Thumb UP stroke

[Libre]

This ever happen to you? Sometimes, I miss a bass string with the thumb (completely) and find it resting on the next higher string. In a flash, I (almost unconciously) do an up-stroke with it, and manage to get the note out, albeit with a thin tone and a tad late. I don't do this on purpose, it's just a case of damage conrol after the fact. It happens so fast - the blink of an eye.
Reason I mention it, is that if it happens to you that you miss a bass string, there is a second chance if you act fast. IT's almost like a pro-basketball player, turning in mid-air and stuffing the ball into the basket after he's already flown by it.

[M. Stephenson]

Thumb upstroke is an actual Flamenco technique.

I can not yet do it and my instructor is just so-so. As you mentioned it does not have the power of a downstroke, but is good if you do an occasional fast run in the bass while your fingers are playing block chords or arpegios.

I envy that you have the natural ability to do this, for me it is a great struggle.

[Faya]

Oh Ya....., i use alot of thumb up strokes in flamenco. With practice you can get it to sound very powerful whether hitting one string or all six.

[Libre]

I didn't know it was a bona-fide technique, since I don't play flamenco, just classical. But I don't do it for effect or on purpose - it's just a save.

[ARJR]

I found this article online. Basically it states that a thumb upstroke is used to strengthen the extensor muscles.

http://www.egtaguitarforum.org/ExtraArticles/underuse.html

Angelo

[daniel711]

I don't think that Libre was referring to the flamenco technique, but to an idiosycratic movement which compensates for a missed downstroke. It sounds like a very useful reflex! Unfortunately, when I miss, I just miss.....

[Libre]

Yes, Daniel has it. It's totally inadvertant. IT's a reflex. I'm just happy when it happens because a moment after I think I've missed a note, I hear it. THen I realize the old thumb up-stroke kicked in - all on its own.

[Faya]

Yeup!!! a good natural reflex it is, so why not develope it into a strong technique. That's all i was suggesting.
That way when you do mess up you will have a strong thumb up as a back up, instead of some undeveloped one that has no real bite.

[JoeNo1]

http://www.JoeNo1.com/Guitar/Joe_Tiento_Antiguo_p.wmv

the 6th string.

hope I can see some professional player perform this skill...

[Mischa Z]

Upstrokes, yes, indeed, I have added a sitar-like "chikari" string to my 10-string guitar, and I often play this string with up-down alternations of "p."

Have you ever seen a pipa master play? They use the backs of the right hand nails, rather than stroking toward the palm, and the velocity at which they can execute repeated notes must be seen to be believed.

Have you ever read R.H. Van Gulik's "Lore of the Chinese Lute." Printed in the 1930's this is a "must read" for any classical guitarist. The classical guitar equivalent in Chinese culture is the "chin," a scholar's instrument with a 3000-year history, Confucious himself was a famous player. Awesome. In addition to plucking inward, chin players use outward plucking, or plucking a string with two or even three fingers at once, and many other subtle tonal variations, tone color is everything with this tradition. Chin players paint pictures with tonal subtleties. There are 26 varieties of vibrato, one being a slightly increased pressure of the left hand, so the heartbeat is imparted to the string. Yep, folks, you should read this book, we're really only beginners here.

All my best,
Mischa