this is a masterpiece. The combination of knowledge with beautiful animations is just amazing. It makes me respect classical guitar much more now. All the details and technique that goes behind a song.
Wow, thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. Don’t worry, I have plenty more content planned and I’m excited to keep sharing! Stay tuned my friend
Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me. My goal is to provide something lasting and useful for players at all levels, so knowing that you see this as a potential reference is incredibly motivating! Stay tuned for more
0:40 The Physics 3:15 Finger Joints 5:38 Nail Shape 6:34 Alternating Fingers 8:23 Finger Curling 11:35 Index - The role model finger 14:15 Shape of the nail 15:52 Right Hand Rotation 17:40 RH Zone 19:50 RH and Guitar Stability
A master class in art & science education, combining classical, flamenco, 3D animation, anatomy, biomechanics, guitar & sound physics, ... (Troy Grady's Guitar Anatomy taken to a whole new level)! Engaging, quality repertoire & superb execution... Many details to soak up .. must watch again
Fully subtitled, amazing animations, well-spoken and knowledgeable explanations, critical information... this video seems like the end product of a pHd to me... bravo
The science of the right hand has progressed immeasurably since our lectures in the seventies with Aaron Shearer. He made hinged cardboard finger representations to illustrate his ideas about extension and contraction, and if I remember well, he said the joints of a finger should all extend or contact together, but not do both. I'm not sure he was right, or that I remember right. Be that as it may, your analysis, representation and your amazing sound are excellent. Thanks for this, from someone who didn't continue guitar, but now, after forty years of fortepiano building, it's all lute playing for me, in between constant travels for piano work in the field. Bravo
I've been playing guitar for about a year, and I've been interested in learning classical guitar for maybe a month. I just started growing my nails a bit ago and bought a nail file yesterday. This is absolutely phenomenal content. Understanding the how and why of everything is so eye opening. Time to watch the left hand video, and then go practice!
Never before in the history of mankind has right hand classical technique been explained so clearly. How did I even stumble upon this greatness. I see you algorithm ❤
I have been searching for a good explanation of the right-hand technique for years. This video is the best one that I have ever come across. I wish that I could have watched it 10 years ago when I started this long journey!
David, last night I watched your video on left hand principles and was blown away by how in depth it was - I'm very excited to give this one a watch. I didn't realize until the end that it was you, I recognized you from your arrangement of Oblivion that I purchased around 4 years ago. It is a beautiful arrangement that I still enjoy playing - so thanks!
What a small world! So glad you are still enjoying Oblivion after all these years. Your support makes all this possible my friend. Stay tuned for more !
This (together with the LH one) is simply one of the best video out there! Congrats for your beautiful work, so informative, concise, exhausting and clear!
Encore une video talentueuse, sans autre égal que celle sur la main gauche. J’ai 50 ans de guitare derrière moi, et grace à vous, je vois que 50 années supplémentaires ne seraient pas superflues. C’est bien de pouvoir partir un jour en sachant qu’on avait encore tant à apprendre et que cette richesse nourrira les suivants. Cet instrument m’a offert, et m’offre encore tant de merveilleux voyages, et parmi ceux-ci, bien en lumière, les 2 perles que vous nous adressez. Un IMMENSE MERCI à vous pour ce somptueux cadeau à la communauté guitaristique. ❤
Merci infiniment pour ce message émouvant ! C’est un honneur de savoir que mes vidéos peuvent encore apporter quelque chose après tant d’années d’expérience. La guitare est vraiment un voyage sans fin, et je suis ravi de pouvoir partager ce chemin avec des musiciens comme vous. Merci de faire partie de cette belle communauté.
The knowledge and production of these videos is absolutely amazing. And it’s free! I haven’t seen anything else that explains how the body works such detail. Thank you for sharing this with the world.
David, thanks so much for this tremendous piece of work! It's well informed, thoroughly researched, with superb graphics, and presented with great clarity - which isn't to say that it's all easy to follow, as there is an awful lot to assimilate in the space of 42 minutes. My advice to others is not to worry if you can't take it all in by watching it only once through, any more than you'd be surprised to find that you haven't quite mastered a difficult piece on one read-through. This video is one to watch several times over, it's so densely packed with really useful information. But it's not dryly academic, either - it's the work of a fine musician who plays beautifully, with a technique that's equally beautiful to watch. The first section was particularly interesting to me because, as far as I know, my book 'Tone Production on the Classical Guitar' (first published in 1978, but now long out of print) was the first attempt to articulate the basic physical principles that you illustrate with your excellent graphics in those first few minutes of the video. Back in the 'dark ages' of the 1970s, when some of the most influential instruction books were unintentionally spreading misinformation about the fundamentals of how a guitar works - specifically, the erroneous idea that the object of the exercise, whether using rest stroke or free stroke, is to make the string vibrate parallel to the guitar's soundboard - I was a recent physics graduate, now following a new path as a guitar teacher and player. And it was only on realising that I myself had been playing the guitar for years without stopping to think about how it worked acoustically, or questioning what those famous guitar 'authorities' had written, that I felt the urge to read all the available books on musical acoustics, and papers specifically on guitar research, and to try and understand the mechanics of the plucking action in detail. After a couple of years or so, I felt ready to organise my thoughts in a short book that I hoped would clear away a few misconceptions, if nothing more. Now, 40-odd years on, it's a relief to find that no one has come along (yet) to prove that my own effort was all rubbish, too! It's also nice, in a way, to see that my idea of the nail as a ramp has caught on, though unfortunately most guitarists and teachers only take it to mean a nail shaped to look like a ramp, when it was the way a nail can be made to function as a ramp - projecting the string downwards, even as the fingertip itself moved off in a different direction - that I had in mind. I'm also a little disappointed that the antisymmetrical pattern of a string's vibration (shown right at the beginning of the video, at 0:44) still doesn't seem to be common knowledge, seeing that it's key to understanding why a good plucking action must project the string downwards towards the soundboard, rather than clawing it upwards and risking a violent snap against the frets when the wave along the string is reflected downwards at the far end. I'm not saying that teachers are still getting the fundamentals wrong - standards have risen dramatically in the last 50 years - but it just seems odd that even experienced players can be surprised, for example, to find that it's a lot less easy than you'd think to get a snap pizzicato by pulling the string away