Bravo ! I applaud your honesty (and your video candor). Not very many people would be willing to show what we (many of us) go through when trying to learn something new and difficult. It gives hope to the rest of us, seeing what you are trying to accomplish and your method for going about it. Please keep up your videos.
Getting myself to practice is the hardest thing. There are always so many other things to do. I think I've got to make a Lunar New Year Resolution since Solar hasn't gone well so far! Thanks for your encouragement and much success for your playing goals too.
i absolutely love this because 5 minutes ago I too was playing that a minor melodic scale, which of course is the second one he does because it is the relative minor to c major, so the scales are really helpful for stuff like that: you really can for instance learn the fretboard by mentally saying the notes as you practice, and then doing stuff like seeing if you can find all the c's in the c major scale or all the a's in the a minor scale. and of course yes, that first string is an absolute bear on the classical guitar. no "sculpted fender ultra neck" there to help get to those frets.
I have found that the benefit of the Segovia scales is that they promote movement up and down the neck. In my experience it is easier to play across the neck but it limits you to the first string when you want to play higher pitches. By practicing these you gain more facility playing both across and up and down the entire fingerboard.
I played these scales for hours and hours in my teen years. My teacher encouraged me to focus especially on the position changes to make them sound like there was no position change, and to get the tone consistent, regardless of whether using rest strokes or free strokes. I’d encourage you to let go of the desire for speed and play them slowly and with a sense of relaxation. This will help you with the “face” issues you’ve identified.
Thanks Joel, yes you definitely have the sensible approach! But, as I now force myself to play these scales every day with this 30 day commitment, I can't help but fool around half the time. That's especially true if I play late at night. However, I am mixing this with playing at various tempos and I know the value of playing slowly. What I am finding interesting is that when you make a video (I'm recording every session) you can play it back and really see what needs to improve. I agree that once you can play something and take it in your stride, the face issue doesn't show up as much. But I guess if we look at how Julian Bream used to make all kinds of faces it's not that bad! Thanks, I appreciate you sharing your experiences. John
I agree and will take it one step further. Play slow enough to not engage the sympathetic movement in other fingers. Also focus on keeping your fingers as close to the string as possible. So close that you actually touch the string a bit. Maybe add slow as 50 bpm. When doing this don't mix tempos.
You have demonstrated something I discovered too late. The scales Segovi's and others, are a mere exercise; they can help with sight reading initially and fretboard knowledge down the road. But bringing out music from these simple tonal structures is the ultimate goal and this is where the real challenge comes in. Make these scales sound musical and you will never be bored. As one of my early music teachers said; "Everything you play (even a scale) should be a concert". I thought that was ridiculous at the time, but the man was right. Thank you for this post, we are on a similar journey.
I played them every morning for 2 hours for a year. I felt it was a waste. When people asked me to play something all I could play was scales and exercises. I started working several hours a day on pieces and greatly improved. At least when someone asked me to play I could play a piece.
You are right that if you just play scales you can't actually play anything for anyone. I think a balance is good and I actually like scales because they sometimes help me to get the juices going. When I play scales, I often find myself going off on a tangent and working on other things. Thanks for sharing your experience.
If it's good for the maestro there must be something to it. These days it amazes me how much spending time with scales seems to improve all other aspects of playing.
Hi there! Love this one. Right now Iam progressing quite well with the Jimmy Btuno Six Essential Fingerings and of course employing them in my learning jazz, I have alsio always been intrigued by the Segovia Scales but always wondered if I really need to learn it; however, after watching this, I can see how this will really help me with jazz improvisation as the patterns are interesting across the neck albeit challenging. I will follow you in your 30 day journey. Thanks for the free tab!
Jimmy Bruno isn't the biggest fan of the Segovia Fingerings--and that's totally cool. Jimmy Bruno is an amazing teacher and a hilarious person, but you have to find what works for you by studying with a couple of different teachers and approaches. When I studied with James Chirillo--a good friend of Bruno's--James taught me the Segovia Scale Fingerings. Johnny Smith used to teach the same--and similar approaches for extended 3 octave arpeggios. The biggest benefit that I learned and continue to learn from these Segovia Fingerings is the art of shifting on one string and seeing a scale as it lay across the whole guitar neck. That helped me apply a lot of the saxophone studies from Patterns for Jazz onto the guitar and allowed me to transfer what I heard more seamlessly to the fretboard. Thinking positionally can sometimes impede the aural transfer from what you hear to what you play on the guitar, especially playing lines that zoom across register like those Tatum runs or Bird swoops.
