Classical Guitar Technique

HOW TO USE REST STROKE WITH THE FINGERS TO BRING OUT A MELODY WITHIN AN ARPEGGIO
Part 1 of 2

Copyright Douglas Niedt. All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reprinted, but please be considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.

The perfect example of what I am addressing in this tip is in Fernando Sor's famous Study No. 5 in B minor. It is actually Exercise No. 22  in Sor's Twenty-Four Very Easy Exercises, Op. 35. But Andrés Segovia renamed and renumbered it in his 20 Studies for the Guitar by Fernando Sor as Study No. 5.

The piece is in three parts—melody, accompaniment, and bass. Here it is, and notice I have highlighted all the melody notes in red. Example No. 1:

One of the goals of this exercise is to teach the guitarist to bring out the melody more prominently than the arpeggio accompaniment and bass notes. When played properly, the first impression a casual listener will have is that two guitarists are playing. One is playing the chordal arpeggio accompaniment and the other is playing the single melody notes. Example No 1a:

Watch me demonstrate how the piece produces the illusion of a guitar duet. Video No. 1:

Two methods may be used to emphasize the melody so that it stands out from the accompaniment.

Method #1, Today's Status Quo

Most guitarists today play the piece with all free stroke in the right hand. They bring out the melody by playing it louder (obviously) but also by making a conscious effort to play the accompaniment notes very quietly. This is made easier by the fact that "p" and "i" almost always play the accompaniment notes. Therefore, if the guitarist tells himself to play "p" and "i" with a feather-light touch, the melody notes will automatically be more prominent.

Method #2, The Old School Way

Another way to separate out the melody from the accompaniment is to play the melody notes with rest stroke and the accompaniment notes with free stroke. This is more of an old-school approach but is very effective, particularly in producing the illusion of a guitar duet being played on one instrument.

Historical Considerations

Some guitarists and scholars would nix the entire idea of using rest stroke on any music written prior to Tárrega because it might not be "historically correct". I always study the historical performance practices of other eras, but in the end, my decisions on how to play a piece are based entirely on what sounds best on modern instruments. As a professional, I pay extra attention to how things sound on recordings and in concert halls.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Method

Watch me demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of each method in this video. Video No. 2:

How to Play Rest Stroke on the Melody Within an Arpeggio

We are going to learn this technique using Fernando Sor's Study No. 5 in B minor referenced above.

1. Set (plant) the thumb ("p") on the 4th string.

Place and leave the thumb on the 4th string.

2. Play the 1st string rest stroke with "m".

Watch me demonstrate the details of this exercise. Video No. 3:

Be sure "m" is pulling INTO the guitar to produce a full-bodied tone. Relax the tip joint enough to allow it to hyperextend slightly. In other words, allow it to bend backwards a little bit. Or, you can think of letting the tip joint "give". Or, think of it as collapsing slightly. Use whatever thought works best for you. Do NOT bend it or keep it stiff or straight. You can still play rest stroke with a straight tip joint, but the sound will be more hard-edged and percussive. In most pieces, we want a full and warm tone on the melody.

Be certain to use standard rest-stroke technique. Place the finger on the string so that the string touches the left side only of the fingernail. Also, be sure the string is in contact with the flesh and fingernail simultaneously before plucking the string.

If the string is getting caught in any way on the fingernail, you are most likely not contacting the string correctly. If both sides of the fingernail contact the string, the fingernail will catch. If the flesh contacts the string before the fingernail (instead of simultaneously), the fingernail will click and catch. In some instances, the nail may be too long or shaped incorrectly.

Guidelines for the thumb:

In my over 50 years of teaching, it seems to me that variations in length, width, joint stability, joint malfunctions, and other oddities occur more often in the thumb than any of the other fingers. For this reason, I find it difficult to give precise advice on how to place and use the thumb, especially in more advanced techniques such as this. But I will give it my best shot.

If your thumbnail is fairly long and well-shaped, its placement should be similar to that of "m". Contact the string simultaneously with flesh and nail. However, the string should contact the center to right side of the thumbnail, not the left side. Stay away from the left corner of the nail as it will often catch on the string.

