[Davud1]

I was listening to Sammy Watson's "Rollstrum piece #1" (loved it ) And I was wondering how the hell do you go so fast on the rollstrums...

is there some way of doing in besides just having a fast hand?

[dadfad]

I don't know that particular tune, but you can roll-strum very quickly and acurately using the backs of your nails in a way where you sort of open your fingers up from a curled position as you play. This is similar to the "flailing" or "claw-hammer" technique used by traditional Appalachian 5-string banjo players.

[superwinkie]

Rollstrumming, as done in rollstrumming piece #1, is fairly easy. I'm working on a lesson for it on the guitar lesson forum.

Basically, relax your hand, and practice. Its hard to explain without a full lesson, and I'm too tired to do it now.

[angusyoungfan]

teh dude from fleetwood Mac used this technique you are describing alot for his strumming stuff . Im sure this technique ios also known morem commenly as Rasquedo Picking sure i seen it called this But yeah practice and determination is all you need to master the " Rollstrum " technique

Zak

[Davud1]

however you do it, it sounds awesome and i'm thinking it'd be a great thing to learn

[improviduto]

here's the motion:

hold out a fist with your strumming hand, fingertips down

stick out your pinky

stick out your ring

stick out your middle

stick out your index, but as you stick it out, retract your pinky, ring, and middle fingers

stick out your pinky, but as you stick it out, retract your index finger




you lead with your pinky going down, and lead with it going back up. this gives you the basic idea of the motion. once you get that down, go and buy a pair of yin yang balls and roll them around in your hand without letting time touch. in order to operate the balls, you need to pull your fingers in and extend them out with your pinky as the lead.

hope this makes sense.

[Davud1]

thanks a lot