Rasgeado(a-m-i stroke) trouble

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ManosqueVuelan

Posts: 38
Joined: Jul. 24 2014

Rasgeado(a-m-i stroke) trouble

Hey, just asking for some tips and advice for developing any good 3-finger shooting rasgeo, I seem to have trouble with how I position the thumb and just how far the fingers a, m, i strike the strings.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 25 2014 0:43:18

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3079
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: Rasgeado(a-m-i stroke) trouble (in reply to ManosqueVuelan)

Here's some help to make you consider things you might haven't thought about yet for the ami stroke:

You can flick from the thumb or do it "freestyle". Freestyle might not be really an option if you're just starting because the lack of strenght in your fingers will make the ami stroke sound like poop on nylon.

Now think of the ami downstroke you do on the 5 strings (from A to high e). Depending on the angle and position at which you let the fingers go, you'll get more treble or more bass.

Try flicking ami from the tip of your thumb (close to the 6th string). You'll have a bassier sound. Now flick from the back of the middle joint of the thumb (it's around 3cm away from the 6 string) and you'll have less bass and more treble.

Depending on how you position your thumb and the angle at which your fingers are you'll get different sounds.

In the beggining you'll feel tired quickly, just focus on getting the fingers to fire evenly. Pratice everywhere at anytime. Stop to rest when it aches. Soon you'll be able to do that movement for hours (and in the process you'll wear some holes through your jeans).

In about 3 years (in my experience) it will start to sound decent but don't practice just that. Mix it with picado and abanicos in order to develop most of the muscles and avoid unwanted tension.

I noticed that I suck at explaining this but english isn't my native language. Hopefully Ricardo will explain this to you.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 25 2014 1:04:25

eitanfar

Posts: 68
Joined: Oct. 16 2014

RE: Rasgeado(a-m-i stroke) trouble (in reply to Sr. Martins)

quote:

In about 3 years (in my experience) it will start to sound decent but don't practice just that.

Excellent answer, I agree with you completely (including the holes in the jeans part

).
I think you are way off on the time estimate though. In case of any previous experience (i.e. not a complete novice guitar player), it should take much less time.

I'd say that while practicing "offline" on your jeans or whatever will help you work on the "shooting" part and on the speed, there's still a big difference between having your fingers hitting some soft fabric and hitting wound strings (especially if you play high tension).
My advice would be to practice as much as you can on an actual guitar, preferably, with the strings muted by either your left hand or a piece of cloth.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 27 2014 6:57:41

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3079
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: Rasgeado(a-m-i stroke) trouble (in reply to eitanfar)

Almost anyone can do at least one kind of ami rasgueado but I doubt that anyone will be doing most of them well with good separation, dynamics and all the things that make the difference between shooting marbles and doing rasgueados in a short period of time.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 27 2014 11:53:32