Endless Strumming Possibilities
One of the key features which places the Cuatro in a class all by itself, is the endless strumming possibilities applicable to the instrument. In it’s rawest form, the Cuatro is and has historically always has been an accompaniment instrument. The strumming of it has therefore always been at the base of all Cuatro music. As musicians have evolved over the years as artists, different methods have been applied to the instrument which is why it is currently being used as a soloist instrument. The strumming will however always be there, more so for the Cuatro than for other string instruments.
The strumming techniques will help with giving a variation of effects to music pieces where otherwise they would appear to be monotonous. Here we will introduce several key strumming techniques used by advanced cuatristas, including some of the greats such as Cheo Hurtado who makes considerable use of the first strumming technique reviewed being the Yo-Yo Strum.
