Technique
JORGE CABALLERO
On Alternation
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"MY INTENTION HERE IS TO PRESENT STUDENTS WITH
STRATEGIC CONCEPTS TO BUILD BETTER AWARENESS OF
ALTERNATION, AND SOME METHODS BY WHICH THEY CAN
IMPROVE IT."
LESSON DESCRIPTION
Join internationally acclaimed guitarist Jorge
Caballero as he shares his insights on the
principles of alternation.
Jorge explains how alternation is a crucial
technique for any guitarist to master, as it makes
up the foundation of all of our right hand
movements. He analyzes the fundamental
elements of alternation and provides tools to help
us tackle difficult passages in various pieces from
the guitar literature.
This lesson gives us an excellent and detailed
guide for how to approach, develop and master
the technique of alternation.
ABOUT YOUR
INSTRUCTOR
Jorge Caballero is the youngest musician and the only guitarist
to win the Naumburg International Competition Award, one of
the most prestigious and coveted awards given to performers
of any instrument, and comparable to the Pulitzer Prize for
musicians. He is also the recipient of top prizes at the Tokyo
International Guitar Competition, the Luis Sigall Competition,
the Alhambra Guitar Competition and the First Latin American
Guitar Competition.
He is known for his dazzling virtuosity, his intense musicality
and his spellbinding performances. Widely regarded as one of
the finest guitarists of his generation, he has been compared
to the likes of Casals, Rostropovich and Segovia. Jon Pareles of
the New York Times called him a "masterly guitarist" and
praised his "meticulous balance and chameleonic timbres."
Mr. Caballero has performed as a soloist with the Los Angeles
Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the New York
Chamber Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic and the
Presidential Symphony of Ankara, Turkey, among others. His
recital appearances include performances at New York's Alice
Tully Hall, the Library of Congress in Washington (in the
historic Great Performers Series), the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, and other venues
in the United States and internationally.
OUTLINE
1. Introduction 9. Mechanics part 1
2. What is alternation? 10. Special circumstances
3. Alternation types 11. Slurs
4. String passing 12. Alternation structures
5. String crossing 13. Mechanics part 2
6. Working out alternations 14. Advanced principles
7. Pairing 15. Motion & alternation
8. Sequential counting 16. Musical examples
INTRODUCTION
Jorge Caballero begins this tutorial by performing the arpeggio
passages from Hector Tosar's Ghandara. After the performance he
explains why alternation is one of the most critical aspects of
developing right hand technique.
Jorge argues that alternation is one area of technique that most
guitarists, regardless of their level, will struggle with at some
point in their studies. The main reason is because of the
intricacies of coordinating the movements of the right hand, and
synchronizing those movements with the left hand. He says that
sometimes this difficulty results in a tendency for players to pluck
repeatedly with the same finger. The purpose of Jorge's lesson is
to present students with strategic concepts to build better
awareness of alternation, and methods to improve it.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Jorge emphasizes that this tutorial begins from the basics
and gets progressively more complex. He encourages us to
take the time to study the concepts slowly, read the
examples, and try to play them before moving foreword. This
will make it easier for you to understand the reasoning
behind each concept.
WHAT IS ALTERNATION?
In its simplest form, alternation is a principle of guitar technique.
When applied to the right hand, it dictates that unless superseded
by special contextual factors, a guitarist should never pluck two or
more notes in succession with the same right hand finger.
If you play E on the first string once, you could almost use any
finger you want. But the moment you have to play it twice or
more, you must use at least two different fingers to do so.
In the context of arpeggios this rule of right hand use occurs
naturally, as the arpeggio, per se, implies the use of different
strings per note (although this is not always true). It is therefore in
the context of scales where students must observe this rule
assiduously.
ALTERNATION TYPES
There are two things we need to understand before we begin
working on alternation. The first is alternation pairs, and the
second is string-passes and string-crosses.
So what is an alternation pair? When we discuss alternation, by
implication we are discussing the use of at least 2 fingers. These 2
fingers, which we are going to call finger pairs, provide the basic
structure for alternation.
Alternation pairs
(supinated) (pronated)
i-m m-i
m-a a-m
i-a a-i
p-i i-p
p-m m-p
p-a a-p
Since we use 4 fingers in the right hand, 6 pairs can be derived, as
noted in the first column above. The second column shows the
same pairs, but in reverse order. As we advance in our alternation
knowledge, the order of the alternation will become more and
more critical. In other words, i-m is not the same as m-i. At first
this may not matter, but over time, this will become more crucial.
