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.
This goes out to ToddK (you came up off the top of my head), and other members here who have told me that my playing does not have enough dynamics. Here are two videos I've uploaded onto my YouTube channel a while back of me playing some classical pieces. At the time, I had tried to play the pieces with dynamics, to try to get the feeling of the pieces to stand out more.
I just wanted to get some feedback from y'all.
I want to try to work on this more with flamenco, but it seems I find it easier to (at least try) do with classical pieces.
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to rombsix)
Great job. It would be nice to hear more classical guitarrists play these kind of pieces like this. I like the last chord you used in "Romance". I think i'm going to copy your interpretation on this piece Ramzi.
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to rombsix)
Ramzi, dont kill me, just my 2 but honest cents... Only about Romance. Playing with dynamics is playing calm AND loud, not just one all the way. To me it was way too slow and way too silent. I liked your interpretation, like "what you wanted to say" with the piece, but not the HOW. The chord at the end is nice on its own, but in a piece like this i dont want to end it with much tension, especially not with the F# on the e string. I mean you are COMING FROM F# from B7, its the leading note of the melody, and then resolving to it makes no sense to me.
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to Exitao)
Exitao: Behave.
Deniz: Thank you for your honesty. My concept of dynamics is loud-soft-fast-slow-etc. I don't like the machine-like way of playing Romance as it was written, and hence my version with the slow parts and stuff. I thought I DID include loud-soft variations, but I guess they were overly subtle, maybe. As for the ending chord: tension issue is a matter of taste, I would say. JG liked that. The chord I was GOING for, by the way, should have had an open sixth bass string, therefore sounding an E instead of the F#. That was a mistake, I agree, but not THAT bad sounding, I would say.
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to rombsix)
That could be the problem rombsix. Classics and dynamics. Well to be precise... yes dynamics occur in classics, but only from "I fall asleep" to "moderate", Nothing above that level, as in flamenco, where the dynamics go till "BOOMSHACKALACKA!".
Im still at work and will check out your vids when I returned home! Im very curious about the "dynamics".
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to rombsix)
There ARE wide dynamics in classical pieces. Just not in these particular pieces.
Romb, you played these mostly mezzo piano. And thats really what these particular pieces need actually. They would not sound right with forte or even some mezzo forte.
So i think working your dynamics out with some Solea would be much better.
Dynamics in flamenco are quite a bit different than they are in classical music.
The dynamic shifts often happen within fairly short phrases. Very small shifts can project alot of mood, and feel, etc...
I'll say this, when i commented to you about your dynamics, i should have added that its more of a Modern flamenco guitar type thing. You dont hear big moody dynamics on Sabicas records. (well, mostly) Though Vicente Amigo's Soleas are extremely dynamic. So i was referring to that type of playing. I should have said that at the time. You are playing sort of old school falsettas, so my comments werent necesarily appropriate in retrospect. I hope i didnt freak you out to badly
I love to see that you're practicing so much, and really working out so many details. You're doing absolutely FANTASTIC!! You really are man! Ole'!
Keep it going man!! You have alot of support here as you can see.
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to rombsix)
quote:
Classics and dynamics. Well to be precise... yes dynamics occur in classics, but only from "I fall asleep" to "moderate", Nothing above that level, as in flamenco, where the dynamics go till "BOOMSHACKALACKA!".
I am not sure I agree with you regarding dynamicsin classical guitar music. I think classics have much moire dynamics than most flamenco, where it's statically "BOOMSHACKALACKA!". Anyway, Ramzi, I think Lagrima can have more pronounced dynamics than how you played it. It was accurate and nice - but should have more dynamics. You can check out my attempt at Lagrima (which is in no way perfect) here: http://www.box.net/shared/uj7ck2e1nv
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to Doitsujin)
Doit: Thanks for being straightforward.
Dark: Thanks!
Kikko: I've seen some of his video. I'll have another look.
ToddK: Thank you mate! Your words mean a lot! However, I have NOT been practicing much. Just making more videos than usual (camera-happy I guess). I hope to get some more practice time after my exams.
It's not perfect, it's in fact my first recording ever with a classical guitar, and I haven't played classical for that long either (but I have good experience with electric and acoustic guitars from before that). But I think there is a little more dynamics in my recording.
The flamenco part Ricardo posted has very nice dynamics throughout!
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to ogeva)
Ogeva: You're right. Your rendition DOES have better dynamics. I guess that's a weakness I need to work on. Your first post with the link was all gibberish when I saw it, then it appears to have gotten straightened out. Either way, I heard your MP3.
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to rombsix)
Ramzi, A trick to help emphasize dynamics may be to attach a story to the piece. I remember reading in some other forum, maybe delcamp, someone who suggested a story for Lagrima:
Part a: happy memories with lover, in young ages Part b: something bad happen Part c: although bad things happened, the happy moment is still in the memory, forever.
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to ToddK)
quote:
I love to see that you're practicing so much, and really working out so many details. You're doing absolutely FANTASTIC!! You really are man! Ole'!
I second that Ramzi...you really are a true aficionado of the Flamenco guitar. You are a lesson to us all in your quiet assimilation of both the Arte and the technique.
quote:
Part b: something bad happen
Yup!...there would be no music, art or books unless "something bad happens", although we all try to avoid it like sh*t!
RE: Rombsix performing classical pie... (in reply to Ron.M)
quote:
I second that Ramzi...you really are a true aficionado of the Flamenco guitar. You are a lesson to us all in your quiet assimilation of both the Arte and the technique.