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So I have always been bad at rythm (at every instrument not just flamenco guitar) so I have started to try to practice much more w/a metronome and I am noticing I have a much harder time keeping in time playing bulerias slowly as opposed to quickly. (The rests and/or golpe only throw me off the most) Anyone else noticed this?
RE: bulerias harder in slow motion? (in reply to gaash)
If there's one thing in Flamenco, it's keeping time. If you can't do that you will never sound good.
Having once been terrible myself, and now being a bit better. I can say that mostly your clock isn't working right, for a large part because your hands and fingers do not know what to do, and when to do it ...
This is something that fixes itself if you practice a lot with a deliberate attention to staying on time. It might take a long time to get there, because this kind of practice is the most frustrating. Which naturally means you won't want to do it so much.
If you just try to learn cool things, with no attention to proper time, then you will always be terrible!!!
If you can play a bulerias properly in time, it sounds good played slow as well as fast. If you can only play fast, then you probably have not practiced playing in time enough.
Posts: 15725
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From: Washington DC
RE: bulerias harder in slow motion? (in reply to gaash)
quote:
ORIGINAL: gaash
So I have always been bad at rythm (at every instrument not just flamenco guitar) so I have started to try to practice much more w/a metronome and I am noticing I have a much harder time keeping in time playing bulerias slowly as opposed to quickly. (The rests and/or golpe only throw me off the most) Anyone else noticed this?
yep... tempo is what it is all about. Later as an accompanist it becomes even more difficult, as you you will be forced to play some things at an uncomfortable tempo and still make it have feeling. You are at a good stage of learning where you are taking notice of this thing. Many students think they are advancing and never appreciate the subtleties different tempos make. Most want to settle in to their comfy tempo and wonder why others criticize their soniquete later.
Keep at it and start to become aware of the differences in feeling say 5 bpm can make to your music. 120 vs 125 can be a world of difference when it comes to expression for example. good luck.
Posts: 1812
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)
RE: bulerias harder in slow motion? (in reply to gaash)
The body has natural rhythms which are not necessarily the required musical rhythms: in the beginning, it’s quite easy to let your fingers run away with you. That's why metronome practice is so valuable.
By the same token, see if you can offer to play for a beginner's dance class; you’ll have to play slowly then.
RE: bulerias harder in slow motion? (in reply to Paul Magnussen)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Paul Magnussen
The body has natural rhythms which are not necessarily the required musical rhythms: in the beginning, it’s quite easy to let your fingers run away with you. That's why metronome practice is so valuable.
By the same token, see if you can offer to play for a beginner's dance class; you’ll have to play slowly then.
Yep. I definitely notice that I rush (so playing faster makes it easier not to rush). I am not at the level to play at any kind of dance class (as my initial foray into flamenco was more about picking up bits and pieces + technique to incorporate into my own creations) but I would like to be able to play a couple palos in reasonable compas
RE: bulerias harder in slow motion? (in reply to gaash)
The tendency is to rush. I think this is momentum at work.
Its like going down a steep hill. Its easier to just let gravity pull you down, and you just roll or run down the hill.
Its alot harder to lean you body back, and walk down. That takes alot of balance and control.
Rasgeo is a good example. Very tough to do rasgeo really slow. You can do it, but the fingers dont sling around like they should. Its like a horse galloping. The horse has 3 speeds, all dominated by momentum. Walk, canter, and gallop. Gravity and momentum do not allow a gallop at a walking speed.
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