From: ryanr@beethoven.CS.ColoState.EDU (richard ryan)
Subject: Re: Playing with fingernails
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 14:55:25 GMT
	<RYANR.92Aug13122539@beethoven.CS.ColoState.EDU>
	<vucinic.713743046@apol3ppe1>
Organization: Computer Science Department, Colorado State University

Hi,

This is from a letter I sent in reply but didn't make it.

If you really like the "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," try picking up
Frederick Noad's "Solo Guitar II."  Although there are many other
editions of the Recuerdos, this one not only gives the most complete
and helpful tips on the performance of this piece, Noad's books are
filled with many other pieces wonderfully explained with tips on both
technique and style.  His guitar pieces are good reproductions (I
think) of the original guitar pieces (where this applies and, of
course, it doesn't apply to transcriptions) and (generally) not
simplified versions of the original.  "Solo Guitar I & II" are highly
recommended, but they have even more to offer if you can go over them
with an experienced teacher.

"Recuerdos de la Alhambra" is not as difficult as you might think.
However, it is _P_-a-m-i where the thumb plays the bass note as I have
mentioned in my posting.  And although I have heard classical/flamenco
guitarists play fingerpicked tremolo as smooth as flatpicked tremolo,
mastery of this is difficult above and beyond what you would encounter
doing the tremolo flatpicked.  The added difficulty may possibly get
in the way of other things even when the technique is mastered.
However, if I'm wrong about this, it wouldn't be the first time and
I'm sure it won't be the last.

A flatpicked variation on the classical tremolo which is difficult but
interesting is flatpick(downstroke)-little-ring-middle.  (A more
useful version of this in triplets is flatpick-ring-middle.)  I only
ever play the Recuerdos the conventional way, though.  It's much
simpler that way.  A related fingerpicked flamenco technique is
p-c-a-m-i-p-c-a-m-i....  The beats in this flamenco technique are
evenly divided into 5.

There's another tremolo technique related to the flamenco p-c-a-m-i
that I mentioned and here it is:

  p
    \
      - a - m - i
    /
  c

The reason for mentioning this is that p(bass)-a-m-i gives the
illusion of a smooth tremolo by robbing the attack of the note at the
beginning of the beat such as in the "Recuerdos."  Some people who
want the attack will often play the melodic note with the pinky at the
same time as picking the bass with the thumb; if they wish to sustain
that note, they leave the pinky out on the next beat.  This is
helpful, and some may argue even necessary, when the melody contains a
repeated note in which case the only thing setting the notes apart is
the attack.  Increased volume at the beginning of the melodic note is
also often used to separate them, but of course, the attack will be
late and this makes it even more difficult to control the other
dynamic considerations.

See you,
Richard.

p.s.  When playing a repeated melodic note with flatpicked tremolo
that's done with alternaing up and down strokes, all you have to do is
lean into the pick a little.

p.p.s.  I guess I've pretty much peppered this darn newsgroup with
comments defending flatpicking, fingerpicking with nails, and
fingerpicking WITHOUT nails.  I guess my belief is that there is no
one best technique for everything and your best technique is that
which achieves what you want you like best or need for the moment.
And if there was one best technique for everything, I think
guitarists would have had enough time by now to figure that out by now
and everyone would be using it.  Of course, I could be wrong again,
but on this subject, I'm just closed minded enough to believe I'm not.
Heck, I'd even try a nosepicking technique if I knew how.

p.p.p.s.  Really, picks are cool.  Give it a shot.