Por Que Eres Asi

 Managed to get this song recorded and posted on Youtube after listening  and copying from Los Indios Tabajaras. It took sometime to hear and get all the notes and also decide the position to be played on the guitar. This song has to be played with good tone control and sustain. After getting the melody line, the next step was to listen to the accompaniment part and arrange it in Musescore. Hearing the bass line and chords was quite challenging and in the end I successfully got the parts arranged and made the backup soundtrack with some percussion added. 

Backup Soundtrack:  https://on.soundcloud.com/yiJFi In order to follow the soundtrack correctly you must come in after the 4th click. The melody has to be played like the recording and after the 2nd note pause (count three silent clicks) you will be able to play exactly in time when the accompaniment begins.

With My Tears (from Korean Drama)

Adios Mariquita Linda

This is a melodious tune played in slow Beguine rhythm. Here I am trying to emulate Los Indios style and creating the pre bend on the classical guitar seems a bit tricky. Also the high position fill in needs skill and the melody line requires a lot of tone control. The 2nd guitar part, together with the tremolo was carefully  created to blend in with the melody. 

Adios Mariquita Linda Backing Track

Song from Secret Garden

South East Asia Fest' Dec 1977

 This picture was taken when I was in Indonesia for my South East Asia Guitar Festival in Dec 1977. I represented Malaysia after I have won the Classical Section in our National competition in Oct 1977. One  representative from the Classical and Popular Section from Philippines, Indonesia, Hongkong, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore came to compete in this first South East Asia Guitar Festival held in the Golden Ballroom, Jakarta Hilton Hotel. I have a pleasant memory of this competition after I came across  this picture from the Yamaha Music Bulletin Vol 24 Jan 1978. My friends, Albert Soh, Ernest Kwok from Singapore and Lam Chin Koi from Penang, together with Gwee Seng Kwong, Jong Hee Sen, representatives from Singapore.

                       Picture taken outside Jakarta Hilton

Tone Production

 

from Frederick M Noad 'Solo Guitar Playing'

Reference: Tone Production On The Classical Guitar by John Taylor

Andre Segovia explained about the different timbres produced from the classical guitar

   

                                                               

Trinity Guitar Grade 7 2020-2023

The Bonnie, Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond

Tarantelle - N Coste

Rosita - F. Tarrega

All Is Found - Frozen 2

Begin The Beguine

Slowed Down Video With Tabs

Begin The Beguine Backing Track

Over The Rainbow

10 String Guitar

 My first experience on a 10 String Guitar, shown to me by Li Zhao (China) my former student from Yamaha Music Academy (Kelana Jaya). He came to visit me in Feb 2019 and surprised me with this instrument.. The additional strings are mainly used for open strings which gives the extra resonance to the bass line. Most 10-string classical guitars are tuned in the style of Nasrciso Yepes (E, B, G, D, A, E, C, A#, G#, F#). This unusual tuning helps increase resonance of those notes which a normal six-string guitars do not normally generate. For more information on 10-string classical guitars: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten-string_guitar

Correct Right Hand Postures

 Bad Posture

                                                                                 Corrected Posture

                                                                       Corrected Posture

                                                                    Good Right Hand Posture

                                     Slightly bent wrist

                                                                   Knuckles nearly in line with strings

                                                            Fingers perpendicular to strings from top view

                                                Thumb slightly forward

                                                                    

                                                                  Front View

                       

       Side View

                   

                                                                     Top View

                   

Example Of  Bad Posture Plucking

1. Fingers at slanting position

2. Knuckles not aligned with strings

3. Thumb at wrong angle causing hand movement at every stroke

The Alexander Technique

What Is The Alexander Technique?

"The Alexander Technique is a method that works to change (movement) habits in our everyday activities. It is a simple and practical method for improving ease and freedom of movement, balance, support and coordination. The technique teaches the use of the appropriate amount of effort for a particular activity, giving you more energy for all your activities. It is not a series of treatments or exercises, but rather a reeducation of the mind and body. The Alexander Technique is a method which helps a person discover a new balance in the body by releasing unnecessary tension. It can be applied to sitting, lying down, standing, walking, lifting, playing a musical instrument and other daily activities..."

The following article describes how the Alexander Technique can help ease the problems of a guitarist especially the sitting posture which actually can effect the left and right hand movement.

                                  

                                    from Guitar July 1978