The next thing we need to understand are the concepts of string-
passes and string-crosses. Jorge mentions that this topic is often
discussed in guitar instruction– especially string-crossing, but it
tends to be vague because it is difficult to define what a string-
cross is. So Jorge came up with a definition, and expanded it to
include another term: string-pass.
STRING PASSING
So here are the definitions: Within an alternation sequence, string
passing is the process of passing from one string to another in
which the finger that plucks the new string conforms to the
natural configuration of the fundamental chord/arpeggio position
of the right hand.
For instance, understanding that:
is the natural configuration of the chord/arpeggio position, then,
denotes a string pass, as well as,
The same would be true if: or
String passing also occurs when moving from a higher string to a
lower string, as follows:
or
STRING CROSSING
Conversely, string-crossing denotes instances where the finger
that plucks the new string to be played does not conform to the
natural configuration of the fundamental chord/arpeggio position
of the right hand. Using some of the examples above, we would
find the following.
denotes a string cross, also
The same would be true if:
and if
And also:
KEY TAKEAWAY
The key principles of alternation for the purposes of this
lesson are:
1) Alternation pairs
2) String passing
3) String crossing
WORKING OUT
ALTERNATIONS
To work out alternations successfully, there are 2 things you need:
to build an awareness of string passes and crosses in a sequence,
and to have a method to resolve alternation problems.
Here is a standard G major scale in first position. The numbers
above each note are just there to indicate the number of notes we
are playing. String-passes and string-crosses are marked by the
acronyms 'sp' and 'sc' respectively. Take a moment to learn this
scale before moving on.
As far as strategic aspects go, the key idea to keep in mind when
you play this scale (or any other alternation sequence) is to learn
to identify string-passes and string-crosses, especially string-
crosses, as they are the most likely to cause problems in the
alternation sequence.
As you can see in the example, you'll find a total of 4 instances of
string-crosses: in notes 4-5, 12-13, 17-18, and 25-26. It is also
interesting to note that the last two instances of string-crosses are
the mirror image points of the first two.
PAIRING
As far as methods to resolve alternation problems, Jorge presents
us with two options. The first one is called pairing, and the second
is called sequential counting.
The method of pairing consists of keeping track of pairs of notes
in a scale, which of course matches the alternation pair you use.
Here the same scale has been annotated to indicate finger pairs.
We apply the pairing method by simply grouping the scale into
pairs of notes each time. We proceed to play the scale by thinking
in groups of two notes at a time, the total sum of which will yield
the G major scale in the example.
SEQUENTIAL COUNTING
The other method Jorge recommends, is called Sequential
Counting. This method consists of counting the number of times
the right hand must pluck each string in the scale sequence. This
method requires a bit more counting awareness at first, but in the
end it becomes really effective, so be patient, take time, and try to
follow the logic of it.
We can see below, we have once again the same G major scale
that we played earlier. The notes of the scale have been separated
by the number of times the same string is plucked consecutively,
as indicated by the numbers above each bracket, leaving some
space in between each string. As such:
6th string – will be played 1 time
5th string – will be played 3 times
4th string – will be played 3 times
3rd string – will be played 2 times
etc.
This information is useful to create a mental map of the
alternation sequence. Due to the inherently cyclical nature of
alternation pairs, we know that each finger will play again every
two notes. And since the alternation pair i-m is used in the
example, where i will play first, it also follows that i will always
play the odd numbered notes (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc. note of the
scale), whereas m will always play the even numbered notes in the
sequence. In the same manner, and using the information
obtained from our sequential counting, we can learn the
following:
The 6th string will be played by i.
The first note to be played on the 5th string will be
played by m, since the 6th string was only plucked
once.
The first note to be played on the 4th string will be
played by i, since the 5th string was plucked three
times (m played first on the 5th string. The fourth note
–now on the fourth string, would be played by the
opposite finger (i).
The first note to be played on the 3rd string will be
played by m, since the 4th string was plucked three
times.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Both sequential counting and pairing aim to create
landmarks in an alternation sequence, so you can more
easily and accurately track an alternation sequence.
MECHANICS PART 1
Now, let's talk about mechanics which, really, is just another way
to say technique, how fingers ought to move. Jorge shares an
anecdote he once heard about Segovia. Once, after some concert,
a random fan asked Segovia, "Maestro, do you play the guitar with
your heart or with your brain?" Segovia's reply was, "Dear sir, I
play the guitar with my fingers."
Jorge says that we can take a bit of a lesson from Segovia by
thinking of string crossings traveling from a lower string to a
higher string as a forward step. When we play a normal stroke on
the guitar our finger is in a fairly neutral position. However when
we travel from a lower string to a higher string our fingers have to
take a longer step forward.
