When can you say you 'know'a falseta

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When can you say you 'know' a falseta

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HolyEvil

Posts: 1240
Joined: Nov. 6 2008
From: Sydney, Australia

When can you say you 'know' a falseta

My teacher teaches me things, that he plays at eg 160 bpm, and I can play it about 135 perfectly, 145 - starting to lose bits. at 160, some parts are good, more parts are bad.
another eg is like a solea that he plays eg 100, and i can play it at 80bpm.

so when can we say that 'we can play this falseta'?

cheers

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2011 5:00:13

chester

Posts: 891
Joined: Oct. 29 2010

RE: When can you say you 'know' a fa... (in reply to HolyEvil)

Maybe my definition is on the liberal side, but I would say that you 'know' it when you play it and it sounds like you're playing it. When you understand why each note is there and what the important notes are, or what the essence of the falseta (or any piece of music for that matter) is, and are able to communicate it clearly to the listener.

I don't think it has to do with speed, accuracy, cleanliness, etc. Of course these things are important, but they are always a means to and end. The end being the communication part.

On a related note. An amazing guitarist most of us here know, love, and respect, told me that learning falsetas note-for-note is silly and un-flamenco-wee. Every time we play it should be fresh and different (or something to that extent).

Of course -- he's a genius. I still need to learn some things note-for-note.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2011 7:21:27

Ricardo

Posts: 14892
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: When can you say you 'know' a fa... (in reply to HolyEvil)

quote:

so when can we say that 'we can play this falseta'?

There are plenty of falsetas I have worked on and can play in my room alone or with metronome etc. But I don't consider it "functional" until I have actually used in context of a live performance or juerga. It is interesting how a live working context changes the perspective of where we are actually at. And I mean with a group of people that you did not already rehearse that specific falseta with.

You have to have it in your bag of tricks with confidence you know you can just toss it out when needed and it will work, no matter what tempo or type of groove is going on, no matter if playing for a dancer or singer at whatever capo position is required for the voice. At that point, when you can try it even for the first time and know it will come off fine, THAT is when you "can play this falseta".

Ricardo

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2011 8:47:15

kudo

Posts: 2064
Joined: Sep. 3 2009

RE: When can you say you 'know' a fa... (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

You have to have it in your bag of tricks with confidence you know you can just toss it out when needed and it will work, no matter what tempo or type of groove is going on, no matter if playing for a dancer or singer at whatever capo position is required for the voice. At that point, when you can try it even for the first time and know it will come off fine, THAT is when you "can play this falseta".

well said! I fully agree.
what I do to get to this level, is use open mics as a testing phase to see if I really know it well and to gain confidence in performing a new falseta. thats one of the very main reasons why I go to open mic nights around here. nothing to worry about when the crowd in open mics dont really know flamenco

, still I would sometimes mess up on these new falsetas, and thats when I decide to go home and practice it more so that the week after, I play it better at the open mic

.
so when it comes to going to perform infront of a flamenco crowd, you already got it in your bag of tricks

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 29 2011 9:33:09

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: When can you say you 'know' a fa... (in reply to HolyEvil)

When you play a 5min solo wth hard falsetas and little mistakes and you still have the stamina or accurracy to toss out that one falseta, then it means you can play it well in ANY other environment too.

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Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 1 2011 7:56:51

Paul Magnussen

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)

RE: When can you say you 'know' a fa... (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

There are plenty of falsetas I have worked on and can play in my room alone or with metronome etc. But I don't consider it "functional" until I have actually used in context of a live performance or juerga. It is interesting how a live working context changes the perspective of where we are actually at. And I mean with a group of people that you did not already rehearse that specific falseta with.

Yes. I've heard it said that playing in front of an audience (as opposed to sitting on your bed) reduces your technique by 50%. My own experience certainly bears this out.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 1 2011 16:49:21

HemeolaMan

Posts: 1514
Joined: Jul. 13 2007
From: Chicago

RE: When can you say you 'know' a fa... (in reply to HolyEvil)

when you don't need to ask that question.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 2 2011 3:42:16

Rmn

Posts: 308
Joined: May 14 2011

RE: When can you say you 'know' a fa... (in reply to HolyEvil)

quote:

Yes. I've heard it said that playing in front of an audience (as opposed to sitting on your bed) reduces your technique by 50%. My own experience certainly bears this out.

that's why you always need to be at 150% to compensate the lost 50%
Really means practicing a lot and on a regular base

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 2 2011 12:09:22