HOW TO ROLL A CHORD
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.

This is just Part 1 folks. I drone on for over 17 minutes explaining in detail how to execute this valuable technique. Part 2 will be available next month only to paid subscribers. So be sure to purchase a subscription today.

Warning: don't overuse this technique or you will become infected with "rollitus".

Watch me demonstrate.

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Rolling a chord means playing its notes, usually from bass to treble in quick succession. Some people also refer to it as arpeggiation. The highest-pitched note of the chord, like on the first string here, is often emphasized because lots of times it's the melody note and therefore usually the last to be plucked.

Segovia preferred this type of roll. And it's an important aspect of his and many other players’ performances. We can do a four-string, five-string, or six-string rolled chord.

However, it is important to realize that rolling a chord can significantly alter the rhythm of a passage. Because we're spreading out the notes, instead of playing them simultaneously, rolling a chord throws off the beat. In other words, if I start a rolled chord on a beat, the last note of the chord is significantly delayed. If I start the roll by playing the 6th string on the beat, by the time I get to the first string, that first string will sound after the beat.

So, the high E ends up after the beat. We usually want the top note of the chord, which is the melody in most cases, to be hit right on the beat.

So, if we begin with the sixth string on an upbeat, we will end up with the first string, which would usually be the melody note, on the beat.

Therefore, when playing a rolled chord, it's important to decide when you should start the roll and when the final note of the roll should be plucked. One must be aware of, or feel, when that final note is played. Ask yourself, where do I want the beat to fall in this rolled chord? Otherwise, the rolled chord could cause the rhythm of the measure to become confused.

So when you're playing rolled chords, you want to be very careful how you're placing them rhythmically, that you're intentionally placing the melody note on a beat, which is the usual case. Otherwise, again, the rhythm will sound confused.

To execute the basic roll, place the fingers on the first three strings, the treble strings. The right-hand index finger, should be on the third string, the middle finger on the second string, and the ring finger on the first string. The string should be seated perfectly against the left sides of the nails, touching the flesh and nails together.

Don't be on just the skin. Don't be on just the nail. It must be flesh and nail together. And again, preferably on the left sides of your nails, not straight on. You want to be on the sides of your nails, which is standard classical guitar practice. Then, set the thumb on the fourth string.

As with the fingers, with the thumb, you want to touch nail and flesh together. However, if for whatever reason you can only touch the flesh of the thumb, that's fine for now. Eventually you'll learn to do either placement at will.

Also, allow the fingers to hang together, to touch each other slightly at the tips. Don't splay the fingers apart. Some people's fingers naturally splay apart. If that's the case with your hand, fine. But if you allow the fingers to relax and if they naturally touch each other, that's a good thing. When they touch each other lightly like that, it gives the fingers a cohesive feel for working together to do these rolled chords. It's a little easier than if your fingers are splayed apart.

Now, from that planted position, fingers on the trebles, thumb on the fourth string, play the arpeggio pattern “pima” (thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger).

What you want to do is to play deliberate rhythms that space the notes fairly widely at first and then gradually shorten the time between each note. So, start out by planting the thumb and fingers. Then, play four even notes. Plant each time before you play, and make sure the plant is perfect and that you're on the left side of each fingernail.

Remember, if you have nails, touch the left side of the nail, flesh and nail together. Then do a little faster: plant-play, plant-play. Then a little faster.

If you find it's getting uneven, and you have a hesitation, then slow it back down, get the evenness back, and try it faster until you're doing it fast and evenly, and then eventually just a quick thumb, index finger, middle finger, and ring finger.

Don't turn the hand. Don't roll the hand over. At least not in the early stages. Turning, flicking or throwing the hand, comes later. At least I prefer it to come later. I would rather you learn to do this with a steady hand position.

So, be certain to plant all four fingers each time before you roll the chord. Make sure you have perfect flesh-nail contact on the strings and practice slow to faster and faster. Your goal is to have even spacing between the notes to produce a cohesive roll. Try to make your rolled chord sound like a chord strummed by just the thumb so it sounds rhythmically even.

