Apoyando, also known as “rest stroke”, is a method of playing whereby the plucking finger ‘rests’ on the adjacent string after playing it’s note. Apoyando technique offers the guitarist plenty of contact with the strings of the guitar, which some players find most comfortable. This frequent contact with the strings gives the guitarist a great sense of stability which is why beginner classical guitarists often gravitate towards this particular method of plucking the strings.

To make it easier to plant the fingers after playing each string, most classical guitarists find it necessary to position the hand with the knuckles hovering approximately over the lowest string. The fingers can then straighten out a little which makes the Apoyando technique most comfortable.

Apoyando typically produces a full sound without needing too much technical refinement. It’s generally easy for the novice classical guitarist to get a fuller sound using Apoyando technique compared to Tirando. As such, it’s a great place to begin if you’re new to the classical guitar.

It does however have its restrictions. Because Apoyando technique relies on planting the fingers on a string after each note, it’s not always possible to achieve a “campanella” effect, where multiple strings continue to ring at the same time throughout a melodic passage of music. This technique can also hamper the execution of arpeggios when 3 or more strings are used in succession.

Tirando, also known as “free stroke”, is an alternative method of playing whereby the fingers pluck the string before moving into the space underneath the hand after each note. This is in contrast to Apoyando where the finger contacts the adjacent string. Compared to Apoyando, Tirando does not offer the same stability, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. As the fingers are not rooted to the strings while playing Tirando, they have freedom to move wherever they need to be without restriction.

Because the Tirando technique requires the fingers to move into the space underneath the hand, most classical guitarists find it suitable to position their knuckles approximately above the treble strings (E, B and G). This allows them to push through the target string without contacting other strings by accident.

Tirando is a very flexible technique, giving the guitarist total freedom to choose the correct strings without being hampered by planted fingers. This makes it ideal for pretty much all types of classical guitar music.

That being said, it can be harder to produce a full sounding note while using the Tirando technique. Whilst it’s not impossible to produce a full tone, it can take extensive study to master tonal control with Tirando.

Apoyando is best used for melodic passages of music. In other words, Apoyando is ideal when there is a single voiced melody or a single voiced melody with an accompanying bass part (providing the bass is played only with the thumb). Because the fingers plant on the adjacent string after each note, this in effect dampens the sound of the adjacent string making the newly played note sound clear and unimpeded. It’s for this reason that Apoyando is popular for playing clean sounding melodies on the guitar.

Apoyando is also used often when the music requires a firm tone. The full sound of an Apoyando note lends a commanding quality to the music. Apoyando can also be used for loud passages of music. Most classical guitarists find it easier to produce a louder sound using Apoyando compared to Tirando.

Tirando is best used for passages of music that require multiple strings to be played in succession. This applies to most cross-string arpeggios (a popular composition technique for the classical guitar) and to “campanella” melodies, where the guitarist must play a melody without repeating the same string twice in succession. This creates a harp like effect that’s simply not possible with the Apoyando technique. Tirando is great for any occasion where you want the sound of the strings to continue ringing.

Tirando can be used for pretty much any method of playing. If you could only choose one of these two techniques, it would have to be Tirando simply because it’s so versatile.