Flamenco guitar!! How to start?

rolls1392 · March 2014

I fancy trying to learn some flamenco guitar. I know its very difficult etc, but if life was easy etc...

I have a reasonable classical type guitar.

So where do I start.

Unfortunately in deepest West Cornwall, where I live, I am unable to find anyone to help.

I have checked out YouTube etc, but are there any sires, books that would help.

I saw a post a while ago, can't find it now, where a FBer mentioned he had a lesson for a few years and was now out gigging.

Anyway any tips, help gratefully received.

wordy · March 2014

I think Truefire do a course.... maybe more than one. Maybe have a look on truefire.com

EricTheWeary · March 2014

very tight black trousers. Get them, the rest will follow.

There are a number of books and a couple of dvd's out there. The Hal Leonard one is £6.99 on amazon, looks like it uses standard tab and gets good reviews so that might be a good starting place just to dip your toe in the water. The other ones cost more/ use notation/etc. So might depend on how well you can read music, how serious you are and how deep your pockets are.

Although, TBH, my knowledge of flamenco is largely based on an episode of the Teletubbies.

rolls1392 · March 2014

Teletubbies sounds the place to start!!

Will have a look at Amazon too

Thanks

tonyrath · March 2014

I am studying flamenco guitar at present and I agree it is the hardest technique to assimilate Juan Martin has done a series of books with DVDs which are a good starting point. If you pm me I will supply a list of basic materials. You need to have the strings lowereed on your classical and put a golpe on the front to protect it ie a sheet of shaped clear plastic. Flamenco relies very strongly on the correct rhythm patterns and keepting time or compas is vital. There are 12 count pieces with different stresses and pieces in 6/8 such as zapateado and then the 4/4 piece such as farrucca. You need to create the proper flamenco sound with a lot of attack. Picado ie single note playing is very hard check out Paco di Lucia, He is playing at speeds pick players can only just manage using his fingers.

EricTheWeary · March 2014

rolls1392;191074" said:
Teletubbies sounds the place to start!!Will have a look at Amazon tooThanks

the teletubbies flamenco guitar episode is on YouTube. Not saying you will learn much ( or anything)but even watching the chap playing pop goes the weasel flamenco stylee is quite impressive.

DulcetJones · March 2014

tonyrath said:

I am studying flamenco guitar at present and I agree it is the hardest technique to assimilate Juan Martin has done a series of books with DVDs which are a good starting point. If you pm me I will supply a list of basic materials. You need to have the strings lowereed on your classical and put a golpe on the front to protect it ie a sheet of shaped clear plastic. Flamenco relies very strongly on the correct rhythm patterns and keepting time or compas is vital. There are 12 count pieces with different stresses and pieces in 6/8 such as zapateado and then the 4/4 piece such as farrucca. You need to create the proper flamenco sound with a lot of attack. Picado ie single note playing is very hard check out Paco di Lucia, He is playing at speeds pick players can only just manage using his fingers.

+1 Juan Martin and, well, pretty much this whole post. I would add Volume One of Gerhard Graf-Martinez Book/DVD, and Oscar Herrero Volume 1 Step by Step series. If you come across an actual flamenco guitar give it a try, there is a difference. They are much lighter and have a crisper tone. Playing with a capo at the second or third fret is common.

frankus · March 2014

The best way to start Flamenco guitar is with a rasgueado

HTH :P

Luminous · March 2014

Newbie here but 100% on the Juan Martin courses ( his albums are great too ) , there are some great IOS apps with flamenco rhythm patterns too

daveyh · March 2014

frankus said:

The best way to start Flamenco guitar is with a rasgueado HTH :P

Hey, you're on a roll there

Evilmags · April 2014

Start with the Solea, as it is the original form of Flamenco and has the same compass (Rhythmic structure) as Alegrias and Bulerias (The hardest to play and fastest). Flamenco puts quite an emphasis on the beat and timing. All of these forms have a 12 beat structure, with the accent placed on certain beats. 1,2,3, 4,5,6, 7,8,9,10,11,12,1,2,3 ect. To get a grip on the way that fits win with basic structures listen to guitarists accompanying singers (Tomatito with Cameron is as good as it gets) as there is a lot less embellishment and you can here the form easier. In terms of scales Phygrian, Minor and Harmonic Minor are the basis of it, although most Flamenco players think in terms of chords and chord structures. Lots of good stuff below...

http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=video&cd=6&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CFUQtwIwBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhQrLqBuJWy8&ei=F_0_U63_KOTb7AaL3oHQDw&usg=AFQjCNFAnFi3DiNkxLPJUaPOO22S5nwUdA

tonyrath · April 2014

Yep Bulerias at 250 bpm is great fun to play

Also my teacher plays clean scales in picado at 180 bpm at 4 notes per beat Try that one out

rolls1392 · April 2014

Thanks for the tips so far guys.

I have bought a Juan Martin book and am slowly working through it

Bulerias at 250bpm? Try 25bpm!!

Only problem I have is that the nearest instructor I can find is in Bristol, 180 miles away.

Teach me for living in SW Cornwall!! Lol.

