I'm a Brazilian guitar teacher, and I'm blown away with the information provided on your channel. I'm not ashamed to say that a taught wrong during these years. As soon as I'm financially stable I'm going to became Aton's student, this is pure information. I'm also a music college student and my final project is going to be about "universal technic" and I hope I can exchange information with Anton. Cheers man !
Absolutely Incredible Tony!!! You are my #1 inspiration ever since I first seen you! I have to congratulate you on your English, it is just perfect and you sound so natural as if English were your first language! Way to go my friend it's so great to see how far you've come and all you've done and I can't wait to see what's next. You really can achieve anything you set your mind to and you inspire us to do the same :) Much Love and Respect to you and your family from me and my family all the way from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada ;)
Killer video! I’ve been a massive fan of the concept of “economy of motion” since I was briefly in martial arts in the 90s and obsessed with Bruce Lee 😂. Psychology is also amazing. This video combines multiple things that should live together but seldom seem to with many teachers thoughtlessly regurgitating common practice rather than thinking and teaching with purpose. Keep it up! Im very interested in your course
What about reach though? Even you tend to switch to a classical position for wide interval string skipping. I see that as the big advantage of the classical position. The more you progress into the blues position, the less reach you have, proportionally. I think you should basically keep as much in the blues position as possible while being prepared to gradually switch between the positions on a gradient depending on how much extra reach is needed. It's what you seem to do.
@@genustinca5565 For me classical is better for everything except vibrato. The blues position allows me to take better advantage of the rotation of my fretting forearm to power the vibrato. Classical feels much better for navigating between notes, though.
Orthopaedic surgeon here. Very interesting! The anatomy snippet was accurate. Few thoughts : 1. The natural 'cascade' of the fingers (try flexing and extending the wrist ) naturally rolls from the classic position to your position as you move from the top strings to thinner strings. So I guess comfort is King.. and this suits all hand sizes. 2. The classical position is hyperflexed at the wrist ( ie the cotton loder position ) which is more prone to overuse carpal tunnel issues. So I tend to use the flatter position you were talking about especially for the thinner strings and definitely for the higher notes. Thanks!
Flexing the wrist towards the center of its range (away from the relaxed position that sits close to the end of the range of extension) unlocks the MCP joints allowing them to abduct. This is essential in classical guitar where we play polyphony, multiple indepent and simultaneous lines in bass and trebles. Fingers need to move simultaneously in opposite directions and thus the arm needs to stay neutral. To minimize the flexion of the wrist we raise the guitar neck which makes the guitar sit in balance and contributes to its stability which is essential for finger precision.
Brother, you are by far the BEST player and teacher there is currently. And more than likely, for some time to come. You are smart, intelligent, and humble.
Anton Oparin and Stephen Taranto are without a doubt the two most technical (while staying perfectly clean) guitarists that I've discovered while scouring the net for virtuosos over the last 15 years. Like Anton, Stephen also has that sort of absurd level of alternate picking where they seem to pick as comfortably as tremolo picking one note on one string despite actually going all over the neck horizontally and vertically. Their forearms never fail to perfectly crane their wrists to the next string and it's as if they can't miss, even while string skipping, as if the position of notes is completely irrelevant. He doesn't really mess with dynamics much, though. Maybe he could but it's just his musical style to mostly be going all out at all times. Anton has insane dynamic control in addition to the clean speed across strings so he probably takes the cake. Then again Stephen probably has better tapping and sweeping and a lot of his super wide interval licks sound alien-like or like a computer glitching out, just sort of scary sounding honestly. They're both way in front of the pack.
I play electric 9-42s and folk something-10. With steel strings, I gotta say my thumb spends most of its time at the top of the neck, except when I have to do wide stretches. The thumb also serves as a muting tool, and occasionally a fretting tool, although my thumb seems too short to be used as often as a fretting tool as I'd like and I have had great success refingering thumb licks with the index (and I'm very glad I found these working solutions where people won't hear any difference). Most of my vibrato and bending comes from wrist power and so this "rock position" feels indeed like - and is provably - the best position to use in 90% of scenarios. However, I have tried playing a classical guitar with nylon strings where the neck is as wide as an airplane runway and each string has the pacific ocean separating it from the other strings, and I can tell you I quite quickly naturally fall back to "classical position", as I fight for my life to get anything to sound good. So... although I agree with you anybody who says classical position is the only good one is wrong and obviously clueless about rock guitar, I'm not sure I agree with your idea that classical position is a myth. It applies in some cases. Unless I misunderstood what you were saying, that's where I'd disagree. Keep up the great playing anyway Anton, it's always a pleasure to hear you play !
Those broken chords just after two minutes in remind me of the beginning of Moonlight's 3rd movement. Sick how clean that sounds at that speed. Anton is always doing stuff I didn't think was possible. GOMY in standard thing and no human capo, now this. Just. Wow.
