe that his lack if you will of excessive movement or facial expressions is due to his incredible focus on his playing.

[@gilbertwalker3222]

I’d say Aniello Desiderio has very similar hand physiognomy to Segovia. He’s the one player I’ve seen, even more so than Perlman. Great video.

[@tommacdonald6295]

I saw Segovia in concert many times. He was absolutely still in performance. I think he was absolutely concentrated on the music and to paraphrase Segovia himself on the physical beauty of sound. A phrase he used when explaining why you should practice scales.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Very awesome!

[@charllamprecht7325]

Agreed - thank you! 'Physical beauty of sound' is what's lacking in most classical guitar playing of today.

[@simondanielssonmusic]

This was a great video! I would love for you to make a video on Marcin Dylla - he has THE most relaxed and majestic techinque I've ever seen, from any modern classical guitarist.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Glad you enjoyed it friend. A few people have requested Marcin; seems like I may need to get around to him at some point.

[@icap8830]

It’s not about how he did it, it’s about how he toned it so uniquely

[@didierlefebvre7761]

Hi very interesting and thank. IMHO you miss the purpose of the apoyando with the wrist or the arm. Alberto Ponce does it frequently for emphasize a note or a timbre. Cf many videos. When the scale is fast Segovia don’t use the arm or wrist. Check the right hand book from Abel Carlevaro. He explains the fixation of segments idea. He doesn’t agree with the apoyando ( rest stroke) but that’s another story. Best regards.

[@jamesjohnson2900]

Im just transitioning from acoustic to classical. This video is a tremendous inspiration and education. When mentioned Segovia not resting the thumb, it immediately got me wondering and experimenting. The moment you rest your thumb on any of the bass strings, even in the slightest way, it dampens any high notes your playing. It’s ever so slight, but you’ll hear it. BTW, where do you come by Segovia’s scale playing method? Thanks again!

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Very astute observations! If you Google it I’m sure it will come up, it’s called something like diatonic major and minor scales

[@jamesjohnson2900]

After play acoustic for so long, you begin to realize, any pressure placed on the top, bridge, or strings, will affect your tone; and that’s fine, if a certain effect is desired. Since I’ve started classical, I’ve gone as far as keeping the back of the guitar away from my body, and no resting of the thumb on any strings. Thumb on string = pressure on saddle = pressure on bridge = pressure on top = no bueno.

[@jamesjohnson2900]

@BillDo-gd5me I have a classical. It depends how you string it. Remember…, you don’t need a bunch of wraps. I tie it off, and have 3, maybe 4. You can also expect a break in time of a couple of weeks for strings to stretch, so don’t be in a hurry, because you’ll only get pissed off and discouraged. The break in time also depends on many factors: humidity, tuning machines quality, nut and saddle cut, top material, and other aspects of the instrument. Your instrument WILL NOT stay in tune better, if you tighten the hell out of the machine heads.

[@tedcabana]

You should call him the O.G.G for, Original Guitar God!

[@vgfjr505]

I saw him first time when I was about 14 or 15 live on TV; PBS to be exact. I was amazed at what he could do with the guitar. Sadly, over the years I’ve realized his personality wasn’t the greatest; he was a controversial figure at times. Still, he did do a lot for the classical guitar, and you have to give him credit for that. This was a really interesting video. I would’ve liked to see more examples with analysis of his technique. This entire series is fantastic but I especially enjoyed this one because of the person. Others which also were of interest were Sabicas and Park (her size).

[@ccaissie113]

The facial show is what I call "face dancing". It'an unconscious physical habit in some people...while talking, or playimg. Flesh on the strings is more possible if you do not use nails, right? I use my little finger as in fingerstyle and if I ever got serious I'd likely need to eliminate that little finger? I have a 1971 1a, made by the same luther, M.T. and it is a beast...very loud and sustaining..is taking me along time to control it and get all the nuances.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Yes no nail would mean only flesh on the string, but the right combination of flesh and nail together is most desirable for many people. On the contrary, I feel as though there have to be more extremely valuable uses for the little finger that I have yet to discover. Although I have already found a few. That 1A MT is extremely rare, and likely one of the finest guitars ever made (in my opinion). I have a guitar also built by that man, Mariano Tezanos, and it is my best instrument. A lifetime’s worth of discoveries in a guitar like that, no doubt.

