Week 3 · 12 min
Move the thumb beneath the tremolo
By the end, you can trace the bass movement of Recuerdos under three even upper notes.
Before this lesson
Lesson steps
1 Read the thumb line
Play just the six thumb notes in each bar.
3 min · 66 bpm · 1 note per click
Check for · 2 bars at 72 BPM — each thumb note lands on its click.
More detail
Play only the thumb on strings 5, 4, 3, 4, 3 and 4. Check this one-note-per-click reduction by ear.
2 Add the three upper strokes
Add a-m-i on string 2 after each open bass.
3 min · 66 bpm · 4 notes per click
Check for · 2 bars at 72 BPM — the upper string stays the same through all six groups.
More detail
With open strings you can listen just to the right hand. The thumb follows the route of the reduction.
3 Find the fretted bass notes
Repeat the reduction and find the next fret while each note sounds.
3 min · 72 bpm · 1 note per click
Revisit the tablature · Step 1
Check for · 4 bars at 78 BPM — each fretted note sounds on the click.
More detail
Open string 5 starts both bars. Notice where the note on string 3 changes.
4 Keep the bass in the background
Loop the open-string pattern while listening to the three upper notes.
3 min · 72 bpm · 4 notes per click
Revisit the tablature · Step 2
Check for · 4 bars at 78 BPM — you hear three upper notes at every move of p.
More detail
At the repeat the thumb moves from string 4 to string 5. Keep the i-p spacing steady.
You can move on when…
You pass when you keep six groups per bar for 4 bars at 78 BPM as the bass changes.
If a movement feels difficult
The thumb hesitates at the string change.
Play the thumb line alone for two bars before adding the three upper notes.
The thumb covers the melody.
Repeat one bar with a lighter bass. Keep listening for all three upper notes.