The study of the right hand techniques of expert guitarists from Andres Segovia to our day

In this work, the right hand technique of classical guitar, which dates back to the Renaissance era, has been studied and its evolution until the end of the 19th century, when today's common practice could be reached has been investigated. In doing so, it has been aimed to contribute to this technical problem, which could still not be fully solved by many contemporary guitarists and hence offer assistance to guitarists experiencing problems with their right hand technique. In this research, the methods published, works done and thesis elaborated by guitarists, composers and academicians such as D. Aguado, F. Sor, E. Pujol, H. Quine and S. Tenant have been used to monitor the evolution of the right hand technique in the course of history. The right hand technique of many expert guitarists, from Andres Segovia to our day, have been analysed, their right hand positionings, wrist angles, finger movements, nail shapes, taking also into consideration the factors influencing their right hand technique have been investigated in detail and it has been determined that each of those guitarists have developed their unique techniques in conformity with their own physical features. The biographies of the subject guitarists have also been examined, with the aim of determining the factors influencing their techniques in the light of the facilities and developments available to each of them in the years they lived. Moreover the concepts of tonality and tone color in guitar performance have been investigated in detail. It has been emphasized that those concepts are the two most important building stones of guitar performance characteristics and the factors effecting tonality and tone color have been outlined in detail. Another important matter in guitar performance, which is the nail factor has also been investigated in detail, the various methods of nail rasping have been explained, also mentioning relevant examples, giving detailed information about alternative nail shapes, nail maintenance, nail care and nail mending. In the light of these determinations, it has been concluded that an "absolute right" in the righthand technique does not exist and that it varies depending on the anatomy of each individual guitarist.