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EVERYTHING
YOU NEVER
WANTED TO
KNOW ABOUT
GUITAR PLAYING
Renato Bellucci
In
the following pictures, you can take a look at several great performers
and their playing positions. I admire each and every one of them for their
great talent . It is known though, that the amount of energy lost for playing
in these positions is immense not to mention the amazing health risks and
unbearable string squeaks.. (Make sure you read the special techniques
page after you are done with this page). Most of the energy goes into compensating
for the anatomical wrong postures. When examining these players, Carlevaro
used to say:- "They would play much better and for longer with better,
more natural postures"-
I
would not dare to go that far, but he talked as one of the few who
had taken the time to study the physics and anatomy involved in playing.
Carlevaro's technique is among the few that has gone that far, and, he
passed his knowledge to his students.
Segovia
played well into his nineties, but it is true that the amount of strings
squeaking was unbearable as his age increased and energies died out. The
amount of strength needed to play with little left hand noise
twisting the torso and an anchoring the left elbow against the waist
is
enormous ( In some of Parkening recordings you can actually hear the moans
of pain here and there). Today's standards require more perfection and
"recording strings" should be called handicapped performer strings.
A
good set of worn-out strings is better. Trying to play like the "dinosaurs",
is prone to make us frustrated .
Talent
can make up for a lot of defects, but I have known quite a few guitarists
who had to abandon their careers due to serious injuries that originated
in a faulty sitting position. And all for what? To try to play like a handicapped!
For most of the XX century, the guitar was to be played like Segovia did.
Nobody
asked too much back then, because a word of admiration from the maestro
opened many doors, a word of dislike ended or handicapped a whole
musical career. Dictatorship years are finally over. Be brave and always
ask your teacher "why?". "You will understand later" is a bad answer. It
is true that Segovia contributed enormously to the growth of the guitar
repertoire and took it to high levels of admiration, but it is also true
that
guitar technique got stalled for decades because of his stubbornness.
He would bring hell on Earth if you changed the fingering to his "precious
transcriptions". Players like Yepes, Barrios or Carlevaro who tried to
introduce new ideas both in instrument design and technique, were dismissed
a priori.
Perfection
being the ultimate, unattainable goal, makes it understandable
that concessions have to be made. But a whole generation of players was
stuck on the same variation: To play with the outer part of the
nails and twist the body around the guitar like a snake.-- Some of these
players have changed somewhat throughout the years. They sold us the illusion
and lie that speed was all that mattered and have burned this idea
in everybody. When their years were coming to an end, they would start
sounding wise and philosophical: "You are the general of your fingers and
not vice versa" -Andres Segovia to Marcelo Kayath
in his last masterclass at USC, LA 1986-. Competitions
are the Cathedrals to this horror and you will always find one dinosaur
or two behind the organization...there are a zillion better ways to build
a career, so avoid most competitions, plus, a competition won, guarantees
nothing. The few bucks evaporate fast and the concert tour is over even
before it starts. It is believed that at least 400 "major guitar competitions"
winners are still out there. How many do you know? How many visited your
hometown? How many are still playing?.....
I
do not think Carlevaro was the greatest anything, actually, if it
were not for the dinosaurs, I would probably not have a CD or LP collection.
So, it is not as personal as it seems. One thing is sure though, Carlevaro
knew exactly what he was doing and that is what he wanted his students
to learn: To know exactly what they were doing, --especially if that
"something" may have caused health or career problems in the short, medium
or long run.-- Music is for life, it is a calling, it is not like saying
"well, if I can't make it, I can always do something else." It is healthy
to do more than one thing in a world as rich and changing as the
one we live in, but we will always need our music to feel that good
and there is only one way to do music: well.
Fortunately,
the silent work of several geniuses, has opened new doors for an instrument
that has entered the "classical" status just over 100 years ago. Abel Carlevaro's
technique has been discussed over and over and most times, I realize that
it is totally misunderstood. In his book he introduces his technique as
"...a testimony of an experience lived over the years". He describes himself
perfectly when he says "Going through life as my own apprentice and teacher".
Apprentice
and teacher. I think that in these two words he is describing the master
that he was. He concludes saying " I learned with my students and, faithful
to the pupil and teacher in me, I shall go on learning".
  
In his book
(picture to the left), Carlevaro describes this position as wrong....
In his book, Parkening (picture to the right) says its right. What do
you say? Check the almost 90 degrees angle of the right wrist...it hurts
by just looking long enough !
IIn
all the images above, and the images following, the line that seems to
indicate a fallen shoulder, is pointing out the twisting backwards
of the lumbar area.
Same here...plus,
everything from the elbow up is a "mistake of nature" . I can still recall
one of my dinosaur-teachers saying --"Pretend you are holding a book between
your elbow and your waist". -- I almost became a librarian thanks to that
advice !(not that I have anything against librarians, I just did not dream
with the life...)
 
Most of these
players need a back-stool and a footstool. They all twist their lumbar
area...extreme tension !!
Carlevaro masterclass in Switzerland,
May 1997
During the 1997 Switzerland masterclass
Carlevaro showed the correct
sitting position versus the defective
and pretty much mainstream
classical guitar sitting position.
Notice the point of contact on the chest.
Guitar
technique compendium &
I will focus
next on guitar technique concepts. The only guitar technique treaty that
captured my imagination in the many years I have been studying guitar is
Abel Carlevaro's "School of Guitar". I will shed my personal views on technique.