Some people describe the sensation of rolling from this planted position as snapping your fingers crisply, cleanly, and fast.

Now, practicing with the slow to faster and faster method will not only help you learn the technique of rolling a chord but will also enable you to vary the speed of the roll at will. In other words, a rolled chord is not necessarily one speed. It can be many speeds. You want to be able to control it at will.

Some teachers suggest throwing the hand to the left, as the roll is executed, holding the fingers together, and thinking of it as all one unit. And what happens, this lessens nail resistance. It can actually help quicken the playing of the notes, getting them closer together.

But other teachers say to avoid this, at least in the early stages, because if it's not done carefully, it can cause the first string to catch on the ring finger’s nail producing a bad tone. You can try to learn the roll with and without throwing the hand just to see what helps you get the hang of it. But again, my personal preference is to teach the student to learn the roll accord without throwing the hand.

Once you can execute a four-note roll with the thumb, index, middle, and finger fingers, try a five-note roll. Once again, plant the fingers on the treble strings. Be certain each string is seated perfectly against the left side of the fingernail. Fingernail and flesh simultaneously. Then, set the thumb on the fifth string. And at this point, once again, you may set the thumb so the string is touching only the flesh, or flesh and nail simultaneously. I would prefer you flesh and nail, but again, if you can't, just do flesh alone. Do whatever's most natural. Later, you'll learn to do either technique at will, as you become more proficient.

Now, keep the fingers planted on the treble strings, play the 5th string rest stroke, and drag the thumb from the 5th string onto the 4th string. Because the thumb is resting on the 4th string, it can play the string very quickly and easily with free stroke. Let the thumb fall right off the 4th string. Then, continue playing through the chord with the fingers playing the treble strings. So think of it as a sweep of thumb strokes followed by finger strokes. Be careful when you're doing this that as your thumb is playing, your ring finger doesn't actually come off of its resting point on the first string before it's time to play. Make sure the ring finger stays glued to the first string until it is its turn to play.

Use the slow-fast practice technique. Again, keep the fingers together lightly, not spread apart if you can. Start with slow rolls and then make them faster until they sound cohesive.

You can also, as a practice technique, practice quietly and loudly. You might as well be developing that ability from the get-go. Again, the goal is to maintain even spacing between the notes but be especially observant of the evenness between the 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings. The thumb drag may result in the 5th and 4th strings being too close together. Or, you may hear a pause between the 4th and third strings, which is the transition from the thumb to the fingers.

The same instructions apply to the six-note role. Plant the fingers on the treble strings. Be certain each string is seated perfectly against the left side of each fingernail. Touch the string with the fingernail and flesh simultaneously. Then set the thumb on the sixth string. Again, at this point you can set the thumb so the string touches only the flesh or flesh and nail together. Do whichever is most natural. Later, you'll learn to do both techniques.

Keep the fingers planted on the treble strings. Play the sixth string with rest stroke so the thumb comes to rest onto the fifth string. The thumb is now sitting on the fifth string. Then, play the fifth string with a rest stroke, dragging it onto the fourth string. Now that the thumb is resting on the fourth string, it can play the string very quickly and easily with free stroke. And then, you continue playing through the chord with the fingers playing the treble strings. So, the five and six-note rolls should feel like a sweep of thumb rest strokes with the thumb gliding across the strings in a continuous rest stroke, followed by the finger strokes.

And again, use the slow-fast practice technique. Start very slowly. Get the technique down. Plant. Play. Make sure, once again, that the ring finger stays locked against that first string as you play with the thumb, index, and middle fingers.

Again, hold the fingers together lightly and naturally, not splayed apart. And again, don't rotate the hand. Don't turn off to the side. Don't throw the hand. Just stay steady.

If you're still awake, be sure to watch Part 2!