The finger has to be able to
reach a string that is farther
away. Your hand may move,
but what is important is that
your finger moves first, as it is
more precise than the arm in
terms of measuring distances
between strings.
When the string-cross occurs in
the opposite direction, you can
use the short step. In this case,
the middle finger stays almost
in place when it has to cross
backward to the third string.
That's why Jorge calls it a short
step. It's not as long as its
normal stroke length.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Now that we have a strategy for working out alternation
sequences and a mechanical procedure to execute them, let's talk
about special circumstances that happen because of the left hand.
These 'special circumstances' aren't ultimately that special,
because they happen everywhere in the literature, but
nonetheless, they deserve special attention. The first has to do
with position shifts, and the second one is about slurs.
Position shifts always have to be given attention, because they
tend to cause problems in alternation sequences, where we end
up repeating fingers. Jorge quotes one of his students who calls
unwanted repetitions of fingers in an alternation sequence
"double dipping." He asks that we don't "double dip".
The next example we are going to use is a standard 2-octave C
major scale. Take a moment to learn this scale, with the indicated
fingerings.
You'll notice that there is a shift that occurs on the 3rd string
between the pitches B and C. This in itself is quite normal, but still
it tends to create problems tracking an alternation sequence,
because our brains shift the focus of attention from the right
hand to the left hand. So, of course, "double dipping" occurs!
If we try to use pairing to resolve this problem, we may run into a
problem of coordination, because the shift occurs within a pair.
This is not necessarily impossible, but it can make it difficult for
some to keep track of their alternation.
And then, if we use sequential counting, we may run into a
similar problem for the same reason, given that the shift occurs in
the middle of the sequence.
So instead of using one method or the other, what you can do is
apply both at different times, whenever the use of one is more
beneficial than the other. So, in this case, you can either pair the
alternation, or sequence it, but it may be simpler to divide the
notes played on the 3rd string into two pairs no matter what we
used prior, so the action of shifting and the change of pair occur
at the same point in time.
SLURS
When we have slurs, we have a similar issue regarding
synchronization, simply because of the fact that both right and
left hand are going to operate at different rates of speed.
For example, if we have
something like what we have in
this example, the left hand is
quite active (playing every
sixteenth note), but the right hand
is plucking every other note, so, at
half the speed.
A way to practice this for the purposes of improving alternation is
by first learning the points where the right hand plucks; in other
words, remove all of the slurred notes. After you learn them well,
then start adding each slurred note gradually.
The first example taken from the literature comes from Bach's
Chaconne (in Segovia's arrangement), page 5, top of the page. As
you'll see below, starting from the third beat we have a sequence
that requires that we slur every other note. Most often students
are worried about the speed of this run, but if we look at it more
deeply we can easily see that the right hand is actually plucking at
a fairly comfortable pace. All that said, we could use the same
procedure we used before.
ALTERNATION STRUCTURES
Looking beyond the idea of alternation pairs, as repertoire
becomes more intricate in its mechanical demands and our
interpretive sense becomes more demanding, a need for more
efficient and refined solutions is necessary. That requires the use
of 3 or all fingers of the right hand.
From a historic perspective, guitar technique evolved along similar
lines to what I have presented here. The primary right hand finger
use of Fernando Sor relied on p, i, and m, and as we progressed
through history, the a finger gradually became common usage.
Going back to our main topic, when we go beyond the basic
alternation pairs and use 3 or 4 fingers, we employ what Jorge
calls alternation structures. For example, in the graphic below
are listed some of the most common ones. The first one is from
Mauro Giuliani's Rossiniana op. 121.
The next is from Segovia's arrangement of Asturias, by Isaac
Albéniz. This example is important because it contains two levels
of alternations. In the first level, the thumb alternates against a
right hand finger, but on the second level, the fingers themselves
are alternating. This is not only beautifully refined, but it creates a
musical quality superior to any produced by a simpler alternation
of only two fingers.
The third example is from Villa-Lobos' prelude 4, which introduces
a common 4-finger structure (p-i-m-a).
The final example, also by Villa-Lobos, is from the 3rd movement
of his guitar concerto. It shows a much more enriched alternation
sequence brought about by combining patterns.
The first part of the structure is similar to the one from Prelude 4.
There is a secondary structure on the second beat (i-m-a-i)
followed by structure 1 once again. The following measure then
repeats all of it in exactly the same way, and finally the last
measure in the example takes off using only the first part of the
structure.
MECHANICS PART 2
On the topic of string-crossing, Jorge reiterates that he thinks it is
better to use your finger to move, simply because it is more
precise than the arm in terms of measuring distances on the
strings. He highlights that there are some schools of thought that
disagree with this idea. They feel that it is unsafe for a finger to
alter its stroke motion to accommodate a string-cross, and instead
they suggest that the arm works out the distance while the fingers
simply sustain their normal motion.
