HELP! My fingers won't DO this!

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MarTay6

Posts: 69
Joined: Jul. 10 2011

HELP! My fingers won't DO this!

O.K., Yamaha's set up, and I'm starting off with Flamenco Guitar In 48 Lesson's... and right off the bat, I'm getting my B--- waxed! Former fingerstyle guitarist, but starting off with basic 12 beat Rasgueos (and to make matters worse, I'm having to look up every Spanish word online in dictionaries!), I'm finding my ring finger on my left hand will NOT tap on the guitar top while my index finger strums downward! My ring finger wants to follow in the exact same direction as my index , down and OUT away from the soundboard, not tapping on the soundboard! HeLp!?!? I've never felt so ackward!
Wes

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 20:24:38

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

keep practicing...

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http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 20:31:26

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

I used to practice in the car, against the steering wheel. A pack of Marlboro is about the same width as the strings. Everything started to look like a block of 6 strings to me

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 20:39:10

rombsix

Posts: 7805
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

This brings me back! It surely is a bit weird to get your fingers to do two opposite motions simultaneously, but worry not. Practice in SUPER SLOW motion, and concentrate. You'll get there.

I don't mean to discourage you, but you ain't seen nothin' yet.

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 20:47:21

MarTay6

Posts: 69
Joined: Jul. 10 2011

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

HA! O.K., I will.... right now, after being a competant fingerstyle guitarist, I feel like a BABY!
Wes

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 20:52:51

Pawo

Posts: 104
Joined: Mar. 15 2010

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

Has taken me over a year to get comfortable with that...hope this doesn't sound discouraging...maybe you can get their quicker

I too found Flamenco technique a bit frustating at first...cos it was hard to play anything decent sounding until the basics of rasguedo, alzapua, golpe etc started to happen...not to speak of compass/rhythm.... Really needs patience and diligence IMO

Keep going and good luck
Dave

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 20:58:38

rombsix

Posts: 7805
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

quote:

I feel like a BABY!

That's the whole point. You're a kid again!

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 21:34:09

sig

Posts: 296
Joined: Nov. 7 2007
From: Wisconsin

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

I feel your pain man. I agree with detersa1, keep practicing! I've been playing Flamenco for over 8 years and just now able to do that style golpe, barely.

Don't get discouraged, it takes years of dedicated practice and time to develop techniques but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ride or be successful on your journey to flamenco perfection!!

Sig--

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 22:06:53

GerryR

Posts: 23
Joined: Jul. 18 2011

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

... (and to make matters worse, I'm having to look up every Spanish word online in dictionaries!)...

Wes, I have the same series. Why are you having to look up the Spanish? The DVD is in several languages including English. If you can't see it in English, you may have to download some new Codec packs for your computer. Just a thought.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 22:46:56

MarTay6

Posts: 69
Joined: Jul. 10 2011

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to GerryR)

Oh, I'm listening to it in English- but all the terms are still in Spanish, especially in the accompanying tab book. That's o.k., gives me something else to gain from the learning.
Wes

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 2 2011 23:12:13

chrisva

Posts: 74
Joined: Mar. 9 2008
From: Ottawa, ON

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

Keep practicing...start very slow. Start just tapping the ring finger without the index finger strumming getting the golpe just right. Then while doing the golpe, strum with the index finger. After a few days it'll become more natural.

It took me a week of practicing the golpe where the thumb does the strum and the index finger does the golpe for a solid week every day before it became something that was somewhat natural.

Flamenco is not easy, but very rewarding when the technique starts to come together somewhat.

Wait till you start tremolo...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 0:53:39

kudo

Posts: 2064
Joined: Sep. 3 2009

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to chrisva)

quote:

Wait till you start tremolo...

oh haha YEA ,even my guitar teacher doesnt do it perfectly and never uses it in his concerts..too risky. I can do the classical tremolo (3 stroke) but not flamenco (4 strokes) one yet

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 2:03:54

GuitarVlog

Posts: 441
Joined: Mar. 19 2009
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

I had a similar problem. The advice given thus far is correct but I'll add what my instructor taught me:

It's okay if the two actions do not occur simultaneously at the beginning. Practice slowly and gradually reduce the interval between the two actions. After a while ... voilà ... you are doing them together.

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The Guitar Student Journal

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 3:22:09

gaash

Posts: 74
Joined: Jul. 29 2011

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

Everything in flamenco always looks or seems impossible at first... sadly, there is often no trick other than to just keep trying/practicing. Rest assured though, none of it is impossible. Except maybe staying in rythm but i've never been able to do that in 12 yrs of the electric guitar and 20+yrs of piano haha..

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 4:12:51

machopicasso

Posts: 972
Joined: Nov. 27 2010

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

quote:

and right off the bat, I'm getting my B--- waxed!

Getting your ass kicked is an integral part of playing flamenco guitar. The goal is to keep improving so you can get your ass kicked in ever more sophisticated ways. In the end, that's the only way to become a bad ass.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 8:51:30

MarTay6

Posts: 69
Joined: Jul. 10 2011

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to machopicasso)

quote:

In the end, that's the only way to become a bad ass.

Funny!!

I know you guys are right... thanks fer' the encouragement.
Wes

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 9:14:16

ralexander

Posts: 797
Joined: Jun. 1 2010
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

quote:

ORIGINAL: MarTay6
HA! O.K., I will.... right now, after being a competant fingerstyle guitarist, I feel like a BABY!
Wes

Man, I can totally relate - this is the same situation I'm in. I moved completely to flamenco about 1 year ago after almost 20 years of playing fingerstyle and it has been tough. I made the decision to stop playing steel string altogether because I wanted to maximize my ability to progress with flamenco techniques. Long, long LONG way to go ... but so far, so good

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 12:42:29

Guest

[Deleted] (in reply to MarTay6)

[Deleted by Admins]

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 12:59:32

MarTay6

Posts: 69
Joined: Jul. 10 2011

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

Hi, Scott-
Hey, thanks for the note- PM sent!
Wes

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 14:28:38

davewphx

Posts: 126
Joined: Jul. 11 2011

RE: HELP! My fingers won't DO this! (in reply to MarTay6)

Good advice here, thanks guys.. I've only been playing flamenco style for 3 weeks and am awful. The Golpe is very frustrating for me. It's great to really sit down and practice for hours again though. I look forward to it.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 3 2011 22:45:39