en:vok:rasgueado

Rasgueado 1) is a basic technique in flamenco music, where strokes are executed with the finger nail of a single finger. The thumb is therefore basically used for upstrokes, all other fingers for downstrokes. Thus, rasgueado is a series auf quickly executed arpeggios that should also be heard as such. Variations of rasgueado are performed with one, two, or three fingers.

The original rasgueado consists of a quick and steady sequence of strokes with all fingers in the order of little finger-ring finger-middle finger-index finger. An upstroke with thumb or index finger may follow.

At first, the hand forms a fist. Then, little finger, ring finger, middle finger and index finger perform downstrongs on all strings. Subsequently, the strings may be muted with the palm, before thumb or index finger do upstrokes.

Herman Vandecauter: Four finger rasgueadoHints

A-M-I-I

For this variant, the little finger is not used. Instead, ring finger, middle finger-index finger do downstrokes, followed by an upstroke with the index finger before repetition of the whole pattern.

For the abanico 2), the thumb performs an upstroke, followed by a downstroke with several of the fingers (commonly ring finger and middle finger, which turn this into a two finger rasguedao), and finally a downstroke of thumb (e.g., thumb-ring finger-middle finger-thumb).

Abanico on the UkuleleHints

The index finger can also be used singularly to perform downstrokes and upstrokes. However, all strings must sound in both directions. In flamenco music, one finger rasgueado and full rasgueado are frequently combined.

One finger rasgueado on a sopranino

1)
rasguear „to play several strings simultaneously“
2)
„fan“