RASGUEADOS on the classical Guitar

Level 4 RASGUEADOS

Rasgueados are an elaborate form of strumming, using down strokes and up strokes with both the fingers and thumb.

Rasgueados can be played to defined rhythms or as musical gestures. They can be exciting, spectacular and even heroic in pieces such as Asturias by Isaac Albeniz and Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.

There are many combinations that can be played and the composer does not always give instructions as to where the down or up strokes are - often writing just rasgueado (or rasg.) above the passage. Sometimes a rasgueado is not specified at all, or a chord may only have the strum/arpeggiato symbol, and the guitarist decides that a rasgueado, rather than a strum with p, would be exciting at that point.

The player often needs to decide which rasgueado sounds best - choosing which finger combinations/groups to use and where to play the down and up strokes. To be able to choose, the guitarist needs to know the possibilities, and this tutorial covers rasgueados that demonstrate the various finger movements/strokes which can be combined and adapted to the context.

The Spanish word rasgueado is onomatopoeic and descriptive.

It is probably derived from rasguñado – grazed or scratched. Appropriately, has the word uña (fingernail) embedded. raspado - scraped – which can colloquially also mean ‘with no manners!’ rasgado - ripped, torn.

Together with the rolled Spanish ‘r’ they all give a sense of the qualities the rasgueados can have!

Pronunciation:

RA(t)S - GUE(ss ) - A(t) -DO(n)

q e > e e

Rasgueados can be boisterous and if those around you tell you to ‘put a sock in it’1 - take them at their word - take the sock, thread it through the strings to mute them - and carry on practising!

1‘be quiet!’

Level 4: Rasgueados 1 The rasgueados in this tutorial are played with pima.2

The following pages contain descriptions of the finger/hand movements in rasgueados, when they are played slowly. It recommended that they are practised this way at first. (See the demonstration of the pami p rasgueado played slowly in the video)

As the knack of playing rasgueados develops and the rasgueados become faster, the actions described will flow into each other in unified, graceful movements - which is the goal.

Down stroke, towards  (Even though the arrow is pointing up!)

Up stroke, towards  (Even though the arrow is pointing down!)

The individual strokes are always fast, even when practising the rasgueados slowly.

What the phrases mean . . .

Move the hand . . . Move the hand deliberately, with the finger stroke, to add more impetus. This hand movement can also help set the rasgueado in motion and make the finger stroke freer, as well as placing the hand in position for the following strokes. The amount of ‘hand’ will vary with the rasgueado and the intended effect.

Allow the hand to move . . . The impetus is with the finger stroke and the hand moves because the finger moves. This ‘allow’ movement helps with relaxation, freedom of finger action, and can place the hand in position for the following strokes. It contributes less to the energy of the finger action than ‘move the hand’.

2The little finger is also used to play some rasgueados in flamenco guitar, where rasgueados are a highly developed, virtuosic and prominent feature Level 4: Rasgueados 2 RASGUEADO > >

i i i i Keep the wrist/hand relaxed when playing the down stroke with i. The energy in the movement of i will move the wrist/hand, which in turn empowers i to play with a freer action - whereas, having a rigid wrist weakens and restricts the i strokes.

The up stroke does not need to play all six strings. In many instances the up stroke in rasgueados are more of a flick with the finger, catching as many strings as are comfortable and, of course, sound good. (This is one of the ways that rasgueados are personalised - contributing to making their notation an inexact science)

Do not tuck in ma Keep them naturally extended, relaxed and doing nothing, outside i.

To make the triplet rhythm clear, the i finger plays two successive down strokes.

Playing the two successive downs strokes with the same finger can at first feel counter intuitive, because continuous up/down strokes may seem more natural. Try and produce the triplet rhythm with only continuous up/down strokes and notice the different effect produced. ,.

Level 4: Rasgueados 3 Muting strings

p can mute a lower string as i plays the rasgueado

a (or m) can mute a higher string p and a (or m) mute treble and bass simultaneously

Level 4: Rasgueados 4

Familiarising yourself with the outward fanning action of ami

Gather the fingers into a loose fist. Place the top of the ami fingernails on the other hand. Move the fingers outwards in order:

a - m - i

This chain of finger movements is at the heart of many rasgueados. Keep the outward opening of the fingers in the ‘fan’ natural to your hand. Rasgueados need to be articulate, but over extending the fingers to make an unnecessarily wide fan, makes control more difficult and can be tiring. Develop control of when they move outwards.

In a rasgueado it will feel that one finger brings on the next which, in turn, brings on the next - and control is key. This sequence creates a more rolling effect, an important characteristic of rasgueados, than is possible with only one finger, as in the rasgueado with i, already shown. Nevertheless the articulation of the strokes can vary from being rhythmically defined – ta-ta-ta-ta - to a roll on a single chord – brrrrrrrrm!

The familiarisation exercise also demonstrates that having the top of the ami fingernails close to the strings when the fingers are gathered in, means that the fingers can play the outward strokes without having to reach for the strings.