from the fingerboard near the nut end and letting it go! A glance at those first few seconds of the video should be enough to understand why you'll actually get a nice full sound that way - just as you will by pushing the string down before release from the normal plucking position. There are a few minor things that I'd question, David. For example, I think you're taking a good principle a bit too far in suggesting that the aim should always be to get the string vibrating completely perpendicular to the soundboard. In practice, this is rarely going to happen, and is nearly impossible to achieve with free stroke. What I'd say is that there should be a healthy component in that direction, but it does no harm to have a component of vibration parallel to the soundboard as well. In fact, it may well be that any vibration might gradually lose its original orientation, so that a little of that parallel vibration contributes to a slightly more sustained note. It can also give a nice crisp 'twang' to a note's attack, whereas a purely perpendicular vibration tends to sound more 'punchy'. In short, I'd say that there's a continuum of directions in which guitarists can and do set the string vibrating to get different shades of colour, attack and dynamics. Another very useful way of varying the tone - which you do mention, but in a slightly different context - is by turning the hand at different angles, between a 'straight-across' position (with the line of knuckles parallel to the strings) to a much more oblique position, with the nails 'slicing' across the strings. It looks to me that you yourself are lucky in having strong nails with a natural convex arch, which allows you to use them effectively as ramps, even when playing nearly straight across. But many of us can only get our nails to work - that is, to project the string downwards rather than getting stuck on it, or having to ride ineffectively over it - by turning the hand to a slightly oblique angle. The more oblique the attack, the gentler the ride will be for the string, across more of the width of the nail, resulting in a less crisp but sweeter tone, So again, here we have a continuum of possible colours that some players (such as David Russell) use with great effect, often without needing to move the hand to different parts of the string at all. Finally, just a tiny quibble: I'm not sure we should be recommending routinely planting the thumb on a bass string to stabilise the hand to help the fingers, or vice versa. Isn't this an unnecessary 'prop' that can easily become too much of a habit, and limit the sympathetic resonances of the strings which are part of the magic of guitar sound? By the way, this mention of 'magic' is intentional! Predictably, you've had a few comments that miss the point of what you're aiming for here. One person seems to be outraged at the idea that you can call yourself an artist while also thinking scientifically and analytically about how you do what you're doing. Another believes the only way of learning to do anything, such as riding a bike, is intuitive, so why waste your time learning about the principles behind it? Yet another uses car mechanics as an analogy: all I can say to that one, is that I once tried repairing a car without a manual, and it didn't go too well. Why can't these people see that knowing what you're doing doesn't preclude enjoying music as much as anyone else - with the same sense of wonder at how delightful, or exciting, or moving it can be - and that you're neither claiming that analytical knowledge is a substitute for intuition and practice, nor that your videos are aimed at beginners who need to learn all this stuff before ever playing a note. I'm so sorry to have turned this post into such a long rant, but as you see, I'm in a state of high excitement at the brilliance of this video! Keep them coming, David - they're a great contribution to guitar pedagogy.
Dear Mr. Taylor, I am still in awe after reading a comment from none other than yourself. I was very fortunate to cross paths with incredibly talented performers with whom I became friends, performed, and learned so much by symbiosis. For many years, I sought to understand and define-using my modest logic and intuition-what it was about their technical approach to playing that made it so effective. Gradually, I developed a series of principles that I tested in my own playing and with my students, which consistently proved both true and effective. After years of trying to define these ideas independently, I stumbled upon a copy of your book online. Reading it was an unforgettable epiphany. It confirmed many of the ideas I had suspected to be true-such as the importance of understanding the perpendicular vibration of the string and its relation to the acoustic design of the guitar, which is so essential to serious performers. Your book is not only scientifically profound but also beautifully written and clear, going far beyond what I could ever attempt to explain to others. My goal with this overview video was to use audio-visual language to present simplified images of such concepts in a way that feels practical for players. For example, while the notion of a perfectly perpendicular vibration is abstract and unattainable in reality, it serves as a helpful image to convey the positive effects of proper finger mechanics. Many of the ideas in my video are intentionally presented in simplified terms for the sake of practicality and accessibility. Thank you for your generous and insightful feedback. Your observations about tone production and hand positioning are invaluable, and I’ll certainly reflect on them as I continue to refine my work. I deeply appreciate your kind words and encouragement-it means a great deal coming from someone whose contributions to guitar pedagogy have been so profound.
You're too kind, David! I've always thought that an image is worth a thousand words, and a slow-motion graphic is worth even more. Now you've proved that in spades!
Thank you so much Renato, welcome aboard. I’m working on new content that I hope you will find very useful and interesting. Your support makes all the difference!
Thank you for all this hard work. These videos should be linked as standard by guitar teachers. I feel that your steady and methodical approach is good for both beginners and experienced players.
Great!!...So much hardwork went into making one video...Highly appreciated.....It will get great number of views, that it deserves in due time, I'm sure
Fantastic, David! I have eagerly been awaiting this full-length version since watching your left=hand video. Once again, you have "hit it out of the park". Well done! 👍👍👍Thank you for this fantastic work!
This should be a very first lesson I should know before touching guitar. Thank You. Every teacher could use this in their practice. I love the detail, sub and all best!
The graphics and explanations are fantastic. Previously, my go to reference on the subject was Classical Guitar Pedagogy by Anthony Glise, 1997, which has informed my playing and teaching for years. But this is a reference for the 21st century. As others have commented, I do wonder about the use of the "collapsing tip" of the 'm' finger, but each individual can decide what works best for them. The idea of returning to the natural relaxed state of the hand is a great place to begin.
Thank you for such a kind comment. Collapsing the joint solved a big problem for me. Specially when trying to play fast passages with rest strokes. I discovered it from observing none other than Paco de Lucia. He always collapses his middle joint. It’s hard to see cause he does it so fast. In more advanced techniques, we need to collapse the index too so it’s good to have this is skill.
