Carlevaro - Technique

Barney Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme Hi Barney, here are two videos by Alfredo Escande explaining Carlevaro's approach to the various "toques" include toque #3.  I hope these videos help. 

Dale Needles Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme Thanks Dale!

I had already watched Alfredo's videos.  He describes each "toques" in quick more general terms using the knuckle joint with fixation, which I understand.

I was hoping to see a more detailed  close-up visual of the Toque#3 movement.  In traditional "Rest Strokes"  the string is approached with an angle that enables resting on the adjacent string.  It naturally presses "into the soundboard" creating the fat round sound.

In Toque#3 ,  it is not approached this way, because you would hit the next string.  Is the string approached from the "top" of the and pressed "vertically"  into the guitar and then released at an angle that barely clears the next string?  At what angle and how much pressure,etc?

Since this is a substitute for Rest stoke, I'm looking for the breakdown of the movement to accomplish that quality fat sound.    Thanks!

Barney Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme Barney, for Carlevaro the attack or stroke on the string is done across the string perpendicularly. I would say that the RH finger is coming across the string (not pressing down towards the sound board) at a constant speed of attack.  As you have read in SOG and saw in Alfredo's video, the power and sound come from which phalanx is being employed.  For Toque 3, it is the strongest phalanx where the finger attaches to the knuckle.  A key for Carlevaro is the opposing motion of finger after striking the string.  That is, not letting your finger follow through and rest on the adjacent string but rather recoiling back at the same force that you initially stroked the string.  This takes a lot of training of the fingers.  I have been working on this approach for years and I can for the most part either avoid the adjacent string when playing Toque 3 or at the least, if I touch it, my finger instantly recoils back preparing for the next stroke.  My recommendation would be to first practice that recoil motion daily to acquire that muscular memory and when you do try employing this technique, do not fixate too much on not touching the adjacent string during these first steps, but rather try not to rest on it by focusing on the recoil.  It would be great to hear what Moyes and Blaise have to say about this as well.  

Dale Needles Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme  Thanks Dale!

I was curious about the Carlevaro attack, stroke trajectory, etc. for Toque 3, because we know scientifically the most beautiful , roundest sound from the guitar comes from the strings vibrating "up and down" NOT side to side.  It occurs when the string is pushed down directly toward the soundboard (like a rest stroke). It is interesting how some top different artists seem to achieve this  great tone with Free strokes.  A few examples are David Russell, Marco Tamayo, and  Anilleo Desiderio.

My free stroke does not come close to the tone quality of my rest strokes.  The other challenge for me is achieving good tone with free stroke at high speeds...

Barney First, I want to say this is a great discussion and thanks for raising these questions.  Second, it is important to remember that Carlevaro's theories on guitar technique provides a framework from which each player needs to then apply and adapt as they see fit.  Regarding toque 3, I do not think it would work as an alternative to the tirando stroke.  It is really meant to either replace or be an adaptation of the apoyando stroke.  Toque 1 is Carlevaro's approach to the tirando.  As for striking down or perpendicularly across the strings, you raise a good point.  In looking at my own toque 3, I noticed there is subtle striking down towards the sound board when I want to get a warmer more dolce sound.  With that said, I will reach out to Alfredo to see if we can get more clarification on this point.  Finally, as you listen to Carlevaro's recording, you can hear that he has a very pure sound which utilizes a vast array of timbres, and can at times be very dolce or claro, alternating these timbres within the same phrase or even in the same chord.  

Dale Needles Thanks Dale!!  I also look forward to hearing Alfredo's comments about this. 

Barney Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme

I just heard back from Alfredo and he gives a great explanation. 

"Concerning the "Toques" we must be aware that Carlevaro made that schematic way of classifying them just to be able to transmit the main concepts. Let's say that he painted a rough picture so as to make it easy to be understood. But in fact he used an almost infinite variety of "toques", mixing dynamics and colour in his so creative way.  I mean that there is not a unique "toque 3": you can use the "whole-finger-lever" (that's the main idea of "toque 3") with different angles so as to obtain different colours (from very "dolce" to the "aspro" Carlevaro used to mention). Many times I say to my students: "use "toque 2.75", or "toque 3" with a small touch of "toque 5", or 3.5 (with a small help of the hand or the arm). Or a mixture of #4 and #5... Possibilities are infinite. Once the hand is educated, we don't have to think about the number of the "toque". As you very well said, these are very subtle subjects."

With that said, I think it is clear that you can use a downward angle to attack the strings to get a more dolce and warm timbre or a straight on perpendicular attack for a more aspro or claro timbre.  As Alfredo says, the possibilities are infinite.  

Barney, I hope this answers your question.  Additionally, your question was really helpful to me to look more closely at how I use toque 3 in which I alternate between the perpendicular attack to get a clear sound to a slightly downward attack to get a warmer sound.  Thank you.

Dale Needles Moyses Lopes Blaise Laflamme Please let Alfredo know  (next time you speak with him) that I really appreciate his explanations and support.

It is very interesting to hear how Carlevaro viewed this area of technique. Alfredo's remarks, in conjunction with yours Dale, helps to clarify it.  Thank you very much!!

Hi, friends! I'm sorry to be out of this discussion, I have some familiar issues to solve. For our luck, Barney , Dale Needles , Blaise Laflamme (and Alfredo!) are gems and we have them here with us. Best!

Blaise Laflamme I'm so sorry for your loss Blaise!  I look forward to seeing you back soon.

Dale Needles Blaise Laflamme Moyses Lopes Sounds good Dale!  Please continue to  tag me, as the email will alert me to the postings.  I need to get back to working on the basic Carlevaro stuff.  Too many great things to do with such little time.

Dale Needles Great Idea, Dale! As Blaise I'm a bit away from my guitar studies but I will try to keep in touch with this effort to bring some fresh air over here. Thank you to tag me, let's going on! Saludos!

Calin Lupa From my experience studying with Maestro Carlevaro, he placed more emphasis on eliciting different timbres (dolce, claro or metalico) by using different "toques" rather than on playing tasto or ponticelli.  That is not to say that he did not play at times tasto or ponticelli for a certain desired effect, but for Carlevaro he could play dolce or claro in the same hand position and even within the same chord without playing tasto or ponticelli.  I am attaching a photo of Carlevaro in which you can see his right-hand position which was typical for Carlevaro.  As side note, he is playing on my Anthony Murray guitar.  Finally, in his later years, Carlevaro played on a guitar that he himself designed in which there was not a traditional sound hole.