What about setting the thumb on the fifth string when playing rasgueos with chords that have the root on the fourth string? Let’s say a Fmaj7 in a solea or a Dmin triad...
It looks like Kai does not shift his thumb position...

Hey Stefano,
You're right that I always keep my thumb on the sixth string. I've just learned to shift my right hand so that I hit the strings I want to hit. I can't think of any reason your suggestion wouldn't work, though. As long as you're comfortable making the shift to the fifth string when needed you should be good. I don't know if I'd recommend going out of your way to learn this, but if you're already doing it I can't see any real downside. Have you been doing this for a while now or are you just now contemplating it? Also, are you having trouble avoiding the fifth string on those voicings, or have you seen other players do this? I'm just curious where the idea came from.
Cheers,
Kai

Hi Kay, It’a real pleausure talking with you!
Well about the thumb... I’ve seen that way of shifting from 6th to 5th string back and forth in many videos on youtube and the technique is described in some books too... By the way none of those players was at your level of playing and teaching so I am most of all interested in what you whould teach to a guy coming to you to learn rasgueados. Your advice is to “search” for the strings you want to play when doing a rasgueo rather than shifting the thumb placement. Am I right?

Thank you Kai it really helps a lot! I am going to work on this 😉
By the way... this “flamenco explained” idea is something special! Please keep going!

Yes - you’ve got all the right stuff happening! Now you just have to work on relaxing and making each stroke a little more even. ( also, watch out for that first compas where are you play an extra beat when you get back to the FMaj7 chord on beats 78 and nine ). One good way to practice evenness is to alternate accenting each stroke, so that you are sure that none of the fingers is too much weaker or stronger than the others. When you practice relaxing you have to let go of a little bit of that obsession with evenness and really just work on getting all the tension out of your hand and shoulder and neck as you do it. You will have to go back-and-forth between practicing your evenness and practicing relaxing for a while until the two start to come together.
Let me know how it goes!

I came here to make a post asking about effective practice for rasgueado, I’ve come up against he same problem with evenness vs relaxation, but seeing this conversation answers my questions. Thanks!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/q6DyM1ieByZKk9tS7

I'm torn about these things - on the one hand it's an amazing idea for practicing, but since the rest of the guitar is missing your whole posture is different than when you're playing. I honestly don't know if that is a problem or not, so please keep us posted on whether you feel that it's helping.
Cheers,
Kai

When I was first learning rasgueados, I'd practice in the car. I have a two hour commute. I'd rest my thumb nail on the gear shift, just barely far enough out that my fingertips would brush the side of the gearshift when I flicked them out. Then I'd "play" a Tangos or Alegrias pattern (taping w/ my angular finger with an i up stroke on 4, 5, 6, 11, &12). It wasn't as good as practicing with a guitar, but I think it was helpful. It made time where I didn't have any, and it helped me get comfortable, relaxed and even rasgueados. Now, I feel like rasgueados just happen naturally, and my right hand can do either of those basic patterns more or less endlessly, in compas, without error. I'm doing the same thing now with bulerias patterns, just trying to train right hand so the pattern is "second nature."

Undoubtedly, it's better to do it with a guitar, but this creates practice the and I think it has helped.

Yep - I sometimes think it's better to work on the movement on some other object than a guitar so you don't feel like you have to make sound. You just sort of get comfortable with the motion and then bring that to the guitar later. I suspect it helps us relax, but it's just a theory :)
Cheers,
Kai

Hello everyone. Very new to all this! Don’t know if I should start a different thread, but my question is about rasqueado. Just starting to practice but my ring finger is very weak and not independent. The m wants to go out with it. Any ideas to isolate the ring finger and develop it? Or just keep grinding away at it?

Been a drummer for 40+ years but pretty new to guitar. For example, I am still struggling to get the Solea F chord on the strings in time with the other chords in Solea.

Thanks so much! I am loving all the resources here and the opportunity to learn Flamenco guitar!

Thanks so much!
Yes, the rasgueado advice makes sense.

I did watch, rather listen to, the video. I listen a lot while at my engraving bench at work. That was a hugely helpful video, and I am correcting my death grip tendencies.

Your explanation of how the arm moves, and pulling inward with the arm really makes sense. I have heard classical and other guitarists advise that you should “let the weight of your arm” help with barre chords. I figured I was missing something, because it never helped. But with your explanation so can begin to play chords not using my thumb behind the neck. Never would have thought that possible.

I will go back and actually watch it.🙂

For me the trouble with the F chord is getting the fingers to go where they should without taking too long. Just not a familiar shape for me yet. But I am seeing progress so I am not worried. Just giving a sense of where my current level is.

Thanks again!

👍🏻🙂