I don't know if it is merely a coincidence or not but just couple of days before I brought my first classical guitar (Yamaha c40) and decided to give a second shot at guitar learning. And this is the video I got recommended. I truly appreciated your effort and how brilliantly this is explained in such precision and depth. Much appreciated.
Thank you so much for a great content! It must have taken you many hours to make the content so thorough, so detailed, and so clear! And the time filming the demonstration of the right hand playing the right passages of different pieces to visually show the points must be a lot! What a rich content! I have learnt a lot, I cannot thank you enough!
As an engineer who plays classical guitar, I find these videos exactly on point. I am obsessed with technique exactly because I can see the science behind playing the guitar, and how it affects playing this instrument. It’s just beautiful. Glad to see someone finally put the principles in a video that shows it. I am a fan of Pujols because he was the first to truly bring logic into the guitar technique. Carlevaro in South America soon followed. Shearer is one of the first to bring logic and science into classical guitar to the English masses, although he called it the natural way of playing. Segovia thought this concept was junk, but in my opinion he was wrong. Duncan in The Art of Playing the Classical Guitar was probably the first to explicitly use physics and biology to blend science and guitar technique.
Greatly appreciated the effort for creating and sharing this video even I've been playing classical guitar over 10 years. Very informative and inspiring ;)
So informative and inspiring! I feel like Neo, the first time he sat down in the training chair in the Nebuchadnezzar. _And_ done in a foreign language, probably one of many that you speak. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it inspiring-what a great analogy with Neo! 😊 The journey of mastering guitar techniques can feel like entering a whole new world, but it's so rewarding.
This is a great video in general. In comparison to other content on the topic I saw, this video is greatly outstanding. Thank you for sharing this publicly with people. I consider this a great addition to human audiovisual heritage, and I am happy it is freely shared. One thing I am missing is further reading recommendations, and maybe even citations. I wish, at the end or via video description, I was pointed to some reading resource covering the topic in not less detail, and extending, perhaps with some exercises. The presented material seems to be of a kind that is likely covered entirely by a single, short book, but if not, perhaps your own reading notes would still be a valuable addition. I hope to see more, and wish you are gratified for your effort. Thank you.
Great content, excellent presentation ! Thanks a lot, this is extremely helpful. (The only thing that seems a bit confusing is that - even though we are talking about the right hand - the animation sometimes displays the left hand)
So glad you liked it! I made many mistakes while producing this on my own. I had to learn to fix many but accept others in other to release them timely. Learning as we go!
The amount of technical details there are while playing the guitar is incredible, I learned several concepts that I previously did without thinking about it. A question, what theme plays in the background during the video, I like the part at min 24:37
That was my experience too. Becoming aware of what my fingers where doing helped me make a big leap forward in my playing,. The piece is Fandango from Tres Piezas Españolas by Joaquin Rodrigo
Like the video about the fretting hand, this was so fascinating to watch. Thanks for sharing this interesting and valuable information! I hope your videos and your channel, will eventually get the attention they deserve.
Hey David, wonderful work indeed. If you don't mind me contributing. When you speak about shifting the right hand's position. We go from the bridge (ponticello) to the fretboard (sul tasto) in order to change the sound. Now the smoother sound we get close to the fretboard does not end on the last frets. In relity, the smoothest-roundest or as you call it "dark"sound has its sweet spot always twelve frets apart from the left hand playing position. That is if we are playing on the second position the roundest tone will be achieved by playing with the right hand fingers on the fourteenth fret. The moment we narrow down or further up the righ hand fingers from that spot the sound begins being less round or dark. Once we understand and try this it is easy to come to the conclusion that our "normal" sound (not sul tasto neither ponticello) is to be found placing the right hand fingers half way between the bridge and the specific "sweet spot for tone roundness". I hope you follow my explanation. Just give it a try. A last suggestion, we have to be carefull when measuring positions or relating to the bridge placement because in different guitars these are located in different spots over the soundboard. Due to the scale length, type of guitar, bracings, etc. In the guitar it is better to understand how things work in order to recreate them on every specific instrument instead of taking set-fixed references like the bridge postion, etc. Again, many congrats for another fabolous video. 🙂
Hi Fernando, your contributions are always on point and very appreciated 🙏 Thank you for such in depth explanation. I tried some of Kazuito Yamashita’s arrangements many years ago. He takes the tone possibilities to another dimension. Hope we can have a chat again sometime soon! All the best my friend!
@@dadavidvid Hi David. Always my pleasure. And yes, we can chat any time you want. Just send me an email with possible date and time. Looking forward to it. Best wishes to you too.
i put the release date in my calendar so i would be able to watch this day one. who needs dune part two when you have scientific explanations of the ins and outs of classical guitar right hand technique by david galvez
Lots of good information. A couple of thoughts: allowing the tip joint to yield is mentioned as beneficial for the middle finger in rest strokes; I've found it to be good for the other fingers as well, and also for free strokes. To my ear, free strokes produced this way have a fuller, rounder sound; the reason, I believe, is that as the joint yields, the distance between the middle joint and the finger tip increases, pushing the string in towards the face of the guitar, so the sound is generated more in the way it is by a rest stroke.
Thank you for sharing your experience and insights! It's so interesting to hear how you’ve found this technique to be beneficial across different strokes. I totally understand what you’re saying and I agree!
Your videos on both Left and now Right hand mechanics/acoustics are amazing and groundbreaking! I'm sure they will become the standard 'go to" videos that all classical guitarists will see as fundamental to our understanding of these complex movements. But I feel your adjusting to the longer length of the m finger in rest stroke by allowing its distal tip joint to collapse (7:00 on)--Paco de Lucia notwithstanding--to be a solution that I can't see necessarily following from your analysis. I would suggest that holding the RH with a bit of inward rotation of the right forearm (which Aaron Shearer termed "tilt") could address the issue without resorting to this. (Raising the right wrist slightly higher (which Shearer termed "arch") will also probably be necessary to allow for this adjustment.) On another point, there is a school of thought--to which I ascribe--wherein the tip flesh contacts the string as the nail is seated, but has no role in its release or the resulting tone. Under this view the contact point on the string--in both rest and free stroke-- should be securely with the nail only, and obliquely to the string, so that the release is from its initial contact point, not sliding along the ramp of the string before it releases. David, I don't mean to disparage your wonderful work. We all have our personal solutions to problems that work for us individually. The entire guitar community is indebted to you for this deep dive into the mechanics and acoustics of RH technique!
