Golpeada

Golpeada is a term used in music, derived from the Spanish golpe meaning “blow” or “strike.” It denotes a percussive technique in which a performer creates a rhythmic sound by striking the body of a stringed instrument or its strings, while continuing melodic playing. The practice is most closely associated with flamenco guitar, where the golpe involves tapping the guitar’s soundboard with the nails of the right hand, typically near the soundhole, often with the aid of a golpeador, a protective plate placed on the top of the guitar to prevent damage.

In flamenco, golpeada describes both the technique and, by extension, the use of golpe patterns within a musical phrase. The golpe can be executed in combination with other right-hand techniques such as rasgueado or alzapúa, and can serve as a strong rhythmic accent within compás. Outside flamenco, similar percussive strokes appear in other Latin American guitar traditions and in contemporary fingerstyle playing, where players strike the instrument’s body or strings to add cadence and texture.

Technique and equipment notes commonly mention two modes: golpe on the soundboard (the traditional golpe) and golpes that emphasize muted or muted-string strikes for a lighter percussive effect. Some players employ a golpeador to protect the instrument, especially on guitars with lower resilience to repeated hits.

Usage and terminology can vary by tradition; in some contexts golpeada may refer to a broader set of percussive strokes performed on stringed instruments, or to passages that emphasize the golpe, highlighting the instrument’s rhythmic capacity as well as its melodic function.