Left (fretting) hand pressure and its effect on the right hand tremolo

Learning the tremolo technique for classical guitar through Recuerdos de la Alhambra

One thing I try to do on a consistent basis is moniter the force I’m exerting to fret notes on the guitar. One reason is that you can injure your fingers if you use too much force to fret notes. Another reason is that over-exertion of the left hand can detrimentally affect your right hand technique, especially with a technique like the tremolo. I’ve noticed my tremolo get choppy as a result of too much force being applied with the left hand.

A good way to back off is to play a scale and fret the notes without the left thumb pressing against the back of the fingerboard. Your left thumb just hangs in the air as you fret each note of the scale. This will give you a better idea of how much force you need to use to actually fret a note, where that force should come from (not the thumb but the weight of the left arm) as well as make you realize how the left thumb can destroy left hand technique. When working on a right hand technique such as the tremolo, don’t lose sight of how both hands work together.

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