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Part 3: The drop D practice song.
This is where it all started for me. The drop D practice song
will help you get the independent, or "blind thumb", needed to learn fingerstyle guitar. The thumb goes
back and forth between the 6 and 4 strings keeping the beat. I've noticed over the years that people's
right hands have far less ability than the left hands. While their left hands are capable of gymnastic
feats up and down the neck, their right hands lag behind without the same attention and practice given
to left hand.
For this song, the most important thing are the rules for the right hand. Here
they are: The right hand thumb plays only the 6, 5, 4 strings. The index finger plays only 2 and 3.
And the middle finger plays the 1st string. I find that people's hands ( and I include myself in this)
have the tendency to dictate their playing through muscle memory as opposed to using their ear. A simple
exercise like the one you're about to play can actually help to make a quantum leap in your thinking
and playing just by the virtue of making your brain tell your right hand what to do as opposed to always
telling your left hand what to do.
Make sure you adhere to the 3 finger style when learning this
song even though you might have been taught to use your right hand another way. Notice that the progression
for the right hand repeats itself through the whole piece and when you reach the a7 chord you play the
5 string in the bass instead of the 6th. Learn the progression in the open position (just with your
right hand). When you get the progression down, add the chords.
A staff line going down
means you play it with your thumb. Numbers above the tabulature indicate left hand fingering.
You'll
notice an angled slash with a dot on either side...it usually means to repeat the prior measure, but
in this case, I use it as a shorthand to repeat the right hand pattern.
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TABULATURE
you need Adobe Acrobat
Reader to open this. If you
don't have it, go HERE.
MP3s....a fast and slow
version. Listen to the fast
version a few times to
get the feel of
the tune.
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questions, problems with guitar? ericlugosch@yahoo.com
problems with the site? webmasterlugosch@gmail.com
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