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Guitar Ergonomics (Book)
A Wholistic Perspective of Technique Through Repertoire
by Martín Pedreira
As the title of his book attests, guitarist and musicologist Martín Pedreira presents a methodical treatment addressing the most highly refined guitar techniques. In my opinion, we should not confuse the methodical with the routine, because the latter does not facilitate the completion of any task. We applaud Pedreira for his rigorous vision of instrumental practice and his meticulous attention to the physical-motor aspects of the instrumentalist. This reference book is ...more
Product Number:
30778
Format:
Book
Skill Level:
Multiple Levels
Notation Type:
Standard Notation
Pages:
136
Binding:
Squareback Saddle Stitched
Size:
8.75 x 11.75
ISBN:
1-5134-6562-7
ISBN13:
978-15134-6562-3
Publisher:
Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
Date Published:
1/6/2021
As the title of his book attests, guitarist and musicologist Martín Pedreira presents a methodical treatment addressing the most highly refined guitar techniques. In my opinion, we should not confuse the methodical with the routine, because the latter does not facilitate the completion of any task. We applaud Pedreira for his rigorous vision of instrumental practice and his meticulous attention to the physical-motor aspects of the instrumentalist. This reference book is worthy of frequent consultation for its valuable suggestions.
Leo Brouwer

This comprehensive reference book integrates the historical, structural, technical, and ergonomic aspects of classic guitar performance with the individual player’s cultural, intellectual, creative, and emotional facets in what the author calls a psychophysiological approach to interpretation. 

In addition to its emphasis on ergonomic posture and technique, the book includes over 200 short musical excerpts by Sor, Giuliani, Coste, Tárrega, Barrios, Montoya, Ponce, Pujol, Villa-Lobos, Rodrigo, Brouwer and others— illustrating practically every aspect of classic and flamenco guitar technique. This unique Wholistic Perspective of Technique Through Repertoire will be useful to teachers, aspiring composers, and to students and professionals forming recital and concert programs.

Given the author’s extensive survey of technique and repertoire from an ergonomic point of view, it is likely that even seasoned concert artists and teachers will find something new of intense interest to share with their audiences and students.  

No classic guitarist’s library would be complete without this landmark book!

The author’s goal in presenting this multifaceted approach is to provide theoretical and practical coordinates for improving guitar interpretation while acknowledging the player’s intellectual and emotional contributions. While there is no companion recording for this book, many of its examples can be heard in their entirety on YouTube.

The inclusion of numerous quotes from renowned guitar virtuosos and other instrumentalists, plus statements by non-musician artists, scientists, and psychophysical experts from the Renaissance to the present day — emphasize the wholistic nature of this book. Readers are encouraged to put everything they have into their performances, including technique and musicianship, of course, but also general cultural knowledge and, yes – personal experience, feelings and even spirituality in order to:

“… Enchant instead of astonishing the audience… [and] play more for the heart than for the eyes.”
– Alexandre Lavignac, La Educación Musical 

Posture, Instrument Placement and Breathing

Normal Posture and Mobility

Traditional Placement of the Guitar

Psychophysical Effects

Slanted Placement

Tilting of the Soundbox

Other Issues Related to Posture with the Instrument

Remodeling Instrument Placement

Breathing

Abdominal Breathing

Breathing Rhythm

Breathing versus Excitement

The Right Hand

The Postural Frame

Forearm Support Point

Hand-Forearm Placements

Aligned Placement

Intermediate Placement

Curved Placement

Alignment of the Fingers and Roundness of the Hand

Sensopostural Patterns

Physical-Acoustic Phenomena and Tone in Performance

Learning the Sound of the Instrument

The Plucking Mechanism

The Plucking Cycle

Contact with the Strins

Fingernail Attack

Fingertip/Nail Attack

Fingertip Attack (Thumb)

 

Planting: Coordination and Synchrony for a Balanced Mobility

Simultaneous Planting

Sequential Planting

Grip/Thrust

Free and Rest Strokes

Fixation (Muscular Integration in Plucking)

Exit and Relax

Physiological aspects that contribute to relaxation in both hands

Sensoperceptive Exercises for the Right Hand

Stimulating the Perception of Contact

Perception of Grip

“Silent Plucking” (Simultaneity with the Thumb)

Rapid Repositioning

“Tick Tock: (Fingernail Attack)

Release from the Bottom

Perception of Thrust (rest Stroke)

Exploring and Activating Relaxation

Tonicity Patterns (Flexibility of Muscle Tones)

Better Perception, Fewer Repetitions

Use of Voluntary Fixation in Plucking

Fixation with i-m-a

Fixation with the thumb

Applications

Fingering: Functional

Regularities and Options

Finger Crossing

The Little Finger

Applications

Artificial Harmonics

Five-Note Chords

Arpeggios

More About the Thumb

Timbre

Twin-stroke

Support-Planting

Displacements

Control of Resonance by Damping

Right-Hand Articulation Techniques

Legato and Staccato

Rest/Free Alternation

“Vertical Articulation”

Intervals

Arpeggiated Chords

Dynamic Enhancement (Highlighting Notes)

Strumming (Rasgueado)

Preparatory Exercises

Functional Relaxion in Strumming

The Left Hand

The Postural Frame

Hand Roundness

Hand-Forearm Alignment/Control of the Arm Angles

Hand Rotation/Control of Supination

Left-Hand Sensopostural Pattern

The Placement-Release Cycle

Contact with the Strings

Balance of Positioning

Thumb Placement

Palm View

Side View

Thumb Position Readjustments

Placement of Finger

Planting in Linear Passages

Finger Pressure (Pisado)

Weight and Flotation

Release (Relax) and Exit

Position Shifts

Types of Position Shifts

Movement Transmission in Longitudinal Shifts

Movement Transmission in Longitudinal Shifts

Hand Presentation on the Fretboard and Transverse Shifts

Perceptual Guidelines for Mobility in Shifting

Perception of Effort

Visual Orientation

Reference Points on the Fretboard

Visualization Strategies

Practice of Shifts by Leap

Reducing Noise in Shifting

Other Means for Precision and Economy of Effort in Shifting

Mechanics of Support Point

Pivot Finger

Avoiding Successive shifts in Opposite Directions

Using Less Supination in Linear Passages

Progressive Placement and Release of Chord Positions

Barre

Roundness of the Hand in Barre

Using Selective Pressure in Barre Chords

Reshaping the Barre

Increased Economy of Effort

Using the Weight of the Arm

Intermittent Release of Pressure

Selective Pressure in Linear Passages

Barre in Advance

Partial Barre

Hinge Barre

“Fourth-Finer Barre”

Extensions

Preparing Extensions

Alternatives

Left-Hand Articulation Techniques

Legato by Sustaining Resonance

Campanella

Direct use of Sympathetic Resonance

Slurs (Ligados)

Planting when Playing Slurs

Cross-String Slurs

Rotation of the Hand in Slurs

Staccato

Slur-Staccato

Glissando

Fast Glissandi : From a note without fixed duration to another note with Fixed duration --- Between two notes with fixed duration ---Portamento (Expressive Glissando)

Short Portamento

Practice of Short Portamento

 

 

Vibrato

Prolonging the Sound

Epilogue

Appendixes

A Brief Anatomical and Physiological Outline

Study of Symmetries of Body Posture Using Profilometry

Pre-Warmup Exercises

 

 
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