Hold the note for full value was a phrase I heard from the band teacher in my school district. Of course, he was referring to holding a quarter note as a quarter note, or a whole note as a whole note, not cutting them short. For about a month in the 5th grade, I was placed on baritone by the man who was at the helm of our school’s instrumental music program. It was only a few weeks due to my lack of interest in the baritone, but that one take away has remained for decades.
After (just about) twenty-two years of teaching guitar, I still urge students to hold a note for full value. For so many beginning students and undeveloped or poorly developed individuals with experience in playing, the need to gain a greater, conscious control over the hands is imperative…provided someone is seeking to improve.
One example of improvement that can be placed upon the left hand: If I’m ascending a string from the 5th (index), to the 6th (middle), to the 7th (ring), to the 8th fret (pinky), I would seek to allow each and every finger to remain in contact with the string as I move up the string. Basically, four fingers would be on the string by the time I play the final note. A principle of completed flow would be present. This is a basic exercise anyone could feasibly do: move it to different strings, different frets, play repeatedly on one string, move between to strings, etc. Many, many permutations exist.
A method book used by me, and many guitar instructors, is the Hal Leonard Method. Each string has “small print” that carries a directive to “leave the first finger down” while moving to the ring finger. Also: “leave second finger down…” on the D & A strings. This book does not feature a pattern-centric exercise like I referenced above. The exercises are more melodic. BUT, the principle remains!
Leaving a finger in place contributes to the ability to allow notes to flow into each other, with a full value of whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, etc. Many people release their fingers before placing the next note. This contributes to a staccato sound that isn’t necessarily welcome at that point in the book; at that point in development of technique.
Alex Kelley 