Playing other type of guitars

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MikeC

Posts: 79
Joined: Mar. 19 2015
From: Panama (living in South Florida)

Playing other type of guitars

I would like to hear from people that play other types of guitar (electric, acoustic, etc) besides flamenco/classical guitars.

Do you regularly play other types of guitars? Does it affect your playing in a negative or positive way?

I've been neglecting my other guitars since I got my flamenco guitar. I try to play them occasionally. The main thing that bothers me is the narrow fingerboard, but it just takes me a few minutes to adjust.

I feel that flamenco guitar has improved my playing on the other guitars. I don't feel playing them affects my flamenco playing in any way. But it is too early to reach a conclusion.
The one stupid thing I did the other day when jamming with a friend was to use flamenco rasgueos on a steel string- it destroyed my nails!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 8 2015 14:01:30

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to MikeC)

quote:

I feel that flamenco guitar has improved my playing on the other guitars.

You are on the right track. Watch Paco de Lucia playing with John McLaughlin, and Al DiMeola videos; or Rafael Cortes playing with Tommy Emmanuel. A video - like a picture - is worth a thousand words. Chet Atkins stated Sabicas had the greatest technique. All roads lead to Rome and all guitar styles lead to flamenco. If flamenco doesn't motivate you to improve your discipline, then I don't know what will.

_____________________________

Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 8 2015 14:40:50

Morante

Posts: 2178
Joined: Nov. 21 2010

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to MikeC)

I stopped playing flamenco a few years ago when my singer, José Millán died, then I had an operation on my left hand pinky, which restricted stretches. So I went back to acoustic and electric.

On the rare occasions when I have to accompany a cantaor, I find flamenco guitar very exigente. You have to be precise, fret well and pluck well. The electric guitar plays itself and makes you lazy.

Play it for fun, but concentrate on the flamenco.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 8 2015 15:07:38

tijeretamiel

Posts: 441
Joined: Jan. 6 2012

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to MikeC)

I just saw a video of Julian Bream saying the finest musician he regarded was Ali Akbar Khan and he found his way of playing to be inspirational.

I believe it's great to diversify be it playing different types of guitar, or listening to different types of music.

I'm a reasonably proficient steel string guitarist (6 and 12 strings), I'd regard that to be my creative focus in terms of performing but when it comes to hours of practise, I definitely spend more time playing flamenco, which I believe has made my steel string technique more considered and I believe I am a far better guitarist for so.

Also MikeC, if you play acoustic guitar try to find an acoustic with a wider fretboard, it will make a huge difference. For electric guitar as well, a guitar with a 45mm fretboard will feel a lot more spacious than a 42mm Fender.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 8 2015 21:02:31

crooksj5

Posts: 106
Joined: Jan. 7 2014

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to MikeC)

I play acoustic, classical, flamenco, and ukulele. I primarily make money playing acoustic and singing, but my passion is with flamenco and do gig with that genre on occasion. It is hard to balance playing and practicing what makes $ and what you are truly passionate about. May seem shallow but if you are a full time musician you do have to think about how to pay bills with your music. At least where I'm at (southwest US) true flamenco and classical music is lost on most audiences.
I use this as an excuse to borrow techniques from each instrument I play and sort of fuse some of the styles together at times. Like making pop or rock songs into a rumba with flamenco techniques or on the other hand elevating the pop songs on the acoustic away from just strumming and singing to more intricate parts and at times incorporating a call and response on the guitar with what I just sang.
If however you are just playing music for fun and because you enjoy it, play what you love!!! Having to worry about how to impress the general public with your art can be a burden at times.
(Although it is always cool to know i get to do that instead of work at a desk)

As far as the actual instruments I agree with the post above, once you play classical or flamenco guitar everything else will feel cramped so look for wide fingerboards, though they may be hard to find.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2015 3:13:48

Morante

Posts: 2178
Joined: Nov. 21 2010

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to tijeretamiel)

quote:

For electric guitar as well, a guitar with a 45mm fretboard will feel a lot more spacious than a 42mm Fender.

Can you suggest a commercial electric with a wide fingerboard? (apart from Warmoth).

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2015 7:50:04

tele

Posts: 1464
Joined: Aug. 17 2012

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to crooksj5)

I've been playing electric as I've been on a break from flamenco and must say that to play either one well is equally difficult, there are own challenges for both guitars. But I really like it(electric) more in sense that there's way more space to improvise. About the fretboard width, the difference in strings makes up for me for the lack of space.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2015 20:46:30

norumba2

Posts: 37
Joined: May 20 2015

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to MikeC)

i primarily play electric these days, which is what i started on, though i did an intense flamenco-only immersion for about 7 years in the late 90s. I play oud, regular and fretless electric, and i did play sarod as for a time.

Proficiency/priority always shifting according to interest and inspiration, but generally electric guitar and oud are tied for first, followed very closely by fretless electric. Flamenco is coming in first in the list right now though as im trying to work it back up, but overall its my weakest link at the moment.

i do like shedding on flamenco right now, and its helping the electric playing as well, just because im so motivated t get the flamenco back in shape so im spending a lot of hours playing.

_____________________________

guitar - oud- fretless guitar
http://www.norumba.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 11 2015 20:08:14

tijeretamiel

Posts: 441
Joined: Jan. 6 2012

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to Morante)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Morante

quote:

For electric guitar as well, a guitar with a 45mm fretboard will feel a lot more spacious than a 42mm Fender.

Can you suggest a commercial electric with a wide fingerboard? (apart from Warmoth).

Yes,

If you are looking for a Gibson style guitar, there are Gordon Smith guitars that are made in the UK and have 45mm nuts. The G&L Tributes have 44.45mm nuts well, eg this
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/TributeSeries/guitars/superhawk/index.asp

Also, the Loar Jazz electrics have 44.45mm nuts, they also have very flat fretboards (16" radius)

Most new Gibsons have 46mm nuts, but they the same string spacing as 43mm nuts but have strange adjustable nuts which would make modification tricky.

There are some others out there I am sure.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 11 2015 20:37:59

etta

Posts: 341
Joined: Jan. 20 2010

RE: Playing other type of guitars (in reply to MikeC)

I started with flamenco guitar many years ago, gave it up (nail issues, etc), and then became a three finger (with picks), banjo player. Many years later I went back to flamenco (crazy glue and artificial nails.) In my case the right hand technique of flamenco and three finger banjo complimented each other; the right hand facility that I had developed as a banjoist really helped me to get back into flamenco at "retirement"age. The necks of the two instruments are so different that after a short time it was easy for me to differentiate between the two without conscious effort. In fact, playing flamenco, which I do everyday, has improved my banjo playing as well. Now, if I can just keep my brain working as well as my fingers????

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 12 2015 15:52:13