RASGUEADOS on the classical Guitar Level 4 · Level 4: Rasgueados 3 RASGUEADO Do not tuck in ma Keep them naturally extended, relaxed and doing nothing, outside i. To make the triplet

RASGUEADOS

on the classical Guitar

Level 4

1 Level 4: Rasgueados

Rasgueados are an elaborate form of strumming, using down strokes and up strokes with

both the fingers and thumb.

Rasgueados can be played to defined rhythms or as musical gestures.

They can be exciting, spectacular and even heroic in pieces such as Asturias by Isaac

Albeniz and Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.

There are many combinations that can be played and the composer does not always give

instructions as to where the down or up strokes are - often writing just rasgueado (or rasg.)

above the passage. Sometimes a rasgueado is not specified at all, or a chord may only have

the strum/arpeggiato symbol, and the guitarist decides that a rasgueado, rather than a strum

with p, would be exciting at that point.

The player often needs to decide which rasgueado sounds best - choosing which finger

combinations/groups to use and where to play the down and up strokes.

To be able to choose, the guitarist needs to know the possibilities,

and this tutorial covers rasgueados that demonstrate the various finger movements/strokes

which can be combined and adapted to the context.

The Spanish word rasgueado is onomatopoeic and descriptive.

It is probably derived from

rasguñado – grazed or scratched. Appropriately, has the word uña (fingernail)

embedded.

raspado - scraped – which can colloquially also mean ‘with no manners!’

rasgado - ripped, torn.

Together with the rolled Spanish ‘r’ they all give a sense

of the qualities the rasgueados can have!

Pronunciation:

q e e e >

RA(t)S - GUE(ss) - A(t) -DO(n)

RASGUEADOS

Rasgueados can be boisterous and if those around you tell you to ‘put a sock in

it’1 - take them at their word - take the sock, thread it through the strings to mute

them - and carry on practising!

1‘be quiet!’


Move the hand . . .

Move the hand deliberately, with the finger stroke, to add more impetus.

This hand movement can also help set the rasgueado in motion and make

the finger stroke freer, as well as placing the hand in position for the

following strokes.

The amount of ‘hand’ will vary with the rasgueado and the intended effect.

Allow the hand to move . . .

The impetus is with the finger stroke and the hand moves because the

finger moves.

This ‘allow’ movement helps with relaxation, freedom of finger action, and

can place the hand in position for the following strokes.

It contributes less to the energy of the finger action than ‘move the hand’.

The rasgueados in this tutorial are played with pima.2

The following pages contain descriptions of the finger/hand movements in

rasgueados, when they are played slowly.

It recommended that they are practised this way at first.

(See the demonstration of the pami p rasgueado played slowly in the video)

As the knack of playing rasgueados develops and the rasgueados become faster,

the actions described will flow into each other in unified, graceful movements -

which is the goal.

Down stroke, towards (Even though the arrow is pointing up!)

Up stroke, towards

(Even though the arrow is pointing down!)

What the phrases mean . . .

2The little finger is also used to play some rasgueados in flamenco guitar, where rasgueados are a highly developed,

virtuosic and prominent feature

The individual strokes are always fast, even when practising the rasgueados slowly.


RASGUEADO

Do not tuck in ma Keep them naturally extended, relaxed and doing nothing, outside i.

To make the triplet rhythm clear, the i finger plays two successive down strokes.

Playing the two successive downs strokes with the same finger can at first feel counter intuitive, because

continuous up/down strokes may seem more natural. Try and produce the triplet rhythm with only

continuous up/down strokes and notice the different effect produced.

,.

i

Keep the wrist/hand relaxed when playing the down stroke with i. The energy in the movement of i will

move the wrist/hand, which in turn empowers i to play with a freer action - whereas, having a rigid wrist

weakens and restricts the i strokes.

The up stroke does not need to play all six strings.

In many instances the up stroke in rasgueados are more of a flick with the finger, catching as many strings as

are comfortable and, of course, sound good. (This is one of the ways that rasgueados are personalised -

contributing to making their notation an inexact science)

i i i

> >


p can mute a lower string as i plays the rasgueado

a (or m) can mute a higher string p and a (or m) mute treble and bass simultaneously

Muting strings


Familiarising yourself with the outward fanning action of ami

Gather the fingers into a loose fist.

Place the top of the ami fingernails on the other hand.

Move the fingers outwards in order:

a - m - i

This chain of finger movements is at the heart of many rasgueados.

Keep the outward opening of the fingers in the ‘fan’ natural to your hand.

Rasgueados need to be articulate, but over extending the fingers

to make an unnecessarily wide fan, makes control more difficult and can be tiring.

Develop control of when they move outwards.

In a rasgueado it will feel that one finger brings on the next which, in turn, brings on

the next - and control is key.

This sequence creates a more rolling effect, an important characteristic of

rasgueados, than is possible with only one finger, as in the rasgueado with i, already

shown.

