how would you play this

[banjar]

This is the third part (the last 10 measures) of Gerbe des Fleurs from the book 30 easy Spanish Guitar Solos, which really aren't all that easy. I've got the first two sections down but I'm curious how someone who actually knows their way around Spanish or Classical guitar would fret this section. I know how it sounds and parts of it are straightforward but I'm having difficulty putting it all together and am curious about the most economical fingerings for those last 10 measures. Would anyone be willing to tab it with fingerings or make a video showing how they'd do t?


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[jwayne]

First time through this is what it looks like to me. Quicker to describe than to tab it.

(last 12 measures)
Keep your 2nd finger on the A string, your 3rd on the C#. Finger 1 plays the F, then lift off & 3rd finger for the G which brings you into position for measure 2 which is straightforward. Fingers 1 & 2 play Am7 form in measure 3, then using 3rd & 4th finger on D & G you pull off the 4th to 1st finger on the F. Rest of measure sliding with your 1st finger on C up to the D while you play the B with 2nd, then slide down to the C & A. Next two measures straightforward. Measures 6 & 7 I'm playing around this form: 2nd finger on the F, 1st on the A, 3rd on the D.

Other measures are variations of the above.

YMMV.

[riffmeister]

Originally Posted by banjar

I know how it sounds and parts of it are straightforward but I'm having difficulty putting it all together and am curious about the most economical fingerings for those last 10 measures.

The tab for the last 10 measures looks pretty straightforward to me. What exactly are the difficult parts for you?

[mc1]

here is how i would play it. this is only one way of many. some are preferable in terms of efficiency, tone, and ease of playing.

general principles:
- don't repeat i, m or a (that's the plucking index, middle, and ring fingers) for two consecutive notes whenever possible. in other words, alternate which finger is used, typically i and m.
- in general use m for a higher (pitched) string than i, a for a higher string than m, when possible and practical.
- for the fretting hand, 1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = pinkie. avoid having fingers jump from one string to the next, when possible and practical.
- i also tend to use a 4th finger approach and will finger notes on the higher strings at the third fret with 4 (pinikie). this is primarily for ergonomic reasons.

there are lots of other considerations. i don't follow these rules strictly, they are just guidelines.

if you have questions or can't read something let me know.

[banjar]

Parts are easy-the first 2 measures are straightforward then choices I'm not familiar with start to crop up. I have no classical training and I'm pretty much a hack. I don't instinctively know from looking at tab the smartest way to fret. I also like to overthink things; I worry about what non-fretting fingers should be doing (eg are they really not fretted or are they just not played?.

I'll work through the tab mc1 posted and see where that leads

Originally Posted by riffmeister

The tab for the last 10 measures looks pretty straightforward to me. What exactly are the difficult parts for you?

[riffmeister]

mc1 did a great job with the fingering!

[mc1]

Originally Posted by banjar

Parts are easy-the first 2 measures are straightforward then choices I'm not familiar with start to crop up. I have no classical training and I'm pretty much a hack. I don't instinctively know from looking at tab the smartest way to fret. I also like to overthink things; I worry about what non-fretting fingers should be doing (eg are they really not fretted or are they just not played?.

I'll work through the tab mc1 posted and see where that leads

learning the best ways to fret (left hand for righties) and pluck (right hand for righties) takes quite a bit of practice and experience. i find it enjoyable to work out fingerings.

the non-fretting fingers should just be relaxed, enjoying what the other fingers are doing, patiently waiting for their turn. so this is typically hanging closely above the fretboard. other times it might be touching a string that was previously fretted but is now mute.

it's different from a lot of flatpicking, where it's often a good idea to finger whole chords or mute unwanted strings, just in case the pick sounds a string inadvertently.

Originally Posted by riffmeister

mc1 did a great job with the fingering!

thanks, riffmeister!

[jwayne]

Didn't really go through MC1's fingering completely but as he said it's only one of many ways. For example, on my first go through I did use fingers 4 & 1 for the G & F (first measure) as he notated, but then thought it was better to remove fingers 2 & 3 (they're quarter notes and don't ring out) and use fingers 3 & 1. This seems like a more natural position and is better for the pull-off and the next measure. His third measure is probably better than my suggestion in which I using fingers 1 & 2 for the last two dyads. My way is lazy, his is better for developing left hand (plus there is no slide notated).

Especially in classical guitar there is significant time spent in figuring out economy of finger movement so obviously YMMV. I'm a hack at it - I've played for a long time but not seriously - but still will sometimes change the suggested fingering on a professionally notated score.