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Guide Fingers

Useful Classical Guitar Technique

Using guide fingers on guitar means that you use a finger (any appropriate finger) to move from one note to another as smoothly as possible. As the word "guide" suggests, your finger stays in contact with the string or strings when moving from point "a" to point "b".

Of course, you do let the pressure off but not to the extent that it actually leaves the string. It is also NOT a slide as a slide on guitar is heard. So using guide fingers is really about the degree of pressure, or a release of pressure.

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The thumb also stays in contact with the back of the neck of the guitar behind the first or second finger when using guide fingers.

At this point I should mention a close relative of the guide finger, namely, the pivot finger. Pivot fingers are used to smoothly change closely from one place to another. For instance, if you are playing a piece of music that is very “chordal” in nature, you can use pivot fingers to help out.

A good case in point is in the Twenty Studies of Sor (arranged by Segovia). If you’re familiar with Study No. 1 in that book you’ll know what I mean about using pivot fingers. Here is a little graphic of the music…

You can see in the penultimate bar that your 4th finger holds the "F" note whilst you get your 1st and 3rd fingers into position to play both the "C" notes. The pivot fingers help you to leverage your other fingers into position and make for a smooth, noise-free change.

As with all other lessons on this site my best advice is to practice very slowly and regularly. Good guitar technique demands it! It always pays handsome dividends.

Good luck!

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Here is an excellent resource that covers a lot more than guide fingers...

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