Bill Hall....Solo Improv ( I have been tweaking my technique)

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#1

Hello, Everyone!
I thought it would be fun to share a bit of solo improv with you all. I have been tweaking my left hand technique a bit experimenting with the motions of my fingers to try and get them to move as smooth and rhythmic as possible in a natural motion. I found that for me…a slight variation of the left hand angle in relation to the string makes a big difference on how in time and smooth the motion is. I love to make the notes swell with my right hand by changing the way I pick also.

I am just improvising in this clip over a simple progression and trying some different phrases. Thanks for watching! :slightly_smiling_face:

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#2

1:11 Insane accuracy!!!

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#3

Great playing and love the tone!

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#4

Great playing, Bill. No surprises there though :slight_smile:

Is this fretting hand concept the same thing you talk about in this video?

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#5

I have never thought of it as leverage. Now I am curious as to the way I leverage the phrasing I have learned recently. You are going to awaken a subconscious portion of my playing that I only ever really think about in terms of using the right fingering, or finding a better fingering that works better for improvisational breaking free from anchoring scenarios.

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#6

Thank you, @joebegly! Yes…it is what I was talking about in the video…but I have discovered a couple of other ideas to go with it. I might make an update video and talk more about it in the future. Thanks again! :slightly_smiling_face:

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#7

Awesome! I feel like I almost get it but it may be slightly over my head lol! I have definitely noticed certain 3nps shapes in my own playing are easier/harder depending on my fretting posture. A system would be nice though :+1:

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#8

I never really noticed how I did this until I watched that video just now. I do it with the fingers toward the pinky like your describing, with the most focus on the ring finger, probably even a bit more extreme than what you are showing - I can’t even do it the other way with the tension and emphasis towards the index without putting some tension in the wrist.

Edit: honestly I feel like this may be a factor in removing unwanted tension in the fretting hand. Especially if your hand naturally wants to do this.

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#9

Ok so for whatever reason you have awoken some aspect to my perception that I never ever intended to think about or look at, and I was look at my fretting hand watching the thumb. It is pretty amazing how it depresses every so effortlessly, so smooth as I descend down the string in each position. This normally just happens subconsciously unaware, but after this thread my mind is blown! Did I just take the red pill, are we in the matrix?:smiley:

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#10

That’s great, @bradejensen! :slightly_smiling_face: I have been trying a lot of different angles and motions with the left hand and it is really amazing how smooth and in sync a line can become by finding that natural motion with the left hand. For me when I first started looking at it…it was almost like finding a way to make each finger feel almost like they were all the same length. If that makes sense. Everything feels even and comfortable and combined with the right angle and leverage of the left hand the motions just really flow in time and have a definite rhythm and flow to them. It really keeps the lines in sync when picking fast also. I am thinking about going more in depth in a video soon…when I get the time.

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#11

Any left hand help videos are very welcome! :joy: My left hand is not quite cooperating lately!

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