Need advice from the experts

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Niima

Posts: 4
Joined: Dec. 28 2013

Need advice from the experts

Hey guys,

I'm new here so my humble apologies if this post is against any rules of the forum. I'm 23 years old, started playing classical guitar at the age of 10 but I stopped when I was 17. I was quite advanced in classical guitar but after a few years I really wanted to learn flamenco instead. classic guitar just wasn't my type. Being young and having small fingers, my tutor and parents didn't see me fit to learn flamenco.

I've been away from playing my guitar for a few years now, it's just sitting in the corner gathering dust. But I really want to start learning flamenco. I'm just looking for some advice on where to begin and what to do. I can invest 6 hours of practice per day. unrelated: I'm left handed.

Being a student in Budapest, I don't have the money for a private tutor so the only option for me is to learn it by myself. Also I don't know if having experience in classical guitar is an advantage or not.

Thanks in advance

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2014 21:47:01

johnnefastis

Posts: 631
Joined: Jan. 10 2012

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Niima)

Welcome Niima,

Wow 6 hours a day... go for it.

Get lessons or at least Skype lessons, Ricardo and Todd from here do them.

You could develop some really bad habits if you practiced the wrong thing for 6 hours a day.

Look forward to hearing something from you. You will get really good support and feedback if you post videos here if you really can't afford a few lessons. Good luck and enjoy the Journey.

I am no expert though.

Cheers

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2014 21:54:24

Niima

Posts: 4
Joined: Dec. 28 2013

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to johnnefastis)

Thanks, I will definitely look into getting skype lessons and posting videos.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2014 22:06:53

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Niima)

You could potentially start with the Adam Del Monte's website or Jose Tanaka, Graff Martinez. Also the Juan Martin book El Arte de Flamenco is good too. I've heard good things of all those websites and I've personally used the Juan book but in conjunction with a teacher.
https://www.newlearningvision.com/ - Adams
http://www.graf-martinez.com/ Graf's
http://www.flamencoguitarlesson.com/ Jose Tanaka's

http://www.amazon.com/Arte-Flamenco-Guitarra-Juan-Martin/dp/086359932X - Book

_____________________________

\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2014 23:10:53

Lorenzo714

Posts: 76
Joined: Oct. 8 2013

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Niima)

Hi Nilma, Why don't you contact Jimi Hendrix. He is in Hungary

_____________________________

Lorenzo Bonc
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp9GaFPV-Ax4mR-ZoGzYmyg

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2014 23:19:19

Lorenzo714

Posts: 76
Joined: Oct. 8 2013

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Niima)

His foro name is;

xirdneH_imiJ

_____________________________

Lorenzo Bonc
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp9GaFPV-Ax4mR-ZoGzYmyg

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2014 23:20:36

Mark2

Posts: 1871
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Niima)

Why do you want to learn flamenco? The reason I ask is that six hours a day sounds like your serious.
Are you planning to perform as a soloist, or do you want to accompany singers and
dancers? The answers to those questions should be considered as they will most efficiently direct your efforts.
Unlike classical guitar, the top level performers in flamenco have not only mastered the performance of the music,
but immersed themselves in the culture, which is something most people are unwilling to do.
I would never discourage anyone from studying flamenco, no matter what their goals were but be aware if you plan to go far,
which someone with your background of guitar playing has the potential to do, there's a lot more to it than playing the guitar.
Don't worry about small hands or being left handed. Many great players have small hands. Being a lefty is a pain because you'll be at a loss to play
other people's guitars. This will likely limit your knowledge of the sound and playability of the various maker's guitars. Just get the best guitar you can
and move forward.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 3 2014 20:44:23

Niima

Posts: 4
Joined: Dec. 28 2013

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Mark2)

Thanks for the thought provoking questions Mark. I don't have a very good answer to why I want to learn flamenco, maybe the most solid answer is that it's been a dream of mine since I was younger and I finally want to bring it to life. I like to perform as a soloist for now, maybe time and experience can change that. There's certainly no doubt that flamenco has its own culture and it's more than just playing the instrument, I hope someday I can get into that as well.
Luckily or not, I didn't invert the strings on my guitar so I learnt to play just like a righty does; only with a weaker right hand and a better left one.

Thanks to the previous posters, I'm looking into Graf Martinez book and dvds.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 3 2014 21:23:06

Mark2

Posts: 1871
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Niima)

Well, then my advice would be to get a teacher any way you can, be it Skype or in person.
Take as many lessons as you can, listen to a lot of the music. Focus on learning compas above all, because without that you just won't
sound good to anyone who knows flamenco. Don't wait years to start learning to play for dancers, and spend some time(more the better) listening to
recordings with flamenco singing on them, figuring out the chord changes and inversions played behind the singer. the guitarist changes chords when the melody of the singing leads him to do so. Learn to recognize the when and why of that for the various flamenco forms.
Practice techniques slowly and accurately so that you'll be able to execute them cleanly. And enjoy every minute of it, because it's amazing.
Find other flamencos to practice with, because above all, flamenco is a communication between the participants, not simply a performance art.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 3 2014 21:45:53

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Niima)

The 3 most important things for a flamenco guitarist above ALL:

1. Compas
2. Compas
3. Cante

_____________________________

\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 3 2014 22:17:17

pink

Posts: 570
Joined: Jan. 8 2013

RE: Need advice from the experts (in reply to Mark2)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark2

Well, then my advice would be to get a teacher any way you can, be it Skype or in person.
Take as many lessons as you can, listen to a lot of the music. Focus on learning compas above all, because without that you just won't
sound good to anyone who knows flamenco. Don't wait years to start learning to play for dancers, and spend some time(more the better) listening to
recordings with flamenco singing on them, figuring out the chord changes and inversions played behind the singer. the guitarist changes chords when the melody of the singing leads him to do so. Learn to recognize the when and why of that for the various flamenco forms.
Practice techniques slowly and accurately so that you'll be able to execute them cleanly. And enjoy every minute of it, because it's amazing.
Find other flamencos to practice with, because above all, flamenco is a communication between the participants, not simply a performance art.

What a fantastically awesome reply....you've nutshelled what, why, how and made me want this even more than I did before reading your words and its not my thread,its not my question!
Thank you!

Best

pink

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 3 2014 23:01:33