free and rest strokes

by am
(Iran-Tehran)

I know how to play the rest and free strokes but I don't know where and when. please guide me.

Hi Am,

Free strokes are often played in faster scale-run passages and the like. Rest stroke is often used to highlight or "bring out" the melody in a piece for example.

Indeed, Fred Noad writing in Solo Guitar Playing says about the Rest Stroke...

"The rest stroke is the most fundamental and useful in playing successions of single notes on the guitar. It is also the means of developing a strong clear tone with the right hand, and probably the greatest difference between the professional and amateur player lies in the use and handling of the rest stroke."

I hope that clears thing up a bit for you.

Kind regards,
Trevor M.