Learning Bulerias

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

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.

Learning Bulerias

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1] 2 > >>

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Aretium

Posts: 277
Joined: Oct. 23 2012

Learning Bulerias

Right, so for Bulerias feels like trying to interrupt a stubborn person talking Super fast.

I am at the moment unable to get a teacher etc so no help there.
I know this has probably been posted thousands of times I just can't find an answer for me.

Is starting at say 100bpm then slowly cranking it up the best way? So far I am finding it hard to stay in time at this level, too fast etc. If so it feels like it will be years before I get anywhere (which sounds about right). Also I am killing my family with these exercises

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 10 2013 22:29:41

RibNibbler

Posts: 125
Joined: Mar. 18 2013
From: Kazakhstan

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Aretium)

start as slow is it takes to get just 2 or 3 compas exactly right with all the notes placed exactly to where they belong. play along with metronome and after 10 minutes or so, crank up the metronome 5 bpm more and continue then 5 more bpm etc.... after an hour you should be playing significantly faster without much trouble. All of this depends greatly on your ability to first place the notes exactly in rhythm at a slow tempo. Guessing will not help you. Be diligent. Be Precise. Be a perfectionist here. Your success will depend on it.

learn another few compas and do the same, then put them together. add more doing the same process. in month you can have a significant amount of material together and up near 200bpm or better.

_____________________________

Flamenco Guitar is a percussion instrument. Start acting like percussionists.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 10 2013 23:02:49

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Aretium)

quote:

Is starting at say 100bpm then slowly cranking it up the best way? So far I am finding it hard to stay in time at this level, too fast etc.

Is it possible at all that your feeling 100bpm like 200bpm and trying to go faster then you need to? 100bpm for bulerias is pretty slow, if you can't change chords effectively at that speed maybe you should just spend a little time trying to jump from one chord to another without playing to a metronome or a compas in mind, like a drill. Just do A to Bb and Bb to A over and over and get that transition down quickly and cleanly. Then start trying to do it in compas, maybe try singing the compas to the metronome too to get that "melody" in your head. My two rupees at least.....

_____________________________

\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 11 2013 0:21:17

gbv1158

Posts: 410
Joined: May 29 2009
From: Italy

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Leñador)

quote:

maybe try singing the compas to the metronome too to get that "melody" in your head

good advice!.... I would say also with no "maybe".

That was even one of the main suggestions I recived when I used to take classical guitar lessons.
:-)
ciao
giambattista

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 11 2013 7:27:21

athrane77

Posts: 785
Joined: Feb. 6 2011
From: Reykjavik

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Aretium)

I'd say, first learn how to play a normal 3/4 beat correctly, Bulerías is 6/4 or two cycles of 3/4, if you got that groove in your blood bulerías could be relatively easy. If you can't play walz or other songs in 3/4 you won't understand Bulerías either.
Understanding Palmas is also very effective.
Try that: clap 5 times like this - 1 2 3 4 5 - 7 8 9 10 11
then you've to tap your foot on beat 12 and 3 and on beat 6 and 9
you can also tap you foot in 2s: 12-2-4-6-8-10
forget about that 12 beat cycle, Bulerías is just: Uhm du du DU du du Uhm du du DU du du

Jason explains what I'm trying to explain better

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 11 2013 10:32:17

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Aretium)

Stop counting!!

1. Find a well played example of bulerias compas played slowly,
and just listen.

2. Stop counting.

3. If the lesson includes counting, skip over that section.

4. Stop counting.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 7:08:32

tele

Posts: 1464
Joined: Aug. 17 2012

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to ToddK)

Can anyone recommend a source for learning basic bulerias phrases or "compases"?
I know a couple or more but would like to learn some more. Basically anything that isnt considered a falseta. As the web has alot of them... Thanks

BTW: to the starter: about counting, I find foot taps in threes on every second count, like 12-2-4-6-8-10 helps alot to follow the compas. But I think about it in sixes, like 6-8-10, that keeps it only as three foot taps which help to follow the compas by feeling, basically eliminating the counting to feeling constant three foot taps, that way when you end on the third tap you know the ending is in compas. Diego del morao is one of the players who use foot tapping on every second beat of bulerias

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 11:32:47

athrane77

Posts: 785
Joined: Feb. 6 2011

[Deleted]

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Feb. 1 2016 10:27:08

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 12:40:10

Ramon Amira

Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to athrane77)

quote:

Bulerías is just: Uhm du du DU du du Uhm du du DU du du

No it isn't.

Ramon

_____________________________

Classical and flamenco guitars from Spain Ramon Amira Guitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 14:39:40

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3077
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Ramon Amira)

LOOOOOOL

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 14:49:02

athrane77

Posts: 785
Joined: Feb. 6 2011

[Deleted]

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Feb. 1 2016 10:28:46

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 14:59:44

tele

Posts: 1464
Joined: Aug. 17 2012

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to athrane77)

I suppose that's the basic half compas -**-** but it can be also *-*-*-. I find it to be much easier to follow(compas) when thinking in sixes

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 15:08:15

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to ToddK)

If you make a list of all the things that you don't need to do it will include all of the things you do.

Well that's not quite true, for example if either list is not honestly compiled.

The first list can be as long as you like, the second is always has zero items.

D

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 15:14:21

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Ramon Amira)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Prominent Critic

quote:

Bulerías is just: Uhm du du DU du du Uhm du du DU du du

No it isn't.

Ramon

Well, it is an important palmas pattern. Although I would revise it as "uhm" is felt more than heard strong as written so it is:
uhm Dudee du DU! du du uhm Dudee du DU! du du....etc

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 21:43:51

RibNibbler

Posts: 125
Joined: Mar. 18 2013
From: Kazakhstan

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Ricardo)

Flamenco guitar is a percussion instrument. Start Acting like percussionists.

