Left hand
- Maintaining an appropriate free left-hand shape which facilitates accurate placement of the fingers
- recognising and playing with secure intonation more consistently
- developing speed, strength and flexibility of finger action at a variety of tempi
- developing security in different positions and when changing between positions
- developing a variety of tone colours, including hammer-ons and pull-offs from a fretted note, left-hand tapping, slides, string bends and left-handed dampening
- beginning to use natural harmonics
Teach learners exercises using the technique of planting fingers (to be carried out in all positions) so as to develop strength and dexterity across the fingerboard rather than in a linear way.
Teach some hammer-on and pull-off exercises for the left hand on fretted strings. Ask learners to experiment with these techniques in familiar tunes, aiming for a steady rhythm and a clear tone.
Explore hammer-on and pull-off techniques when slapping and popping.
Demonstrate (or play a video demonstrating) the use of left-hand tapping and ask learners to experiment with various musical examples that feature this technique.
Sometimes films about musicians’ lives explain how various techniques have developed, e.g. Crossroads (Robert Johnson to Steve Vie).
Demonstrate the use of natural harmonics.
Make sure harmonics are played with the left-hand finger directly above, not behind, the fret: where harmonics are concerned, the finger is the fret.
Play bass lines that incorporate left hand muting and ghost notes.
Introduce an awareness of different intervallic shapes and how these can be used to compose and improvise bass lines.
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