Thank you for sharing so many interesting ideas and perspectives! This type of contribution is exactly what I was hoping to hear more. In my video I try to share ideas “principles“ that I’ve been lucky to learn and that have served me well. By doing so I’m hoping to steer the conversation around these and learn more from comments like yours. Thanks again!!
@@dadavidvid Thank you David. I'm so glad you are open to feedback. Again, you have raised the standard of both analysis and visual presentation of the mechanics of playing our instrument.
@@dadavidvid This is completely unrelated, an idea for your next video. There are many explanations of the CAGED system by non-classical guitarists on TH-cam. If you would use your video skills to show how this chord system moves up and around the fretboard with a dynamic presentation in a rotating loop like a piano roll--and then include how the five basic and overlapping major scale forms can be seen in this context as well--I think it would be well-received indeed!
@@THOUGHTFULCLASSICALGUITAR That is some awesome idea! Thanks so much for sharing my friend. I got started exploring the audio visual language of videography and 3D animations because I had all this imagery in my head that I wanted to materialize. It seemed very crazy for sometime. The CAGE system lends itself so well for a 3D visualization. I will add it to my to do list. In the meantime I will be working first on fundamental topics without attempting to make any definitive statements but sharing the principles and ideas that have worked very well for me. All the best (what’s your name?)
babe wake up, new MCP/PIP joint radius lore just dropped
@@TiagoLageira 😂 not to be missed. Let’s DIP in.
It’s 2 AM where I am and I am sending this to my friends saying basically this.
😂😂😂😂😂😂
🤣
😂🎉❤
I truly hope that this inspires more creator and teachers. Every instrument deserves educational content of this sort and caliber.
So glad you think so my friend. Thank you support and inspiring comment. Many more videos are coming soon!
Mark my words , this is gonna be a revolutionary video for guitar players.
That is so inspiring to hear. Thank you for your support!! 😊
You took the words right outta my mouth! Revolutionary indeed.
i'm a 40 year guitarist (classical, and flamenco). this is the best video about guitar i've ever been watched. many many thanks....
That’s so kind of you to say! I really appreciate your feedback!
...me too😎 Zumal genau diese Gelenke MCP & PIP uns betreffen und so wichtig im Flamenco sind👌🏻🙏🏻
this is a masterpiece. The combination of knowledge with beautiful animations is just amazing. It makes me respect classical guitar much more now. All the details and technique that goes behind a song.
Wow, thank you! It took me decades to learn and understand many of these things. Hope I can save someone some time. All the best!
THE SEQUEL IS HERE 😭😂😂❤❤
i cant wait for the left foot classical guirar 😭😭
😂😂
This is probably the best content i have ever seen.
Please don't stop it.
Wow, thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. Don’t worry, I have plenty more content planned and I’m excited to keep sharing! Stay tuned my friend
The work you put it into these will help so many people. This should become a standard reference, like "yeah, check the RHP to see how you do that".
Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me. My goal is to provide something lasting and useful for players at all levels, so knowing that you see this as a potential reference is incredibly motivating! Stay tuned for more
0:40 The Physics 3:15 Finger Joints 5:38 Nail Shape 6:34 Alternating Fingers
8:23 Finger Curling 11:35 Index - The role model finger 14:15 Shape of the nail
15:52 Right Hand Rotation 17:40 RH Zone 19:50 RH and Guitar Stability
Wish all my students were as organized as you my friend!
@@dadavidvid Great Work Maestro !
@@dadavidvid Great Work Maestro !
A master class in art & science education, combining classical, flamenco, 3D animation, anatomy, biomechanics, guitar & sound physics, ... (Troy Grady's Guitar Anatomy taken to a whole new level)! Engaging, quality repertoire & superb execution... Many details to soak up .. must watch again
Wow thank you for your kind comment! feedback like yours truly inspires me to make more videos. You’ll be to blame!😊
Fully subtitled, amazing animations, well-spoken and knowledgeable explanations, critical information... this video seems like the end product of a pHd to me... bravo
wow! Your words are so motivating, your support is very appreciated!
Been waiting on this ever since I saw the left hand video!
Hope it met your expectations! Stay tuned for more!
The science of the right hand has progressed immeasurably since our lectures in the seventies with Aaron Shearer. He made hinged cardboard finger representations to illustrate his ideas about extension and contraction, and if I remember well, he said the joints of a finger should all extend or contact together, but not do both. I'm not sure he was right, or that I remember right. Be that as it may, your analysis, representation and your amazing sound are excellent. Thanks for this, from someone who didn't continue guitar, but now, after forty years of fortepiano building, it's all lute playing for me, in between constant travels for piano work in the field. Bravo
Thank you for such a thoughful comment and support!
If I could go 8 years back in time, this is the video I would want to see befor getting into guitar. Brilliant educational video. I learned so much.
I think this is one of best and most useful videos on TH-cam ever! Kudos to the creators of this video!
I've been playing guitar for about a year, and I've been interested in learning classical guitar for maybe a month. I just started growing my nails a bit ago and bought a nail file yesterday.
This is absolutely phenomenal content. Understanding the how and why of everything is so eye opening. Time to watch the left hand video, and then go practice!
Never before in the history of mankind has right hand classical technique been explained so clearly. How did I even stumble upon this greatness. I see you algorithm ❤
Wow, thank you! You made my day. Please stay tuned for more
I have been searching for a good explanation of the right-hand technique for years. This video is the best one that I have ever come across. I wish that I could have watched it 10 years ago when I started this long journey!
Inspiring, next level, a capstone in a niche of human achievement. What a gift you’ve given us with these videos
You made my day! Thank you for your support!
