Hand synchronization vs. metronome synchronization

General Music Discussion
#1

This question is somewhat abstract, but:

I always hear people talk about “hand synchronization.” But, what are the hands synchronized to? For example, does the left hand (fingering) follow the right (picking)? (If so, what happens with HO/PO or other “legato” techniques?) Or does the right hand follow the left? Or is each hand a slave to the metronome?

For reasons of purity I’m want to hope that each hand follows the metronome and that’s how they work together, but I’m not sure that this is true. :rofl:

#2

You want a ‘master clock’ that both hands synch to, whether that is a metronome, or a backing track, or your internal sense of pulse, or a tapping foot or nodding head.

#3

Sometimes I may work through some particular sync issue by visualizing internally that the fretting hand “leads” by a tiniest slice of time. It’s not always needed and sometimes it doesn’t help. In any case that’s when an internal “master clock” (® @Prlgmnr) is already estabilished. The picking hand is the one that ultimately produces the note so it’s more time-critical, but at that point the fretting hand needs to have already done its part of the job.

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#4

What is interesting is that both hands produce sounds:

  • The left hand makes a sound on HO/PO unless it is muted (by the pick).
  • The right hand is more complex, as the pick MUTES the string when the pick touches, and then it plucks the string when it leaves (creating a sound).

So I think that what happens is that a pick touches the string of interest, the fretting finger moves but is muted because of the pick contact, and then the pick leaves. If this didn’t happen one would hear all kinds of artifacts.

So how I think about it is that both the left and right hand are slaves to the metronome.

But the most interesting thing about the plectrum is that it’s not only the generator of noise, but it’s a muting device! (Indeed, there are advantages to rest strokes, like muting the string that got rested upon!)

There is no end to entertainment when the mighty plectrum is involved.

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#5

Synchronization. Occurring at the same time. When referring to picking it means you’re hitting the string at the same time as you fret the note. Micro-variances aside that’s what it means. Left hand fingers fifth fret on the D string and at the same time you pick the D string with your right hand. Vice versa for lefties. There are about 10 gazillion variables of that when you include legato but the general meaning doesn’t change. If a guitar player only used their fretting hand to play then they’d only need to sync up to the drummer!

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#6

Exactly! So, does the left hand “think differently” if there is a right hand, or not? Is it always doing the same thing, or does it have two distinct recipes, one when there is a right hand, and one where there is not?

And short of solo artists doing things like piano recitals, everybody has a metronome in one form or another (click track, drums, whatever) if they’re making music, right?

#7

I’m not sure what you mean. And using quotes isn’t helping. You understood what synchronization meant? You obviously have a right hand. I feel like I’m being tricked. Is English not your first language?

#8

I would say no, this is not true. Partly because drums is not a metronome! Playing with someone else is giving and taking, sometimes leading, sometimes following. You need your own internal feel of the beat or pulse. Playing with a metronome is not the norm, in my experience.

I think playing “in time” is separate from the hand synchronization issue. For me, the hands being in sync is a feeling. The hands can be perfectly synchronized despite me playing completely out of tempo.

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#9

Hand sync is a fundamental guitar mechanic, just as picking technique is fundamental. Better guitarists have better sync as a general rule, but having good sync does not make you a better guitarist on it’s own.

Remember the first day you picked up a guitar ever? The very first fretted note you ever played in your life was dependent on hand sync. It doesn’t get more fundamental than that.