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Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
stroke with thumb or index."
How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
use?
Thanks!
--Cliff (US)
I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
stroke with thumb or index."
How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
use?
Thanks!
--Cliff (US)
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
hcbowman <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote:
> I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
> some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
> classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
> text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
> has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
> stroke with thumb or index."
>
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
> digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
> sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
> strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
> use?
I don't think techniques are so narrowly defined outside of classical
guitar. Thinking about it, I use a rest stroke whenever the next note
I'm about to play is on the next-lower string, or when I'm playing an
arpeggio that starts on a high string and descends to a sequence of
lower strings. But I usually don't think about it!
hcbowman <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote:
> I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
> some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
> classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
> text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
> has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
> stroke with thumb or index."
>
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
> digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
> sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
> strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
> use?
I don't think techniques are so narrowly defined outside of classical
guitar. Thinking about it, I use a rest stroke whenever the next note
I'm about to play is on the next-lower string, or when I'm playing an
arpeggio that starts on a high string and descends to a sequence of
lower strings. But I usually don't think about it!
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
On 13 Apr 2008, hcbowman <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in
alt.guitar.beginner:
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar?
I started off playing classical guitar, and took classical lessons for
a few years later on. Even though I don't play that style any more, I
still use some of the techniques on steel string acoustic and electric.
When I play fingerstyle, I still find myself using classical-style free
and rest strokes, and I still keep my nails maintained like my teachers
taught me.
So, it depends on you. The skill is relevent if you find a use for it.
I do.
On 13 Apr 2008, hcbowman <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in
alt.guitar.beginner:
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar?
I started off playing classical guitar, and took classical lessons for
a few years later on. Even though I don't play that style any more, I
still use some of the techniques on steel string acoustic and electric.
When I play fingerstyle, I still find myself using classical-style free
and rest strokes, and I still keep my nails maintained like my teachers
taught me.
So, it depends on you. The skill is relevent if you find a use for it.
I do.
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
Cliff,
I use rest strokes with my thumb often. My fingers play free strokes on a
steel strung guitar.
Dave M.
Cliff,
I use rest strokes with my thumb often. My fingers play free strokes on a
steel strung guitar.
Dave M.
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
"hcbowman" <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in message
news:7cdd7c12-efdc-4c24-b68b-dacde9d25f40@u3g2000hsc.googlegroups,com ...
>I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
> some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
> classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
> text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
> has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
> stroke with thumb or index."
>
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
> digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
> sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
> strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
> use?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff (US)
>
The freestroke is the norm. I think articulation and muting is the deciding
factor. Otherwise it is probably just a skill buliding exercise. The
wildwood flower that I posted is fingerstyle at the beginning level. It is
playing the basic melody line with the bass line added. The syncopation is
your basic finger independence exercise. The same scheme can be applied to
just about any piece of music. The use of fingerings that use open strings
as much as possible makes it easier to deal with. As far as rest stroke free
stroke is concerned, experiment a little.
Bob
"hcbowman" <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in message
news:7cdd7c12-efdc-4c24-b68b-dacde9d25f40@u3g2000hsc.googlegroups,com ...
>I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
> some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
> classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
> text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
> has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
> stroke with thumb or index."
>
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
> digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
> sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
> strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
> use?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff (US)
>
The freestroke is the norm. I think articulation and muting is the deciding
factor. Otherwise it is probably just a skill buliding exercise. The
wildwood flower that I posted is fingerstyle at the beginning level. It is
playing the basic melody line with the bass line added. The syncopation is
your basic finger independence exercise. The same scheme can be applied to
just about any piece of music. The use of fingerings that use open strings
as much as possible makes it easier to deal with. As far as rest stroke free
stroke is concerned, experiment a little.
Bob
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
Thanks to everyone who replied! It sounds like I should invest a
little time to build up this skill.
On Apr 13, 4:53 pm, "sycochkn" <sycoc...@earthlink,net > wrote:
> The freestroke is the norm. I think articulation and muting is the deciding
> factor. Otherwise it is probably just a skill buliding exercise.
I can't really tell which stroke someone is using, so this helps.
Freestroke certainly seems easier, but I understand the value of
muting. When you say articulation, do you mean that the note that's
being struck sounds different? I hear rest stroke notes being louder
and maybe having a little more "pop" at beginning, but it's not like
the difference between flesh and nails or fingers and pick.
The tough part right now is learning to sound two notes at the same
time, one with rest stroke and one with free stroke. I'm sure it will
come in time, but it feels like patting my head and rubbing my
belly...
Thanks!
--Cliff
Thanks to everyone who replied! It sounds like I should invest a
little time to build up this skill.
On Apr 13, 4:53 pm, "sycochkn" <sycoc...@earthlink,net > wrote:
> The freestroke is the norm. I think articulation and muting is the deciding
> factor. Otherwise it is probably just a skill buliding exercise.
I can't really tell which stroke someone is using, so this helps.
Freestroke certainly seems easier, but I understand the value of
muting. When you say articulation, do you mean that the note that's
being struck sounds different? I hear rest stroke notes being louder
and maybe having a little more "pop" at beginning, but it's not like
the difference between flesh and nails or fingers and pick.
The tough part right now is learning to sound two notes at the same
time, one with rest stroke and one with free stroke. I'm sure it will
come in time, but it feels like patting my head and rubbing my
belly...
Thanks!
--Cliff
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
"hcbowman" <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in message
news:b99acf1d-eb9f-4dc7-8066-b198a567a161@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups,com ...
> Thanks to everyone who replied! It sounds like I should invest a
> little time to build up this skill.
>
> On Apr 13, 4:53 pm, "sycochkn" <sycoc...@earthlink,net > wrote:
>
>> The freestroke is the norm. I think articulation and muting is the
>> deciding
>> factor. Otherwise it is probably just a skill buliding exercise.