Love this idea - going to give it a shot. I have to wonder why more classical guitarists don't embrace cutaway models - sure would make some of these easier.
@@GuitarBasement Physically, there must be some advantage in sonority, but frankly I think it's more snobbery: remaining on the strictly classical side, avoiding any concessions to _popular_ music image, showing how impracticality of the full shape can be overcome by skill - similarly, a formal suit and stiff Oxford shoes aren't very comfortable but still preferred by many on many occasions than a less formal dress, even if perfectly tolerable in our times.
The sound of a real modern classical guitar and its construction relies on the relation between the resonance of the top, back and air inside the body. If you reduce the top and back surfaces just as the air volume the sound will be affected. This is the reason.
Sure, I got a little better and more fluid in my playing. Here's my "after" video if you'd like to compare: th-cam.com/video/339UxLg4pZA/w-d-xo.html. Definitely worthwhile in my opinion. If you're curious about the interim I did another video at 21 days here: th-cam.com/video/8oWAoO5HRPc/w-d-xo.html. Thanks for the question.
slow down and get some muscle memory built up - otherwise this will be an inelegant mess and will sound like it when used. Segovia had elegance and subtlety growing out his ass - that's tough to emulate , but if u just get 20% o it - ur really winning
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Bravo ! I applaud your honesty (and your video candor). Not very many people would be willing to show what we (many of us) go through when trying to learn something new and difficult. It gives hope to the rest of us, seeing what you are trying to accomplish and your method for going about it. Please keep up your videos.
Getting myself to practice is the hardest thing. There are always so many other things to do. I think I've got to make a Lunar New Year Resolution since Solar hasn't gone well so far! Thanks for your encouragement and much success for your playing goals too.
i absolutely love this because 5 minutes ago I too was playing that a minor melodic scale, which of course is the second one he does because it is the relative minor to c major, so the scales are really helpful for stuff like that: you really can for instance learn the fretboard by mentally saying the notes as you practice, and then doing stuff like seeing if you can find all the c's in the c major scale or all the a's in the a minor scale. and of course yes, that first string is an absolute bear on the classical guitar. no "sculpted fender ultra neck" there to help get to those frets.
I have found that the benefit of the Segovia scales is that they promote movement up and down the neck. In my experience it is easier to play across the neck but it limits you to the first string when you want to play higher pitches. By practicing these you gain more facility playing both across and up and down the entire fingerboard.
I played these scales for hours and hours in my teen years. My teacher encouraged me to focus especially on the position changes to make them sound like there was no position change, and to get the tone consistent, regardless of whether using rest strokes or free strokes. I’d encourage you to let go of the desire for speed and play them slowly and with a sense of relaxation. This will help you with the “face” issues you’ve identified.
Thanks Joel, yes you definitely have the sensible approach! But, as I now force myself to play these scales every day with this 30 day commitment, I can't help but fool around half the time. That's especially true if I play late at night. However, I am mixing this with playing at various tempos and I know the value of playing slowly. What I am finding interesting is that when you make a video (I'm recording every session) you can play it back and really see what needs to improve. I agree that once you can play something and take it in your stride, the face issue doesn't show up as much. But I guess if we look at how Julian Bream used to make all kinds of faces it's not that bad! Thanks, I appreciate you sharing your experiences. John
I agree and will take it one step further. Play slow enough to not engage the sympathetic movement in other fingers. Also focus on keeping your fingers as close to the string as possible. So close that you actually touch the string a bit. Maybe add slow as 50 bpm.
When doing this don't mix tempos.
You have demonstrated something I discovered too late. The scales Segovi's and others, are a mere exercise; they can help with sight reading initially and fretboard knowledge down the road. But bringing out music from these simple tonal structures is the ultimate goal and this is where the real challenge comes in. Make these scales sound musical and you will never be bored. As one of my early music teachers said; "Everything you play (even a scale) should be a concert". I thought that was ridiculous at the time, but the man was right. Thank you for this post, we are on a similar journey.
