Rafael Elizondo Guitar Technique
Rafael Elizondo Classical guitarist Rafael Elizondo is currently recognized as an important figure in Mexico’s music scene nationwide. Rafael’s musical artistry and guitar prowess have evidently shown for many years as he’s won more than ten awards, including: First place in the ¨X Concurso Internacional de guitarra Simone Salmasso¨ Viareggio, Italy, 2001; Second place in the III Concorso Internazionale “ARTE A 6 CORDE,” Pavullo nel Frignano, Italy, 2007; 2nd Place in the Guitar Competition in Culiacan, Mexico, 2002; and 3rd Place in the Guitar Competition of Paracho, Mexico, 2000. Rafael began his guitar lessons early on with members of his own family. He later attended the University at the Escuela Nacional de Musica, UNAM, in Mexico City, where he studied with Juan Carlos Laguna, and he followed his university studies with further musical development under the instruction of Maestro Giulio Tampalini in Italy. Elizondo gained great insight into the guitar while in Italy and was able to further grow as a musician, performer, and overall artist. With an extensive repertoire as a soloist and chamber musician, Rafael has developed an active career in performance. He has been a soloist with the Baja California Orchestra and has participated in many festivals, including: the Heitor-Villalobos Festival (Italy), Festival Arte a 6 Corde (Italy), Concert Season Brescia Chitarra 2007 (Italy), Acoustic Guitar Festival (California), New Mexico Guitar Festival, Festival Hispanoamericano de Guitarra, and he has also participated in live broadcasts and recordings for radio and television. Apart from a flourishing music career, Elizondo is also a leading and inspiring teacher, who is very often invited to major Universities and guitar festivals in the U.S. and Mexico to impart high-level masterclasses and courses, designed to improve technique, interpretation and motivation. Appreciated for his absolutely clear and well-defined and highly-precise technique, Rafael is frequently solicited to record videos and audio tracks for high-profile guitar stores as well as for master luthiers.
El concertista de guitarra bajacaliforniano Rafael Elizondo, es uno de los representantes musicales más destacados de nuestro país. Su desempeño artístico ha sido reconocido con más de diez premiaciones tanto nacionales como internacionales. Entre ellas cabe destacar el Primer Lugar en el ¨X Concurso Internacional de guitarra Simone Salmasso¨ Viareggio, Italia. 2001, Segundo lugar en el III Concorso Internazionale “ARTE A 6 CORDE,” Pavullo nel Fr ignano, Italia 2007, Segundo Lugar Concurso Nacional de Guitarra Culiacán Sinaloa 2002 y Tercer Lugar en el Concurso Intérpretes de Guitarra Paracho, Michoacán 2000 en la categoría de avanzados. Con un extenso repertorio realiza una intensa actividad como concertista solista y músico de cámara, se ha presentado con la Orquesta de Baja California, así como en el Festival Internacional de guitarra Heitor-Villalobos (Italia) Festival Arte a 6 Corde (Italia) Temporada de Conciertos Brescia Chitarra 2007 (Italia) Acoustic Guitar Festival (California) Festival Hispanoamericano de guitarra y Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Sinaloa. Ha presentado conciertos y clases magistrales en algunos de los Festivales de Guitarra más importantes de México: Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Monterrey, Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra de Querétaro, Festival de Guitarra del Noreste en Saltillo Coahuila entre otros. Junto con Elliot Fisk, Andrew York, Scott Tennant, Scott Morris y William Kanengiser f ormó parte del selecto grupo de Maestros que ofreció conciertos y clases en el reconocido Summer Arts de la California State University en Monterey California en el 2013. Rafael, es un maestro inspirador y recibe frecuentemente invitaciones de las Universidades de Estados Unidos y México para impartir cursos de alto nivel diseñados para el mejoramiento de la técnica e interpretación. Apreciado por su técnica clara y absolutamente bien definida, es solicitado para realizar videos de importantes Luthiers y tiendas de guitarras en Estados Unidos. Rafael toca sus conciertos con una guitarra de Stephan Connor 2015, Boston.
THUMB EXERCISES Rafael Elizondo Ex. 1(a)
Ex. 1
Ex. 1(b)
p
Ex. 2
Ex. 2(a)
Ex. 2(b)
Ex. 3(a)
Ex. 3(b)
i p
Ex. 3
p
Ex. 4 3
m i m a p
3
p
Ex. 5
p
Ex. 4(a) 3
3
2 Ex. 5(a)
Ex. 5(b) 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
Ex. 5(c)
Ex.6
p
3
3
STABILITY EXERCISES FOR THE RIGHT HAND Rafael Elizondo Repeat the pattern with the following fingerings: 1) i m a 3) m i a 5) a i m 2) i a m 4) m a i 6) a m i i
m a
3
3
3
3
i
3
3
3
m a
3
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
TWO FINGERS FOR THE RIGHT HAND Rafael Elizondo Hold
a
i
Hold
i
m
m i
Hold
a
Hold
mi
a
Hold
i
m a i
m a
Hold
a m
4
SLURS OF TWO AND THREE NOTES Rafael Elizondo 1
2
Ex. 1 a
m
i
p p
2
p
3
3
1
2
1
4
3
4
4
Repeat the pattern until the 7th position and return to the 1st position.
