The passion in Flamenco music arises from its rhythmic structure, articulated well by one of the foundational techniques of the Flamenco guitar–rasgueados.
Practicing these “flicks” as a preparation for the rasgueados will slowly tune up the extensor muscles of your forearm. When you work on rasgueados initiated from your thumb, keep your extended fingers firm, but not the least bit tense.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/LJrVRigWkK8[/youtube]In the clip that you just watched, note both the position and action of the instructor’s index finger joints. He is demonstrating these flicks at a slow tempo so that you can see these important details. Observe also that his tip joint is loose. That allows his finger to function effectively in both directions–up and down.
In time, and with lots of practice, you will get a good sense of control, and will be able to vary the firmness of your finger, which will enable you to play these at varying dynamic levels.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/NOspsGQ4lz8[/youtube]This clip illustrates the basic use of your index finger when playing rasgueados. Try to get an even volume during both the upstroke and the downstroke.
Next, we will learn how to perform golpe, the characteristic tapping sound of Flamenco music that mimics the taps of the dancers’ feet.
