String Push Downs & All Aboard Exercise
Now
Now we are going to learn 2 very important things:
- How to use minimum finger pressure to press the string down. This helps to give us great control of finger pressure, which is essential for good guitar playing.
- How to place all fingers on the string with the perfect form we need for easy finger movement. This is called the "All Aboard Exercise".
Congratulations! You have taught each of your fingers how to be relaxed, curled and separated on the guitar strings. This is the first essential step in getting real control of your fingers.
Now your're ready for the next step in your left hand transformation - teaching the fingers to "walk" across the strings as a group, and maintain their lightness and separation. The next exercise "Walking Across The Strings With Light Fingers" will teach you this skill.
Andy Guss
guitar player (finally!)
I took a few group lessons. I started feeling that I was attempting to play way beyond my ability. The number of complicated techniques boggled my mind and frustrated my fingers. My right shoulder kept aching so much that I would have to stop playing and rub it.
The Principles explained many things about playing guitar that I had not noticed or knew to be on the lookout for. I have looked at many guitar instruction books, and this is the only one that really addresses where to be within your body in order to become a musician.
That rushing, frenzied, frustrated feeling in practice is gone now. Also, I was in pain before and I am not anymore. The "Principles" have helped me redefine and rediscover success in my playing and practicing."