Never ceases to amaze! I remember watching your cover of Frenzy, you were 8yo maybe? I tought it was dubbed because I didn't think it was possible for a kid to play it note for note clean. And here we are now lol
Completly rigjt.Just have more opening space in the class position, which I've always used. Thumb? Leave it for other things. Bravo for this video👏👏🤘🤘🤘
Very interesting. I've wondered about this topic before. Why is classical position promoted when the other position feels so much better and more natural. It's good to finally have an answer. Thanks for sharing 😁
I prefer classical position of guitar between my legs, it simply puts the stress off of my hands, it just fits. On the right leg, yes, I can play but acces to frets closer to the nut is a bit limited for me...I probably dont hold it right in that position so thats why I use classical style. It simply puts the guitar in the right angle. My fretting hand is not in a one position though, it changes from technique to technique, dometimes you need to grip the shit out of it, sometimes you dont, sometimes thumb is behind the neck, for bends and vibrato it isnt.
Everything I read said classical position was the thing, so I always did that, consequently my hammer-ons and pull offs are far clearer than anyone else's it's wild, but I've always wanted to learn the "angle hand" position as everyone seems to do it for some reason. To me it just feels super awkward and weak when I try...I mean, I can do it but not with as much authority and confidence, plus, bending requires rocking your whole hand which is so strange, I just push my fingers straight into the strings.
ok, the anatomy is way more than I wanted to know. thanks! Question... that split coil sound you have going on when you are playing... is that position 2 on the guitar switch or how are you getting that sound? Sounds like pos 2 with coil split to me. let me know. thanks and you should be in the top 10 electric guitarist lists!!! At least for technique alone. You and Shawn Lane are, as Paul Gilbert once said, terrifying! hahahh
I wish we could do a Skype lesson because I'm currently healing from left hand tendonitis due to poor left hand technique. I like to angle my hand like you're showing in this video but it only works on the unwound strings. I have to go back into the classic position to be able to use my pinky when playing on the wound strings due to the fact that I need to stretch my hand more to play 3 notes per string.
Old video so I doubt you'll see this but there is one thing that I think differs from classical and electric position: reach. First the scale length on a classical is already slightly bigger (close to 26"scale and usually also a wider neck too) but more important, from what I've seen from classical guitar players that actually play well, Classical music, they are *expected* to play some really wide and hard-to-reach intervals sometimes bordering on the silly. On electric guitar however, you're not really expected to maintain 2-3 voice harmonies/counterpoints or really silly wide chords (Unless you're maybe a Jazz player) since the context is almost always as part of a full band with at the very least a bass player taking care of bass notes and far more upper fret access where electric guitar as a solo-ing but part of an ensemble instrument really shines. Contrast this with classical guitar where you're really using the low to mid range and very often as a solo instrument carrying harmony if not counterpoint then you can see why the technique is not built necessarily for being anatomically correct but as a compromise to be able to play the challenging parts: guitar position with foot stools becomes integral but I always see it as more of a being able to reach those horrible stretches and not really about what's best for bending on the middle of the instrument like most electric guitar players do.
Interesting. For decades I'd always played with classical position, as that's how I sort of just learned, though I'm primarily an electric lead rock player. A few years ago, I consciously decided to 'close in' on the neck like the average rock player. At first, this bothered my knuckles a bit as it causes your fingers to operate in a more closed fashion, but they got over it eventually, and now it feels very natural, and it's more efficient - less finger travel. However, for long stretches, and generally when doing legato( I can get more finger travel for hammer-ons), I have to go back to classical position. I can go back and forth pretty easily. By the way, that psychological clip is creepy.. that is so applicable today even for adults, with the political environment and mass media influence. Lastly, killer intro, holy crap!
Wow! Just found out about your channel, in love with your videos! I have a question though, it feels very weird for me to play with the guitar 100% horizontal sitting on my right leg (im right handed), it feels way easier and natural for me to play with the guitar sitting on my left leg, slightly tilted, something like the classical position. Is there a reason for that? Like, scientific explanation? I dont twist my wrist in the same way a classical guitar player would, i usually keep it neutral.
Anton, your picking technique is the best I've seen. Has Troy Grady reached out to you? I sent him a video of yours a few years ago during the pandemic. Maybe teaming up with Troy could get you in front of a bigger audience.
I rewatched and I get what you mean now. I'd be interested to see your thoughts on larger stretches like 6th's and 7th's across multiple strings. Another thing that I'm having a little trouble figuring out is using this support on the high E string...
Estaría bueno que se pueda poner subtitulos español para los que somos de latinoamerica para enter mejor las clases saludos desde Buenos Aires Argentina maestro
That intro solo is completely incredible. I can hear many influences from classical composers in thar solo, but i don't know anything about classical music. Could someone help me with the name of someone who composed "similar" things or something? Also the anathomy part was really interesting, I thought i would be something very simple as it usualy is in other videos, but this one y very complete and correct with everithin. Congratulations!
