Abel Carlevaro
Boosey and Hawkes : 147 pages
Originally published in 1984 by one of the guitar’s most original and individual composers, this landmark publication is simply an invaluable book, its entire content is dedicated to mastering guitar-playing techniques; supported by numerous pictures and diagrams. Here he gets across a vast, detailed and in-depth set of information and thus teaches you how to become a better classical guitarist with the least amount of bodily strain needed to produce the best sound timbre related to the musical piece at hand. As a result he introduces a large arsenal of techniques for your fingertips to be used to create a miniature orchestra under your command This book teaches some invaluable techniques, such as the interplay of flesh and nail of the right thumb to add colour richness to chords, and the manner in which the player differentiates between 2-3 voices played simultaneously, a technique that is actually the essence of the guitar as a polyphonic instrument. Moreover he explains the way in which the sounds are produced by the thumb and the three fingers , by attacking the strings from different angles, to enable the player to create gradual dynamics and diverse timbres. This book does not particularly get into theory or reading music, but focuses more on the physical side of performing, and as a result is one of the most insightful books on guitar playing ever written and therefore Carlevaro basically presents a whole new technique for playing the classical guitar, and should be an essential part of your study.
Chris Dumigan