The only technique I can dare to describe is my technique:
Renato
Bellucci's technique. My technique has little to do with
Carlevaro's.
So does my playing. We share a deep hate for left hand squeaks and no place
in our lives for appoggiato -rest- stroke. My left hand -arm- is definitely
Carlevarian,
so
is 50 % of my right hand and an equal percentage of my overall
body
sitting position.
Where we are practically 100 % equal is in
our way of going to the heart of the matter. I learned to
think as a player with Carlevaro because he was a thinker. Many
times, my way of achieving results was totally opposite to Carlevaro's.
Yours will probably be too. Remember that we are all equal but not all
the same. I never liked some of Carlevaro's sounds (he developed 5 different
sounds). He used his personal taste and uniqueness and the only person
he had to convince was himself. His conviction was contagious. When
he saw other ways to do things, he observed. He made sure you were conscious
of the decisions and approved. You had to show him you were convinced and
that was all that mattered to him. When you think before playing
you are using Carlevaro's Technique.
Most of the
master's concepts are universal. Of course, intelligence is universal.
The degree or type of intelligence may differ but we all know what it is.
When School of guitar was first published in Argentina in
1979, it presented Carlevaro's way of playing and why.
When I worked with Carlevaro in the late 80s, he would often "edit" these
concepts to make them applicable to me. What he achieved though, was a
lot more. He planted the seed of search and curiosity in me which
would set me on the right path. The one path that would lead me to my best
playing. Therefore the following chapters can be classified as "Carlevaro's
way of thinking revised by Bellucci".
Being close
to him, I realized that some of the concepts that seem to be very rigid
when taken from his books, are actually much more flexible and it is very
important that the guitar player keeps in mind that every single rule has
to be filtered by each individual's unique built and musical taste. This
is exactly what I will do teaching masterclassses learning
real pieces with you and solving the technical challenges using my brain,
just like the master taught me.
Getting
to know Montevideo and the Uruguayan musical scene is very important when
one tries to understand how and why a musician of Carlevaro's stature approached
guitar playing in such a scientific and universal way. At the beginning
of the 20th Century Uruguay was often referred to as the South American
Switzerland.
A strong imperial English hand, left its marks in many of Uruguay's
customs. Top European immigrants at the turn of the 19th Century gave Montevideo
and Uruguay in general, a character that is simply non existent in neighboring
Argentina or Brazil. The illiteracy levels in Uruguay are almost 0. That
says a lot especially when in many countries there exists a generalized
idea
that all South America is the same...therefore third world classifiable.
...to be
continued
On
sitting with the guitar $
Most guitar
methods and treaties start dealing with the proper way to sit holding the
guitar. Carlevaro is no exception. The main difference to his approach,
as compared to many others, is that he brings thorough knowledge of anatomy,
physics and common sense into the equation. He begins describing BODY
POSITION it is not dealt with as a mere matter of posture but as one
of balance and equilibrium between the instrument and the
player.
The first
objective to be achieved is: to hold the guitar perfectly still allowing
for full freedom of movement for the player.
As opposed
to the traditional school, Carlevaro states: "The
guitar must adapt to the body, not the body to the guitar. "Each player
must take into account his or her unique characteristics and the
guitar must adapt to these.
Back
pain is one of the most frequent complains of guitarists all over. Carlevaro
centered the problem on "placing both feet
forward", this unstable position requires the back to make an enormous
effort to maintain the balance". By setting
the feet properly, one in front and the other behind, the player will be
able to move his whole body by simply pushing on one foot or another.
Not applying pressure on either foot will mean stillness.
VS.
In order to
be able to sit with the two feet as shown in the figure to the left, you
will have to sit towards the front-right side of the chair (4 legged chair)
in order for the right foot to be free to go behind.
In downtown
Asuncion, they have this chair (image below) on sale which I and
a few of my students have bought. It deals with the 4 leg issue
of standard chairs, plus it is anatomically comfortable, light and is made
of sturdy leather and wood. It can be folded really easily and carried
everywhere. It allows to play with no footstool or with very low setting
on the footstool (only 17 inches from the floor to the butt). Click on
the button to the right if you would like me to purchase and airmail 1
to you.
US$ 112 (shipping
included)
Remember
that when you are discovering your sitting position you must
consider all the possibilities with great flexibility. A faulty sitting
position is at the root of a faulty technique and poor musical expression.
"The left arm must be totally free to move
in order to help the hand and the fingers in every way." Carlevaro
will never refer to fingers literally. To him fingers' movements will always
include
arm-wrist-hand movements and in a more indirect way the
muscles of the upper torso and legs.
In
order to
attack the strings at the correct angle (the angle where
the best sound is produced) "the wrist must
be kept as straight as possible; raise or lower the guitar, rotate
it between the legs, adjust it until the fingers can produce the most efficient
stroke as naturally as possible."
A
correct sitting position plus 3 points of contact between the guitar and
the player is what I call a great start.
When you are
playing, 5 points of contact are established between the player and the
guitar:
the
left leg
1 |
the
right leg
2 |
the
right arm
3 |
the
chest
4 |
the
left arm
5 |
Out of these
five, the left leg is the most important and the most stable. All the other
points will adjust according to the left leg. "Only
3 points of contact are necessary to keep the guitar stable". |
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