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Posts: 60
Joined: Aug. 25 2005
From: Kingston ON Canada
Graf-Martinez Question(&first post here)
I've been lurking and learning here for a while, this forum is a great resource. I recently bought the Vol 1 DVD by Graf-Martinez and while I am enjoying working on the material I find the tab and notation at the bottom of the screen a bit blurry and difficult to read on both my computer and my TV. As I asked in Todd K's forum(he suggested I ask here), is there a way to print the tab and notation out? Or, at least make it clearer on my screen. As I delve farther into this DVD I'm finding that I need to read the notes more and more as the music gets more complicated. It would be really convenient if they provided pdf versions of the music on the DVD.
Thanks to everyone that has posted great vids, tabs and advice here, maybe I can contribute one day(in the very distant future probably),
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Romanza)
jim if you go to gerhards website http://www.graf-martinez.info and send him and email with proof of purchase he will forward you a file to print out the sheet music form the dvd.
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
I also have the graf martinez, the thing he sends you is a link to a viewer that makes the notation easier to read. I have sent him several emails and also have had several posts here and to be frank you have gotten a better response than I did. My son is a programmer who tells me ther is no way to print off the video and that is a misnomer. You can try and good luck. I know there was a seperate book and sent mr graf a email requesting some clarification on that situaiton since the notation is just about illegable, and never got a response. In essense, unless you want to practice in front of your computer at 200 bpms you have to buy the book to get the whole package so to speak. For one I am tremendously disappointed to spend about 80 $ and then have to buy a seperate book. Most of these tutelage things come with both a cd and a book. In short, I think the whole thing is a RIPOFF
Posts: 60
Joined: Aug. 25 2005
From: Kingston ON Canada
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
Thanks Henrym, upon visiting the site and looking at the faq's I found that he is offering a free score viewer to rectify this problem. I have just sent in my proof of purchase info and hope to hear from them soon about getting my free viewer(download).
Posts: 495
Joined: Nov. 27 2005
From: North Carolina, USA
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
I have it too. The viewer notes are very clean and easy to read. Too bad it is necessary to have a seperate viewer. It kind of sucks to have to manually bring up the page as you watch him play. The original video has a line that moves along in time on the notation while Graf is playing to let you know how the timing works. You don't have that in the seperate viewer. They are good DVDs though and well worth the money.
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
for what it is worth i have the two books of grag-martinez with cd and dvd and i don't have a problem seeing them, i have a problem witth playing the music. but they are very good books i study them all the time and if you get the cd and the dvd then you will resolve your problems. david
Posts: 60
Joined: Aug. 25 2005
From: Kingston ON Canada
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
soulstring; I'm told it's a problem with the DVD's marked "NTSC System" only. I think that has something to do with geographical location with DVD players but I don't know for sure. Mine is NTSC though and I can assure you the notes and tab are blurry. It is first rate learning material, but I bought the DVD thinking I wouldn't have to buy the book as well.
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
I don't think NTSC will make it blurry. If a DVD does not match the region code, or if you are using PAL or NTSC J on an NTSC system, you will not get blurry images. It will simply fail to load altogether.
Posts: 60
Joined: Aug. 25 2005
From: Kingston ON Canada
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
I think it goes something like this: the DVD was made originally with PAL or NTSC J and during the process of producing copies that would work as NTSC something caused the blurryness. Again, this is what I'm hearing from people who are quick to point out that they are guessing. BTW, I haven't heard back from anybody at Graf-Martinez about a viewer yet.
Posts: 60
Joined: Aug. 25 2005
From: Kingston ON Canada
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
henrym; That's the page I tried to contact them with first, it came back"undeliverable" so I re-sent all the info to the other e-mail address on the contact page. I'm not losing any sleep over this, it's not that big of a deal,
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
that being said according to some people i've aked about the book is that it has alot more material for things to practice as well as play.scales and stuff.
i wonder what the success rate is with this method,compared to some previous methods as some of the other methods out there including juan martins stuff is old.
the oscar herrero dvds i have are great and im getting benefit out of them technique wise. the thumb and speed work in dvd 2 is amazing.
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
i like the graf-martinez books. i only wish they had more longer solos to learn. most of the stuff is small examples of the palos. but, it is good books and cds.
Posts: 60
Joined: Aug. 25 2005
From: Kingston ON Canada
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
I got the e-mail today with all of the links and instructions for downloading the score viewer, however, it appears to use the viewer I have to buy the latest version of Quicktime($29.99US). It won't run with an un-registered version of Quicktime and as far as I can tell there is no registration for the free download version. On top of that if you go to the registration page:
and scroll down to the customer reviews section and read a few of those, well....., so, I can get the book at a local music store for less than $29.99US and get on with it with less stress I think.
In spite of all this I am really enjoying the DVD and do feel that I am improving,
Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
quote:
Quicktime
I love Quicktime! Every time it comes up it wants to know if I want to make it my only program of its type! Man I love that! Yes sir, that is so nice and considerate! Well, not really! It is a pita!
Posts: 60
Joined: Aug. 25 2005
From: Kingston ON Canada
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
I get two problems when I follow all the instructions and try to use the viewer, one, there is a small white box on the right end of the viewer above the play buttons that says "Failed to load", two, when I click play the notes disappear and are replaced with "Unregistered Version", then the viewer program closes. All attempts to register lead to the page that only "lets" you buy the latest version of Quicktime.
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
I forgot about that 'registered' error. If you will just start to scroll backwards when you get that 'unregistered - Adios' message, it will go backwards. After you have scrolled backwards a few, then you can scroll foward without getting the error. Clear as mud?
RE: Graf-Martinez Question(&first po... (in reply to Jim9guitars)
Hola Henry, The wrist has been doing great. I had to stay off of it for almost 10weeks (just over 2 months), but I haven't had a problem with it since. Thanks for asking.
Printable Version
It is a pita! 
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