“Ragamuffin”

“Ragamuffin” is a stunning composition that draws many different types of techniques together for its transcendent musical objective. This transcription was developed from the audio recording Aerial Boundaries, Windham Hill Records, 1984, WD-1032.

The right-hand fingering of notes that are plucked individually in this piece (and also for right-hand string-stopping) is easy to understand: the index plays the third string, the middle plays the second string, the ring finger plays the first string, the thumb plays the fourth, fifth and sixth strings. Every instance in which Michael deviates from this right-hand fingering system is indicated.

There is an elegance in the way his right hand works that is hard to describe. His fingers move quite independently—plucking, string-stopping or tapping. They pluck a little more outward than you might expect. They are very efficient. Their movement is determined by the musical results they will produce.