Left hand. Exactly so, Richard.

Leeneia, something that might help with the left-hand fingertip thing:   I started off with a steel string guitar, and also played a bit of 12-string before I switched to a classic nylon-string guitar. By then, because of the higher tension of the steel strings, especially the double-strings of the 12-string, my tendency was to really mash the strings into the fingerboard, much harder than was really necessary. Not only did this leave me with a tense left hand, I had a set of calluses like rocks. And the unnecessary tension, of course, inhibited left-hand agility and flexibility by quite a bit. I had to take some time to learn to lighten up my left hand.

I invented an exercise for myself. It consisted, first, of fretting a single note, starting by just touching the string, and, of course, I got a muffled "thub" sound. Then, I'd press a bit harder, picking the string with my right hand, until the tone became clear. It took surprisingly little pressure to fret the string and get a good, clear note. Then I started playing some scales, slowly, and keeping the fingers as light as I could, using only as much pressure as it took to get clear notes.

Once I got that down, I started doing the same thing with a couple of notes at a time, then chords. It took a few weeks, but my left hand felt a whole lot better (no more cramps in my palm), and especially my fingertips. And my left-hand speed and dexterity improved a lot.

Another little tip that I picked up from a classic guitar technique manual. Kitharologus, by Ricardo Iznaola. Some of the first technical exercises in this may seem ridiculously simple at first, but they're very basic, and good to warm up with. And it soon moves on to some real killers! Good technical exercise for any style of guitar playing.

Applying Iznaola's instructions for each exercise to learning such things as, say, Travis picking or any other folk technique (or entire classic guitar concert solos for that matter), you start by playing something at about half the speed it should go—or even slower—until you can play it smoothly and cleanly. Then, increase the speed a bit, making sure that you can still play it cleanly. Work on it at that speed until you can. Then a bit faster, then faster still.

BUT—not all in one session. Over a week or more. As long as necessary to get the result you want.

And the ultimate goal? To be able to play whatever it is about ten or twenty percent faster than it really should go. THEN—you can back off and play whatever it is at the speed it should be played, and it should come out clean and smooth—and with ease, because you've got some velocity in reserve.

I wish I had learned that simple but sensible approach years ago! I'd be a much better guitarist than I am now if I had.

If I live long enough, I may actually learn to play this thing!!

Don Firth