Picados

Picados are the flamenco scales of a guitar (see flamenco guitar), or a guitar playing technique where the musician plays scale passages by alternating the index and middle fingers. Picado is normally executed apoyando (with rest strokes). It is often used rapidly to play a melody.

This technique is similar to that of the rest stroke played in classical guitar. The difference is that technique is of central importance in flamenco while peripheral in classical. This enables flamenco guitarists to perform rapid picados while compromising tone quality.