Nevertheless the articulation of the strokes can vary from being rhythmically

defined – ta-ta-ta-ta - to a roll on a single chord – brrrrrrrrm!

The familiarisation exercise also demonstrates that having the top of the ami

fingernails close to the strings when the fingers are gathered in, means that the

fingers can play the outward strokes without having to reach for the strings.

(Depending on the context, the top of the fingernails could even be ON the strings.)

Note: Holding the fingertips against the palm, when they are gathered in, is not

recommended as standard technique


Start position

Gather the fingers in, to make a loose fist.

Raise the hand, angling it a little to above the left knee,

so that the top of the a fingernail is at the level of 6th string

From the start position :

Play the down stroke

with a, move the hand

down with a.

Keep the hand at the

level it has reached

when a has played.

.

With the hand at that level,

play the down stroke

with m

Move the hand

down with i

Play all the strings. Only the number of strings

caught by the natural

outward movement of m

need be played, but enough

strings must sound for the

rasgueado to be effective.

The top note must always

sound.

Play all the strings.

RASGUEADO

A very useful rasgueado in the repertoire which also

lays the foundation of the outward ‘fanning’ movement with the fingers

>

a m i


RASGUEADO


play the down strokes

Start position





Play the down stroke with a,

move the hand down with a.

Keep the hand at the level it has

reached when a has played.

.

Move the hand

down with p

Play all the strings

Only the number of strings caught

by the natural outward movement of

m and i need be played, but enough

strings must sound for the rasgueado

to be effective.

The top note must always sound.

Play all the strings.

This is the main accent in this

rasgueado

>

a m i p


Start position

With the thumb extended and ami gathered in,

rotate and angle the hand so that the top of the thumbnail is just below the 1st string

and the thumb is pointing more towards the strings.

p/up stroke:

From the start position,

play with the top of the

thumbnail by rotating the

hand upwards, sharply and

rapidly, keeping p straight

and extended, even rigid.

Keep the hand at the level it

has reached when p has

played this up stroke


play the down strokes Move the hand

down with p

Play all the strings Play all the strings Only the number of strings caught by the

natural outward movement of a,m and i

need be played, but enough strings must

sound for the rasgueado to be effective.


.

Depending on the context, the main accent could be either

>

p a m i p

>

RASGUEADO

A feature of this rasgueado is the up stroke with p

9 Level 4: Rasgueados 9 Level 4: Rasgueados




down with a.



when a has played.


play the down strokes

Allow the hand to

move upwards

with the i ‘flick’

Move the hand

down with i

Play all the strings Play all the strings.

This is the main accent.

Only the number of strings caught

by the natural outward movement

of m and i need be played,

but enough strings must sound for

the rasgueado to be effective.


.

This up stroke

is more of a

‘flick’ with i,

catching only

some of the

strings.

Keep the hand at that level,

for all these up and down strokes

OR (This makes for a more forceful effect)

A feature of this rasgueado is the rapid up/down strokes with i

Start position




RASGUEADO

>

a m i i i

>



Play all the strings

Start position


Raise the hand, angling it a little towards the left knee,





down with a.



when a has played.


play down strokes with

Allow the hand to

move upwards

with the i ‘flick’.

This will return the

hand to the start

position, ready to

Only the number of strings

caught by the natural

outward movement of m

and i need be played,

but enough strings must

sound for the rasgueado to

be effective.

The top note must always

sound.

.

This up stroke

is more of a

‘flick’ with i,

catching only

some of the

strings.

continue repeating the

sequence

etc.

CONTINUOUS RASGUEADO

with rhythmic grouping in fours

a m i i

>

a m i i

>

a m i i

>

The principle of ‘turning’ rasgueados to join them continuously can be applied to different

rasgueado fingerings and rhythmic groupings

Dos and Don’ts

Do not move the hand with each

individual finger stroke, because the

rasgueados will become unwieldy and

much harder to play fast.

Rasgueados are a combination of hand

and finger movements.

Do not make the up strokes too long

by trying to play too many strings,

when this is not necessary. This can

make the up stroke slow and distort the

rhythm.

Very often the up stroke can be a

‘flick’ of the finger without the need to

play all the strings – but there must be

enough strings played for the

rasgueado to be effective

Do not make the hand/wrist angle

awkward, in order to have the fingers

play rasgueados at right angles to the

strings.

Allow the hand/wrist angle to be

natural, easy and enabling, rather than

restrictive.

Do not let the strokes become

rhythmically uneven, especially at the

‘turn’ of a rasgueado, e.g. between

p/up stroke and ami/down strokes

Have a firm grasp of the intended

rhythm and listen carefully for gaps or

bumps, especially when the rasgueados

are played faster.

Level 4: Rasgueados 11

Documents

RASGUEADOS on the classical Guitar Level 4 · Level 4: Rasgueados 3 RASGUEADO Do not tuck in ma Keep them naturally extended, relaxed and doing nothing, outside i. To make the triplet