ast month we discussed exercises that develop particular techniques that are important to good performance, but so basic in their makeup that it is best to practice the techniques as ends in themselves, away from a musical context so one can give the mastery of these techniques one's full concentration. This month I would like to introduce another example of this type of basic exercise, this time for the right hand to achieve independence between m and a and strengthen the a finger itself. As in last month's article, these comments are addressed to the intermediate and advanced student.

Many students come to me complaining of an inability to play arpeggios or the tremolo evenly and fast. These are students who play well overall and have mastered basics like correct hand positioning and finger movements. Almost always, their problems with arpeggio and tremolo speed and evenness stem from a lack of independence between m and a and a lack of strength in the a finger. Just try alternating i and m free stroke on the first string and then m and a as fast as you can. Most players find they have markedly better coordination and speed with i and m than with m and a. The finger movements between m and a, being slower and more sluggish than those between i and m, are what disrupt what would otherwise be smooth, fast arpeggios or tremolos involving i, m, and a.

To correct this problem I recommend the practice of the following arpeggio patterns:

These patterns can also be practiced on other combinations of strings and with any suitable chord progressions. Start slowly and eventually work up to MM. = 160 for a quarter-note (each note in the pattern is a sixteenth-note). Be sure to start each day with a slow, controlled tempo working your way up to the fastest tempo at which you still maintain evenness. This may take anywhere from ten to thirty minutes. Keep track of your fastest tempo and try to better it each day or week.

These patterns may also be practiced on a delightful piece called El Abejorro (The Bumblebee) by Emiio Pujol. But if you try this piece, do not let the left hand mechanics distract your concentration from your right hand. Incidentally, Pujol has indicated the pattern p-i-m-i on the music. To play this piece not as an exercise as we are discussing, but as a concert etude, p-i-a-m is the fastest, most dazzling pattern to use.

You may also find the following exercises useful for right hand finger independence, particularly between m and a.

After a month of practicing these m-a independence and a strengthening exercises everyday, you will notice a marked improvement in the evenness and speed of your arpeggios and tremolos along with a more relaxed right hand as you will no longer have to struggle so much to play fast but it will be necessary to continue practicing the exercises nearly everyday to maintain this newly gained evenness and flexibility.

I am reminded of a comment in the New York Times Magazine about the great pianist Vladimir Horowitz who believed the development of the fifth finger (little finger) was essential in playing melodies effectively. It was noted that "Horowitz, who was born in 1904, had worked all his life at strengthening his hands-especially his fifth finger." For us guitarists, the pianist's right hand fifth finger is our a finger.

Part I