Hardest solo guitar piece

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Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

Hardest solo guitar piece

Hola foro!

So the La Barrosa Thread got me thinking - what is the (or are some of the) hardest solo guitar piece you all can think of?

And then let's see Grisha and Ricardo play it

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 10 2009 18:39:42

Ricardo

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

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

Great! Just what I need right now.

Just kidding...bring it on mo fo's!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 10 2009 23:27:26

cneberg

Posts: 257
Joined: Apr. 20 2006
From: Sončno polje pri Večnosti

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

Some of the Cositas Buenas stuff always sounded really tough, almost akward to me. It must be really hard to play it WELL on a guitar. Like Soleá por Bulerías. All that syncopated stuff, legatos, "chord fillers".....

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 4:08:23

MarcChrys

Posts: 121
Joined: Jan. 11 2009
From: England (West Yorkshire/Lancashire)

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Ricardo)

Would probably have to be anything featuring the fiendishly tricky Julian Bream one-finger rasgwado :)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 4:35:49

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

When do we finally start the advanced challenge? As I wrote, la ardila from tomatito would be perfect because it doesn't work only with straight technic. You must put in much feeling and you can choose where to play a striking picado or a couple of ligados. So it would fit to a large scale of advanced challengers. And it wouldn't be restricted to picado monsters. That doesnt say that I think Grisha plays without feeling. Thats not true. But, it would be an advanced composition which would lead to many I guess very different interpretations.

Well, when hearing la barossa by Grisha...I would put the piece in an expert or professional challenge above the advanced one. Because I think there must be a further step before the level of Pacos most fancy compositions..

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 7:42:30

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

First of all, it is difficult to define what "hardest" should mean.

Because, for instance, i find it very very hard to create the same Aire and feeling in some pieces from Paco
which MIGHT look more easy than other pieces at first.

Yes, one could learn to play the notes, at the same speed etc. but still the MAIN
aspect of that piece (falsetas) is missing (which is what makes this piece NICE) IMO

I think you can only create this special feeling when your technical skills are far beyond what you play.
Because then your energy and mind is focused on the Aire and feeling only and you can get max. out of each note and
"play" with them they way you want them to sound, etc.

Maybe this sounds a little too philosophic and weird but thats how i see it.

Everytime i hear this El Panuelo intro, i get goos bumps!!
I dont know but i dont think that anyone could sound like this (no matter how good he is):

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8bwi8a

(wait few seconds, click continue to sendspace to skip the Advertise at the right top of the page,,,, then scroll down, there is the link)

So, what is the hardest piece? I dont know.

Of course, technically there are some pieces which are very hard like La Barossa (needless to say that La Barossa
is not only technically one of the hardes, but also one of the nicest compositions).

But there are also falsetas, pieces, which are hard in terms of other aspects than technique only.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 7:52:32

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

Well, Arash, it is hard to define but I'm not trying to be scientifically rigorous here!

I agree completely that the more your mind and body has to put into doing the technique right, the less space you have to think about and pull off the right aire. So I look at them together. Technically speaking, I meant the question as technically most difficult, but the challenge of getting a good aire is certainly included in that, especially since they are largely related.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 8:14:37

Pimientito

Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Doitsujin)

quote:

When do we finally start the advanced challenge? As I wrote, la ardila from tomatito

Ok. Shall we all go for that then? Put it as an advanced challenge thread to be done by mid March? (can you play this already Doit?)

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 9:32:23

Ailsa

Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Pimientito)

You guys are having a larf!! That's well hard!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 9:45:28

duende

Posts: 3053
Joined: Dec. 15 2003
From: Sweden

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

it would take me about 6months.. up to that tempo a few years

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This is hard stuff!
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 10:25:46

Conrad

Posts: 533
Joined: Jul. 16 2003
From: Toronto, ON, Canada

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Arash)

Arash, speaking of El Panuelo... Have you seen the guy Antonio el Titi overdub himself to Paco's recording with his own harmony? It's pretty tasteful and he's right on point, a very talented and effortless guitarist. http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/antonio%2Bel%2Btiti/video/x4j7fz_paco-de-lucia-y-antonio-el-titi-bul_music

But so far I've not heard many play Paco's music so well except Grisha. I've also heard him play "Callejon del Muro", "La Canada" and "Monasterio de Sal" which would have to be considered extremely difficult. Anyway, Paco's music is probably the hardest. Ya, the cositas buenas stuff, although not my favourite, I think would be very difficult. But also I've heard someone here in Toronto play at a very high level the stuff from Luzia like "El Choruello" and it's very tough and beautiful. Tomatito's bulerias are also very hard, I think, as it would be to get Vicente's many ornaments correctly.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 11:17:53

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

quote:

Ok. Shall we all go for that then? Put it as an advanced challenge thread to be done by mid March?

