Flamenco Zombies!

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Flamenco Zombies!

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elbabilonio

Posts: 27
Joined: Jul. 26 2011
From: Doha, Qatar

Flamenco Zombies!

¡Hola!

I posted a comment on Ramzi's Bulerias video on YouTube (also posted here: http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=246874&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1) , thanking him for showing his face while playing. It occurred to me to post a follow up here to see what you guys think of a rant I've been itching to get out there.

I don't like the headless guitar-playing videos!

I feel that a bunch of zombies are playing! I care about privacy more than most people I know, so I can appreciate if that is your rationale. However, please show us your face, so that we not only hear you play, but also see you dance with the guitar. The reason that I like watching solo guitarists play is not only to learn, but to experience the whole performance which includes posture, facial expressions, and other physical cues.

For example, I have always liked to see Pepe Habichuela play, not only because of his musicality that is undoubtedly steeped in Duende, but also for his elegant posture, steady finger movements, and the seriousness of the gaze with which he endows the guitar he plays.

So unless you are wanted by the law or afraid of your wife, show us your face or forever store your guitar!

Ahmed "El Babilonio"

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 6:40:55

Haithamflamenco

Posts: 927
Joined: Mar. 6 2007
From: Bahrain

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to elbabilonio)

شفيك حبيبي
ليش زعلان؟؟

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Bahrain is my country and Andalucia is my dream

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 11:42:14

Ricardo

Posts: 14806
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to elbabilonio)

the practical problem is the non manned still camera....at the distance required to capture entire guitar and full upper torso and head, the fingers lose focus and clarity. I doubt anyone is doing this for anonymity.

there are exceptions of course:

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

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

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 11:44:50

Haithamflamenco

Posts: 927
Joined: Mar. 6 2007
From: Bahrain

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to elbabilonio)

@ ricardo

ya, i think if you want to focus on the finger board and strings on the top of the guitat, to show your both hands, you need to mave the camera down, unless you set the guitar in the tradtional postion,

for example, if i will upload a video with cross leg and my face, i need to move the camera back, but its difficult to learn from this video ,,

anyway

you have a point

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Bahrain is my country and Andalucia is my dream

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 12:38:39

Arash

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

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to elbabilonio)

If youre after face expressions, i recommand this vid.
To be honest, the guitar playing isn't really revolutionary, but the face is.

While i know that most people who upload vids just showing their hands and guitar don't do it
because of anonymity and simply because that way we see better whats goin on with the guitar,,,,
i would like to deepen the issue of "dance with the guitar":

Take Jesus de Rosario for instance. This guy is simply introverted.
If you would focus on his face expressions or other aspects of his appearance instead of the guitar,
you might think this guy is bored to death while he is playing a bulerias (which he is of course not).
So would we then conclude something "negative" if we would see the whole picture instead of just the
hands and the guitar in an imaginary upload to the foro? really?

And to go further and connect this subject with a similar subject which you read here from while to while:
If he was a member here, would we really want to ask him or force him to change ("improve!") his
appearance or his "personality" (which is impossible anyway) to have a more "flamenco" type of appearance
and to "dance more with the guitar"?

You are what you are.
Some can dance with their fingers.
Some can dance with their faces and bodies.
Some can dance with both.
(And some with none of them of course lol)

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 15:12:54

El Kiko

Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to Ricardo)

yes it is a problem to get it all in clearly .. sometimes i have used a split screen , but thaT is a lot of work ... mainly I miss my head out cos I am ugly...everyone has their own reasons ...

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Don't trust Atoms.....they make up everything.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 19:08:01

Leñador

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

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to elbabilonio)

Really???? I leave my head IN because I'm ugly!

I need the pity points......lol

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\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 19:20:29

Arash

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

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to Leñador)

you have to be ugly to play authentic flamenco.
the uglier the better.
with singers this is even more important. you should be ugly and fat and small.
only then its authentic.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 19:37:16

El Kiko

Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to Arash)

quote:

you have to be ugly to play authentic flamenco.
the uglier the better.

That is the best news i have heard this year ... what confidence i will have on my next video .....ta Arash .....

_____________________________

Don't trust Atoms.....they make up everything.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 3 2013 21:09:07

Quill

Posts: 46
Joined: Nov. 2 2013

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to elbabilonio)

Arash

quote:

You are what you are.
Some can dance with their fingers.
Some can dance with their faces and bodies.
Some can dance with both.
(And some with none of them of course lol

That pretty much sums up Kai Narezo. He face looks very calm while his fingers fly. I'd post a video but I have no idea how to do that.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 4 2013 4:56:24

elbabilonio

Posts: 27
Joined: Jul. 26 2011
From: Doha, Qatar

RE: Flamenco Zombies! (in reply to elbabilonio)

I suppose having the "wrong" camera (for the job) or a suboptimal set-up might force some players to zoom on the guitar. I took some lessons with a local guitarist and I now remember that he had shot his videos using his Macbook (which is designed for headshots at best)! In fact, not only is his face cut off, but the resultant clip is flipped horizontally! I had to do some post-processing on my computer to get it fixed.

Many of Amir-John Haddad's videos were shot by a professional videographer in a studio, so we can't expect that quality from everyone. However, there are many good videos that don't seem to use high-end gear and still show well (including several by members of this foro).

@Haithamflamenco ما زعلان حبييبي ... بس بردان وضايج

@Ricardo It's ok to leave off your head from the frame if you look like that

@Arash I like the videos of both Diego de Moron and Jesus de Rosario with their distinctive look. I didn't think de Rosario was bored and still liked to see his interaction with the guitar even if it's a faint gaze. I'm not asking for Paco- or Vicente-style appear-to-have-a-dream look. In fact, I prefer a more composed look, but I'll take anything over a severed head!

It seems to me that the main reason people leave off their heads from their guitar playing videos is self-consciousness! I can appreciate and relate to that. Hopefully, we can overcome this timidity if we care to share our hard-earned skills with the world (which is the raison d'être for posting these videos in the first place!)

Thanks for entertaining my rant with your responses

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 4 2013 6:42:29