Beginner Advice

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Beginner Advice

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jonasp

Posts: 1
Joined: Mar. 21 2015

Beginner Advice

Hey guys! I'm new around here, so sorry if this is the wrong place for this or something. This seems like a really awesome and useful forum!

I've just started trying to learn flamenco, after having played guitar on and off for a few years and kind of dabbling in various types of finger-style but never really committing to anything or developing any kind of musical identity. I really love the sound of flamenco and have been spending a lot of time on it, but my problem is that I really have no idea where to start. I'm really an absolute beginner at this point, I just bought a cheap nylon guitar which I will hopefully upgrade when I can. Also there isn't much prospect of me taking actual lessons, due to living in the middle of nowhere.

I know next to nothing about how flamenco actually works other than that it seems quite different from typical musical forms. I've been trying to listen to it a lot, but I still don't really know where to start, and Youtube can only help so much. I've seen a lot of references to different "forms" and things, like bulerias and tango, but I don't quite understand it.

So far I have been spending time practicing what seem like basic mechanical skills that I will need. I've worked on and feel comfortable with-

-Some basic rumba strumming patterns (I don't know if this is actually flamenco)
-Thumb rest strokes/free strokes
-The Phrygian dominant scale, which I feel pretty confident about all over the neck
-Spanish triplets and flamenco tremolo
-a decent three finger Rasguedo
-"Palmas", and the 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 rhythm pattern (this seems important?)
-and some sort of Golpe thing

I've also learned the 2 basic Andalusian Cadence chord progressions, (Am G F E; Dm C Bb A?)

The problem is, I have no idea what to do with any of that stuff. What do I do next? What form should I learn, and how do I go about that? Are there any vital basic techniques that I'm missing?

Thanks so much, and sorry if I seem helpless!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2015 16:11:07

Dudnote

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 13 2007

RE: Beginner Advice (in reply to jonasp)

Wecome to the foro!

It seems you already have a few ideas in the right direction. The next step would be to listen to lots of flamenco and learn to tell what the different styles or "palos" are. Some of the most common being solea (the mother of all flamenco), bulerias (the rythmically most complex), seguiriyas, tangos, fandangos, alegrias etc etc. Each has their own "compas" ie rhythmic and harmonic structure. Compas is king ~ if there's no compas it ain't flamenco. Practice every new piece you learn with a metronome (my biggest mistake has been to not do that).

Enjoy the journey.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2015 16:26:57

Leñador

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

RE: Beginner Advice (in reply to jonasp)

Here's what I wish someone had told me.

The forms or "palos" that are the most popular. (there are many many more but this is the ones you'll most hear)
Solea, Alegrias, Tangos, Bulerias, Tientos, Seguiriyas, Tarantos

Basic techniques you'll need:
Arpeggio, picado, rasgueado(all types, 3/4 finger, abanico, various patterns), pulgar, alzapua, 5 note tremolo, and golpes

Tip 1
I'd say start with Solea, it's sort of "mother palo" and if you master that 12 beat compas it will make alegrias and bulerias make more sense, much of flamenco evolved from the solea so I feel like it's a good starting point.

Tip 2
Learn how to strum the chords of a letra or two. Number one, strumming is easier than complex falsetas, number two, it will give you a better idea of how to "feel" the compas. Many of the "learn flamenco books" just spit falseta after falseta at you and I'm not sure why, i feel like it's kind of teaching you to run before you walk.....

Tips 3
Get a skype teacher, you've gotta do it, at least for a little while to get you set up. Ricardo and some others here give them, it's very crucial to get you pointed in the right direction early on otherwise your just aimlessly playing spanishy stuff rather then palying falmenco.

Enjoy the road!

_____________________________

\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2015 19:41:00

Dudnote

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 13 2007

RE: Beginner Advice (in reply to Leñador)

Some great advice from Lenador there.

I've started a "solea lesson 1" thread in the audio uploads area.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2015 22:37:32

dreolino

Posts: 49
Joined: Feb. 4 2013

RE: Beginner Advice (in reply to jonasp)

hey j,

what totally gave me a push in the right direction where the so called "beginner packages" of Adam del Monte. He has a website called newlearningvision.com where you can pay for each class or package and have the access online forever after you paid. it's a great deal because on the one hand he has strong roots in traditional flamenco and kind of grew up with the gypsies in Granada but is a guitarist of the modern age, on the other hand, he is a great teacher and understands, what a total beginner needs. He himself learned the art in a chaotic way but gives his students all the shortcuts out of his wisdom of all the years.
I had classes with a virtuoso at the time I run into his website but those videos you can rewind over and over. the best is to have both personal teacher and videos. there a lot of other websites too that work great I suppose. Just my two cents to that topic.
good luck and have fun!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2015 18:38:41