Teachers

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

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.

Teachers

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Mark2

Posts: 1882
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

Teachers

I've met many guitarists over the years who claim to be self taught-never took formal lessons. Some were quite good. Living in the US, I've never met a flamenco player who made the same claim. Everybody I know who plays flamenco studied with someone, usually many people. So, I'm wondering if you guys think it's possible to learn to play well without formal lessons, or at least regular workshops. I took a lot of lessons, workshops, etc, and don't think I could have figured out a lot of stuff without help from other guitarists and dancers. But there is a lot of instructional stuff out now that didn't exist then. So, given today's educational material, is it possible/likely to learn to play decent flamenco on your own?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2007 3:27:50

Ricardo

Posts: 14897
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Teachers (in reply to Mark2)

Scientifically it is surely possible thanks to the stuff available nowadays. But ultimately, the guitar student will HAVE to interact with others, be it a singer or dancer or another guitarist or percussionist, and that is a "lesson" of sorts, though not formal. If he does not interact in some way, how is it relevant if he has "learned" or not? Flamenco guitar can be learned "informally" on the job. But it will take a very special kind of student. I never had any formal lessons in accompaniment from a guitarist. All I learned was "in formal" with dance instructors, observation, or with singers. I learned more on stage than in any workshop I ever attended.

I am proud to call Nunez my "teacher", but honestly, the literal things learned in a group class or formal lesson could be learned from a video too. At least for someone like me. Of course there are little details and some feedback. But the real valuable part of what I got from Nunez is the environment he creates overall at his course. The interaction. Having a formal teacher of "flamenco guitar", does not mean you are better off than a guy in his room with a video. It really depends on the student. But of course a cocky student could dangerously assume he is such a person capable of doing it all in his room. If tools are available, a good student will know when it is time to use them. A video can't replace a live teacher, but again, the student has to be able to understand his own limits and how to most effectavely use whatever learning source he has.

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2007 7:01:09

Guest

RE: Teachers (in reply to Ricardo)

i am self taught and i am still fighting cause i am living at a country no body plays flamenco in it .... somebody tells me whats right and whats wrong ...i miss comunity ....i miss to have a teacher.....i miss to go to a concert ....i miss so much to jam with others and i miss to have a friends playin with me....but i dont know what to do thats a fact .......... hey man dont make me cry plz

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2007 7:15:42

Guest

RE: Teachers (in reply to Mark2)

hey mark where are ya from i feel we are close ???

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2007 7:19:43

John O.

Posts: 1723
Joined: Dec. 16 2005
From: Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany

RE: Teachers (in reply to Ricardo)

As always perfectly put, Ricardo.

I'm not a self-taught "flamenco guitarist" in this sense. All technique I learned myself so I could copy flamenco pieces pretty authentically, and technique is generally what I teach, but the compás and accompanyment I've learned/am learning at a dance academy with dancers. From week to week I'm either frustrated and want to throw the guitar in the corner forever or am proud at what I've achieved so far. My two biggest obstacles though are lack of concentration and nervousness from lack of self-confidence

For me interaction and learning by doing proved to be extremely important and have completely changed the way I play the palos solo as well. I'd suggest it to anyone.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2007 7:28:45

Guest

[Deleted] (in reply to Mark2)