David, last night I watched your video on left hand principles and was blown away by how in depth it was - I'm very excited to give this one a watch. I didn't realize until the end that it was you, I recognized you from your arrangement of Oblivion that I purchased around 4 years ago. It is a beautiful arrangement that I still enjoy playing - so thanks!
What a small world! So glad you are still enjoying Oblivion after all these years. Your support makes all this possible my friend. Stay tuned for more !
This (together with the LH one) is simply one of the best video out there! Congrats for your beautiful work, so informative, concise, exhausting and clear!
Thanks so much Francesco. So inspiring to hear that you think so! All the best to you 😊
Encore une video talentueuse, sans autre égal que celle sur la main gauche. J’ai 50 ans de guitare derrière moi, et grace à vous, je vois que 50 années supplémentaires ne seraient pas superflues. C’est bien de pouvoir partir un jour en sachant qu’on avait encore tant à apprendre et que cette richesse nourrira les suivants. Cet instrument m’a offert, et m’offre encore tant de merveilleux voyages, et parmi ceux-ci, bien en lumière, les 2 perles que vous nous adressez. Un IMMENSE MERCI à vous pour ce somptueux cadeau à la communauté guitaristique. ❤
Merci infiniment pour ce message émouvant ! C’est un honneur de savoir que mes vidéos peuvent encore apporter quelque chose après tant d’années d’expérience. La guitare est vraiment un voyage sans fin, et je suis ravi de pouvoir partager ce chemin avec des musiciens comme vous. Merci de faire partie de cette belle communauté.
You are a gift that keeps on giving. I can't thank you enough! God bless you David🤍
You are very welcome, your words inspire me to keep making and sharing more content.
This is the best 😍 just starting with classical guitar after a lot of years on electrical guitar and this is so good 😍
Great. Standing ovation for this video. And I'm generally sparing with compliments.
Wow, that is truly inspiring! You made my day, thank you so much!
This instructional video is of the highest quality and educational value I have encountered.
That is truly inspiring! You made my day, thank you so much!
David, thank you for the video and lots of wonderful details about the right hand not taught anywhere. I also enjoyed hearing the Reynoso guitar.
I am glad you enjoyed the video and the sound of the guitar! You should hear the guitar’s owner playing it!
The knowledge and production of these videos is absolutely amazing. And it’s free! I haven’t seen anything else that explains how the body works such detail. Thank you for sharing this with the world.
I am so glad you enjoyed it! It's always great to see others benefit from these techniques.
David, thanks so much for this tremendous piece of work! It's well informed, thoroughly researched, with superb graphics, and presented with great clarity - which isn't to say that it's all easy to follow, as there is an awful lot to assimilate in the space of 42 minutes. My advice to others is not to worry if you can't take it all in by watching it only once through, any more than you'd be surprised to find that you haven't quite mastered a difficult piece on one read-through. This video is one to watch several times over, it's so densely packed with really useful information. But it's not dryly academic, either - it's the work of a fine musician who plays beautifully, with a technique that's equally beautiful to watch.
The first section was particularly interesting to me because, as far as I know, my book 'Tone Production on the Classical Guitar' (first published in 1978, but now long out of print) was the first attempt to articulate the basic physical principles that you illustrate with your excellent graphics in those first few minutes of the video. Back in the 'dark ages' of the 1970s, when some of the most influential instruction books were unintentionally spreading misinformation about the fundamentals of how a guitar works - specifically, the erroneous idea that the object of the exercise, whether using rest stroke or free stroke, is to make the string vibrate parallel to the guitar's soundboard - I was a recent physics graduate, now following a new path as a guitar teacher and player. And it was only on realising that I myself had been playing the guitar for years without stopping to think about how it worked acoustically, or questioning what those famous guitar 'authorities' had written, that I felt the urge to read all the available books on musical acoustics, and papers specifically on guitar research, and to try and understand the mechanics of the plucking action in detail. After a couple of years or so, I felt ready to organise my thoughts in a short book that I hoped would clear away a few misconceptions, if nothing more.
Now, 40-odd years on, it's a relief to find that no one has come along (yet) to prove that my own effort was all rubbish, too! It's also nice, in a way, to see that my idea of the nail as a ramp has caught on, though unfortunately most guitarists and teachers only take it to mean a nail shaped to look like a ramp, when it was the way a nail can be made to function as a ramp - projecting the string downwards, even as the fingertip itself moved off in a different direction - that I had in mind. I'm also a little disappointed that the antisymmetrical pattern of a string's vibration (shown right at the beginning of the video, at 0:44) still doesn't seem to be common knowledge, seeing that it's key to understanding why a good plucking action must project the string downwards towards the soundboard, rather than clawing it upwards and risking a violent snap against the frets when the wave along the string is reflected downwards at the far end. I'm not saying that teachers are still getting the fundamentals wrong - standards have risen dramatically in the last 50 years - but it just seems odd that even experienced players can be surprised, for example, to find that it's a lot less easy than you'd think to get a snap pizzicato by pulling the string away from the fingerboard near the nut end and letting it go! A glance at those first few seconds of the video should be enough to understand why you'll actually get a nice full sound that way - just as you will by pushing the string down before release from the normal plucking position.
There are a few minor things that I'd question, David. For example, I think you're taking a good principle a bit too far in suggesting that the aim should always be to get the string vibrating completely perpendicular to the soundboard. In practice, this is rarely going to happen, and is nearly impossible to achieve with free stroke. What I'd say is that there should be a healthy component in that direction, but it does no harm to have a component of vibration parallel to the soundboard as well. In fact, it may well be that any vibration might gradually lose its original orientation, so that a little of that parallel vibration contributes to a slightly more sustained note. It can also give a nice crisp 'twang' to a note's attack, whereas a purely perpendicular vibration tends to sound more 'punchy'. In short, I'd say that there's a continuum of directions in which guitarists can and do set the string vibrating to get different shades of colour, attack and dynamics.