_____________________________

Flamenco Guitar is a percussion instrument. Start acting like percussionists.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 21:50:56

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Aretium)

Awesome mastery of compas!

Playing drums can be really beneficial to guitarists I think. I keep an electronic set in my appt and try to put a good 20 minutes a day on 'em. I have trouble finding songs I want to learn that aren't a million miles an hour though......been going through my corrosion of conformity and Down.

_____________________________

\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 21:58:45

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to RibNibbler)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RibNibbler

Flamenco guitar is a percussion instrument. Start Acting like percussionists.

Thanks god you switched to hi hat at 1:09, ride sucks!!

just kidding. doc compas is loud as hell on your iphone

)

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 22:35:38

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3077
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Leñador)

quote:

been going through my corrosion of conformity and Down.

Go and play 'Clean my wounds' \m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 22:44:29

RibNibbler

Posts: 125
Joined: Mar. 18 2013
From: Kazakhstan

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

Thanks god you switched to hi hat at 1:09, ride sucks!!

Could have been worse... there IS a cowbell there

playing on the ride while keeping left foot going on the hats in twos doesn't exactly suck

_____________________________

Flamenco Guitar is a percussion instrument. Start acting like percussionists.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 22:45:02

RibNibbler

Posts: 125
Joined: Mar. 18 2013
From: Kazakhstan

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to athrane77)

quote:

You can tell me what you want but I promise you that I never met someone from Andalucía who knows that flamenco-reloj thingy. The people there told me exactly that: Uhm du du DU du du
that's the main groove, the rest comes natural. that's the way how you learn in Andalucía, without the theoretical BS.

Bingo!

_____________________________

Flamenco Guitar is a percussion instrument. Start acting like percussionists.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 23:01:32

johnnefastis

Posts: 631
Joined: Jan. 10 2012

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Aretium)

It's been on here a few times before but I think this is a great video.

Cheers

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 23:08:24

RibNibbler

Posts: 125
Joined: Mar. 18 2013
From: Kazakhstan

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to ToddK)

quote:

Stop counting!!

1. Find a well played example of bulerias compas played slowly,
and just listen.

2. Stop counting.

3. If the lesson includes counting, skip over that section.

4. Stop counting

don't use a metronome either. remain ignorant and don't use tools that make understanding easier to achieve. continue playing streams of memorized note sequences out of rhythm and when you wonder why when you sit down with other musicians, dancers and singers that you can't keep steady time with them, blame it on them. Its not really your fault, you don't need to count or use a metronome because toddK says so.

_____________________________

Flamenco Guitar is a percussion instrument. Start acting like percussionists.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 12 2013 23:41:35

FredGuitarraOle

Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to RibNibbler)

Rib, I think you missunderstood what Todd was trying to say. I believe his advice was meant for people who are beginning to learn bulerías, so they don't get all confused with the counting (which can be very confusing at first, at least it was for me). He didn't advise Aretium to do that on the long term.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 0:44:59

RibNibbler

Posts: 125
Joined: Mar. 18 2013
From: Kazakhstan

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to FredGuitarraOle)

Glad to know there is at least one person who knows what toddK is thinking. Thanks for the clarification.

_____________________________

Flamenco Guitar is a percussion instrument. Start acting like percussionists.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 0:52:50

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Ramon Amira)

quote:

quote:

Bulerías is just: Uhm du du DU du du Uhm du du DU du du

No it isn't.

That is becaue it's actually:

Burrito, burrito, caboose, caboose, caboose, taco

_____________________________

https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 2:35:51

rombsix

Posts: 7805
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to estebanana)

quote:

Burrito, burrito, caboose, caboose, caboose, taco

Watch this video starting from 1:11 in reference to the above.

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 2:40:26

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to Aretium)

Lmfao!

_____________________________

\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 2:46:11

FredGuitarraOle

Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to RibNibbler)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RibNibbler

Glad to know there is at least one person who knows what toddK is thinking. Thanks for the clarification.

Look man, I just wrote that so that maybe you could look at the man's opinion in another perspective, instead of making such a sarcastic comment like you did. Not cool...

I'm here mainly to learn stuff and also laugh a bit, as everyone else I suppose. There are already enough people here that pick on each other, misread comments, trash others and start stupid fights for nothing. If the great players in this forum (like you, of course) start making comments like that about other great players opinions, this place will go down the drain and won't have much to offer in my opinion. But I'm quite new here, maybe this has always been like this...

quote:

Watch this video starting from 1:11 in reference to the above.

Funny video Ramzi!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 2:53:19

RibNibbler

Posts: 125
Joined: Mar. 18 2013
From: Kazakhstan

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to FredGuitarraOle)

Looks like you might guilty of misinterpretation yourself. Humor is good and a necessary ingredient for flamenco and most especially bulerias. Please do accept my sincere apology if you found my reply offensive. I am reply on an iPhone and here in Kazakhstan it is cold and my mittens are imparing my ability to type or else I would have used some emoticons to express how I am feeling right now.

I think the burrito, burrito, taco thing is best actually. Counting rhythmic cycles is stupid and no serious musicians ever count. BTW, I can't really play myself so don't take anything I say too seriously.

_____________________________

Flamenco Guitar is a percussion instrument. Start acting like percussionists.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 4:07:43

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

RE: Learning Bulerias (in reply to RibNibbler)

quote:

don't use a metronome either. remain ignorant and don't use tools that make understanding easier to achieve. continue playing streams of memorized note sequences out of rhythm and when you wonder why when you sit down with other musicians, dancers and singers that you can't keep steady time with them, blame it on them. Its not really your fault, you don't need to count or use a metronome because toddK says so.

I guess its that time of the month.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 13 2013 4:08:36