Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar

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Asilova

Posts: 17
Joined: Apr. 26 2020

Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar

Dear all,

I have played classical guitar for two years, and I would like to start learning flamenco guitar

.

Checking the Foro Flamenco, I found it hard to choose the best path to learn flamenco guitar

. I'm curious about what self-teaching material you guys recommend to learn flamenco.

I did a quick search, and it appears that there are many choices available. For example,

Flamenco Guitar Method - by Gerhard Graf-Martine.
Flamenco Guitar Fundamentals by Orhan Anafarta
The Keys to Flamenco Guitar by Dennis Koster
Essential Flamenco Guitar by Juan Marin
Mel Bay's Flamenco Guitar by Juan Serrano
Flamenco Guitar by Robert Collomb
Flamenco Guitar by Jose Manuel Montoya
(This is not an exhaustive list)

I assume that working with an instructor/online course + Skype lesson might be more efficient. If so, could you please also recommend an online instructor/ online course + Skype lesson?

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 20 2020 14:29:18

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar (in reply to Asilova)

Hello, Asilova. I give Skype lessons full time now. They are $50/hour at the moment. I would be happy to take you on if you are interested.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 20 2020 14:52:50

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar (in reply to Asilova)

Out of all of those I would start with Orhan, he is a great guy and very accessible. He also does Skype lessons. https://www.atrafana.com/

Edit: was typing my post while Grisha made his so didn't mean to step on his toes. He's an amazing teacher as well.

_____________________________

Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 20 2020 14:54:38

Schieper

Posts: 208
Joined: Mar. 29 2017
From: The Netherlands

RE: Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar (in reply to Asilova)

I started with El arte Flamenco de la guitarra from Juan Martin. Which I still think has turned out to be a joyfull journey so far. 4 years later I am still at halfway. The songs are maybe a bit dificult for a beginner but i enjoyed that challange. The best 50 bucks I spend on a music book in a long time.

Lather i bought SOLOS FLAMENCOS part one from Juan Martin. This begins a lot easier and has some nice tunes as well. So i would recomend that if you are looking for a mores gentle start.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2020 9:12:43

ipolit

Posts: 14
Joined: Jul. 1 2020
From: Veliko Tarnovo, BG

RE: Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar (in reply to Asilova)

It seems I was in almost the same situation few months ago.
Since you've played classical guitar, you probably have built some left hand technique and perhaps the right hand is OK. I was wondering the same as you and I realised that I am not good enough to take the best from private lessons thinking about the budget.
It is not so smart to pay 30-50 euro per hour twice a week for the next 6 months and to learn how to alternate fingers in picado or how to strum.
In my opinion you should go for private lessons when you start feeling comfortable with flamenco basic picking and strumming.
I found a really great online flamenco course with hundreds of lessons and explanations, partitures and tablatures. And it is on a very reasonable price. Once you pay 60 euro or something like this and every month 10 euro.
It is in Spanish, I don't speak Spanish, I've leaned how the fingers are named and the numbers - for strings and frets.
The maestro looks to be very good and I like how he speaks and explains, no matter I understand 5 % of what he says. You can check him - Antonio Dovao -
https://dovao.cursodeguitarraflamenca.com/
There are different packages, but I subscribed for Premium package and I am really happy. For 2 months I learned to play very nice granainas -
and several falsetas. The link on youtube with the granaina is played by Antonio Dovao, I am far away from such performance.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2020 12:55:32

ric

Posts: 84
Joined: Dec. 27 2010

RE: Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar (in reply to Asilova)

I nominate Ricardo Marlowe since he is extremely knowledgeable and knows how to point you in the right direction. Also, check out his YT videos.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2020 15:10:17

Goldwinghai

Posts: 215
Joined: Mar. 17 2015
From: Virginia USA

RE: Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar (in reply to Asilova)

I was in a similar situation like yours, had played classical guitar for several years and then wanted to learn Flamenco. I assume that you can read music notation. I would recommend taking online lessons with a teacher, Grisha, Ricardo or Orhan, who all have great reputation, and start learning the proper techniques of the right hand, and the ritmo of different palos. Then the short easy pieces. After a while you can combine what you learn from the teacher with the book materials. There are many transcription books available on the market. I am in my sixth year of the journey and still a beginner. But I thought my learning experience might be of help to you in making decision as to what the next step should be. I did take some online lessons with Ricardo within my first two years and do not hesitate to recommend him. Good luck and have fun learning.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 21 2020 17:04:14

Asilova

Posts: 17
Joined: Apr. 26 2020

RE: Starting to Learn Flamenco Guitar (in reply to ipolit)

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

Following your suggestions, I will take private lessons once I start feeling comfortable with flamenco basics (I am anyway taking private lessons for the classical guitar).

For the material, I decided to start with the Flamenco Guitar Fundamentals by Orhan Anafarta (Atrafana School). In my view, the videos are made professionally, and the demonstrations are easy to follow.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2020 12:59:05