Thumb tremolo picking?

I came across this vid a few months ago, and I've been meaning to post this question along with it. I'm curious about the thumb picking this guy does (Fernando Miyata) at about 2:53. Is this related to flamenco music? Also, I'm not exactly sure, but what's with that series of flicking motions at about 2:33. A variation off of rasgueado? Any suggestions on developing either of these techniques?

Thanks fellow GT'ers... (GT'ers?)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATub40Npxik

It quite apparent to me that this guy has had classical training. So I'd recommend classical guitar lessons and some fingerpicking exercises

I'll look into that.

Originally Posted by: da_ardvarkIt quite apparent to me that this guy has had classical training. So I'd recommend classical guitar lessons

I agree, this guy is probably classically trained. That said, you don't necessarily have to have classical guitar lessons yourself to build your fingerpicking skills up to the level where you can play those sorts of leads with them (although it would probably help eventually, especially for the arpeggios). Tremolo picking with your thumb is not as hard as it looks, especially if you've already got a bit of fingerpicking under your belt. It's really quite similar to working out your tremolo picking technique with a flatpick - it's just a matter of experimenting with different angulations of your thumb joint, and of your wrist against the guitar, and finding the position that feels most comfortable for you to tremolo pick in; and the fluency and speed, of course, ought to come with practice. It may also help to grow the thumbnail on your picking hand a little. But as you said, the guy in the video only starts using his thumb for tremolo picking towards the end of the video; for the tremolo picking parts in the earlier half, he's using the nail on his index finger, reinforced by his thumb - the technique that many finger-pickers, me included, (sorry, that sounded so snobby :o :o) use most often for speed picking.

yeah for sure hes classically trained. he did alot of rasquiados too

That looks a lot more like flamenco than classical to me (regarding those two particular right hand techniques).
Just this week I watched a video of Julian Bream (highly renowned classical player 2nd only to Segovia) covering the history of Spanish guitar. Yet even he realized he couldn't do justice to flamenco techniques, so he had Paco Pena play for that segment.

Here's that very segment I mentioned. It shows his strumming/picking techniques fairly close.
Point is, while flamenco and classical are brethren in a sense, they're pretty different as well. So look into those particular techniques first.

Am I watching a completely different video or something? I don't reckon this guy has had classical training and I don't know why you think he has? Just by watching his left hand technique you can see that he hasn't, speaking from experience. Don't get me wrong his playing is excellent but just because he throws in a few harmonic minor scales and arpeggios doesn't mean he was a classical guitarist. Most classical guitarists struggle with electric I noticed at Uni because classical technique is strict. Anyway you don't need and I certainly wouldn't recommend Classical guitar lessons if you want to play like this, I did a degree in classical guitar and it made me quit playing for 7 years.

If you have never heard of him, you need to check out Phil Keaggy http://youtube.com/watch?v=j4VeLajv0tI