The technique for today is strumming (“rasgueados”) for both classical and flamenco guitar and there are 9 techniques total. Once you combine and vary these 9, you can pretty much play any strumming pattern for any kind of music. Enjoy! © 2022 Diego Alonso Audette Aste & Sonanta LLC www.DiegoAlonsoMusic.com

The 1-finger rasgueado (I) is seemingly the easiest one to play but without the correct expression and execution it can sound robotic and make our playing sound monotonous. The “i” rasgueado is played with by extending and/or contracting the index (I) finger across 2 or more strings and the trick to this is to apply a LOT of dynamic variation to each movement in order to add groove to your music. It’s easier said than done so in this video, I share examples of the i or i-i ra

The 2-finger rasgueado (I-A-I) is very unique to flamenco guitar although it can certainly be used in classical or any other genre. This technique is played with by contracting the I (index) finger and then extending A (middle) and I (index) to get a triplet feel. This rasgueado is always played with clear rhythmic separation between the fingers. When you play it, make sure that you hear even spacing between each finger. In this video, I share examples of the I-A-I rasgueado

The 3-finger rasgueado (AMI) one of the most utilized rasgueados in flamenco and Spanish classical guitar. It is played with by extending fingers A (ring), M (middle) and I (index) and often following up the extensions by contracting the “I” finger to create a loop. This rasgueado is often played with clear rhythmic separation between the fingers although a more compact (i.e., less separated) sound can be used as well depending on the guitarist’s aesthetic preference. In this

The 4-FINGER rasgueado (CAMI) in flamenco guitar is likely one of the oldest rasgueados in the series. It is played with by extending fingers C (little), A (ring), M (middle) and I (index) and often following up the extensions by contracting the “I” finger to create a loop. This rasgueado is often played with clear rhythmic separation between the fingers although a more compact (i.e., less separated) sound can be used as well depending on the guitarist’s aesthetic preference.

The technique for today is the 5-finger rasgueado with CAMIP which is one of the most unique rasgueados in flamenco guitar.