(Depending on the context, the top of the fingernails could even be ON the strings.)

Note: Holding the fingertips against the palm, when they are gathered in, is not recommended as standard technique

Level 4: Rasgueados 5 RASGUEADO >

a m i

A very useful rasgueado in the repertoire which also lays the foundation of the outward ‘fanning’ movement with the fingers

Start position Gather the fingers in, to make a loose fist. Raise the hand, angling it a little to above the left knee, so that the top of the a fingernail is at the level of 6th string

From the start position : Play the down stroke with a, move the hand down with a. Keep the hand at the With the hand at that level, level it has reached play the down stroke Move the hand when a has played. with m down with i .

Play all the strings. Only the number of strings Play all the strings. caught by the natural outward movement of m need be played, but enough strings must sound for the rasgueado to be effective. The top note must always sound.

Level 4: Rasgueados 6 RASGUEADO >

a m i p

Start position Gather the fingers in, to make a loose fist. Raise the hand, angling it a little to above the left knee, so that the top of the a fingernail is at the level of 6th string

From the start position : Play the down stroke with a, move the hand down with a. Keep the hand at the level it has With the hand at that level, Move the hand reached when a has played. play the down strokes down with p .

Play all the strings Play all the strings. Only the number of strings caught This is the main accent in this by the natural outward movement of rasgueado m and i need be played, but enough strings must sound for the rasgueado to be effective. The top note must always sound.

Level 4: Rasgueados 7 RASGUEADO > >

p a m i p

A feature of this rasgueado is the up stroke with p

Start position

With the thumb extended and ami gathered in, rotate and angle the hand so that the top of the thumbnail is just below the 1st string and the thumb is pointing more towards the strings.

p/up stroke: From the start position, play with the top of the thumbnail by rotating the hand upwards, sharply and rapidly, keeping p straight and extended, even rigid. Keep the hand at the level it With the hand at that level, has reached when p has play the down strokes Move the hand played this up stroke down with p

Play all the strings Only the number of strings caught by the Play all the strings natural outward movement of a,m and i need be played, but enough strings must sound for the rasgueado to be effective. The top note must always sound. . Depending on the context, the main accent could be either

Level 4: Rasgueados 8 RASGUEADO

A feature of this rasgueado is the rapid up/down strokes with i

> >

a m i i i

Start position Gather the fingers in, to make a loose fist. Raise the hand, angling it a little to above the left knee, so that the top of the a fingernail is at the level of 6th string

Keep the hand at that level, for all these up and down strokes

From the start position : Play the down stroke with a, move the hand OR down with a. (This makes for a more forceful effect) Keep the hand at the Allow the hand to Move the hand level it has reached With the hand at that level, move upwards down with i when a has played. play the down strokes with the i ‘flick’

Play all the strings Only the number of strings caught This up stroke Play all the strings. by the natural outward movement is more of a This is the main accent. of m and i need be played, ‘flick’ with i, but enough strings must sound for catching only the rasgueado to be effective. some of the The top note must always sound. strings. .

Level 4: Rasgueados 9

CONTINUOUS RASGUEADO with rhythmic grouping in fours

> > >

a m i i a m i i a m i i

Start position Gather the fingers in, to make a loose fist. Raise the hand, angling it a little towards the left knee, so that the top of the a fingernail is at the level of 6th string

From the start position : Allow the hand to Play the down stroke move upwards with a, move the hand with the i ‘flick’. down with a. This will return the Keep the hand at the With the hand at that level, hand to the start level it has reached play down strokes with position, ready to when a has played. continue repeating the sequence

Play all the strings etc.

Only the number of strings This up stroke caught by the natural is more of a outward movement of m ‘flick’ with i, and i need be played, catching only but enough strings must some of the sound for the rasgueado to strings. be effective. The top note must always sound. .

The principle of ‘turning’ rasgueados to join them continuously can be applied to different rasgueado fingerings and rhythmic groupings

Level 4: Rasgueados 10 Dos and Don’ts

 Do not move the hand with each  Rasgueados are a combination of hand individual finger stroke, because the and finger movements. rasgueados will become unwieldy and much harder to play fast.

 Do not make the up strokes too long  Very often the up stroke can be a by trying to play too many strings, ‘flick’ of the finger without the need to when this is not necessary. This can play all the strings – but there must be make the up stroke slow and distort the enough strings played for the rhythm. rasgueado to be effective

 Do not make the hand/wrist angle  Allow the hand/wrist angle to be awkward, in order to have the fingers natural, easy and enabling, rather than play rasgueados at right angles to the restrictive. strings.

 Do not let the strokes become  Have a firm grasp of the intended rhythmically uneven, especially at the rhythm and listen carefully for gaps or ‘turn’ of a rasgueado, e.g. between bumps, especially when the rasgueados p/up stroke and ami/down strokes are played faster.

Level 4: Rasgueados 11