Use a finger pick (that slides onto your index finger) to play the vihuela. [3] X Research source The vihuela may be easier to pick up if you already play guitar because it has the same tuning as a normal guitar, without the bass E string. The guitarrón uses an entirely different tuning.
Use a thick plectrum (regular) pick to produce the strong, vibrant sound associated with mariachi.
Note that unlike a standard guitar, you’ll tune your guitarrón with ascending pitches until the sixth string, where you’ll tune down an octave. That means the notes (with octave notation) will be A1D2G2C3E3A2. [6] X Research source
To comfortably play your larger guitarrón, hold the body at an angle so that the face of the guitar is tipped towards you. [8] X Research source
You can find classic rancheras by singers like Vicente Fernandez, Los Tigres del Norte, and Marco Antonio Solis.
Because the tension on vihuela strings is higher (and you don’t use a plectrum pick), the vihuela requires a more forceful touch than the guitar or guitarrón. [16] X Research source For down-down strumming patterns, keep your strums short so your hand doesn’t have as far to return on the upstroke. You can also play a 3/4 time version of a ranchera, called a ranchero or ranchera waltz. [17] X Research source In a ranchera waltz, the guitarrón takes the first beat and the vihuela takes the other two beats within a measure.
Boleros use circular chord patterns, so you’ll likely cycle through the same four chords over and over again.
Vary the joropo pattern by changing the beat of the mute. Try playing down-up-mute or mute-down-up instead of down-down-mute. On the vihuela, you’ll palm-mute the strings. Use an open hand to stop the strings from vibrating when you want to mute. Keep your thumb above the strings so you can quickly use it to strum again. [21] X Research source
To play the first beat, make a single downstroke. To play the second beat, play a rasgueo (raking your fingers over the strings) followed by an apagón (muting the strings with your palm). For beat three, return to regular strumming with a down stroke and an up stroke. Note that a rasgueado or rasgueo is also called abanico or folding fan technique. To play a rasgueo, let all your right-hand fingers drag across the strings as you strum. Practice getting your fingers to fan out smoothly over the strings so that they hit evenly. [23] X Research source
First, you’ll play an eighth note apagón and two sixteenth notes using a down-down-up pattern. For beat two, you’ll play two eighth notes. You’ll play a down stroke apagón and then a regular down stroke. For beat three, you’ll play two eighth notes again with a simple down-up strum pattern.
