Left hand
- Maintaining an appropriate free left-hand shape which facilitates accurate placement of the fingers
- recognising and playing with secure intonation
- developing speed, strength and flexibility of finger action
- beginning elementary position work, including simple shifts
- beginning to develop various tone colours through hammer-ons and pull-offs on open strings, slides and string bends
Teach learners to play exercises, scales and arpeggios that include left-hand positional changes.
By ear, and from notation, teach learners some pieces that incorporate positional changes.
Demonstrate how a tune can be played using several positions.
Teach some hammer-on and pull-off exercises for the left hand on open strings. Ask learners to experiment with these techniques in familiar tunes, aiming for a steady rhythm and a clear tone.
Show learners how to add slides to a well-known tune so as to embellish the melodic line.
Listen to some two- and three-note slides. Devise some exercises that incorporate them. Ask learners to play them, emphasising the need for smoothness and rhythmic accuracy.
Help learners to learn some riffs that include string bends.
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