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Posts: 103
Joined: Mar. 15 2005
From: Toronto, Canada
Holding the guitar (response to Samwise)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Samwise
Another part of my problem was changing the way I was holding the guitar. With my classical background, I naturally wanted to put the guitar on my left knee. This works great for my left hand, but not so great for my right...
Hi Sam,
I had the same problem you did. I started with classical and switched to Flamenco and I had difficulty adjusting to the new way of holding the guitar. Fortunately, I tried this guitar support described in the following web page: http://www.guitarsalon.com/store.php?it=ACGIT0X-02669
It has worked wonderfully for me. I place the guitar on my right lap, just like the Flamenco style, and it raises the guitar enough so that it is comfortable for both my hands and arms. Every one of my friends who has tried it loved it. So, you might consider giving it a try.
Ramin
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What we are today comes from out thoughts of yesterday and our present thoughts build our life tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind. -Buddha
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
It seems to me that these devices preserve the classical position with the exception of the legs, which now can rest flat. ? Wouldn't the right hand stay the same, then?
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
The classical position is bad for your back ..like golfing. And it looks dork if you play flamenco. And the thing you put under the guitar isnt cool, too.(ok I saw it on stage and I liked the musicians, but it was an exception) Flamencoguitar is a very masculine way of doing music. If you look like a strange professor with special equipment or in classical position, nobody would get your aire if you hide it with this... Flamenco needs strong expression,..and its the expression of your tone you produce AND how you present it. You have to be a carismatic person if you wanna put a bulerias or solea in the heart of somebody who look at your playing. If you do it "uncool"<<-- dont know a better word sorry) Nobody will feel your fellings..... only if you are DAMN GOOD. I think.... Play in Pacos position, or like manolo sanlucar(with or without the thing for the foot) These are good positions. Ok Pacos isnt good for your body, too. Maybe Manolos is the best position. And its cool. (^_-) IMO
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
Ok it depends on your anatomy. My right leg allways starts sleeping when I play longer in Pacos position... two years ago I played for 3 dancclasses without pause.. After that we had to stand up and do some thank you bendings.. I couldnt feel my right leg and hobbled like an old injured man down the stage... (><)..how distressing.... Thats not good for my body I think.. But I often se this position, too.
Posts: 103
Joined: Mar. 15 2005
From: Toronto, Canada
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
quote:
It seems to me that these devices preserve the classical position...
I think they was originally designed for classical guitar, which is the way it is shown in the photo. However, if you rest it on your right leg, you can use it to play Flamenco. Note that the position of the device along the bottom of the guitar can be adjusted by moving the suction cups that hold the device.
quote:
And the thing you put under the guitar isnt cool.....
For me, I'm not looking for "coolness", at least for now! I find with the cross legged position that I tend to bend (to one side) a bit which may result in back injury down the road, plus I'm not that comfortable with my left hand at that position. I have heard this over and over, especially in this forum, that there is no one right way of doing something.
Cheers...Ramin
_____________________________
What we are today comes from out thoughts of yesterday and our present thoughts build our life tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind. -Buddha
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
Doit, i also had that problem in the first time, but then i got used to it. If its not a serious anatomic problem that you have, which is most commonly not the case, you would also be able to get used to it. I really can recommend it and its cool also
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
I used to play with one of the Gitano supports tha Ramin mentions. I liked it and you canget quite close to the position that the crossed legs give you. I don't use it any more, for two reasons: 1 It's a bit rough on french polish, and 2. I do now have the strength and flexibility to hold the guitar in the cross legged position and I have a better feeling of being one with the guitar, but the gitano support can halp a long way
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
Hola todos,
Ramin>>> It's been a while, but I thought about buying that support back in July when I first tried the traditional flamenco position. This position in the beginning, IMO, didn't allow me the closeness that the classical position did. I'm not able to cross my right leg, so I thought the support would help. Needless to say, I wanted to give the traditionalposition a fair chance, but unfortunately I think it may have contributed to injury in my left wrist to a small degree. As I stated in that post you quoted, I'm currently working on the position where the bottom of the guitar sits on the right leg. Juan Martin calls it the "tradional flamenco" position in his Solos Flamencos DVD, but if feels awkward. I think the support you recommend is an excellent alternative at this point, thanks for bringing it up.
Anders>>> I'm hoping to have a handmade guitar with a french polish within the next couple of years, how could one protect the french polish? Perhaps a soft cloth between the guitar and the support? How did you gain the flexibility in your right leg to be able to cross it now? I've been trying to sit with my right leg crossed when I sit, but I noticed that when I do, I hae to lean back because of lack of flexibility to the point that I don't think it would be conducive to playing the guitar. Oh well, perhaps in time.
Doitusujin>>>Interesting post amigo. The classical position has been good to me, no problems while in that position for quite some time, and I can last in that position for hours. Have you seen Carlos Saura's movie Flamenco? There is a guy that has a unique position. I'm not sure what his name is, but he does a duet with a female singer, who sings about a mariposa blanca. Anyway, he has the guitar almost vertical, and resting almost between his thighs. It looked kind of strange to me, but I couldn't criticize him once I heard how well he can play. I've tried it, but like placing the guitar on my right leg, it seems to be a balancing act that I can't get the hang of. I have to admit tho, if appearing cool to my peers was a priority, I would wear jeans, cowboy hat and cowboy boots, and play a twangy telecaster while singing songs about how my wife left me for my best friend.
quote:
Doitsujin My right leg allways starts sleeping when I play longer in Pacos position...
I would be really careful if this is true, Doitsujin. Look up intermittent claudication. Basically, it's when there is decreased circulation to a certain part of the body (calf in our case - due to the sharp angle of the knee), and results in the symptoms you describe. Another adverse effect of decreasing the circulation to that area of your body is the production of a blood clot due to the blood slowing down. If the blood clot travels, say to your heart or lungs, you will be living on borrowed time. Be careful, pain is your body's way of telling you somthing is wrong.
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Ramin)
My leg also used to sleep in that position, but nowadays its really no problem anymore.
To all: I got a question.
1. The position Rafael Cortes plays. He has the guitar on his right leg. Looks like Classic Guitar but its not between the legs. When i try it the guitar simply - falls - down. What am i doing wrong?
2. The standing position: Again the problem, that ive no idea how to grab the guitar in order to not let it drop down...
RE: Holding the guitar (response to ... (in reply to Francisco)
Samwise.
With respect of flexibility, you have to do streches. It takes time. Do some yoga or stuff, and also when you sit with the guitar with the legs crossed, lean forward to make that strech in your hip, that is difficult in the start.
You cannot use a cloth between the gitano support and the guitar, the suction cups wont work. You can place a piece of tap plate where the suction cup stays. It looks a bit uggly. The Gitano has one problem. It's made for 10 cm wide guitars, meaning that the suction cups tend to be wider than the guitar and thus reducing their efectiviness a lot. There's another model very similar to the gitano on the market. Can't remember the name. I saw it some years ago on a webpage from a shop in Hamburg, Germany. It only has 1 big suction cup, which might be the solution. It was also a lot cheaper. Do a google search. The fact that it only has une cup, might make it work better on French Polish.
Also for a good flamenco position on the right leg, place the support as close to the waist as possible. For a classical position, with the guitar on the left leg, place the support some 2 cm or 1" away from the waist.
Good luck
The guy in Saura's flamenco movie is Manuel from Lole y Manuel. Get a CD with them. It's very nice music. Lots of slow bulerias, and Manuel has his own style. They where a bit hippy hot in the 80th
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