Another very useful way of varying the tone - which you do mention, but in a slightly different context - is by turning the hand at different angles, between a 'straight-across' position (with the line of knuckles parallel to the strings) to a much more oblique position, with the nails 'slicing' across the strings. It looks to me that you yourself are lucky in having strong nails with a natural convex arch, which allows you to use them effectively as ramps, even when playing nearly straight across. But many of us can only get our nails to work - that is, to project the string downwards rather than getting stuck on it, or having to ride ineffectively over it - by turning the hand to a slightly oblique angle. The more oblique the attack, the gentler the ride will be for the string, across more of the width of the nail, resulting in a less crisp but sweeter tone, So again, here we have a continuum of possible colours that some players (such as David Russell) use with great effect, often without needing to move the hand to different parts of the string at all.
Finally, just a tiny quibble: I'm not sure we should be recommending routinely planting the thumb on a bass string to stabilise the hand to help the fingers, or vice versa. Isn't this an unnecessary 'prop' that can easily become too much of a habit, and limit the sympathetic resonances of the strings which are part of the magic of guitar sound?
By the way, this mention of 'magic' is intentional! Predictably, you've had a few comments that miss the point of what you're aiming for here. One person seems to be outraged at the idea that you can call yourself an artist while also thinking scientifically and analytically about how you do what you're doing. Another believes the only way of learning to do anything, such as riding a bike, is intuitive, so why waste your time learning about the principles behind it? Yet another uses car mechanics as an analogy: all I can say to that one, is that I once tried repairing a car without a manual, and it didn't go too well. Why can't these people see that knowing what you're doing doesn't preclude enjoying music as much as anyone else - with the same sense of wonder at how delightful, or exciting, or moving it can be - and that you're neither claiming that analytical knowledge is a substitute for intuition and practice, nor that your videos are aimed at beginners who need to learn all this stuff before ever playing a note.
I'm so sorry to have turned this post into such a long rant, but as you see, I'm in a state of high excitement at the brilliance of this video! Keep them coming, David - they're a great contribution to guitar pedagogy.
Dear Mr. Taylor, I am still in awe after reading a comment from none other than yourself. I was very fortunate to cross paths with incredibly talented performers with whom I became friends, performed, and learned so much by symbiosis. For many years, I sought to understand and define-using my modest logic and intuition-what it was about their technical approach to playing that made it so effective. Gradually, I developed a series of principles that I tested in my own playing and with my students, which consistently proved both true and effective.
After years of trying to define these ideas independently, I stumbled upon a copy of your book online. Reading it was an unforgettable epiphany. It confirmed many of the ideas I had suspected to be true-such as the importance of understanding the perpendicular vibration of the string and its relation to the acoustic design of the guitar, which is so essential to serious performers. Your book is not only scientifically profound but also beautifully written and clear, going far beyond what I could ever attempt to explain to others.
My goal with this overview video was to use audio-visual language to present simplified images of such concepts in a way that feels practical for players. For example, while the notion of a perfectly perpendicular vibration is abstract and unattainable in reality, it serves as a helpful image to convey the positive effects of proper finger mechanics. Many of the ideas in my video are intentionally presented in simplified terms for the sake of practicality and accessibility.
Thank you for your generous and insightful feedback. Your observations about tone production and hand positioning are invaluable, and I’ll certainly reflect on them as I continue to refine my work. I deeply appreciate your kind words and encouragement-it means a great deal coming from someone whose contributions to guitar pedagogy have been so profound.
You're too kind, David! I've always thought that an image is worth a thousand words, and a slow-motion graphic is worth even more. Now you've proved that in spades!
The animation is first class. I'm wondering how 🤔 amazing!
This is absolutely fantastic thank you so much for putting in the time to make this. Hero
So glad you liked it! Stay tuned for more!
This is just what I needed. Thanks.
Glad I could help!
What a great video... this could be the first time ive ever commented. Blown away.
Thank you so much Renato, welcome aboard. I’m working on new content that I hope you will find very useful and interesting. Your support makes all the difference!
Thank you for all this hard work. These videos should be linked as standard by guitar teachers. I feel that your steady and methodical approach is good for both beginners and experienced players.
Wow, thank you! That was exactly my goal. Your feedback is so appreciated. Thank you 🙏
Absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!
So glad you think so! Stay tuned for more 😉
Awesome presentation! Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
2 weeks ago?? gosh cant believe i missed this thank you david you're a gem im sending this to all my friends who are into guitar
Thank you my friend. Your support is so appreciated. All the best!
Thank you for this invaluable knowledge and help.
Can’t wait for the next project. 😊
Thanks for stopping by, many many more videos coming up. 😉
Great!!...So much hardwork went into making one video...Highly appreciated.....It will get great number of views, that it deserves in due time, I'm sure
So nice of you! Thanks for the good wishes. Stay tuned for more 😉
Excelente!
Todo la fluidez de la explicación,abarcando todo!.
Gracias por Compartir tu trabajo,Gracias..!!
Muchas gracias Victor!!
Fantastic, David! I have eagerly been awaiting this full-length version since watching your left=hand video. Once again, you have "hit it out of the park". Well done! 👍👍👍Thank you for this fantastic work!
Many thanks! Feedback like yours truly inspires me to keep sharing what I've been fortunate to learn. Stay tuned for more!
Really great video of the highest standard, thank you.
Could you please list the names of all the music played please?
Holy, this video is incredible as a PT student I felt in love with the biomechanics animations. Congradulations!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by
This should be a very first lesson I should know before touching guitar. Thank You. Every teacher could use this in their practice. I love the detail, sub and all best!
You're very welcome! Stay tuned for more 😊
The graphics and explanations are fantastic. Previously, my go to reference on the subject was Classical Guitar Pedagogy by Anthony Glise, 1997, which has informed my playing and teaching for years. But this is a reference for the 21st century. As others have commented, I do wonder about the use of the "collapsing tip" of the 'm' finger, but each individual can decide what works best for them. The idea of returning to the natural relaxed state of the hand is a great place to begin.
Thank you for such a kind comment. Collapsing the joint solved a big problem for me. Specially when trying to play fast passages with rest strokes. I discovered it from observing none other than Paco de Lucia. He always collapses his middle joint. It’s hard to see cause he does it so fast. In more advanced techniques, we need to collapse the index too so it’s good to have this is skill.
