Day 4: Choose the most natural mechanics

What you’ll accomplish today

By the end of Day 4, you’ll have:

• Fingerings that feels natural, not forced
• One “anchor” idea (ex. guide finger, anticipation, ghost finger)
• A written movement plan you can follow
• 10 clean reps in a row with the metronome (more proof!)

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Step 1: Quick fingering “truth test”

Play the spot briefly near final tempo, just enough to learn one thing: Does this fingering actually work at full speed?

If the answer is "no" take a few minutes to experiment with alternative fingering options that you may not have tried yet. Get creative and let ease/comfort be your guide.

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Step 2: Choose an “anchor”

Pick one of these to make movements feel connected:

Option A: Anticipation

Place a finger early before you “need” it.

Option B: Guide finger

Keep a finger connected to the string through a shift – in other words, “track” the string.

Option C: Ghost finger

Add a non-essential finger (either right or left hand) just to create a stable contact point.

Choose an anchor and commit to it for today. That’s often all it takes to make a passage feel more secure.

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Step 3: If it’s a big shift, make it stepwise

If your spot includes a bigger jump:

• replace the destination with a closer version first
• move the destination up the neck fret-by-fret until you reach the real one
• put your eyes on the destination before you arrive
• keep it one fluid gesture (not a panic grab)

This turns “a leap of faith” into a controlled landing.

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Step 4: Reduce effort: pressure + barre planning

Two small changes often make a spot instantly more reliable:

1) Use less pressure

Press closer to the fret so the note speaks with minimal effort.

2) If there’s a barre: form it early

Decide where it’s convenient to set up the shape before you need it, so the arrival is easy.

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Step 5: Write your movement plan

Once you've identified a few tools to make the passage more secure, write one short line above the spot. For example:

• “Keep 1 as guide; look ahead to where I'm shifting; land with less pressure.”
• “Pre-form barre before beat 2; minimum pressure near fret.”
• “Prepare 3rd finger early; release pressure as the note rings.”

Keep your plan simple – one line you can actually remember.

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Step 6: Proof it: 10 clean reps

Set a metronome tempo where it stays clean and go for 10 clean reps in a row

If you miss, just slow down slightly and earn the 10 reps. Every day, you’re building something you can trust.

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Watch today’s clips (2 minutes)

Thomas Viloteau: “Choose fingerings you can actually play fast”

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Mircea Gogoncea: “Front-load the work with preparation”

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Before you go

Make sure these are filled in:

My anchor is: ____________________
My movement plan is: ____________________
My clean tempo today is: ____________________

Tomorrow we’ll start building speed without losing the ease you’ve just created. See you then!

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