The What and Why of Visualization

• Visualization is the ability to hear and see a piece of music without the guitar in your hands
• This ability will help to eliminate confusion and errors that hide when we rely solely on muscle memory
• A piece isn't truly "known" until the ability to visualize a piece away from the guitar is secure

1. Solfege - using fixed syllables of the Do, Re, Mi system to represent all of the notes on the guitar (second line of example below)
2. Dutch - using fixed syllables of the C, D, E system to represent all of the notes on the guitar (third line of example below)
3. Sound - using only sound to represent all the notes on the guitar

Visualization

Finger Movement

When visualizing music for the guitar it is important to realize that you must know each finger movement. The left hand must be directed by the mind to the correct place on the guitar. This makes seeing the fret board mentally extremely important.

Another focus should be the right hand movement. After the left hand visualization has been established, then one can begin work on the right hand. This type of visualization is not needed for every piece. However, when working on complex movements like Bach you might consider the visualization of the right hand indispensable.