Thanks
Thank you so much!!! Your support makes all the difference! All the best to you!
Absolutely Brilliant production... Very well done. Thank You.
Many thanks! ☺️ glad you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more
What is the piece at the start of the video? The intro goes so hard i instantly liked the video. Good job! 👍
I love you 😂 thanks dude, I started June 30 so these videos have been very interesting for someone who loves to understand the tech.
You got this! Thanks for visiting 😊
Thank you once again! Your work is fantastic! Truly informative 🙏
My pleasure! so nice of you to say 😊. Stay tuned for more
Excellent work and explanation, thank you 😇🙏! ... was eagerly waiting after watching the left hand part.
Most welcome 😊 hope it met your expectations!
what a treasure, thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you for keeping me inspired!
many thanks...
WOW! Many thanks to you! I really appreciate your support; it makes all the difference!
Hola estoy muy agradecido con tu esfuerzo en estos videos, gracias por subir esto, es realmente impresionante
¡Gracias a ti por tu apoyo! 🙏
I don't know if it is merely a coincidence or not but just couple of days before I brought my first classical guitar (Yamaha c40) and decided to give a second shot at guitar learning. And this is the video I got recommended. I truly appreciated your effort and how brilliantly this is explained in such precision and depth. Much appreciated.
That is truly inspiring! Your passion for music is contagious and will take you far.
@dadavidvid That's so nice of you to say so. 🙏
Thank you so much for a great content! It must have taken you many hours to make the content so thorough, so detailed, and so clear! And the time filming the demonstration of the right hand playing the right passages of different pieces to visually show the points must be a lot! What a rich content! I have learnt a lot, I cannot thank you enough!
You're very welcome! Thank you for inspiring me, your words truly motivate me to create and share more of this content. All the best my friend!
The best guitarist is the one, who has the best hand-, nail- and fingertip shape…and of course, the most formidable Instrument.
Best hand is the trickiest
As an engineer who plays classical guitar, I find these videos exactly on point. I am obsessed with technique exactly because I can see the science behind playing the guitar, and how it affects playing this instrument. It’s just beautiful. Glad to see someone finally put the principles in a video that shows it.
I am a fan of Pujols because he was the first to truly bring logic into the guitar technique. Carlevaro in South America soon followed. Shearer is one of the first to bring logic and science into classical guitar to the English masses, although he called it the natural way of playing. Segovia thought this concept was junk, but in my opinion he was wrong. Duncan in The Art of Playing the Classical Guitar was probably the first to explicitly use physics and biology to blend science and guitar technique.
Greatly appreciated the effort for creating and sharing this video even I've been playing classical guitar over 10 years. Very informative and inspiring ;)
I am glad this video can still be useful for experienced players. 😊
So obscure and yet so interesting.
So informative and inspiring! I feel like Neo, the first time he sat down in the training chair in the Nebuchadnezzar. _And_ done in a foreign language, probably one of many that you speak. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it inspiring-what a great analogy with Neo! 😊 The journey of mastering guitar techniques can feel like entering a whole new world, but it's so rewarding.
And the Oscar 2024 goes to... David Galvez!
😂 almost spilled my coffee! Thank you for watching!
OMG, what a fantastic content. Can't believe how you managed to produce it in such a detailed way. Let alone the 1000s of hours of 3d work.
Man I just subscribed to your channel the moment I watched that intro😅 it's really amazing ❤
Welcome aboard! Thank you so much for your support!
This is a great video in general. In comparison to other content on the topic I saw, this video is greatly outstanding. Thank you for sharing this publicly with people. I consider this a great addition to human audiovisual heritage, and I am happy it is freely shared.
One thing I am missing is further reading recommendations, and maybe even citations. I wish, at the end or via video description, I was pointed to some reading resource covering the topic in not less detail, and extending, perhaps with some exercises. The presented material seems to be of a kind that is likely covered entirely by a single, short book, but if not, perhaps your own reading notes would still be a valuable addition.
I hope to see more, and wish you are gratified for your effort. Thank you.
David, excellent explanation. Thank you for the extraordinary work.
Very welcome, so glad you liked it!
What a great and educational video, I congratulate you for your great work. A new subscriber has been gained. Greetings from Venezuela.
Welcome aboard, thanks for stopping by!😊
Great content, excellent presentation ! Thanks a lot, this is extremely helpful.
(The only thing that seems a bit confusing is that - even though we are talking about the right hand - the animation sometimes displays the left hand)
So glad you liked it! I made many mistakes while producing this on my own. I had to learn to fix many but accept others in other to release them timely. Learning as we go!
Even if I never get this right, it's useful to know about the proper technique.
Well said my friend. I’m breaking all this down into smaller more practical videos.
What a treat
Thanks for stopping by!
The amount of technical details there are while playing the guitar is incredible, I learned several concepts that I previously did without thinking about it. A question, what theme plays in the background during the video, I like the part at min 24:37
That was my experience too. Becoming aware of what my fingers where doing helped me make a big leap forward in my playing,. The piece is Fandango from Tres Piezas Españolas by Joaquin Rodrigo
That's a very great and usefull video!! Thank u very much for all your effort !!!
Like the video about the fretting hand, this was so fascinating to watch. Thanks for sharing this interesting and valuable information! I hope your videos and your channel, will eventually get the attention they deserve.
Thank you for saying so! your support means so much to me!
This video is crazy good!
Amazing work!
Your video is exceptionally detailed thank you
So nice of you to say. Please stay tuned for more!
Hey David, wonderful work indeed.
If you don't mind me contributing. When you speak about shifting the right hand's position. We go from the bridge (ponticello) to the fretboard (sul tasto) in order to change the sound. Now the smoother sound we get close to the fretboard does not end on the last frets. In relity, the smoothest-roundest or as you call it "dark"sound has its sweet spot always twelve frets apart from the left hand playing position. That is if we are playing on the second position the roundest tone will be achieved by playing with the right hand fingers on the fourteenth fret.
The moment we narrow down or further up the righ hand fingers from that spot the sound begins being less round or dark.
