Nick Jennison - Expressive Techniques

"Nick Jennison - Expressive Techniques" is an exceptional guitar lesson series available on LickLibrary.com, meticulously designed to elevate your guitar playing by focusing on the nuances of expressive techniques. These lessons, crafted and presented by the talented Nick Jennison, delve into the core aspects of guitar expression, offering a comprehensive understanding and practical application of various techniques. Below, we explore each segment of this series, highlighting the benefits to the viewer.

What is Expression?

Expression in guitar playing refers to the ability to convey emotions and feelings through your instrument. It's what transforms a technically sound performance into an emotionally engaging one. This segment introduces the concept of musical expression, demonstrating how subtle nuances in playing can evoke a wide range of emotions. Learning these principles will help you connect more deeply with your music and audience.

Bending Mechanics

Bending is a fundamental technique where a string is pushed or pulled to change its pitch. In this lesson, Nick Jennison explains the mechanics of bending, including finger placement, string tension, and proper execution. Mastering bending mechanics enhances your ability to add emotional depth and intensity to your solos, making your playing more dynamic and expressive.

Vibrato Mechanics

Vibrato involves oscillating a note to create a fluctuation in pitch, adding warmth and sustain. This section covers the mechanics of vibrato, focusing on hand movement, speed control, and consistency. Understanding vibrato mechanics allows you to infuse your notes with a singing quality, enriching your overall sound.

Sliding Mechanics

Sliding is a technique where a note is played by moving the finger along the string to reach another fret. This lesson breaks down the mechanics of sliding, emphasising smooth transitions and accuracy. Mastery of sliding mechanics facilitates seamless note transitions, making your playing fluid and connected.

Bending Exercises

Bending exercises are crucial for building strength and precision in your fingers. This part of the course provides a series of targeted exercises designed to improve your bending technique. Regular practice of these exercises will increase your bending accuracy and control, allowing for more expressive phrasing.

Sliding Exercises

Sliding exercises help develop coordination and fluidity in your playing. In this section, Nick Jennison offers a variety of exercises to practice smooth and accurate slides. These exercises are essential for creating effortless transitions between notes, enhancing your melodic playing.

Bending Applications

Applying bending techniques in a musical context is vital for expressive playing. This segment demonstrates how to incorporate bends into solos and melodies, showcasing their emotional impact. By learning bending applications, you'll be able to add expressive bends to your playing, enriching your musical expression.

Sliding Applications

This lesson focuses on integrating slides into your playing style. Nick Jennison provides examples of how sliding can be used effectively in different musical contexts. Understanding sliding applications enables you to add expressive slides to your solos, creating more dynamic and interesting phrases.

Combining Expressive Techniques

Combining multiple expressive techniques can significantly enhance your playing. This part of the course teaches you how to blend bending, vibrato, and sliding to create more intricate and emotive performances. Learning to combine these techniques will make your playing more versatile and expressive.

Solo Study

The solo study segment is where all the techniques come together. Nick Jennison performs a solo incorporating the expressive techniques covered in the lessons. Seeing these techniques in a performance context is incredibly useful as it provides a real-world application, showing how they can be used to create compelling and emotive solos. Watching a professional like Nick Jennison perform also offers inspiration and a benchmark for your practice.

Techniques Covered

1. Vibrato
2. String Bending
3. Slides
4. Bending Mechanics
5. Sliding Mechanics
6. Bending Exercises
7. Sliding Exercises
8. Bending Applications
9. Sliding Applications
10. Combining Expressive Techniques