The Chetboard

"How to Work"


"What I seek from music is a seemly improvisatory manner comparable to a good jazz band. How many days of relentless work, of hardship, and of indescribable effort are needed to succeed in playing with careless ease!

Fingering is the strategy of the hands. It's importance is fundamental. We do not play with our ears; we play with our fingers, thoughtless and clumsy though they are. Let us chastise them, whip them, make them conscious; let us breathe our soul into them, and let us try to play.

The brain orders a fingering. Fingers accept it or reject it, either because they are stubborn - then they must be cudgeled - or because they "know" that this is not what they need to produce a maximum effect. Often there is a need for absolute legato in all the voices, even the inner ones. Such legato becomes imperative to me; I expose my hands to torture to obtain it.

While working I attach great importance to concentration. Awkwardness and mistakes in playing are always due to a lack of concentration.

I cannot stand to be disturbed by a technical imperfection or anything that blemishes the realization of my vision. Oh! The hours of folly, of oblivion, of happiness - my hours of work..."

              Andres Segovia

John, thanks for this great post. Besides taking it to heart myself, I immediately printed it out for my daughter, who plays violin, among other things. Thanks! LMark

Sometimes you need to fret notes with your thumb or you can't play the chord.
GaryL

Practice and more practice is what Chet always said. Segovia did great things for legitimizing classical guitar but at the same time he was kinda dictatorial. For years if you didn't do it exactly the way Segovia said to do it you were Wrong.

Enormous hands.

I agree with his remarks about concentration. That's part of what makes good professional guitarists great, their ability to concentrate...mentally step into their dream world where nothing exists but them, the guitar and the music they're playing