What are rasgueos?
Rasgueos (pronounced rah-skay-ohs) describe the rhythmic strumming tecnique used in flamenco, latin american, and some spanish classical guitar music. They are also known as rasgueados (ras-skee-ah-dohs) and rajeos (rah-hey-ohs). Rasgueos differ from ordinary strumming in that we strike the strings one finger at a time, rather than with the whole hand. One rasgueo usually features a particular sequence of fingers extended from a starting position (the palm of the hand or a string, for example). The final stroke of a rasgueo prepares the hand for repeating the cycle over again, if the context demands it.
Who should learn rasgueos?
Anyone interested in flamenco and flamenco-influenced music, and many popular latin american guitar styles must learn rasgueos, because the repertoire demands them. There are ways to simplfy rasgueos when you’re starting out, but to develop rhythmic capabilities, you’ll need to explore the world of rasgueos and find what works for you.
Rasgueos are also great for fingerstyle players, classical guitarists, and anyone who uses their fingers (as opposed to a pick) to play the instrument. Even if you don’t encounter the technique in the music that you usually play, bringing rasgueos into your playing routine will strengthen and balance your right hand.
Think of rasgueos as cross-training for your hands. Cross-training in sports is when an athlete practices a sport outside their specialty in order to develop a certain skill that another sport sharpens inherently. Competitive runners also do weight training and stretching, equestrians practice pilates and other core-strengthening exercises, etc… In playing guitar, we need our fingers to contract inwards toward the palm readily and with coordination. But even though the contraction is what produces the sound, we obviously need to extend the fingers to prepare them for their next movements. Strengthening the extensor muscles will make that extension more efficient and effortless.
Be advised: rasgueos evolved on nylon string guitars. We have to extend our fingers rapidly in a spring-loaded, almost explosive manner. The speed at which the nails and backs of fingers strike the guitar make many kinds of rasgueos uncomfortable to play on steel-string guitars. The technique will still benefit a fingerstyle steel-string player, but I’d recommend practicing them on nylon strings, even if that’s not your instrument of choice. If you have an old ‘beater’ guitar that you don’t mind stringing with nylon strings, that would serve the purpose well. Even on nylon strings, the backs of your fingers may feel a gentle, tired, soreness after lots of work on this technique. It’s similar to the soreness you feel after trying a new sport, or returning to one you’ve neglected for a while.
How many kinds of rasgueos are there?
I’ve never counted, but it’s probably in the hundreds. Most flamenco guitarists find several (ten to twenty) finger combinations that suit their hands well, and learn to use those rasgueos to fit many different contexts. I tend to separate rasgueos in two categories: those that use only the fingers (index, middle, ring, and sometimes pinky), and those that use the whole hand (thumb included). The former category offers a greater control of exactly what strings you play, and the latter category can usually deliver a stronger sound and, in some cases, faster speed.
A good introductory rasgueo: ring-middle-index-index
If you’re ready to try rasgueos and incorporate them into your playing, I usually start with this one. Rest your thumb on string 6 -- it will stay there the whole time. Now, prepare the ring, middle and index on string 6 as well. The pinky should be relaxed -- not extended, not curled in, but also probably not touching string 6 simply because it’s shorter than the other fingers.
Now, extend the ring finger quickly through the strings. Let the pinky extend with the ring, but not strike any strings. It’s just along for the ride. Keep the ring and pinky extended, and now extend the middle. Then the index. Note the tension in your hand as all the fingers are extended. Then relax them, let the index finger strike the strings in an upstroke, and let the other fingers follow it (but not touching the strings) to prepare for the next stroke.
Here are a few more general, written resources for rasgueos: Rasgueos are For Everyone, Rasgueos on the Classical Guitar, and They Sound Good, and They’re Good For You. If you haven’t seen this particular rasgueo in practice yet, definitely watch some videos to get an idea of the end result. Here’s one that illustrates a step-by-step approach to practicing the rasgueo I just described. Youtube is a great resource for exploring rasgueos, and I’ve barely scratched the surface in my exploration. If you’ve found some videos that illustrate them well, please hare them!
What other resources for rasgueos have students found? If you’ve already explored some rasgueos, which are your favorites? Have you found that some work better in certain contexts, but aren’t appropriate in others?
Really enjoyed this article. Thanks Leah