[@woodlakesound]

Christopher Parkening would be an excellent subject for technique analysis.

[@chuckmccroskey4864]

I was lucky enough to study with two of Segovia’s students. I am so grateful .

[@DareToWonder]

Yascha Heifetz and Segovia must have been born under the same star. The motionless star.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

My teacher, who idolized Segovia, once said this about Heifetz: “He could not have imagined making a mistake.”

[@mathiashentz3153]

David Russel told me that Segovia used his Thumb from both directions.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

I heard Chris Parkening talk about that in an interview, but I didn’t understand really what was going on

[@ZebZanko]

Segovia had what is called hitchhiker’s thumb---"distal hyperextensibility." ..... "A 2012 study found that 32.3 percent of a random sample of 310 people had hitchhiker’s thumb. Of those subjects, 15.5 percent were male, and 16.8 percent were female. BTW--has anyone tried to watch a guitarist who sways from side to side as they play? Nauseating.

[@markwilson9935]

Great content.. Im a guitarist of 55 years actual playing/performing etc. Some thoughts....mine only. Music is first and foremost an aesthete of sound...that means audible not visual. I only listen to new players without watching their performance. This way I get a true feel for their style,interpretation and all the other characteristics. Visual is a distraction to me. Most people love to see the player and ooh ahh,how did he do that and so on. But they miss the most important part. And of course there are now millions of guitarists doing concerts on the net. All well and good but the quality, uniqueness,originality and creativeness is missing in my book. Then we have the opinions of people saying this person is the best in the world and all the superlatives are in play. But its nonsense. There is a reason only a few ever stand out at one time. And of course EVERY guitarist has a MASTERCLASS!! Its hilarious..but I accept it. Everyone wants their 5 seconds of fame. Give me tone,beauty and warmth any day over technique and non stop talking about some great journey in their life.... There are only a handful of exceptional guitarists playing in the 21st century.

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Enjoyed your thoughts. My teacher used to say, in order to have a masterclass there has to be a master in the room.

[@timatwater8247]

Segovia recording of Bach's Chaconne in d minor, audio only but plenty of scales, well executed: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3Wtmn6Ca9h7d7s

[@meganh3880]

Allowing for Segovia's fine musicianship and musicality, there are elements to his technique that are not physiologically sound. That his large, "sausage-like" fingers and hands and right-wrist tolerated it into old age doesn't counter that observation. The Segovia "rules" you refer to often put unnecessary strain on the left hand, especially the ulner side. He plays off the outside of his left-hand fingers rather than use adductors to place them squarely on their tips in a balanced fashion, especially the 4th finger. He reaches with the weaker 4th finger and scrunches up the longer 1st and 2nd fingers rather than supinate to ease both. It's specious to argue that one should always maintain a "natural" curve on the left hand fingers. Especially in forming chords, allowing the middle joint of a finger to form a right angle so the finger from middle joint to tip stands upright, perpendicular to the fretboard, often has the consequence of easing tension and allowing you to balance each finger, especially if you use your adductors to draw your fingers toward the horizontal center of your hand. Segovia 's traditional way of holding guitar is very hard on the back. His great student Christopher Parkening has had multiple back surgeries thanks to copying it. It's very interesting to see this footage and hear your breakdown of the elements of his approach but what worked for Segovia isnt necessarily a model for other players technically, though I agree that his fingerings merit serious consideration from a musical standpoint. To the degree that those fingerings are out of phase with a more physiologically sound approach, the player needs to recognize the musical implications and use their technique in service of them. My two cents ... Thanks for the post!

[@bubbles3161]

His thumb is extra long and he comfortably has developed his positioning. His thumb is a elephant trunk. I wouldn’t mimic his technique. He’s one of kind!

[@deboravail6099]

If I remember correctly, I think Jerry Garcia had fat sausage fingers (and was missing R middle finger)

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

When it comes to playing the guitar, they’re quite a gift!

[@jellybean7931]

Interesting, but Sorry, background music disturbing and superfluous!

