"LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!!

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Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

"LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!!

For your comic relief tonight, I bring you...Me, Merle.... ;>0 flamenco...you know,... you remember me,....right...? WHAT? (Pat made the request for what you are about to experience sooo)...THIS IS NOT MY FAULT, not my fault), ;> )I don't play solea !

Solea is to SAD!! So, I will play some soleares instead....

(beginner music) BE AWARE! ;>)

http://members.aol.com:/mmusicdog7/private/soleares.MP3

Thanx amigos,

(please give me some feedback/critque)

Uh, Pat...that's another $220.00...please send MONEY now! (hey, everyone! if pat sends money to me, ask him for my address!)) ;>)

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 2:38:03

Thomas Whiteley

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Merle;

My personal opinion is that this is not only your best recording that I have heard but well done!

Katy said, “Who is that”? I told her, “My student from Utah”! Katy said, “There are places it reminds me of you”! Well, that cannot be a bad statement can it? You are able to play old stuff like me.

To give it more variety I would alternate the Llamada with a progression of E, E7, etc. You can check my Soleares Handbook for details.

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Tom
http://home.comcast.net/~flamencoguitar/flamenco.html

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 6:03:43

gerundino63

Posts: 1743
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Hi, Merle!

Well done!
you have allready a nice arliculation.
I have enyojed it very much, even listen a few times to it.
So if I was the judge, you got from me the advanced label!

A little, minor, thing, is the finger part of the tremolo. It can played a little harder.
tremolo is hard to learn good.
It helped me a lot to study it on the second (b) string, you are forced to control your fingers more, and it will emprove your playing I think.

greetings, Peter

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 10:09:32

Paul Bruhns

Posts: 77
Joined: Jul. 14 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Merle:

My first thought when listening to this is.. Geez! that Merle has really come a long way! You have obviously worked on your tecnique, and beside that, you stay in compas! I am impressed, really and very! Nice soleares Merle! I would love to get the TAB to that one myself. I play for intermediate dance classes and this would be perfect for them. Can you point me to it?

Thanks for the clip! You musicdawg!

Paul

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 11:39:29

Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Way to go, Merle! That tremelo's got to be a bitch. Don't make me come and get you

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 14:38:44

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Thomas Whiteley)

Hey Tom, thanks for the kind words! To be honest, I had a few beers last night when I recorded this, and now after listening to it this morning...well, it's not to good!!

I will look into your handbook some more and see what your telling me to do.

Anyway the Devil,,uh, I mean Pat, made me do it!! ;>)

Merle

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 16:04:55

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

[Deleted]

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Sep. 21 2003 16:08:05

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 16:07:35

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to gerundino63)

Senior gerundino63 (aka Peter), I don't know about that 'advanced' thing! ;>)

But, thanks for the tremelo tip. I will start to incorporate that 'b' string when I practice tremelo. Tremelo is hard and I have been trying to learn it for the past 4 years or so.

Thanks again,

Merle

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 16:09:02

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Paul Bruhns)

Hey Paul, I listened to it this morning and it sounds not so good!! No more beer for me (while rcording)!! Thanks for your encouragement and advice!

The tab came from 'Flamenco Guitar Solos' by Luigi Marraccini, but, I did not play it exactely like he has it tabbed.

Merle

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 16:14:44

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Escribano)

Simon, I don't really like to play Solea, because it's to mellow/sad for me! But, I also know that everyone that plays flamenco (or tries to, in my case), should know how to play a solea...so.....

Solea really does provide the foundation for which to build alegrias and bulerias on, and then most other palos come a little easier, (at least that's what I'm told)!! ;>)

Anyway, come and get me! I don't care!! Take me to Spain, hell, I don't care!! ;>)

Merle

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 16:19:48

Patrick

Posts: 1189
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Portland, Oregon

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Merle,

Love the birds and water and the beginning! After the standing ovation at the end, did you come back for an encore?

What do you mean, I send you $220. The way I see it, you owe me $220, because I am forcing you to reach new highs. Education doesn’t come cheep! You like the way I turned that around? You can send the money direct or I take credit cards!

OK, because you recorded this for me, I get to critique it. Fair enough? I want to hear stronger rest strokes with your thumb. Got it!

Please do this for me. Take a thirty to forty second part of this piece and work on it until you can’t stand it (or me) anymore (which ever comes first). Strong thumb rest stokes, clean, hard arpeggios. Man, it’s flamenco. Show that guitar who is boss. I am telling you, I think it will help you immensely, because that force and energy will flow over to all of your other playing.

