Thanks for purchasing the book.

When your finger comes into contact with the string, allow the finger to relax slightly as a direct response to the pressure from the string. This is the ‘give.’ You should feel a springy sensation in your tip joint as you do this.

But don’t allow the tip joint to give way completely, maintain that springy feeling at the tip joint. The amount of give depends on the sound you want. If you want more power, stiffen the tip joint more, if you want a soft sound allow the tip joint to give more. That’s why I call the tip joint the power joint.

Concerning the point about the release and plucking occurring together, as soon as you pluck the string, let go completely, release all tension in your finger the instant you clear the string. The moment of plucking must be the moment of release of all tension. It’s similar to the same sensation when you hit a nail with a hammer, you release tension on impact.

You are probably already playing this way. Most people play that way naturally. The reason I have to mention it is because some players intentionally try to exaggerate the follow-through in their fingers after plucking. When you focus too much on the follow-through, the inevitable result is that you do not release the tension in your finger after you pluck.

Hope this makes sense.

I purchased your book, and have been reading it and also your blog posts intently in order to free up my right hand technique. I am a flamenco player, rather than classical, where having a fast, efficient, and precisely rhythmic right hand technique is particularly essential.

I am a bit confused about the pull-stroke technique however. I see that you recommend the right hand knuckles being positioned further up from the finger being plucked to facilitate the pulling action on the string. But what it mean to allow the fingertip to “give”? What does it mean for the release and plucking to occur together? Is it the same sensation as when I curl my fingers, and then bend my fingertip joint towards the palm of my hand?

Perhaps I am already doing my free strokes just as you describe, but I am not sure.

I understand your concern. Suzuki certainly isn’t the way to end all ways but there are things about his approach that are/were revolutionary. The whole idea that very young children can learn how to play great music by Bach and others was unheard of at the time Suzuki attempted it. His approach in general was to use language learning of the mother tongue as a model for learning music. This is a fascinating idea which resulted in going against convention. Learning by ear for example as opposed to learning to read music right away and providing an immersive environment is another. I encourage you to look into it, I think you will find some interesting and useful ideas. But this is just my opinion of course.