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'Lullaby' Acoustic Piece - Part 1

Rick Graham 210 lessons

The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed that I am using a thumbpick for this piece. I must admit that I haven't often used one, but I tried the piece with it and quite enjoyed the sound so I decided to keep it in the mix. If you prefer to use your thumb then that's absolutely fine.

Okay, the piece is entitled 'Lullaby' for a reason. I wrote this after I was inspired by a piece written by the Cuban guitarist/composer Leo Brouwer called 'Cancion de Cuna' (translated as 'Cradle Song'). The meter is 3/4 and it is vital that you approach this piece with as much control over the rhythm as possible.

The opening requires use of pizzicato which involves using the palm of the right hand to mute the strings. I feel this really lends itself toward a rocking sensation as if a cradle were being rocked, so try and keep that image at the forefront of your mind as you play it.

I have notated the bass voices with eighth notes when they occur, but it is vital that you let these notes ring into each other otherwise it will not work. Just use the video performance as your guide as everything you need to know is in there.

Also, feel free to use my left and right hand fingerings as a blueprint. If you find that you prefer something slightly different that doesn't affect the flow of the music, then go for it.

See you in Part 2!

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