5
Ex. 2 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
2
4
3
3
3
3
1
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
Repeat the pattern until the 7th position and return to the 1st position.
6
SLURS WITH FIXED POSITION Rafael Elizondo Hold
2
1
Hold
4
3
4
3
2 1
Ex. 1 3
Hold
3
3
3
4
Hold
1
2
Hold
2
3
3
4
Hold
1
3
3
1
4
2
3
3
2
3
1
3
4
3
3
3
3
Repeat the pattern on all the strings and return to the first string.
Ex. 2 2
4
4
2
4
2
1
4
2
1
Hold
2
1
2
1
2
2
4
1
Hold 3
3
4
2
4
2
4
2
1
2
4
Hold
1
Hold 3
2
1
2
1
4
2
2
1 1
0
3
0
Repeat the pattern until the 5th string.
4 3
Hold
2
4
2
4
2
1
2
4
1
0
3
Hold
2
1
2
1
2
4
2
1
0
7 Ex. 3 3
4
3
4
3
4
1
3
4
Hold
1
Hold 2
3
1
3
1
4
3
3
1
2
4
Hold
4
3
3
4
3
1
3
4
Hold
1
3
1
3
1
3
4
3
1 1
0
2
0
2
Repeat the pattern until the 5th string.
4
4
3
3
4
3
1
3
4
1
2
3
1
3
1
3
4
3
1
2
0
Hold
0
Hold
Ex. 4 4
4
3
3
4
3
2
3
4
2
Hold
3
2
3
2
3
Hold 1
4
3
2
1
Repeat the pattern until the 5th string.
4
4
3
3
4
3
2
3
4
1
2
1
Hold
3
2
3
2
3
4
3
2
1
0
1
0
Hold
Ex. 5 3
2
3
2
3
2
1
2
3
Hold
Hold
4
2
3
2
3
2
3
4
3
2
4
Repeat the pattern until the 5th string.
3
4
Hold
2
3
2
3
2
1
2
3
3
0
4
Hold
2
3
2
3
2
1
2
3
0
8
EXTENSIONS WITH CONTRARY MOVEMENTS Rafael Elizondo 2
1
3
2
1
2
2
3
Ex. 1
4
3
3
1
3
4
1
3
4
2
4
1
2
4
1
4
Repeat the pattern in the 5th and the 9th position.
Ex. 2 2
1
3
2
1
2
2
3
4
3
3
1
3
4
1
3
4
2
4
1
2
4
1
4
Repeat the pattern in the 5th and the 9th position.
9
COORDINATION EXERCISES Rafael Elizondo 1
0
0
2
0
3
Ex. 1 4
0
Repeat the pattern on all the strings and return to the first string.
etc.
Ex. 2
Each finger, after having been used, must be held on its fret while the other notes are played. 0
1
2
1
1
2
3
2
3
4
3
4
4
0
0
1
1
2
1
2
3
2
4
3
4
3
0 0
0
1
1
2
1
2
3
2
4
3
3
4
Repeat the pattern on etc. all the strings and return to the first string.
0 0
Ex. 3 This exercise should be practiced preparing all the fingers of the left hand. 4
3
4
3
2
2
3
1
2
0
1
4
1
0
4
3
4
3
2
2
3
1
2
1
0
1
4
0 0
4
3
4
3
2
2
3
1
2
1
0
1
4
0 0
etc.
Repeat the pattern on all the strings and return to the first string.
10 Ex. 4 The last note of each measure must ring while the others are being played. 4
3
2
0
1
4
4
3
2
1
3
0
2
1
3
4
0
1
0
3
2
1
3
2
2
0
1
4
0
Ex. 5 3
4
4
3
2
3
4
3
1
2
3
2
4
3
2
4 3
1
3
4
3
2
3
4
2
3
2
1
3
4
2
3
1
4
4
3
4
3 2
3
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
3
2
4
1
2
1
2
3
2
1
2
3
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
1
4
2
3
4
3
4
3
2
2
1
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
2
2
1
2
3
3
2
1
2
3
2
1
3
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
2
1
2
3
2
1
2
3
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
1
2
1
2
3
2
1
2
3
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
3
2
1
2
1
2
1
2 3 2
1
2 3
4 3 2
1
2 3
4
1
2
1
2 3 2
1
2 3
4 3 2
1
2 3
4
etc.
4
1
3
1
2
1
3
4
4
Descend chromatically
11
CHROMATIC SCALE IN OCTAVES Rafael Elizondo
3
2
1
0
4
3
2
1
0
4
0
3
4 0
3
4
1
1 2
0
2
2
4 1
3 0
3 1
0
1
2
2
3
4
2 4
1
0
3
3
2
1
3
4
0
1
2
1
0
4
0 2
0
2
3
4
3 1
1
2
3
4
3 0
2 0
Practice by quadruples (ASCENDING) 2nd quadruple
1st quadruple
2 0
3
2
1
4
0
1
3
4
1 3
4
3
0
1
0 2
4th quadruple
3rd quadruple 2
2
3
4
0
0
1
2
1
2
3
4
3 0
(DESCENDING) 1st quadruple 4
3
2
1
0
4
2nd quadruple 1 3
2
3rd quadruple 1
0
3
3
2
1
4
0
3
1
0
2 4
4th quadruple 2
1
0
4
0
2
3
4
3
2
1
0