Once we understand and try this it is easy to come to the conclusion that our "normal" sound (not sul tasto neither ponticello) is to be found placing the right hand fingers half way between the bridge and the specific "sweet spot for tone roundness".
I hope you follow my explanation. Just give it a try.
A last suggestion, we have to be carefull when measuring positions or relating to the bridge placement because in different guitars these are located in different spots over the soundboard. Due to the scale length, type of guitar, bracings, etc.
In the guitar it is better to understand how things work in order to recreate them on every specific instrument instead of taking set-fixed references like the bridge postion, etc.
Again, many congrats for another fabolous video. 🙂
Hi Fernando, your contributions are always on point and very appreciated 🙏
Thank you for such in depth explanation. I tried some of Kazuito Yamashita’s arrangements many years ago. He takes the tone possibilities to another dimension. Hope we can have a chat again sometime soon! All the best my friend!
@@dadavidvid Hi David. Always my pleasure.
And yes, we can chat any time you want. Just send me an email with possible date and time.
Looking forward to it.
Best wishes to you too.
lets go!!!!!! Ive been waiting for this
@@chip715715 fasten your seat belts! 😉
This video is amazing.
So glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by 😊
Must habe been a huge effort to produce this video. Great!
It was worth it to make something that could help others!
Thank you for this amazing explanation
i put the release date in my calendar so i would be able to watch this day one. who needs dune part two when you have scientific explanations of the ins and outs of classical guitar right hand technique by david galvez
🥳 Thanks for inspiring me so much! Hope it met your expectations! I’m working on many more videos so please stay tuned!
Great amazing two videos so far thank you so much loved it
I am glad you enjoyed both videos! I am working on the next one right now.
@ wow thank you so much this has deepened my connection and understanding of the guitar and has blown my mind
Please do a violin one. These are more than extraordinary. Bravo!!!
Thank you so much! Unfortunately I have enough trouble trying to understand the guitar but I’m sure someone will do it.
just finished the video!!!! cant wait to see what you come up with
Thank you for watching! I am working on more specific videos to expand on each of the many topics discussed on this overview. Stay tuned!
Super interessant das mal aus dieser Sicht zu betrachten 👌🏻👍🏻🙏🏻😊
So glad you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more 😉
Awesome and very detailed work! Congrats David! Even better than your Oblivion arrangement 😎 Greetings from Montenegro.
Thank you very much! Stay tuned for more 😉
25:07 the difference in tone here is amazing
So glad that came through 😊 sometimes microphones don't capture such nuances. Thank you for your support!
Could you please do the same for the flamenco arpeggio position.
Very scientific, very interesting.
Wonderful video!!! Thanks a lot🎉🎉🎉
Thank you too!😊
The Return of the King
🤣 thank you! It’s good to be back! I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos. Stay tuned my friend
Lots of good information. A couple of thoughts: allowing the tip joint to yield is mentioned as beneficial for the middle finger in rest strokes; I've found it to be good for the other fingers as well, and also for free strokes. To my ear, free strokes produced this way have a fuller, rounder sound; the reason, I believe, is that as the joint yields, the distance between the middle joint and the finger tip increases, pushing the string in towards the face of the guitar, so the sound is generated more in the way it is by a rest stroke.
Thank you for sharing your experience and insights! It's so interesting to hear how you’ve found this technique to be beneficial across different strokes. I totally understand what you’re saying and I agree!
This is going to blow up
Thanks for the good wishes 😊
Your videos on both Left and now Right hand mechanics/acoustics are amazing and groundbreaking! I'm sure they will become the standard 'go to" videos that all classical guitarists will see as fundamental to our understanding of these complex movements.
But I feel your adjusting to the longer length of the m finger in rest stroke by allowing its distal tip joint to collapse (7:00 on)--Paco de Lucia notwithstanding--to be a solution that I can't see necessarily following from your analysis. I would suggest that holding the RH with a bit of inward rotation of the right forearm (which Aaron Shearer termed "tilt") could address the issue without resorting to this. (Raising the right wrist slightly higher (which Shearer termed "arch") will also probably be necessary to allow for this adjustment.)
On another point, there is a school of thought--to which I ascribe--wherein the tip flesh contacts the string as the nail is seated, but has no role in its release or the resulting tone. Under this view the contact point on the string--in both rest and free stroke--
should be securely with the nail only, and obliquely to the string, so that the release is from its initial contact point, not sliding along the ramp of the string before it releases.
David, I don't mean to disparage your wonderful work. We all have our personal solutions to problems that work for us individually. The entire guitar community is indebted to you for this deep dive into the mechanics and acoustics of RH technique!
Thank you for sharing so many interesting ideas and perspectives! This type of contribution is exactly what I was hoping to hear more. In my video I try to share ideas “principles“ that I’ve been lucky to learn and that have served me well. By doing so I’m hoping to steer the conversation around these and learn more from comments like yours. Thanks again!!
@@dadavidvid Thank you David. I'm so glad you are open to feedback. Again, you have raised the standard of both analysis and visual presentation of the mechanics of playing our instrument.
@@dadavidvid This is completely unrelated, an idea for your next video. There are many explanations of the CAGED system by non-classical guitarists on TH-cam. If you would use your video skills to show how this chord system moves up and around the fretboard with a dynamic presentation in a rotating loop like a piano roll--and then include how the five basic and overlapping major scale forms can be seen in this context as well--I think it would be well-received indeed!
@@THOUGHTFULCLASSICALGUITAR That is some awesome idea! Thanks so much for sharing my friend. I got started exploring the audio visual language of videography and 3D animations because I had all this imagery in my head that I wanted to materialize. It seemed very crazy for sometime. The CAGE system lends itself so well for a 3D visualization. I will add it to my to do list. In the meantime I will be working first on fundamental topics without attempting to make any definitive statements but sharing the principles and ideas that have worked very well for me. All the best (what’s your name?)
Amazing video.
Thanks so much!
Brilliant!!!
Thank you 🙏
It would be awesome to collaborate and do a similar video for Oud.
I wish I could play the legendary Oud.
Excellent but can you describe(i want to know) the names of peices that played in this video!
Thank you!❤
You are most welcome!