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Kitharologus
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Paleto
Posts: 243
Joined: Jul. 29 2003
From: San Diego, CA
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 Kitharologus
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Last night while reading some posts about practice, I noticed MdM had mentioned he was working though Kitharologus, by Ricardo Iznaola.
In the interest of sharing insight, I though those interested practice ideas might like to share with others - here's a start:
How is it going? I started the book a few months ago, but am making very slow progress since I can't play as much as I'd like. For those who don't know, I have a son, who is nearly 2, and who just needs lots of attention right now, so I can't play too much these days. I play as much as I can and as he grows, he becomes more and more independent for chunks of time, which allows me to play progressively a little more each couple of months.
I have found that the exercises in Kitharologus are really well thought out and that even though I thought some of the simpler ones weren't as interesting as I'd hoped, that in fact they are well worth working through slowly.
I bought another technique book - Mastering Guitar Technique (Christopher Berg - now out of print, but if you want it email me marony@cox.net) - which suggested trying an approach as if one is a beginner (an old Buddhist idea too I think). It allowed me to see and discover new things while learning fairly simple exercises. This insight has proven a valuable one, because it has made me rethink being patient with excersises and has given me the opportunity to try things I may not have otherwise thought about.
Even though these books come from the classical pedogogy, one can apply them in the context of flamenco with very little effort. Ideas from one technique study can be applied to various other techniques, as an example, the ligado advocated in certain left hand exercises made me ponder trying to flow continuously from one rasgueado to another, which I think might be a cool effect when used well. Another idea was to develop slightly more complicated variations on arpeggios from the first chapter of Kitharologus. In Pumping Nylon, I starting with the walking exercise and used the i,m pattern to play Villa-Lobos' Etude des arpeges, then continued to try other patterns with Carlos Barbosa-Limas arpeggio book, which suggest tons of more horizontal patterns, rather than ones staying in the same right hand position.
Kitharologus received positive reviews (as did Mastering Guitar Technique) on the Google classical guitar forum, and I think those here who aren't interested in classical per se, might like to open some new horizons by applying ideas to playing flamenco, cross fertilization I guess.
Playing arpeggios all day probably isn't going to seem to befefit your flamenco right away, but what happens is that it opens up lots of new possibilities especially for improvising, which one might not have previously seen.
As an example of the benefit of the approach, while figuring out Vicente Amigo's Limon de nata (rumba) by ear, I started to use the arpeggios I have been working on to substitute for the sparse solo bits to make it work better as a solo piece. Suddenly, I started to see (and hear) how I could begin using them in context.
I also am working on finding an appropriate arpeggio for a couple compáses in Cambio la luz del alba (Alegrías - Pele/Vicente Amigo). I just need a little more time to get the right one.
Getting back to Kitharologus, I like the way his studies teach the hands to "know" where the strings are and there are tons of things I haven't given a lot of thoguht to.
I also have found that by beginning my practice with some body exercises and stretching, similar to some in yoga exercises, really help calm down my mind and this allows me to really focus on my practice. This calming gives me the concentration which seems to free up some conscious space for creative ideas to surface. I suppose this is conceptually similar to MdMs meditation in its effect.
In the spirit of exchange, I hope others will feel inspired to share things they are discovering during practice.
Maybe we can make this an ongoing thread to discuss helpful ideas for practice.
I hope to hear from you guys.
Anthony
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Dec. 14 2004 14:53:40
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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RE: Kitharologus (in reply to Paleto)
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Anthony, good to hear from you. It sounds like in a year or two, you will get some time to practice guitar again. But then in another year, you will have to start teaching el hijo how to play guitar! At least you will have a year...
I went through Kitharalogus religiously for several months. It is a technical routine designed to drill and automate all the main motions involved in playing classical guitar. It starts with a basic routine and builds on it gradually. As Anthony alluded to, it has a lot of right hand exercises, what we guitarists would probably call arpeggios. Many of these are incredibly complicated. There are lots of scales of many different keys and awkward fingerings and switches. Lots of left hand work, too, scales involving two notes at a time.
I think Kitharalogus is great, but my concern is that it is not really the best use of my time. I don't think any harm would come of followings its program, but there may well be better ways to learn technique. Something about a hundred exercises repeated methodically numbs the brain, and above all you need attention to detail and to think. Was it Carlevaro who said, "think, think, think, then play." That is a very powerful piece of advice.
Anthony didn't like the beginning exercises, but those were my very favorites. I believe that the most complex guitar is really the stringing together of the most simple motions, and the early work is the perfection of these simple motions. I doubt many guitarists could do those first exercises very well. They are so bare, so stark, and so exposed, almost Zen-like in their execution. I suppose it's no different than the idea that playing a simple scale can be more difficult than playing a tune, because the scale's structure is transparent--there is nowhere to hide.
The beginning exercises focus on the right hand strokes and hand position. I can think of nothing more important to know, and nothing more rare, than excellent right hand strokes and position. If you can play simple right hand strokes with efficiency and sureness you are well on your way in the guitar playing business.
I progressed along the routines in the book but the daily workout took me about two hours. That's a problem, because sometimes I don't even get two hours, let alone three or four. When I work on technique that much, I don't have time to add songs to my repertoire, polish the many imperfect songs I already know, practice improvising, work on my recording, and work on my singing! Let alone chores.
Although I may go back to grab selected exercises, I can't countenance going through the routine again. I am at the point of looking very carefully at my technique, thinking about it, pondering, watching others play, and only then working. A two hour routine doesn't give you that kind of time to use your intellect.
If you are young, driven person with at least four hours a day of practice time, this book may be for you. If not, it is a fine reference and compendium of techniques, but the schedule of exercises will most likely be too much.
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Dec. 14 2004 16:03:20
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Paleto
Posts: 243
Joined: Jul. 29 2003
From: San Diego, CA
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RE: Kitharologus (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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Clearly, we have to pick and choose what we think is valuable and everyone in the end decides what they find worth their while.
Beyond Kitharologus, I was hoping to start some discussion about practice habits, ideas, what exercises people found valuable or if some who take the playing music approach I was hoping to hear their thoughts.
I usually don't get more than 2 hours so doing Kith. exercises the whole time doesn't appeal to me either.
As a matter of fact, I have worked at memorizing the material I want more than pure technique.
At the moment I have way too much I am working on...The rumba I mentioned, the alegrías I mentioned, Gitano de Lucía, Queda la sal, another rumba called Agua fresca (Vicente and Luis de Córdoba), Vicentes taranta (Callejón de la luna) - solea (Tío Arango) which he does live, Rincón del Pali (Núñez sevillanas) plus all the technique/warm up exercises. Too spread out and not enough time to get to 'em all even weekly. I have 'em all memorized but can't play most of them very fast unless I really get warmed up.
I also slowly change them in places where an idea occurs so I can play them slightly varied. In any case, I have found that I can take ideas from technique studies and apply them in a musical context to improvise, and this is a very cool feeling. Anyone, have this experience they care to share?
Anthony
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Dec. 14 2004 16:20:37
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Im getting all fired up here 