Aidanspaghetti · April 2014

Interested in this also...Have a nice nylon string and am picking up a Line 6 Nylon next week....

Man just checked out that Tomotito cat -

tonyrath · April 2014

The best technical guitarist is Gerardo Nunez check spelling plus the late great Paco and Vicente Amigo

streethawk · April 2014

Oh god, I tried it in my 20's. Forget the name of the CD and book I had but could not get the tone right, even when I was in time.

I do think it helped me tackle Big Love by Fleetwood Mac though, so not a total waste of time.

Good luck!

Evilmags · April 2014

Nunez would be the correct spelling, although Paco de Lucia to me stands above the rest. Vicente Amigo and Tomatito were amongst the pall barers at his televised funeral. Manolo San Lucar is also excellent. For albums, Sirroco and Zyrab by Paco de Lucia and any of his group´s live stuff are essential as is Ciudad de Las Ideas by Vicente Amigo.

tonyrath · April 2014

Agree about Manolo Sanlucar. For the really good early stuff try Nino Ricardo or some early Sabicas

monquixote · April 2014

Strum an open E move the shape down one fret and back then shout "OLE!" and spin your guitar around.

It's always worked for me.

thomasross20 · April 2014

I bought some DVD/booklet course which was good. Gave up after 6 months - tried to learn jazz & flamenco to further my playing but realised each would take a LOT of time to really get up to scratch with, and rock was my main thing.

octatonic · April 2014

Young.

EricTheWeary · April 2014

thomasross20 said:

I bought some DVD/booklet course which was good. Gave up after 6 months - tried to learn jazz & flamenco to further my playing but realised each would take a LOT of time to really get up to scratch with, and rock was my main thing.

I can only think of two people who have used flamenco to inform their rock ( in the most general sense) playing, may be others but it isn't an area of big cross over - maybe something that's been a bit underdeveloped! Anyhoo, Robby Krieger of The Doors and Canadian blues guitarist Sue Foley who, IIRC, used a background in flamenco technique to develop blues fingerstyle and has a couple of flamenco based numbers in her live sets.

rolls1392 · April 2014

octatonic said:

Young.

Can't Old already, but enjoying learning.

Makes banging head against wall easy!!

octatonic · April 2014

rolls1392 said:

octatonic said:

Young.

Can't Old already, but enjoying learning.
Makes banging head against wall easy!!

Yup.

thomasross20 · April 2014

If anything I can at least do a couple rasqeados now (I can't even bother spell checking that lol)

daveyh · May 2014

EricTheWeary said:

thomasross20 said:

I bought some DVD/booklet course which was good. Gave up after 6 months - tried to learn jazz & flamenco to further my playing but realised each would take a LOT of time to really get up to scratch with, and rock was my main thing.

I can only think of two people who have used flamenco to inform their rock ( in the most general sense) playing, may be others but it isn't an area of big cross over - maybe something that's been a bit underdeveloped! Anyhoo, Robby Krieger of The Doors and Canadian blues guitarist Sue Foley who, IIRC, used a background in flamenco technique to develop blues fingerstyle and has a couple of flamenco based numbers in her live sets.

Steve Stevens is a big fan of Flamenco guitar

Evilmags · May 2014

Certainly a big influence for Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Larry Coreyel, Chick Corea ect and it is also hard to imagine Latin American music without the influence of Flamenco. The first musicians in Europe to use Harmonic minor scales were also Flamencos.

frankus · May 2014

kinda plays a part in Gabrielle y Rodrigos tunes

and those rawk!

tonyrath · May 2014

The problem with flamenco guitar is that is not just another style it is a way of life. The guitarist is an accompanist as well as a soloist which involves nailing the rhythm at speed and with dead accuracy - alone a lifetimes work. Flamenco guitar techniques are hard enough. I can do picado at 160 bpm in 4s that takes me 3 - 4 hours practice a day to achieve and I still cannot bloody do it in front of my teacher. With a lot and I do repeat a lot of effort I can get up to 200 bpm JUST at 4 notes per bpm. Then you listen to the late Paco di Lucia and pack it in

Juan Serrano has done a very good DVD on accompanying dancers which give you the basic dance forms. Also check out the flamenco material on the The Guitar Studio site based in Duke St London

rolls1392 · May 2014

tonyrath said:

The problem with flamenco guitar is that is not just another style it is a way of life. The guitarist is an accompanist as well as a soloist which involves nailing the rhythm at speed and with dead accuracy - alone a lifetimes work. Flamenco guitar techniques are hard enough. I can do picado at 160 bpm in 4s that takes me 3 - 4 hours practice a day to achieve and I still cannot bloody do it in front of my teacher. With a lot and I do repeat a lot of effort I can get up to 200 bpm JUST at 4 notes per bpm. Then you listen to the late Paco di Lucia and pack it in

Juan Serrano has done a very good DVD on accompanying dancers which give you the basic dance forms. Also check out the flamenco material on the The Guitar Studio site based in Duke St London

Since March I have been trying to scratch the surface of flamenco. AS above, its bloody tough especially without any help.
Still noodling through the book and beating my cheapy classical to death. Will need a proper flamenco guitar soon

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Flamenco guitar!! How to start?

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