I feel the opposite, if I try to play the classic Paul gilbert legato lick that involves the ring finger and the pinky it's much easier for me to play it with the classic position than the "stronger" position you talk about. Why is that?
Amazing player, but you make assumptions you don’t explain. It feels like poor logic, but perhaps you were constrained by the RU-vid format. For example, classical guitar is not held at a 45° angle to the hips with the headstock pointed away, level across the hips, nor does it sit on your right knee. That radically changes both the left/right and up/down angle of the wrist. Nor does a classical guitarist support the weight of the neck with his left hand. The fingerboard is considerably wider making hooking your thumb over impractical. Etc. The point of the modern classical position (your graphics from the 1930’s notwithstanding) is that if you relax your arm and shoulder down your side, bend naturally at the elbow bringing your hand in it’s most relaxed and neutral position about 20cm in front of your chest, that is where the fretboard should be. I don’t think your analysis holds true for actual classical guitar. Perhaps if you title your video, “Ergonomic problems of attempting a classical guitar hand position while holding an electric guitar on your right knee, level, and at an angle away from your body” it would be more accurate.
hi good channel! I always felt this technique much more natural and stronger too - my only problem is to make barre chords, where I do need to do a little bend in my wrist, otherwise I will not reach the chord. is normal or my hand too small?
It is normal, there's so much more to talk about in this issue, but I can't tell everything in one video. I have it in my academy, but not on RU-vid. This issue is too big to discuss here
I always envy independent finger movements. 😢 Any chance i can improve? And hand synchronization. Got a week pinky. But im getting used to using it now. Hopes not too late for me. Lol
Of course you can, there're lots of ways to improve both finger independence and synchronization. As well as strength of weak fingers. Not too late unless you're 90 and just started, in this case I would consider that it's a bit late probably to start learning guitar technique lol
i always thought that index finger anchoring was cheating, depressing the strings so other fingers get more movement, in someways what it does is lower the action of the strings but maybe that is not what this video is about.
Problem is, you cant play classical guitar with very small hands using your technique. Imagine being a small woman with small hands playing a full scale classical guitar. Not gonna happen unless you use the classical technique. Your technique isn't practical if you aren't a dude with above average hands playing an ibanez with low action
I firstly thought the same thing. But after that I rewatched his childhood videos and throw this mindset away. Just playing with this livehack for a week and results are very promising.
@@MichaelWeizenfeld I could only find one video of him, at 14, shredding the high strings on an ibanez. When I say kids, I mean 8 yo. There is a reason the classical technique exists, and no, it's not just a big hoax people just keep spreading because they are too dumb. It is because classical guitar isn't shredding the high strings and require your fingers to be placed in a much different way. Plus, Antonio doesn't actually know if this technique is viable or not because it takes years to develop issues related to technique and he is still super young. I thought too that my technique was better than the common way but then was proven wrong when I damaged my tendons. Again, there is a reason most people don't learn his way and the classical way.
@@MrFlejon The main reason is that people often don't know what they are doing. I relearned another technique many times when I realized it was a dead end. Now I’m retraining myself on Oparin’s technique, because the things he shows no one else can do. And he does it in a relaxed manner, which, as far as I now understand, is the key to technique. Now about the classics. I don’t really understand why you’re dragging it in here, given that we’re talking about a completely different instrument, style and, accordingly, technique. FYI I studied at a music school, and I still play couple pieces by Carcassi, and I clearly understand the huge difference between the instruments.
here is a take as to why classical fretting hand is the "correct" way. People were much shorter centuries ago, their hands were smaller, and classical fretting hand is the best for people with small hands. I can see you have huge hands, so it doesn't make a difference to you putting the thumb over the neck
Still solo parts can be more efficient with second support even if your hands would be a lot smaller than mine. My hands aren't huge, my pinky for instance is about 5.7cm, measure yours, it will be approximately the same.
To isolate musculus lumbricales more and tense the adductor pollicis? Lol dude play what I played on both electric and acoustic guitars first and then we'll see who needs advice.
Bro i just discover you , im chocking , i almost cry with that intro, i thought i would never found this kind of musicality and virtuoso playin, bro top notch fucking level ,🤧💯🫂 better than ynwie,
Even though I agree on the analysis of the strength, I found long time again a classical guitarist explaining their technique, expecially the use of the gravity to apply the pressure on the frets. I I found that it works quite efficiently since the weight of the arms is applying pressure, it allow the fingers to use their strenght to move horizontaly on the fretboard (especially on bar chords). I am by no means a master but the classical position is also years of empirical studies and make comon sense to if you see it from a different angle. Anyway the goal is to make good music, and I found great one in here.
