# "Correct" technique



## Dim7

I'm not sure in which subforum to post this. I'm curious whether in classical music there's a strong consensus what is the"correct" or "ideal" technique, and that something is a "bad habit" even though a lot of players do it naturally.

I'm mainly thinking about piano and violin technique. I've only dabbled with piano and never played violin. I have played electric guitar quite a lot and once seriously tried to become a "shredder". What I noticed that elite players had often very different ways of playing guitar in terms of how they hold the pick, whether they pick from the wrist or elbow or even from the fingers, the angle they pick from, how is their right hand touching the guitar etc. Some random internet guy might have a strong opinion that "this kind of technique is inferior and this superior", but another might have a totally different opinion. But violin and piano technique have been studied longer and more seriously, so maybe it is a bit different for those? Or not?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

For guitar, I favour figure picking as the best technique- harder to master put gives much more range in possible sounds and options


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## Ingélou

In classical violin, there is quite a lot of argument about which bow hold to adopt, or the type of vibrato; or whether certain passages are best played in third position or whatever. These are matters of choice, and great violinists, past and present, have tackled them in different ways.

But there are also things that are taken-as-read as being 'correct', such as keeping the left wrist straight rather than allowing your palm to have contact with the neck of the violin (except in higher positions); not gripping your violin neck too hard; and not 'sawing from the shoulder'. Different types of bowing - lifting, spiccato, portamento etc - will be required for different types of music, and it wouldn't be 'correct' to tackle them any way you felt like.

For interest, I'm posting a link to a YT video about common left hand mistakes which I found very illuminating:





When playing non-classical music, there will be wider variation. But still, there will be ideas about 'doing it right' - for example, playing double-stops in Scottish folk music, or rolls and crans in Irish.

I don't know anything about guitar, but I would have thought that classical guitar would involve a few ideas of 'correct technique'.

Every craft has its 'mystery', and I think learners have to be prepared to do what seems difficult at first in the cause of making progress.


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## tdc

Ingélou said:


> I don't know anything about guitar, but I would have thought that classical guitar would involve a few ideas of 'correct technique'.


Yes there are a lot of ideas about correct technique in classical guitar, too many to sum up in one post in fact. I think Scott Tennant's DvD _Pumping Nylon_ is a good starting point.

I think it is the same with the other instruments and ingelou is correct there are certain areas that are commonly agreed upon and others that are more personal preference.

Obviously getting assistance from teachers is important, but personally I prefer a teaching approach that has some flexibility as opposed to an attitude of essentially "anything that differs from what I tell you is wrong".


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