Foro Flamenco


Posts Since Last Visit | Advanced Search | Home | Register | Login

Today's Posts | Inbox | Profile | Our Rules | Contact Admin | Log Out



Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.





Improvisation in Flamenco?   You are logged in as Guest
Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
All Forums >>Discussions >>General >> Page: [1]
Login
Message<< Newer Topic  Older Topic >>
 
silddx

Posts: 570
Joined: May 8 2012
From: London

Improvisation in Flamenco? 
Does much improvisation go on during flamenco performances? Whether on stage, or in more informal settings.

Thanks.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 10 2012 22:03:42
 
Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005
 

RE: Improvisation in Flamenco? (in reply to silddx) 
No flamenco is basically composition based. Only minor things within these compositions are improvised.
Rumba doesnt count.

_____________________________
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 10 2012 22:08:42
 
XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005
 

RE: Improvisation in Flamenco? (in reply to silddx) 
I think flamenco is 100% improvisation.

_____________________________

Фламенко
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 11 2012 10:22:04
 
Kevin James Shanahan

Posts: 407
Joined: Oct. 10 2010
From: Wooli, NSW Australia

RE: Improvisation in Flamenco? (in reply to silddx) 
Thank you deniz , I wouldn't say 100% given forms etc.. but yeah flamenco has flexibility it breathes .This is the very reason i favor flamenco over classical . As far as I know a hell of a lot of improvisation goes on . I can't go on !

_____________________________

Peace.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 11 2012 11:48:28
 
orsonw

Posts: 1938
Joined: Jul. 4 2009
From: London

RE: Improvisation in Flamenco? (in reply to silddx) 
My experience reflects the conflicting answers already given.

I work with some dancers and singers who want me to always play exactly the same thing- I mean exactly.
Others where we improvise; the arrangement is fluid, sung lines or footwork may be extended, shortened, repeated, left in, left out, dynamics altered etc. we never do exactly the same thing.

I like flamenco when it's a bit of both, structure but with freedom to change things as the moment inspires.

Often I play things I already know well but when and how they're arranged is improvised. Usually when playing compás I don't know what I will do but I am 'choosing' from a vocabulary of well practiced phrases. i.e. I can enter a compás, get to 3 without yet knowing how I will then get to 10 (or maybe 9, 9.5, 11 or 12 etc. who knows?)

Sometimes I play with another guitarist and then we are really improvising, I mean I make falsetas up as I go along (por bulerias, alegrias, solea, siguiriyas, tangos- not rumba!) You need solid compás for this, I find as long as the rhythm is good it works ok and occasionally something brilliant comes out.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 11 2012 12:34:59
 
at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Improvisation in Flamenco? (in reply to orsonw) 
well said orson.

basically you know you're going to get from point A to point B. but you're not quite sure how.

i also like when it's a bit of both, improvisation and choreography.

_____________________________
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 11 2012 13:00:33
 
Ricardo

Posts: 14828
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Improvisation in Flamenco? (in reply to silddx) 
quote:

ORIGINAL: silddx

Does much improvisation go on during flamenco performances? Whether on stage, or in more informal settings.

Thanks.

depends on some specifics. Obviously informal settings will have lots more improvisation in general, but it depends. The confusion is the term "improvisation" is often thought of like in jazz where you have a chord chart and the melodies are invented. With flamenco singing you have exact opposite, the melodies are set, and the structure of the "chart" or chords are improvised underneath. Dance is often choreographed such that the improvisation is again the accompaniment, not the leader. But there are times a set composition can be the base on which improvisation can occur in a similar way jazz improv is done. That's why "it depends".

Ricardo

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 11 2012 13:36:24
 
silddx

Posts: 570
Joined: May 8 2012
From: London

RE: Improvisation in Flamenco? (in reply to silddx) 
Very interesting answers, thank you.

I was hoping it would be a bit of both, not sure why, probably because I like the security of composition and the freedom to improvise where necessary, but not to the extent of jazz which often seems to me to be music for musicians rather music for audiences.

I'm new to this forum, and a n00b to flamenco really, so you may need to indulge my naive questions until I learn more :) I've played electric and steel string acoustic guitar and electric bass for 30 odd years and play in pro bands, mostly 'world' music and some theatrical prog pop, but since I was young flamenco 'spoke' to me. I love to hear it and had a few tries at learning some but gave up. However, I'm going to start in earnest soon, and hopefully manage to fit some lessons into my busy life. I have some of the techniques to a basic level. I learned from the Juan Martin book which I think is excellent, El Arte Flamenco de la Guitarra.

Sorry, just thought I'd better introduce myself! Looking forward to exploring the forum and stealing all your knowledge and wisdom ;)

Best wishes,
Nigel
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 11 2012 16:37:24
Page:   [1]
All Forums >>Discussions >>General >> Page: [1]
Jump to:

New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts


Forum Software powered by ASP Playground Advanced Edition 2.0.5
Copyright © 2000 - 2003 ASPPlayground.NET

6.347656E-02 secs.