Ok! It would be an honor for me to be the host. I would try to do it as seriously and with passion like Florian. But Florian started the challenges. I would say, it´s up to him when to start the advanced challenge. As I read, the beginner and intermediate challenges are a first test-run. And if it works we go for the advanced one. I will a thread: Whats about an advanced challenge?" There we can decide and when its ok, Florian, me or another person could seriously start the advanced challenge. I will repost my post there.

quote:

(can you play this already Doit?)

Not really atm, but I started learning it around 2-3 weeks ago. So,.. I'm not far ahead. I think it will take 1-2 month with a daily practice of 15-20 minutes for me. Its a pretty nice composition and has much to offer. Its doesn't feel extremely hard. It trains many technics and some tricky fingering of the left and right hand.
As I saw someone played already a sloppy version and put it on youtube.

I´m shure somebody from the foro! I think he got a good idea of the piece!

Duende you can handle it with that tempo as I compare it to your uploads in past.

[EDIT---------->>>>>]

FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION PLEASE COME OVER HERE:
http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=101200&appid=&p=1&mpage=1&key=&tmode=1&smode=1&s=#101200

bursche, you could repost your post there.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 11:20:18

bursche

Posts: 1182
Joined: Jul. 19 2007
From: Frankfurt, Germany

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Doitsujin)

Nice Idea, Doit.

I already looked forward to learning a new piece by tomatito, because I really love his style of composing.

Would be a nice motivation, but I would have to see If I'm far enough with my current piece then.

If one's looking for a piece that requires much feeling, then playing libre is always a good way of provoking people's creativity in my opinion and Tomate did some really nice Tarantas and Mineras.

- But of course there are sooo many nice pieces for that.

(A nice Soleá maybe...or let them try some classics by Sabicas ...hmmm...some Manolo Sanlúcar stuff maybe to practice these pulgar runs he always does...or Niño Miguel (!) ...or even better: JERÒNIMO!!(joke, thats for the real pros))

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 11:20:29

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Conrad)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Conrad

Arash, speaking of El Panuelo... Have you seen the guy Antonio el Titi overdub himself to Paco's recording with his own harmony? It's pretty tasteful and he's right on point, a very talented and effortless guitarist. http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/antonio%2Bel%2Btiti/video/x4j7fz_paco-de-lucia-y-antonio-el-titi-bul_music

But so far I've not heard many play Paco's music so well except Grisha. I've also heard him play "Callejon del Muro", "La Canada" and "Monasterio de Sal" which would have to be considered extremely difficult. Anyway, Paco's music is probably the hardest. Ya, the cositas buenas stuff, although not my favourite, I think would be very difficult. But also I've heard someone here in Toronto play at a very high level the stuff from Luzia like "El Choruello" and it's very tough and beautiful. Tomatito's bulerias are also very hard, I think, as it would be to get Vicente's many ornaments correctly.

This guy seams to be very good.
I searched on youtube some weeks ago and found this Alegrias from him too. Excelent guitarist!! What an Alegrias!

I dont like this "overdubing" though (but thats just because i usually dont like more than one guitar in Solo guitar pieces. Only for Cante or Baile). Dont misunderstand. Not that he was not good. He plays terrific. I personally would have prefered to see him just play the piece or his own interpretation of the piece though.

I agree about Grisha. He is an exception. So far i have never seen anybody else you can play Pacos pieces like Grisha and in such a relaxed way like he does it.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 11 2009 12:56:25

Pimientito

Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Ailsa)

quote:

You guys are having a larf!!

Come on Ailsa....we will give you a six month head start

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 12 2009 1:58:25

duende

Posts: 3053
Joined: Dec. 15 2003
From: Sweden

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

can i start learning it now or...?? when do we start? i cant do all of it unless its summer holiday

_____________________________

This is hard stuff!
Don't give up...
And don't make it a race.
Enjoy the ray of sunshine that comes with every new step in knowledge.

RON

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 12 2009 3:31:29

qassidas

Posts: 2
Joined: Nov. 21 2007

RE: Hardest solo guitar piece (in reply to Adam)

Hardest piece ... hmmm.

I'm no guitarist but I am learning to dance flamenco. For me the hardest bits are when you have to stand still, do nothing, ... and still mesmerise the audience.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 12 2009 5:17:51