Your left hand determines the note and your right hand determines just about everything else from tone, to timbre, volume, texture and all the subtleties of the sound that comes from your classical guitar. Yet it is often overlooked when it comes to practice. If you want to really improve your classical guitar playing you need to start focusing on right hand technique. Here are some tips and tricks on how to do it. Practice the types of strokes A lot of beginner guitarists dont realize that there are two different types of right hand strokes you can perform. The first stroke (and most common) is the free stroke where the finger doesnt contact anything after plucking the string. The second type of stroke is the rest stroke where the finger comes to rest on the next string down after plucking. Practice your scales and arpeggios using Tulsa Guitar Lessons both types of strokes. Walking across the strings You can set up your own exercises that will dramatically improve your right hand play and I recommend you do walking exercises at the beginning of every practice session. Walking exercises are simply exercises where you play across all six strings in varying finger patterns. You can do this without stopping any of the strings with your left hand (open) or you can do scales. Heres how to do it: Simply pluck down then up the six strings alternating between your index and middle fingers. Easy enough right? You started out with your index finger plucking the bass E string right? Now change that up and start your plucking by using your middle finger on the bass E string! It feels quite a bit different doesn’t it? Now do a three-finger pattern using index, middle and ring finger.