[@adrianburridge2378]

The reason for the angle of the Guitar is solely due to his portly figure!....When he was younger the Guitar was much more upright because he was much slimmer!!

[@loutrotechaud2598]

Desiderio has some sausages

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

No doubt!

[@demejiuk5660]

I'm surprised to hear you describe his hands as an advantage. I thought and still do think of them actually as a disadvantage that he overcame. The Guitar requires such precision. Having sausage fingers to me definitely seems like a disadvantage.

[@Sergio_deus]

l always though he played as what he was,an old man, no much movement, no much face expression. Is not a critic just personal observation. lm actually playing a lot trying to emulate his right hand currently. l think is the best for getting to feature what the Guitar "has to say", about a piece. More like in counterpart of my teachers and classmates, which none of them l like in the aspect of how they make the Guitar sound. All metallic and inelegant. Not caring about noises.

[@37BopCity]

For many years, I bought into the Segovia myth. He had a worldwide image as "the world's greatest classical guitarist". Then I found out Segovia was an active public supporter of the Fascist side in the Spanish Civil War. He supported Franco, Hitler and Mussolini against the Republicans. This was so wrong to me that I immediately rejected Segovia forever. I don't care he good he was, his Fascist sympathies are inexcusable.

[@meganh3880]

In sharp contrast to other artists such as Casals, Picasso... Segovia supported authoritarians. He also actively undermined Barrios, refusing to allow students to play his music or to sign a contract with a performance venue that hosted Barrios. Barrios helped him as a young man, supposedly teaching him a right hand approach and nail shape that gave warmth and depth to his playing. Not all great musicians are great human beings.

[@gesualdo1613]

¿I found? ¿Against the Republicans?... You are absolutely wrong. Segovia made a two-month tour of the USSR in 1936! More information in "A symbolic approach to the aesthetics of Andrés Segovia (Linares, Fundación Andrés Segovia, 2003).

[@meganh3880]

​​@@gesualdo1613​@gesualdo1613 Most of Spain's great artists went into exile during Franco's reign. They openly opposed the fascist dictatorship and their lives would've been at risk had they remained. Franco killed or muzzled his opponents. Segovia remained in Spain and was never in danger. I personally studied with, and was a close friend and colleague of, a protege of Casals whose family, like Casals, opposed the Fascists and HAD to leave Spain in 1939 or risk prison or death. Supposedly letters to Ponce illustrate Segovia's apologetics. Meanwhile, just listen to stories of students such as Parkening and John Williams about Segovia's treatment of students whose fingering and interpretation departed from his. Bullying put- downs. He had an authoritarian approach to pedagogy. I acknowledge his musicianship, but as a man, I don't find him admirable.

[@gesualdo1613]

@@meganh3880 "Segovia remained in Spain and was never in danger."

[@meganh3880]

​@@gesualdo1613Correct...never in danger because he was no threat to the Fascist government. He was free to tour outside the country because he never spoke out against Franco, etc. I'd love to be proved wrong but those are the facts as I understand them. I also take issue with his suppression of Barrios as both a player and composer.

[@roywhittaker2310]

Classical music is fine on occasion. However, my preference it the string buzzing, nail breaking, raw music of the streets, bistros and cafes, played by unknown artists...so frowned upon by Maestro Segovia.

[@demejiuk5660]

Ok so you articulate why there is a sub section of classical guitar enthusiasts online that bash Segovia for having "poor technique". The internet eh?

[@MrNobody-fk7fc]

"I'm better than Segovia ." -Yngwie Malmsteen. j/k

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

Lol!!

[@palindromic7873]

Please learn how to pronounce his name at least.

[@SDRAVKO]

Too much bla bla… What O.G and R.G mean?

[@CharlesAlexanderAllred]

It means here’s some bla bla. And after that, have some more bla bla. And finally, after all that, how about some more. Bla bla.

[@archlutesmith]

What new music is being written for guitar. I haven't heard anything very good. All the top players play Bach and Barrios and albeniz, scarlatti,Tarrega,fernando sor,Giuliani etc,etc. In their concerts.Not new stuff(thank God)

[@josephhenry4725]

Get out there ...the new stuff is mind blowing and well worthy of the tradition.....remember the old classics were not composed for but transcribed .