"Finger percussion style" is a style of guitar playing that relies on sharpness, percussion-style hand swing on the strings, and the use of the palm of the hand as well as the fingertips to strike the strings and the body of the guitar at the same time. This style has long been popular in flamenco and Latin American music circles, but has only recently emerged on electric guitars. The guide below will explain some of the important techniques for using percussion effects on the guitar. This technique is best suited for acoustic guitars or hollow-body guitars, but can also be used with some effects for solid-body electric guitars.
Step
Step 1. Vary the articulation of your guitar strum
The most suitable technique for obtaining percussive sounds is to perform aggressive strumming, with fingers or picks. Pull the strings slightly out of the body of the guitar when strummed so that they slap back against the guitar and produce a sharp percussion sound that matches the notes being played.
Step 2. Slap the strings with the palm of your hand
Another percussion technique is to slap all the guitar strings with your palms. Push the slap hard enough so that the strings touch the guitar frets and increase the percussion intensity of this technique. Try using this technique on a backbeat with a strumming pattern.
Step 3. Tap the body of the guitar using your fingertips
This technique gives a more pronounced drum effect than the previous techniques. You can use your pinky and ring finger to tap so your other fingers can pluck freely. You can also completely free the plucker's hand by playing the entire song using hammer-ons and pull-offs.
Step 4. Slap your palms against the body of the guitar
For a deeper and clearer percussion effect that sounds clearer than the body of the guitar, slap your entire palm against the body of the guitar. This method can be used in conjunction with fingertip drumming to create more complex drum patterns.
Step 5. Hold the strings with your left hand (if left-handed means right-handed)
When strumming, you can lift your left fingers (if left-handed means right-handed) from the neck of the guitar and hold/close the strings again to drown out the sound. This way of playing can create a crisp and tight percussion sound/tone.
Step 6. Take the example of the slap technique of playing bass guitar
Slap bass playing technique is done by slapping the guitar strings hard with the thumb when playing a low note. Try this technique on a low E string for a crisp, crisp sound.
Step 7. Pay attention to your percussion rhythm pattern
Of course, the most effective use of guitar percussion effects is when you apply this technique to a general beat. Try adding variations of your percussion strumming pattern to the backbeat, for example 4/4 means on the second and fourth beats.
