🎶 Start your 14-day free trial & unlock the full course today. Start Free Trial →
tonebase Guitar Course

Right Hand Basics Course

Taught by renowned guitarist 

Scott Tennant

Grammy Award-winning guitarist Scott Tennant is going back to the basics in this course to help you build a solid foundation for your right hand technique. Scott methodically works through each stage of developing your right hand technique, beginning with the position of your arm, hand, and fingers on the guitar. The lessons continue with a focus on first rest stroke (or apoyando) and then free (tirando) with exercises for developing each. Then, Scott breaks down the role of the thumb and teaches some simple Flamenco techniques to help you develop it. Finally, he ties everything together in the last lesson by discussing finger independence, providing different exercises to help strengthen your right hand coordination. Overall, this is a valuable resource for guitarists of every level looking to establish a strong right hand foundation!

  • checkmark icon
    Difficulty: 
    all-levels
  • checkmark icon
    Duration: 
    1
     hours
     hour
All courses on tonebase include subtitles in English and Spanish

Course Syllabus

Hand Position

Scott begins the course with an overview of what you will learn as well as his general philosophy for right hand technique. He goes on to begin teaching the basics of arm, hand, and finger position.

Finger Independence

Now it's time to put everything together! Follow along as Scott demonstrates different exercises to improve your finger independence and strengthen your right hand coordination!

How The Thumb Works

Time to give your thumb technique the attention it deserves! Find out why thumb rest stroke is an essential technique for any guitarist and learn some Flamenco technique along the way!

Free Stroke

Free stroke or tirando is an essential technique for guitar playing! Learn how it differs from rest stroke and how to avoid a brittle sound. Explore your own ideal hand position to unlock a new world of sound!

Rest Stroke

This lesson is all about apoyando, or rest stroke! Scott explains some basic ideas about the finger direction during rest stroke, and the importance of release. At the end of the lesson he explains how the tip joint plays into rest stroke technique.

Rest Stroke Exercises

Now it's time to apply the rest stroke principles you learned in the last lesson to your playing! The exercises Scott provides start out slow and progressively get faster.

Click here to download the course workbook PDF and see the full syllabus →
Access this course and hundreds more.

Click below to access hundreds of exclusive classical guitar courses, available only on tonebase.

Unlock Course →
Scott Tennant
meet YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Scott Tennant

Founding member of the Grammy Award winning LA Guitar Quartet, Scott Tennant is known as one of the world's premiere guitar virtuosos and pedagogues with his book "Pumping Nylon."

read full bio →
Scott Tennant

Learn from legendary guitarists

Explore 1,000+ in-depth lessons taught by GRAMMY winners, Juilliard professors, and world-renowned performers, covering everything from timeless repertoire to advanced technique and artistry.

"I don't regret for a minute having spent the money on the membership. There's something for every musician on tonebase – I recommend you give it a try."

Photo of Dave
Dave McLellan

Concert & Chamber Guitarist

Join over 10,000 fellow musicians improving every day on tonebase.