Jorge explains that usually, players who have short follow-
throughs on their strokes prefer this approach, as it would be
more strenuous for their fingers to create elongations of a stroke.
He says that if you find that this method works for you by all
means, use it. He adds that aside from his personal preferences
on technique, the reason he prefers using the finger string-cross
has to do with quality of sound that it produces.
ADVANCED PRINCIPLES
The final point Jorge makes about alternation looks beyond
fingering pairs, structures, string-crosses and counting notes, and
analyzes at the actual movement of alternating fingers, which is
precisely where our potential for technical advancement resides.
From a purely mechanical perspective, alternating properly is
imperative for a guitarist because it provides stability to the right
hand, which unlike the left hand, is usually in a state of constant
motion.
MOTION & ALTERNATION
This is related to anatomy and physics, specifically concerning
Isaac Newton's Third Law and with the agonistic and antagonistic
properties of skeletal muscle groups in the forearm. Alternation
does not only assume a change of plucking fingers in the right
hand, but it also presupposes an exchange of finger functions for
optimal mechanics. And it is precisely at that point where
alternation as a principle of guitar technique acquires its true
potential.
Newton's Third Law of Motion:
"When one object exerts a force
on a second body, the second
body simultaneously exerts a
force equal in magnitude and
opposite in direction of the first
body."
MUSICAL EXAMPLES
After explaining the theory behind alternation Jorge provides us
with some examples to illustrate how to resolve alternation
problems.
Pujol, Book 2, Etude 1
As you'll see when studying this etude, given the symmetry of the
musical lines and the way they lay on the fingerboard, pairing
notes to track alternation makes a lot of sense, simply because if
you were to try to count sequentially it would be impractical.
Pairing here is not without difficulties, as in this etude we'll run
into two string-crosses back to back; but that can be resolved
easily with practice.
Carcassi, Etude 1, Op. 60
This etude, though somewhat similar in sound and character to
the Pujol etude, would probably benefit from a mixed approach
between pairing and sequential counting, as pretty soon we'll
encounter left hand shifts in the lines, which as we discussed,
require more sophistication.
Villa-Lobos Etude 1
This is one of the most iconic patterns in the guitar literature. The
simplicity of the staggered ordering of the notes betrays the
beautiful richness of the right hand pattern, which makes use of
all of the fingers by way of concatenating several smaller patterns.
To learn concatenated patterns, it's always best to separate them
by components, and then chain together gradually.
Ponce, Variations sur "La Folie d'Espagne" et Fugue, Variation
II, mm. 17 - 20
This is an interesting example where using a more complex
fingering structures provides with better solutions. Jorge gives us
several versions of the same excerpt.
The first one is as published by Segovia, with all of the fingerings
he added (which aren't much as far as the right hand is
concerned), and then 3 different versions, where Jorge explains
what happens if you only use a basic alternation pair.
The final version, which is the one Jorge plays in concert, he has
provided us with a more refined, 3-finger structure solution.
Try to go through all of examples so you can compare them on
your own. Remember that when you do that you have to study
them well enough so you are comfortable playing each one
equally. That way it's easier to keep an objective mind when we
evaluate their quality.
Jorge Caballero, Midsummer Love Serenade, mvt. 6.
This is a 2-measure fragment from a 27-minute long piece that
Jorge wrote recently. Though it is not part of the main repertoire,
he included it because it shows some more complex aspects of
motion where string crossing is the best option.
Here are the two versions, where the only difference between
them is the very first note of the pattern in each bar. While the
first version makes sense from a position perspective, it is actually
the second version the one that will work best. This is because in
the first version you'll have hyperactive index and ring fingers in
the first and second measure respectively, whereas the second
version offers a better balance of alternation for the right hand.
Hector Tosar, Ghandara, tone rows section
The final example is an extension of the previous example. Here,
the string crosses are quite extreme, but they are the only
solution to this passage that makes sense for proper mobility of
the right hand. To work on something like this, once again you can
use the method of breaking down the concatenations into smaller
groups, with the added caveat that you also need to practice the
string-crossing distance
RESOURCES
Jorge Caballero's lesson on Sevillana
Check out Jorge's lesson on Sevillana for more tips and tricks to
interpreting this work.
Jorge Caballero on "The tonebase Classical Guitar Podcast"
Go further inside the mind of Maestro Caballero with his episode
of "The tonebase Classical Guitar Podcast," hosted by David
Steinhardt!
NOTES
