Plucking at the heart strings

Bengaluru is warming up to strumming the guitar finger style and there is a competition on this October

Guitarist Gerard Machado

This October, Bengalureans will get to hear guitarists from all over the world at the second edition of All India Finger Style Guitar Competition, hosted by Konarak Reddy in association with the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan.

Finger-style strumming is catching the fancy of connoisseurs, according to renowned guitarists in the city. “While India cannot be yet compared to the oceanic talent available in Spain or North America, many are taking to the style,” says Prakash Sontakke, slide guitarist who practices a mix of both, finger style and plectrum.

Compared to plectrum guitar play which is popular for its volume and clarity of sound, the nuances of classical genres and Flamenco can be highlighted only by directly strumming on the strings.

“Finger style is original to classical singers as the dynamics are understood and felt by the fingers,” says Prakash. “A plectrum is a single wooden or plastic piece but all five fingers are constructed differently and can bring in diverse tonal effects.”

Unlike a piano, guitar is open to a whole lot of techniques. “The Flamenco guitar technique brings in more speed and rhythm and dexterousness,” says M.R. Jagadeesh founder of Moon Arra. “This way chords and melodies can match the harmony for understated melodies of an acoustic guitar.”

Bengaluru is said to have the highest number of guitar players in the country, according to performers, organisers and Western music schools.

“So, it is a question of time before we had performers being on a par with plectrum players,” says guitarist Gerard Machado. It not only applies to western classical music, finger style is popular in Jazz, Blues, Country music, Flamenco and Indian classical.

“Finger style needs a lot more practice as compared to strumming a few chords with a plectrum, so I guess the percentage of finger style players is lesser as compared to those using a plectrum,” says Machado.

The possible deterrent

The plectrum is preferred over fingers because of the damage steel strings will do to the fingers. “Nylon strings were used originally,” says Prakash.

“If Bengaluru offered quality sound systems that pick up the soft tones of finger style, it would help make the style popular. It is time we had better acoustics,” adds Jagadeesh.