I believe your early music teacher gave what's called "sound advice!" Thanks for the comment.
I played them every morning for 2 hours for a year. I felt it was a waste. When people asked me to play something all I could play was scales and exercises. I started working several hours a day on pieces and greatly improved. At least when someone asked me to play I could play a piece.
You are right that if you just play scales you can't actually play anything for anyone. I think a balance is good and I actually like scales because they sometimes help me to get the juices going. When I play scales, I often find myself going off on a tangent and working on other things. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I have been playing the scales for a year, after I watched a video by Pepe Romero who includes these scales as part of his daily routine.
If it's good for the maestro there must be something to it. These days it amazes me how much spending time with scales seems to improve all other aspects of playing.
Hi there! Love this one. Right now Iam progressing quite well with the Jimmy Btuno Six Essential Fingerings and of course employing them in my learning jazz, I have alsio always been intrigued by the Segovia Scales but always wondered if I really need to learn it; however, after watching this, I can see how this will really help me with jazz improvisation as the patterns are interesting across the neck albeit challenging. I will follow you in your 30 day journey. Thanks for the free tab!
Hi Chris, Love Jimmy Bruno. Since you are following that's going to help me to keep my commitment! Today is Day 1. Thanks.
Jimmy Bruno isn't the biggest fan of the Segovia Fingerings--and that's totally cool. Jimmy Bruno is an amazing teacher and a hilarious person, but you have to find what works for you by studying with a couple of different teachers and approaches. When I studied with James Chirillo--a good friend of Bruno's--James taught me the Segovia Scale Fingerings. Johnny Smith used to teach the same--and similar approaches for extended 3 octave arpeggios.
The biggest benefit that I learned and continue to learn from these Segovia Fingerings is the art of shifting on one string and seeing a scale as it lay across the whole guitar neck. That helped me apply a lot of the saxophone studies from Patterns for Jazz onto the guitar and allowed me to transfer what I heard more seamlessly to the fretboard. Thinking positionally can sometimes impede the aural transfer from what you hear to what you play on the guitar, especially playing lines that zoom across register like those Tatum runs or Bird swoops.
I have done that Segovia scales for a year and I am trying still find out how much it has done for me :)
Haha, give it more time.. ;)
Love this idea - going to give it a shot. I have to wonder why more classical guitarists don't embrace cutaway models - sure would make some of these easier.
I guess the extra surface area of the top makes a difference, but then there is tradition and perhaps even some snobbery!
@@GuitarBasement Physically, there must be some advantage in sonority, but frankly I think it's more snobbery: remaining on the strictly classical side, avoiding any concessions to _popular_ music image, showing how impracticality of the full shape can be overcome by skill - similarly, a formal suit and stiff Oxford shoes aren't very comfortable but still preferred by many on many occasions than a less formal dress, even if perfectly tolerable in our times.
The sound of a real modern classical guitar and its construction relies on the relation between the resonance of the top, back and air inside the body. If you reduce the top and back surfaces just as the air volume the sound will be affected. This is the reason.
Great Job👍🏾
Thank you!
Nice!
Would you tell kindly what is the outcome of playing 30 days????
Sure, I got a little better and more fluid in my playing. Here's my "after" video if you'd like to compare: th-cam.com/video/339UxLg4pZA/w-d-xo.html. Definitely worthwhile in my opinion.
If you're curious about the interim I did another video at 21 days here: th-cam.com/video/8oWAoO5HRPc/w-d-xo.html. Thanks for the question.
👌
slow down and get some muscle memory built up - otherwise this will be an inelegant mess and will sound like it when used. Segovia had elegance and subtlety growing out his ass - that's tough to emulate , but if u just get 20% o it - ur really winning
Very elegant way to put it! But good point about slow practice.
Uneven rhythm, crappy tone, all sorts of clams. Every time you make a mistake, you have learned a mistake, bud. This video is of little or no benefit.
Having a bad day? Smash that thumbs down - you'll feel better!