Thumb Songs 1 & 2 | from Sketches I

I will let this tutorial video on thumb technique speak for itself. Here’s a quick overview of the principles involved:

• The thumb has three joints and is closely tied to the position and movements of the wrist and arm all the way to the root of the clavicle and the sternum in the front, the shoulder blade in the back
• The subtle adjustments of those bones and joints allows the thumb to play either rest or free stroke and achieve a great variety of timbre and dynamic.
• As with all the beginning pieces in Sketches I, I have designated that melodies are played rest stroke and accompaniments are free stroke. The purpose is to clearly define the multi-layered aspects of all music. It prepares one to be more conscious of the role each note, each voice, and each texture has to do with creating a compelling and intelligent performance.
• These same principles greatly inform the rendering of polyphonic works as well, those works which are at the root of our precious five centuries of guitar/lute heritage. Those specific techniques are explained in my blog Polyphonic basics | how to make voices clear | Part I and will be more deeply explored in a coming video/blog.
• Download a PDF of Thumbs Songs 1 & 2 from Sketches I
• Purchase the Sketches I edition here.

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Save the date, please…

It is with great delight we announce that our dear friend and colleague Bob Ward and the Boston Classical Guitar Society will present a concert in my honor this October 25th. The concert of my compositions will feature Bob with Alex Dunn playing Duo Sonata #1; Chris Ladd, guitar and Ása Guðjónsdóttir, violin, on Gryphon, Violin Sonata #1, David William Ross on Cyrcles, Sonata #3, Daniel Acsadi playing Débil del Alba and more.

The concert will be held at the First Lutheran Church at 299 Berklee St. in Boston. Pre-concert talk will begin at 7:30, concert at 8pm. Hope you can make it.    —Frank