Personally, I like to play hard. Once you learn to play with energy, the whole piece just opens up. Am I making any sense. Do you always have to play hard? Not at all, but once you learn to play with power, you can back off and still be in control. Take PDL for instance. He has incredible power, but you don’t really hear it, but it’s available to him when he needs it.

OK, in one week, I want to hear that short piece with energy. Blow us away. Merle, you don’t know how close you are to becoming a really good guitarist!

Sorry to be so hard on you, but its tuff love baby!

Pat

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 20:57:11

Phil

Posts: 382
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Rota, Spain

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Very nice Merle. Your audience certainly seems to have enjoyed it also.

Did you record that in the middle of a swamp? I swear I could hear a variety of critters chirping at the beginning.

Tremelo is a bitch to play. It's the hardest, most demanding technique to learn and least used. Keep up the good work.

Phil

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 21:04:33

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Patrick)

Pat, thanks for your critique! Pat, I was drinking last night, that's why it sounds so bad! You try and drink and play at the same time... ;>)

One of the problems that I have for not having a teacher, has always been the question of 'attack'. I don't have anyone to show me how hard or soft I should play. So, I normally play soft because I don't want to chase the wife and kids away, and also, I have no one to really hear me play in person. Well, anyone that knows how to play flamenco, anyway!

It's all these little tips that I get from all you boys and girls that have helped me at least get where I am today (which ain't much)...

But, I understand what your telling me, and will keep that in mind while I am practicing. I will put a little more 'attack' in my playing and concentrate on technique more.

Thanks again,

Merle

P.S. Oh, by the way, Pat! The word is spelled CHEAP, not, CHEEP! Or, are you thinking of your last girlfriend, that sheep? ;>) WHAT?

thanks, Pat, all your suggestions, along with everyone else's really does help me and gives me motivation to try harder...

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 21:13:28

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Phil)

Phil, because I was having a few drinks last night, my wife made me leave the house and go into the Watach Mountains to practice and record! The people clapping at the end were a homeless couple, three long haired winos, and a forest ranger with a teenage girl! ;>)

Merle

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 21:20:21

Patrick

Posts: 1189
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Portland, Oregon

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Merle,

I stand corrected. It was Freudian, with the bird thing at the beginning of your Solea. Now, get off the computer and back to practicing! You only got one week!

Pat

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 21:21:22

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Hi Merle,
A very lame excuse IMO.
I remember Melchor saying that when he saw Alfredo Lagos in a bar in Jerez, he was amazed they way he could play considering how drunk he was.
Let that be a lesson to you and from now on don't even consider taking the guitar out of it's case unless you've consumed at least a half bottle of whisky.
It is a very important part of a Professional Flamenco Guitarist's practise regime, to be able to play till 4 in the morning whilst being totally inebriated otherwise you won't last a week in Spain!

Note however that it completely against the law to have a blood alcohol content of greater than 70mg/litre when washing dogs in a professional capacity.
You could go to jail for a very long time for violating this.

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 21:47:07

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Ron.M)

RonM, I have done my best dog washing while drinking! I remember my neighbor left me a note asking if I would wash his dog while he went to church. Well, I did wash the dog, but, it was the wrong neighbor's dog! When the right neighbor came home and saw his dirty dog, I used the same excuse: "Larry, I was having a few drinks"!

(works for me) ;>)

Merle

P.S. The lady who's dog I did wash, baked me some nice penut butter cookies! Now, if I could wash her.....

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2003 22:04:17

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Merle, sounds very good. Sounds like you've been practicing 2 hours of technique a day like I suggested, right? :)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 22 2003 17:42:32

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Thanks for listening< Michael!

Actually, I have 10 techniques for right and left hand that I practice everyday, and this usually lasts about 35 minutes. That gets me warmed up. However, while I am practicing technique, I concentrating on improving on the exercises that I now use. Also, Peter added one more practice technique last night (the tremelo on the b string).

It was actually you and your dicussions about technique that got me to start focusing more on the improving on the techniques that I do exercise with. So, for that, the credit must go to you!

Did you get your new house yet? If so, how do you like it?

Mere

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 22 2003 18:16:53

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Merle)

Hey Merle,
Solea been dun good! nice swampy feel with good Compas. well done mi amigo!
How'd you make that clapping sould at the end, is that where you cross the 5th string over the 6th or something like that?
Cheers
Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 23 2003 13:03:31

Merle

Posts: 218
Joined: Jul. 6 2003

RE: "LIVE -IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!! (in reply to Jim Opfer)

Jim, that clapping at the end is just a clap.wav file that I found on my computer and tacked it on to the end for fun!! ;>) Same with the swamp sound at the beginning...

Merle

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 23 2003 19:44:17