Spencer Westwood is a Musician, Author and Computer 'Expert' that spends his time between teaching, writing and fixing peoples computers and networks. His favourite food is Mexican and Mars Bars and he loves cooking.
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Tension - how it affects your guitar playing
Posted under Uncategorized by spencerHi, ordinarily I automatically send this article out to people who subscribe and download the sample for my book Beyond Bedroom Guitar, but I’ve started it off here..
The point of this exercise is to show you where you get tense
when playing. Just being aware that it’s happening makes a
difference.
For those of you who are having problems playing
fast and fluid - this exercise highlights the one of the most
fundamental causes of trouble; increased tension when trying to
play fast.
Lets try a little experiment. I want you to pick up your guitar
and play a simple single note line below.
4/4 |-----------------|----------*| |-----------------|----------*| |-----------------|----------*| |-----4-5-7-5-4---|----------*| |-5-7-----------7-|-5--------*| |-----------------|----------*|
Now I want you to start to speed up each time you repeat the
phrase.
faster.
Now stop
Notice how tense your arms, hands fingers possibly even your
shoulders are.
Shake them all out and relax.
Now lets go the other way.
Now stop.
Notice where the tension is now. Is it in your right hand? Is
it in your wrist? Alternatively, are you really relaxed?
A couple more things to try:
Same phrase.
This time I want you to keep the tempo the same - make sure its
comfortable but not too slow.
or plucking fingers)
10 or 11 if youve got one of those spinal tap amps!)
Now Stop.
Notice how your left fingers feel. Are they tensing up? Did you
notice that as you played louder your left hand fingers pressed
harder on the frets?
Ok last one…
Same riff. Same speed, but this time
Now stop.
Notice whats happened to your hands. Did your left hand press
less and less hard on the strings almost to the point of the
frets buzzing? Did you drop the plectrum (this always used to
happen to me!)
Of course, the full version of the book Beyond Bedroom Guitar contains further exercises that
show you how to change your current responses, now that you are
more aware of what they are.
The reason for changing your response is that when you tense up
you use more energy, and get tired fast. When you play
faster/slower/louder/quieter, and remain relaxed through out,
you use less energy to achieve the same thing - and as a bonus
side-effect, your playing takes on a new level of fluidity.
Run through the exercise again later and notice how this new
found awareness of the tension that builds up has altered your
playing. Especially if you keep concentrating on staying relaxed
as you speed up.
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