learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avoiding injury

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osangar

Posts: 22
Joined: May 2 2007

learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avoidin...

Hi all,

Im just starting to learn flamenco guitar, with some background in classical to help me out... working on arpeggios and picado seems straightforward enough, and working on the rhythmic strumming is definitely challenging but with the help Im getting I think with time, it will start to come together.

My main worry is with Rasgues. Especially 4 beat ones. My 'menique' or little finger is sadly underdeveloped as I never really used it for anything and after just a few minutes gets very stiff and sore. What kind of exerise regimen did you use when you started to build up strength there. Ive heard its possible to develop tendonitis if you dont build up strength slowly for rasgueos and am trying to push my self to learn without hitting that threshold.

Thanks
Moe

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 26 2007 1:15:01

pacodegarcia

Posts: 90
Joined: Apr. 22 2007
From: Australia

RE: learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avo... (in reply to osangar)

Hi Moe,
Be aware of any tension you may have in your right arm, if you notice any stop and relax, breath out, relax. Stay loose and relaxed when you're practicing, speed and power etc. will come with time and lots of relaxed practice, This is something I have to focus on alot!
When you see really good players notice how relaxed they look! that's cause they did lots of relaxed practice! Your little finger will take time to catch up with the i m and a fingers so just take your time it will happen.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 26 2007 2:54:28

Ricardo

Posts: 14848
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avo... (in reply to osangar)

quote:

My main worry is with Rasgues. Especially 4 beat ones. My 'menique' or little finger is sadly underdeveloped as I never really used it for anything and after just a few minutes gets very stiff and sore.

Who or what learning source is making you feel obligated to use the pinky for rasgueados anyway???? I mean some of the greatest maestros don't use the pinky at all for rasgueado. Namely Tomatito and Gerardo Nuñez. Just something to think about before you set off "injuring" yourself.

It can be fun to work with pinky anyway, assuming you don't have any problems with soreness of course. All things technique wise need to be worked on as rhythm exercises using the metronome. making the sounds real slow and clean, like a drummer would practice.

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 26 2007 5:51:57

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avo... (in reply to osangar)

I used to have a mantra when I was recovering from my tendonitis. It was.
Play
Relax
Return

The idea being that I would work on each and every stroke giving it three beats the first one was to play. The second was to try and be aware of any unnessecary tension and the third is to try and allow the active finger to move to a neutral position.

Another great excercise is to use paradiddles. Two strokes with alternating fingers then a double stroke on the third and fourth semiquavers. For the basic
xami (x being the pinkie) four stroke rasgueado this becomes.

xamm
ixaa
mixx
amii

Now this will never get very fast or sound terrific on its own but it is great for gaining control of the attack of each right finger in rasgueado. Aim to accent the third and fourth semiquavers of each beat ( the doubled notes ) and this should help to stop the rasg turning into mush when you try and speed up as you will really get to know how to articulate all four fingers in extension this way.

I hope that that made sense to you !

D.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 26 2007 11:39:00

osangar

Posts: 22
Joined: May 2 2007

RE: learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avo... (in reply to osangar)

I hope i didnt come off as whining about soreness. Just trying to figure out if for the first month or two its "safest" to limit those kind of rasguesdos to 5-10 mins to be safe or one can just stop for a couple mins when ur sore then carry on with no worries.

I guess the only reason Im interested in learning to use the pinky is .. why not? lol. Id rather stop using it because i prefer to just use the other fingers rather because i never bothered to learn it.

Thanks guitarbuddha for the pointers! that sounds like a interesting exercise!! Should the double stroke be down then up stroke or both down?

Thanks
Moe

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2007 0:27:56

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avo... (in reply to osangar)

Both down, sorry for not making that clear.

D.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2007 1:45:25

John O.

Posts: 1723
Joined: Dec. 16 2005
From: Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany

RE: learning 4 beat Rasgueos and avo... (in reply to guitarbuddha)

For Solea I can play 3x amii, 2x camii or 4x aii. Depending on the speed it's played one could MAYBE be easier than the other but I wouldn't say one is necessarily better than the other - you can get them all sounding the same.

_____________________________

Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2007 12:26:59