PREFACE 6

CHAPTER 1 9

Section 1. Musculoskeletal Framework 10

Nourishment 12

Control Systems 13

Types of Muscle Contraction 17

Section 2. Limb Joints – Anatomy and Movements [video clips 1-1 to 1-5] 18

Planes of Motion 19

Joint Movements 19

Arm Muscle Location 20

The Shoulder Girdle 21

The Shoulder Joint 22

The Elbow, Forearm and Wrist Joints 24

Digit Joints 27

Finger Movements 29

Thumb Movements 31

Forearm Muscles and Functions — Extrinsic Muscles 32

Hand Muscles and Functions — Intrinsic Muscles 32

Summary of Basic Anatomical Terms and Abbreviations Related to the Hand 33

Further Exploration of the Physiomechanics of Digital Movement 34

Anatomical Constraints to Digital Movement 41

Section 3. Motor Function, Proprioception and Muscle Metabolism 44

Muscular Innervation 45

Types of Muscular Fiber 46

Muscle Spindle 46

The Body’s ‘Sixth Sense’: Proprioception and Kinesthesia 46

Muscle Metabolism 47

Leverage 48

Section 4. General Pedagogical Considerations 50

Tension and the Experience of Mastery 50

Sitting Down to Play the Guitar 52

Static Effort and Dynamic Work When Using the Footstool 52

Anthropometrics and Guitar Playing 53

Nails 53

Leverage Conditions in Holding the Guitar 55

A Kinesiological Approach to Motor Training on the Guitar 56

Somatic Training 58

The Pathology of Guitar Playing 60

Training for Virtuosity 64

CHAPTER 2 65

Section 1. Physiomechanical Aspects of Right-Hand Technique 66

Arm Support and Stroke Type 67

Physiomechanics of Right-Hand Fingerwork 68

Section 2. A Positional Framing Approach to Right-Hand Fingerwork [video clips 2-1, 2-2] 82

Theory of Positional Framing 83

Positional and Framing Charts 97

Section 3. Mobility [video clip 2-3] 101

Shifting: Arm-Wrist-Finger Interaction 102

Physiomechanics of Arm Shifting: Leverage 103

Various Approaches to Right-Hand Technique 105

Angle of Inclination of the Guitar and its Effect on Right-Hand Approach 105

Section 4. Compendium: The Talented Hand – Positional Framing Analysis [video clip 2-4] 107

Carcassi: Etude Op. 60, No. 1. Positional Framing in Scalar Passages 107

Arpeggio to Scales 109

Arpeggio to Repeated Notes 110

Interpositional Arpeggios 110

Well-known Arpeggio Formulas 111

CHAPTER 3 114

Section 1. Physiomechanical Aspects of Left-Hand Technique [video clip 3-1] 115

The Poised Limb 117

Fingerboard Slant and Weight-Release 118

Redefining ‘Shifting’ 118

Form and Function 120

Section 2. Towards a Typology of Shifting [video clips 3-1 to 3-6] 122

Interpositional Shifts 122

Intrapositional Shifts 122

Compound Shifting 142

Shifts through Extensions and Contractions 145

Agility Issues 148

Fingering: Player’s Choice 153

A Technical Analysis of Left-hand Mobility in Fernando Sor’s Study Op. 6, No. 8 153

Section 3. Compendium: Limits to the Possible 154

Acknowledging the Limits I: Right-Hand Coordination Constraints 154

Acknowledging the Limits II: Tempo Constraints 156

Pushing the Limits I: Maximum Speed Shifting 157

Pushing the Limits II: Extreme Demands for Combined Finger Dexterity and Arm Agility 158

SOURCES 160

INDEX 166

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 170