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Classical Guitar Technique – Scale Picking

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At first classical guitar seems impossibly complex and technically difficult but the truth is the advanced guitar techniques classical guitar players use are just as easy to learn as any other technique. Once you have practiced them slowly and carefully, they become easy and you are able to perform them without even thinking about it.

One of the first things a classical guitar player must do is get the fingers of his right hand working independently. The way to do this, apart from just learning a lot of pieces, is to work out some picking patterns that will involve your right hand fingers getting used to moving from string to string with ease.

Start with the major scale in the first position. Start with the open sixth string picked with the first finger of the right hand and the F played with the second finger, and alternate like that till you get to the open first string. That’s the basic way to play scales using your fingers. A classical guitarist would usually do this using the “rest stroke” where, if you are picking the fifth string the finger would come to rest against the sixth string instead of curling up toward the palm.

You should vary the way you play the scales by starting each string with a different finger. For instance you could begin picking the sixth string with the first finger, the fifth with the second, the fourth with the first again and so on, then for the next scale you start the notes on the sixth string with the second finger, the fifth with first, and so on.

Once you have started to practice playing scales and exercises you will become aware of the way your hands are working and of the fact that the fingers have their own habits and comfort zones. When you notice the ways your fingers want to play, you make up a scale exercise that involves going against the inclinations of your fingers. Getting the right hand fingers to work independently will give you a freedom that other guitar players don’t have. Travis picking, for example, will not give the fingers the independence that playing scales will.

The idea of using the habits your hands and fingers have gotten into to help you progress as a classical guitarist is a basic principal you can use in any facet of your guitar playing. A habit is not a brick wall that you must live with, it is the first step in the next stage of your technical progress on the guitar.


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2 Responses to “Classical Guitar Technique – Scale Picking”

  1. Christopher
    April 16th, 2009 @ 9:38 am

    Right hand fingers don’t really work independently, especially the middle and ring finger (m and a).

    Beginning scale technique should also include work to teach students about “good” and “bad” string crossings. There’s more to it than strict alternation. I would not use rest stroke either.

  2. Ricky
    April 20th, 2009 @ 12:32 am

    When I use rest stroke I’m only using the first and second fingers. I use the three fingers for arpeggios. This post was meant to be directed to finger style guitarists who might be interested in adopting some classical techniques so my advice to use alternation starting with either finger was just to get people to free themselves from their hands’ physical habits. I only use rest stroke for playing scales unless it gets in the way but my training is based on flamenco technique. I have to admit I found adapting my technique surprisingly difficult when I started learning classical pieces so I’ll have to be more careful of how I advise people. Thanks for bringing my recklessness to my attention.

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