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Right, so i have a question about this piece, i'm very aware that the rhythm is played with the thumb, and the lead is played with index and middle in a free stroke fashion.
My question : I'm agressively trying to learn traditional picados, and i'm a fan of this song ( Thumb resting on the E , and index and Middle doing all the work. So my I and M are going to be playing on the higher 5 strings , rather than the higher 2 strings ( in pitch ) Is there any reason i shouldn't do that? ( I know it's not an easy piece , but i'm in no rush, and i know how to practice right )
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
Yes, Tarrega, , that's someone playing his piece. notice how he uses the thumb for the rhythm, and M and I for the lead. I want to attempt doing both parts with the M and I , in a rest stroke fashion, as in i won't be using the thumb at all, is this unadvisable?
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
If you are referring to "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," by Francisco Tarrega, it is not played using picado nor with the thumb playing "rhythm" (whatever you mean by "rhythm"). Recuerdos de la Alhambra is played in its entirety using the classical tremolo (PAMI), with P playing the bass and AMI playing the melody as tremolo.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
I see Barkwell , thanks for correcting me, however back to the same question, is it unadvisable to use picados for this rather than classical tremolo ( PAMI )?
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
quote:
'Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Wow that's really a freewheeling interpretation! Can't say I care for it but he does get great tone. The best performance was Segovia's made on his old Ramirez with gut strings which gives a special sonority I think. A performance fails if the b on the second string/12 fret made with that rapid excursion up to the 10pos in the middle section is not really nailed. I had this recording in a boxed set of 45s which assembled all the great string players of the era.
edit: if your goal is to play flamenco you might consider using a flamenco tremolo but picado won't work here and your thumb will be kept busy ranging across strings 2 thru 6
Posts: 3487
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
Here's a video lesson from a well-known teacher on tremolo in the usual classical mode. He's a faculty member at Pomona College, and a regular performer.
Note that at 4:26 he emphasizes that only the thumb moves from string to string playing the basses, while the arm and fingers remain stationary over the treble string that has the melody.
I have never tried what you suggest, using a finger or fingers to play the basses, but it would seem to me that it would be hard to get up to very much speed and to keep the succession of notes even. Using picado would mute the bass when it moves up to a string next to the treble.
I used to play the piece with "flamenco tremolo" PIAMI.
In the first sentence I say, "the usual classical mode". Some, instead of PAMI play PMIM or PIMI. For example, Ana Vidovic uses only the I and M fingers on tremolo, and does quite well. Some have suggested that Segovia did this too.
I used to play the piece with "flamenco tremolo" PIAMI.
I learned the flamenco tremolo first and still find it much easier than the classical tremolo to play smoothly and evenly. As a result, I, too, played Recuerdos de la Alhambra with the flamenco tremolo. The problem is with the extra stroke, it causes the piece to go slower than it should, and to my ear doesn't sound quite right.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
Ah, i wasn't aware there was a difference between classical and flamenco tremolo, i've already started learning classical tremolo. Won't it affect me negatively if i try to pick flamenco tremolo afterwards?
Posts: 3497
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
quote:
Won't it affect me negatively if i try to pick flamenco tremolo afterwards?
Most who work at it can learn to play both equally well. In my case, I only play flamenco (to the extent that I play anything well at all) and thus have stuck with the flamenco tremolo. I just wanted to learn "Recuerdos" because it is such a beautiful, shimmering tremolo piece.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
Here's a video lesson from a well-known teacher on tremolo in the usual classical mode. He's a faculty member at Pomona College, and a regular performer.
I honestly feel that it is important to note that when he advises the viewer to 'relax' his whole body stiffens. It is quite possible to be remember to be conscious of unnecessary muscular activity without tensing the neck and with it the whole body.
At least he isn't explaining 'deep breathing' 'exercises' by puffing up his chest.
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
It's possible to play classical tremolo pimi or even piai. Sometimes I'll run through Recuerdos pimi with im rest stroke as an exercise. It doesn't hurt to try things from different angles. The pami trem can really move when you get it going, though. Just be careful with how much you practice these techniques, they can mess up your hands.
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
quote:
ORIGINAL: ZaidRockso
and Budha , go to hell.
For being the only one bothering to answer your clarified (and in a way repeated) question, giving a very enjoyable alternative on top of it ?????? My answer by the way would be YES (unless you are Nuñez) :-).
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
quote:
ORIGINAL: ZaidRockso
and Budha , go to hell.
There is no hell, only other people
I am not offended by the way, and neither should you be. I thought that this was a joke question but if you genuinely feel deeply about this here are my non sarcastic thoughts.
Playing picado will do nothing at all for the piece. The alto voice will not sustain spoiling the articulation of the four part harmony and reducing the sonority. No one has ever played picado at the required speed for the length of the piece in recorded history.
More importantly I cannot think of a single piece of music for which practicing in this way would offer an appropriate preparation. Better to play some Vivaldi or Bluegrass fiddle tunes or a Gypsy Jazz waltz or a book of clarinet studies to challenge the range of your picado.
If you are still determined to play it mostly rest strokes and not using the thumb then it would be physically possible to do so with this fingering
iAMI aIAM
where a lower case letter indicates a free stroke. It would still sound better pami.
RE: Recuerdos Opinion/Question (in reply to ZaidRockso)
Some times climbing a long extension ladder to the roof with your hands in your pockets seems an exciting challenge, but I can think of reasons to not do it.
There are better ways to practice Picado, and/or Recuerdos in my opinion.
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