>
> I can't really tell which stroke someone is using, so this helps.
> Freestroke certainly seems easier, but I understand the value of
> muting. When you say articulation, do you mean that the note that's
> being struck sounds different? I hear rest stroke notes being louder
> and maybe having a little more "pop" at beginning, but it's not like
> the difference between flesh and nails or fingers and pick.
>
> The tough part right now is learning to sound two notes at the same
> time, one with rest stroke and one with free stroke. I'm sure it will
> come in time, but it feels like patting my head and rubbing my
> belly...
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff
A good idea would be to learn at least one piece well enough that it is
comfortable to play all of the notes in time and then use it to practice
your free stroke and rest stroke so that you are not dealing with too many
things at the same time. It also makes a big difference in the sound when
you use fingerpicks different ones sound different.
Bob
"hcbowman" <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in message
news:b99acf1d-eb9f-4dc7-8066-b198a567a161@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups,com ...
> Thanks to everyone who replied! It sounds like I should invest a
> little time to build up this skill.
>
> On Apr 13, 4:53 pm, "sycochkn" <sycoc...@earthlink,net > wrote:
>
>> The freestroke is the norm. I think articulation and muting is the
>> deciding
>> factor. Otherwise it is probably just a skill buliding exercise.
>
> I can't really tell which stroke someone is using, so this helps.
> Freestroke certainly seems easier, but I understand the value of
> muting. When you say articulation, do you mean that the note that's
> being struck sounds different? I hear rest stroke notes being louder
> and maybe having a little more "pop" at beginning, but it's not like
> the difference between flesh and nails or fingers and pick.
>
> The tough part right now is learning to sound two notes at the same
> time, one with rest stroke and one with free stroke. I'm sure it will
> come in time, but it feels like patting my head and rubbing my
> belly...
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff
A good idea would be to learn at least one piece well enough that it is
comfortable to play all of the notes in time and then use it to practice
your free stroke and rest stroke so that you are not dealing with too many
things at the same time. It also makes a big difference in the sound when
you use fingerpicks different ones sound different.
Bob
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
hcbowman expounded in
news:b99acf1d-eb9f-4dc7-8066-b198a567a161@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups,com :
> The tough part right now is learning to sound two notes at the same
> time, one with rest stroke and one with free stroke. I'm sure it will
> come in time, but it feels like patting my head and rubbing my
> belly...
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff
Cliff, I don't think this combination together is used very much, except
perhaps by a advanced clasical guitarist.
I know that the Royal Conservatory (classical) program places a fair
amount of emphasis on these two different strokes, and I always dread the
rest stroke (with ma-ma picking patterns). Particularly in the exams.
But as others have said, they do sound different, and sometimes have
their own convenience when combined with muting. I also naturally tend to
use the rest stroke more often when transposing fingerstyle from
classical guitar to the closer spaced strings on a LP.
Snark.
** Posted from http :// www .teranews,com **
hcbowman expounded in
news:b99acf1d-eb9f-4dc7-8066-b198a567a161@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups,com :
> The tough part right now is learning to sound two notes at the same
> time, one with rest stroke and one with free stroke. I'm sure it will
> come in time, but it feels like patting my head and rubbing my
> belly...
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff
Cliff, I don't think this combination together is used very much, except
perhaps by a advanced clasical guitarist.
I know that the Royal Conservatory (classical) program places a fair
amount of emphasis on these two different strokes, and I always dread the
rest stroke (with ma-ma picking patterns). Particularly in the exams.
But as others have said, they do sound different, and sometimes have
their own convenience when combined with muting. I also naturally tend to
use the rest stroke more often when transposing fingerstyle from
classical guitar to the closer spaced strings on a LP.
Snark.
** Posted from http :// www .teranews,com **
Re: Rest Stroke / Free Stroke on fingerstyle guitar
"hcbowman" <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in message
news:7cdd7c12-efdc-4c24-b68b-dacde9d25f40@u3g2000hsc.googlegroups,com ...
>I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
> some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
> classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
> text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
> has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
> stroke with thumb or index."
>
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
> digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
> sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
> strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
> use?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff (US)
Rest strokes aren't as common on steel string guitar, but they have their
uses. I occasionally practice them, to hit the string again as the finger
comes back on the upstroke, as used by flamenco and Latin guitarists. This
should give fast triplets or sustained fast repeats of the same note
(trills?), but I'm not very good at it. It also wrecks you fingernails on a
steel string.
Tony D
"hcbowman" <hcbowman@gmail,com > wrote in message
news:7cdd7c12-efdc-4c24-b68b-dacde9d25f40@u3g2000hsc.googlegroups,com ...
>I picked up an introductory book on classical guitar because it had
> some interesting-looking exercises and tunes in it. (I don't have a
> classical guitar but want to learn fingerstyle.) The introductory
> text talks about rest strokes and free strokes, and each composition
> has instructions like "Treble, rest stroke with fingers. Bass, free
> stroke with thumb or index."
>
> How relevant is this skill to common (not classical) fingerstyle
> guitar? I don't think I've seen the rest stroke (where the striking
> digit comes to rest against the string adjacent to the one being
> sounded) emphasized that much in other beginner's books. Are rest
> strokes the norm for treble notes? If not, how do you decide which to
> use?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --Cliff (US)
Rest strokes aren't as common on steel string guitar, but they have their
uses. I occasionally practice them, to hit the string again as the finger
comes back on the upstroke, as used by flamenco and Latin guitarists. This
should give fast triplets or sustained fast repeats of the same note
(trills?), but I'm not very good at it. It also wrecks you fingernails on a
steel string.
Tony D
