The International Guitar Research Conference is a  two-day conference at the University of Surrey, bringing the guitar community together to share research about the guitar. Conference venue – PATS Studio One, University of Surrey

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Developing an Integrated Guitar Technique System (IGTS) for the Right Hand

Through Practice-Based Research 

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Over the past five decades, electric guitar technique has undergone sustained evolution,

shaped by innovations such as Van Halen’s two-hand tapping, Gambale’s sweep-picking,

and recent fingerstyle-driven approaches by players such as Mancuso and Nieri. Despite these advances, alternate picking remains the dominant electric guitar pedagogical and performance model. Whilst alternate picking is deeply ingrained in instructional approaches, its reliance on continuous bidirectional motion introduces limitations in right-hand efficiency and as contemporary improvisational practices increasingly embrace wide intervallic structures, triad pairs, quartal harmony, and angular melodic design, the constraints become more pronounced. 

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This presentation introduces a new Integrated Guitar Technique System (IGTS) developed through a practice-based research methodology. IGTS combines elements of sweep picking, classical right-hand technique, and Bela Fleck–inspired banjo picking approaches, hybridised with escape-motion concepts identified through motion-analysis research. Unlike traditional models that prioritise speed through repetitive motion, IGTS seeks to optimise movement efficiency and reduce directional change, facilitating expansion of the guitarist’s harmonic and expressive palette. By integrating the plectrum with the right-hand middle and ring fingers, the IGTS reduces ‘trapped zone’ interference while enabling wider harmonic intervals, enhanced dynamic contouring, and more flexible access to complex angular melodic structures.

 

A series of original exercises was developed to test the system, focusing on single-string

patterns, triad pairs, spread triads, quartal structures, sequential intervallic designs and

octave displacement. The system was evaluated through performance trials across a range of improvisational settings, and findings demonstrate that IGTS leads to measurable improvements in technical facility, intervallic clarity, and expressive control.

Dr M, Curran