Left hand rasgueos

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Left hand rasgueos

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fevictor

Posts: 377
Joined: Nov. 22 2005
From: Quepos / Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Left hand rasgueos

I´ve been working on different techniques to try and strengthen my left hand, especially the little finger for doing better pull-offs. At the same time, I´ve been doing a lot of floating rasgeos with my right hand, also trying to strengthen my fingers. I´ve noticed since doing floating rasgeos, concentrating on getting full extension from all of my fingers, that I´ve gotten considerably better due to more strength and control.

So I figured, ¿why not start doing rasgeos with my left hand? I´m not sure if this is a new idea, but I´m going to try it for a while and see if it works. Even while I´m working I´ll rap my fingers on my leg.

Has anybody here tried this before? And if so, did it work out well?

Saludos

Victor Fe

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 17 2006 20:19:36

ivan

Posts: 73
Joined: Oct. 6 2005

RE: Left hand rasgueos (in reply to fevictor)

unless you play leftie, I don't see a point to doing rasgueados w/ your left hand. If you are right handed, focus your attention on right hand technique and left hand legatos, pull offs, stretches etc.. more importantly, have fun and practice staying in compas. Not enough people do this.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 17 2006 23:58:16

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Left hand rasgueos (in reply to fevictor)

You might want to check out this interview with Stephan Rak. An interesting person...

"SR: I am very happy you ask about this because I have been talking more about the right hand, which is the neglected hand because of not using the little finger. In the left hand it is a somewhat similar situation, but not so drastic as the right hand. Our thumb is in a similar position with the left hand to the little finger of the right hand. So now I suggest something from which my students get really great results. This is to turn your guitar in the opposite direction as if you were left-handed."

http://www.egtaguitarforum.org/ExtraArticles/RakInterview.html

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 18 2006 6:23:23

fevictor

Posts: 377
Joined: Nov. 22 2005
From: Quepos / Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

RE: Left hand rasgueos (in reply to fevictor)

Interesting read Miguel...the guy seems to know what he's talking about. Ivan, I appreciate the input.

I actually decided about two months ago that i am going to dedicate the next 6-8 months working mainly on technique. That is to say, about 80% of my practise time to technique and only about 20% to playing music. I imagine that most people will see now ask me why bother playing guitar if you aren't going to play music, but I just find that compas and aire come more natural to me when my fingers move freely.

It seems that most people stress compas practise over anything else, especially with flamenco. But I wonder if these same people played other guitar styles for years before and have already acquired the necesary dexterity. And yet for people like me who are starting out as a whole, it seems that technique is just the logical way to go.

Since I started turning the guitar around, trying different excersises, I came across something intersting: if I use my right hand for barring chords, there is literally no discomfort in my wrist or finger or thumb even. The right hand falls onto the fret board quite naturally. I honestly think that this is due to the intense movement of rasgeos.

Anyways...if I find that this technique really works I'll be sure to let anybody whos interested know.

Saludos

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 19 2006 0:00:44

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Left hand rasgueos (in reply to fevictor)

I am going to practice playing with the RH fingers "backwards", in the sense of pushing with the nail instead of pulling. That's an intriguing idea and would have applications for interesting effects, too.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 19 2006 16:54:57

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: Left hand rasgueos (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Miguel de Maria
I am going to practice playing with the RH fingers "backwards", in the sense of pushing with the nail instead of pulling.

Stepan Rak advocates this sort of stuff - backward reststrokes and free strokes, also using the pinky as well, and of course turning the guitar around and playing left handed to 'teach' each hand what ther other does (thats a killer).

He has interesting ideas but lifes too short IMO...

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 19 2006 19:07:14

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Left hand rasgueos (in reply to fevictor)

Jon,
I posted an interview with Rak on this thread... :)

I don't think there's any harm in experimenting. These techniques can come in handy in certain situations. For example, I recorded "El Condor Pasa" and I developed a 1 finger rasgueado technique to try to get the sound of the charango rasgueado. I didn't really succeed, perhaps, but it's still useful. It will be really cool if I can fit it in with bass notes.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 19 2006 22:38:26

Ricardo

Posts: 14884
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Left hand rasgueos (in reply to fevictor)

quote:

It seems that most people stress compas practise over anything else, especially with flamenco. But I wonder if these same people played other guitar styles for years before and have already acquired the necesary dexterity.

Sometimes taming the wild stallion can be harder than starting from scratch. I have seen some beginner students that are a little stiff and need to "unleash" the fingers and get them moving a little, you know. But I prefer them to the guys just starting out that seem to be flying all over the fretboard out of control. That can be annoying, because they think they are doing it when they have no timing or phrasing. So, to do it RIGHT, they have to trash it all, and start over, just like the guy starting from scratch. The physical ability to go fast is worthless without rhythmic control.

Stephan Rak brings bad memories of college guitar ensemble. His music was "wierd" to say it nicely. But maybe there is something good about him I don't know about?

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 20 2006 4:48:17