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Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England
golpe help please
Hi guys, any good tips for getting a decent golpe when doing a downstroke with i? I've just been listening to Ricardo's golpes in his Solea and they are absolutely astonishing - so strong and clear.
I've got the action - I can co-ordinate the action of the A at the same time as doing down with i, but it's just so lacking in volume. It's like A just comes to rest gently on the golpeador, and I want a great thump just like Ricardo's!!
All tips for technique and how to practice welcome
Ailsa, I am confused ... are you using the M finger for the golpe? I was taught to use the A which gives your hand some power from the finger seperation. If you are using M this could explain the lack of power. I can't even do it with M.
Is your nail on your a finger a little long making you not get a good solid stroke in fear on breaking it? If not just practice the i strum with the golpe repeatedly until you build up your hand. I have trouble getting power on my i strum golpe after a series of rasqueados. I found if I just practice the technique repeatedly concentrating on getting a good solid golpe before using it in a composition it makes a difference. I have to do these kinds of agrivating excercises because of my old stiff nerve damaged hands. I can't just do a short warm up and start playing, I have to spend an hour doing mundane technique exercises just to get my hands to do anything resembling flamenco technique. Keep at it ... remember if an old ugly disabled man like me can do it, so can you. Sam
I use ring and pinky together a lot, and often M, A , and pinky all together. I use lots of skin on the middle finger to get that bassy "thump". There is also a special "sweet spot" on the guitar for that sound. I test out a new guitar first by doing those types of golpes while strumming, to see how the guitar responds. Not all guitars have that sweet spot I am looking for, or rather, I need to spend sometime with it to find it.
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