I was self taught for many years, and more or less played arpeggios with releasing each finger after striking the string. I believe, as others have previously expressed herein, that this allows for relaxation of the finger (and hand) and aids in prepration for the next note with that particular finger.

My first teacher was a Phd in classical guitar music and the musical partner of Mr. Richard Provost (mentioned hereinabove). As might be expected he immediately set about having me strike the string leaving the finger "in" next to the palm. I, because of my many uniformed years, found this difficult, tension producing and exceedingly unatural (to me). Frankly, I never mastered it and further I never understood the wisdom of this approach, when all else seems to stress relaxation of finger, hand, wrist, etc. Although I'm sure Alan explained the rationale for this method of playing arpeggios, I have forgotten it.

My next teacher, also with a Phd in classical guitar, has never mentioned this, and I have quite happily been addressing arpeggios by striking and immediately relaxing. I find this much more fluid and natural, of course, I don't know if this is from the many "misguided" years of my self instrucion or from the inate benefits of this method. I hope it's the later, but it's probably the former.

Hope this helps, at least to illustrate two teachers and apparently two different approaches to essentially the same movement.

Cheers,

Curtis

That's what I recommend as well: leaving fingers in until they plant again, and sequencing everything in arpeggios. Granted I'm not as important as Provost or Tennant! These are what feel natural for me. but as someone mentioned already: do what feels natural and easy.

Anyway, here's what my hand looks like doing p i m a:p plays, i extends and plants, m and a extend a bit as welli plays, m extends and plays, a extends beyond the stringm plays, its motion pulls a onto the stringa plays, p plantsrepeat

Doing it this way lets me use a ton of sympathetic motion. I find that works well for me, but it doesn't work for everyone. I know several other students from my last school that had trouble with that method/strategy. Do what works, forget the academics.

chris davies