Extended Techniques for the Classical Guitar - Robert Lunn Composer

In the fourth movement, “Spirits,” from the piece titled, Shadows, William
Albright has the performer slap the “strings against the fretboard with the [right hand]
fingers to produce random, fast, percussive sounds.” 1 Albright has notated this section
using two staves, the top for the right hand and the bottom for the left hand. He has also
given the rhythm. The resulting sound is a mix of bi-tones 2 , noise from the strings hitting
the frets, as well as the notes created when the string hits the fret.
Example 3.2 slapping string in “Jumping Cholla” from A Whisper in the Desert by
Brad Richter. Measure 1.
In “Jumping Cholla” from A Whisper in the Desert, Brad Richter writes that the
performer should slap the “[right hand] thumb against the sixth string near the 19 th fret.” 3
Richter notates this with an “X” notehead and describes what he wants at the bottom of
the score. The resulting sound is a mix of noise, from the string hitting the fretboard, and
pitch. The nineteenth fret is a spot where there is a harmonic node. The act of slapping
the fingerboard brings out this harmonic. A similar effect can be found later in the piece:
1
William Albright, “IV. Spirits,” from Shadows, ed., Michael Lorimer (Pacific: Mel Bay Publications,
1984), 11.
2
Bi-tones are discussed in Chapter 1.
3
Brad Richter, Solo Guitar Collection (Pacific: Mel Bay Publications, INC, 2005), 8.
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