performing pieces in alternative tuning

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michel

Posts: 315
Joined: Apr. 14 2008
From: france

performing pieces in alternative tuning

Hi everybody

If you play in public (concert or friends) and you have a piece that requires changing of the guitar-tuning (for example: rondena, danse arabe or modern farruca) how do you manage this ? if you play it in the middle of the performance you have to change the tuning, check it if it’s OK, playing the piece and change the tuning again, isn’t it a waste of time or too risky (going out of tune)? is it better to play such pieces in the end ? or having a second guitar which is already prepared in the alternative tuning? sorry for the lousy english mates i hope it is clear...
any advices for this ?

thanx very much
michel

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 6 2008 1:41:39

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: performing peaces in alternative... (in reply to michel) 1 votes

quote:

ORIGINAL: michel

If you play in public (concert or friends) and you have a peace that requires changing of the guitar-tuning (for example: rondena, danse arabe or modern farruca) how do you manage this ?

If nothing else helps, i turn these knobs on the head of the guitar...
Now seriously, if you are going to re-tune your guitar in the middle of a piece you have to know how much you turn, since you obviously arent going to ring the notes. Once my g string was wrong and i didnt notice it until i already had started to play... I waited until i came to a calm place. Luckily it was with dance so the attention was not on me. Anyways i turned, and it was still wrong. I waited until the next place, and turned again. Better, but still a hair wrong, LOL!
I dont know how the pros do, but i would do a break with a pause and use it to tune. I would try to make it sound musical, as if the break was intended.

Its obvious, but i would never play with new strings on.

Ps: there was a YouTube link posted on the forum with Paco where he had massive problems. I dont know if it was the tuning or if he had forgotten the piece LOL it was funny and he himself already started to laugh about it! I tried several times to find that link... anyone remembers that video???

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 6 2008 2:04:35

linda elvira

Posts: 10
Joined: Oct. 29 2008

RE: performing pieces in alternative... (in reply to michel)

quote:

ORIGINAL: michel

having a second guitar which is already prepared in the alternative tuning?

I think this idea of yourself is very good! I saw it once at a performance by a famous flamenco guitar player in my country. The second guitar was standing/lying on a chair during the whole performance as a piece of decoration, until the rondena came. It gave air to the whole settings.
On the other hand: it could be a little inconvenient to carry two guitars with you, but that depends ofcourse.

Anyway, after retuning the guitar it indeed needs some time to stay in tune and when you perform, you have to concentrate on playing well. I think I would lose my concentration when my guitar gets out of tune during playing, so in my opinion taking a break is also a good option.

Linda Elvira

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 7 2008 2:23:48

Ricardo

Posts: 14799
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: performing pieces in alternative... (in reply to michel)

It is a problem that you get used to after many performances. Ideally, if you have many piece with different tunings, you keep tunes back to back the require fewer alterations. Such as Nunez might have low D, tangos and bulerias, then maybe Rondeña. It is good to have "free style" intros that allow you to fix problems before the rhythm starts. Nunez will do a low C free piece before his bulerias with a low C. Then he has some stuff in low B tuning.

But even pros have problems. Paco's problem I am sure was due to the extremely bright lighting, which heats up the guitar and people on stage. After years of playing, I try to over correct when I have a hot lighting system on stage, but still you never know what might happen. But the main thing is to try to have something played free style before the rhythm comes in, so the strings can settle a bit. Sometimes as short as one minute of intro is sufficient.

Ricardo

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 7 2008 8:00:45

omnidrone

Posts: 5
Joined: Nov. 4 2008

RE: performing pieces in alternative... (in reply to michel)

How about playing these peices right before intermission?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 7 2008 9:16:52

michel

Posts: 315
Joined: Apr. 14 2008
From: france

RE: performing pieces in alternative... (in reply to omnidrone)

quote:

I waited until the next place, and turned again. Better, but still a hair wrong, LOL!

LOL i can imagine that, i wouldn't stay cool in this situation, nice story man :-)

quote:

The second guitar was standing/lying on a chair during the whole performance as a piece of decoration, until the rondena came

hi linda, that's probably the best solution, but i'm not so lucky to have two guitars of the same good quality.

quote:

It is good to have "free style" intros that allow you to fix problems before the rhythm starts

Hi Ricardo - very precious advice! i didn't think about that - i certainly won't have the problem with stage lighting because i only play for a few friends in the living room LoL - by the way thank you also for the youtbe link where you check out the sanchis lopez guitar - i really like the tune you play - great sound!
Hi omnidrone welcome to the foro :-)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 9 2008 23:56:06