Tone Production!!!

[Trevor B.]

I decided recently to reread "Tone Production on the Classical Guitar" by John Taylor (no relation to Bob as far as I know) published in England by New Musical Services © Copyright 1978. Ironically, it was an issue recording steel string guitar that impelled my "back to the future" activity.
In short - when recording steel string guitar my right thumb strokes, namely p, were creating such an overpowering transient that the body of the notes was consistently getting lost. Turns out I was flexing the tip joint of my thumb so that whatever string was being struck vibrated parallel to the soundboard rather than primarily perpendicular to it. I've already started working on 1) stabilizing the tip joint of p and 2) playing exclusively with the nail of p. The improvement is already incredible and a balm to what had become my very troubled soul. I strongly recommend this book, despite the preponderance of technical and mathematical minutae in the first 3 chapters.

[rick-slo]

Don't know about the vertical versus the horizontal (parallel) thing so much (play around with a flat pick and you can hear what I mean). What does matter when playing using fingernails is the string-fingernail contact at the exact instant the string leaves the nail - that sets off the partials content more than anything. Most natural fingernails tend to curve downward (towards the palm) and that hooks the string (especially if picking at a right angle to the string) and gives a poor sound. Acrylic nails and flatpicks, being flatter, have and advantage in this regard. With natural nails shorter length and careful shaping and polishing helps with this problem as well as reduces clicking. Personally I get a rounder tone with the knuckles angled about 30 degrees or so from the direction of the strings. Also I like the nails ramped so that they are longer on the thumb side.

[Trevor B.]

You can get a sense of how different the perpendicular vibration sounds compared to the horizontal by playing the same note or melodic passage with rest stroke (apoyando) then with free stroke (tirando). The former pushes the string down moreso than the latter, so activates an up/down motion in the soundboard that emphasizes the lower partials (fuller, warmer tone).

[Gitfiddlemann]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

You can get a sense of how different the perpendicular vibration sounds compared to the horizontal by playing the same note or melodic passage with rest stroke (apoyando) then with free stroke (tirando). The former pushes the string down moreso than the latter, so activates an up/down motion in the soundboard that emphasizes the lower partials (fuller, warmer tone).

Actually, I'm not sure I agree with the idea of a more horizontal motion for free stroke. In rest stroke, the finger's motion is downward and then is stopped by the next string. A good free stroke will have the same downward motion, but then the finger follows through, or releases, towards the palm. That's where its power comes from. The difference tone wise shouldn't be all that dissimilar between the two in terms of fullness.
A full and fat free stroke tone will require/need that downward motion of the string to happen. Otherwise the tone will be weak and thin. That's the danger of thinking the finger's motion to be "horizontal" for free and "vertical" or perpendicular for rest.
Both need to pump down. The tone should be the same (ideally) and the only difference between the two strokes is the motion of the finger after the string is struck.
At least, that's how I was taught! (or maybe we're saying different things but doing the same?

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

You can get a sense of how different the perpendicular vibration sounds compared to the horizontal by playing the same note or melodic passage with rest stroke (apoyando) then with free stroke (tirando). The former pushes the string down moreso than the latter, so activates an up/down motion in the soundboard that emphasizes the lower partials (fuller, warmer tone).

When you do a rest stroke the tip of the finger is straighter then when you do a free stroke where the tip of the finger curls up a bit towards the palm. That affects how the nail leaves the string and usually results in a rounder sound. Naturally results vary with ones individual nails. Play around with a flatpick (preferably a thicker one) and you may be surprised.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by AndreF

Actually, I'm not sure I agree with the idea of a more horizontal motion for free stroke. In rest stroke, the finger's motion is downward and then is stopped by the next string. A good free stroke will have the same downward motion, but then the finger follows through, or releases, towards the palm. That's where its power comes from. The difference tone wise shouldn't be all that dissimilar between the two in terms of fullness.
A full and fat free stroke tone will require/need that downward motion of the string to happen. Otherwise the tone will be weak and thin. That's the danger of thinking the finger's motion to be "horizontal" for free and "vertical" or perpendicular for rest.
Both need to pump down. The tone should be the same (ideally) and the only difference between the two strokes is the motion of the finger after the string is struck.
At least, that's how I was thought! (or maybe we're saying different things but doing the same?

Yes, I agree, so let me rephrase. If you make a shallow free stroke vs a typical rest stroke you'll hear the difference in tone between a more perpendicular vibration.....etc. John Taylor recommends grabbing a string between the thumb and forefinger then a) pulling it back parallel to the soundboard and releasing it then b) repeating the process but pulling the string straight up perpendicular to the soundboard and releasing it.

Originally Posted by rick-slo

When you do a rest stroke the tip of the finger is straighter then when you do a free stroke where the tip of the finger curls up a bit towards the palm. That affects how the nail leaves the string and usually results in a rounder sound. Naturally results vary with ones individual nails. Play around with a flatpick (preferably a thicker one) and you may be surprised.

I essentially agree with this point also but with the caveat that if the right fingertip curls before the release of the string we end up with what I call the Steve Howe effect (the snapping noise that sounds like an unintentional Bartok pizzicato).