A longer thumbnail makes it easier to get good contact with the string. If your thumbnail is short or non-existent, all flesh is okay but flesh+nail usually produces the best sound and is easiest to control.

3. With "p" still planted on the 4th string, set "m" on the 2nd string. Bend and collapse the tip joint.

Be sure the left side of the "m" fingernail is seated on the 2nd string. Practice bending and collapsing the tip joint of "m". Do not let the finger leave the 2nd string. Keep the left side of the fingernail touching the string as you alternate bending the tip joint and then collapsing it. Do not pluck the string.

This is hard to describe in words. Watch me. Video No. 4:

4. With "p" still planted on the 4th string, play the 1st string with "m" rest stroke and then the 2nd string with "i" free stroke.

A. Set "m" on the 1st string and hyperextend the tip joint slightly as described above. Pluck the 1st string with "m" rest stroke. Pull into the guitar and come to rest on the 2nd string. The tip joint should still be hyperextended (collapsed).

I will show you in this close-up video. Video No. 5:

B. Then, bend or flex the tip joint of "m" and bring the "i" finger into position to pluck the 2nd string.

C. As "m" (in its bent fingertip state) is lifted off the 2nd string, pluck the 2nd string free stroke with "i". Play the "i" finger very quietly to train it to play its accompaniment notes quietly in the piece.

I will show you in this close-up video. Video No. 5:

That's it! Repeat over and over, of course very slowly. Keep "p" planted on the 4th string. Play the "m" rest strokes loudly, and the "i" free strokes quietly.

Why It Works

Many players and teachers maintain that rest stroke and free stroke can be played from the same hand position. That is absolutely true. However, that position is actually a compromise between the two and the rest stroke movement will be more across the string rather than into the guitar. It will still sound like a rest stroke but with a slightly percussive and harder-edged tone.

For a full-bodied rest stroke where one pulls into the guitar (which minimizes any percussiveness and maximizes its warmth), the hand position is different from the free stroke. The hand leans slightly back for the rest stroke and moves slightly forward (towards the floor) for free stroke.

But, in arpeggio passages where we choose to use rest stroke on the melody notes, we can minimize the hand position change by utilizing the flexibility of the tip joint. Remember:

1. Collapsing or hyperextending the tip joint allows the finger to pull into the guitar to produce a full-bodied rest stroke.

2. Bending or flexing the tip joint after the finger rests on the next string alters the position of the hand, but only slightly. This enables the next finger to play its free stroke without making a major change in the hand position.

It is this collapse/bend of the tip joint of the rest stroke finger that enables the hand to play true rest strokes in conjunction with free strokes while minimizing hand movement.

Watch me demonstrate the subtleties of these hand position changes in the next video. Video No. 7:

Incorporate the technique into an actual piece

Now, let's begin to incorporate the technique into one complete measure of our Sor Study, but still focusing on the right hand alone.

We will use measure #3 as our starting point. But of course, the technique and method of mastering it may be applied to many other pieces. Example No. 4:

First, we must train "i" and "p" to play quietly.

Set "m" on the 1st string with the tip joint bent or flexed, not hyperextended or collapsed. Play "ipip" very quietly with free stroke on the 2nd and 4th strings.

This is an excellent exercise to practice. Example No. 5:

Next, we will extract the open strings of measure #3 to make our exercise for the right hand alone. We do not want to be distracted by issues with the left hand. Example No. 6:

Now, play the entire measure, still on open strings. Be sure to play "p" quietly. Example No. 7:

Finally, play the measure both hands together. Example No. 8:

Watch me demonstrate how to practice the technique on open strings and then as written. Video No. 8:

Several measures use this pattern, so you are well on your way to mastering the technique on this piece. The other pattern that is used in several measures is this one found in measure #4. Example No. 9:

If we extract the open strings, we have this. Example No. 10:

All the practice techniques are the same but on a different set of strings. Examples 11 through 14:

To practice the technique, watch as I walk you through all the steps. Video No. 9:

Several other measures throughout the piece have slightly different configurations but all are played in the same way.

And once again, these same practice strategies may be applied to any other piece you play. If a passage consists of a melody contained within an arpeggio (or the entire piece is an arpeggio), you can use rest stroke with the fingers to emphasize the melody to any degree you desire.

This concludes Part 1.