How to Play the Picado Technique in Flamenco Guitar

The picado technique is one of the definitive flamenco guitar performance styles. Flamenco music on the guitar elicits an emotional response from the audience which matches the intense emotions of the flamenco singers and dancers. The strong and dynamic picado playing technique gives the player a chance to show off his more laid back playing.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Place the right hand in the proper position with the fingers perpendicular to the guitar's sounding board. Extend the fingers and use the thumb to balance the hand.

2. Begin by alternating between the middle and index fingers with smooth, silky movements. Imagine the two fingers are in a dance and each step is a note.

3. Slide the flesh of the fingertip along the strings on the rest stroke. The resulting sound is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the picado technique.

4. Pluck with the nail. The flamenco guitar player's fingernails are used as finger picks.

5. Rest the finger on the next string to be played. Positioning the fingers in the blink of an eye is a prerequisite for any guitar playing style, but it is especially important in the energetic flamenco picado playing style.