Dear Daniel and All:
The little finger is indeed an anchor, but it doesn't have to stay rooted
to the same spot. If a scale starts on the sixth course, it may well be
nearly touching the first course. As the scale ascends, the finger may
slide or "hop" by little steps down to the more usual position (for me two
of three fingers' breadth below the first course). A big descending scale
would follow a similar course, except it's easier for the little finger to
slide upwards. Also, the hand can open up considerably to reach lower bass
strings.
The little finger can of course also move toward the rose or bridge to
vary the dynamics.
Yours,
Jim
Daniel Shoskes
<[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Jon Murphy <[EMAIL
PROTECTED]>
> cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], Herbert
Ward <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Beg. question, voicing
4-note chords.
03/24/2004 09:35
AM
Have a look at the file "ronrighthand.avi" in the new folder "lute
technique movies" at my lute repository at
http://homepage.mac.com/dshoskes/FileSharing3.html.
It has Ronn McFarlane playing a scale (showing impeccable thumb under
technique of course!) followed by a piece with chords (I think it was
Dowlands Midnight). Note that his 4th finger positioning is very fluid
depending upon the course he is playing and that sometimes it does come
off the sound board after some chords.
Of course, as a first rank professional player, he may be using a
modification of technique not recommended for the beginner. I do try to
keep my 4th finger anchored at all times and find that keeping it
further from the first course and opening my hand and moving my arm at
the elbow to get the lower courses gives me better tone.
