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Posts: 2918
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England
What level player!?!?
Always wondered how one is to truly know what their 'level' is? (and yeah im not sure it really matters so im not that hung up on this but just a thought that popped in to my head a few times recently)
beginner, intermediate, advanced.
beginner was always easy. you know if youve just started right?
but intermediate or advanced always made me wonder.
You see classes or lessons, Flamenco guitar 'beginner class'...ok youre a noob. easy!
at what point does beginner become intermediate, and what point does intermediate become advanced!?! cant be on years played. so what else? is there any pieces you could say 'right you can play that, youre advanced' but even that seems a flawed gauge.
I wouldn't necessarily say it's picado speed. It is quite complicated with flamenco.
I mean Moraito for instance wasn't particularly famous for his picado speed, but just perfect aire and compas, powerful playing, getting the max out of each single note.
I also think accompanying singers, dancers is an art in itself and probably lots of "advanced" players who only focused on solo guitar and even having great technique and compas, might be lost if they haven't focused on accompaniment and practiced that with singers.
I have seen so called "beginners" who focused on fundamentals and have those right (good compas, etc.) with inferior speed and technique compared to some advanced players, but some players with advanced and fast technique who lack compas, the right aire and feel etc. Basically unbalanced progress.
And I think "years" actually DO matter. Even if some of those years were not that productive. The more you listen to flamenco, the more you "get" it imo. If those years were used to practice and play, the better the years.
And I think "years" actually DO matter. Even if some of those years were not that productive. The more you listen to flamenco, the more you "get" it imo. If those years were used to practice and play, the better the years.
I agree, but i think i was thinking about someone whos played poorly for 20 years will be less high level than someone whos played well and intensely for 5. so room for nuance in that measuring method
Tell you what, it took a long time for compás / rhythm to sink in for this American gringo. To be able to feel it for once and not be intimidated by it. Felt very liberating when that happened and took years and years to settle in
So I think that is one criteria for leveling up towards being a Jedi. Feeling the force... Not that i'm completely there
Supersaiyan: doing the helicopter dance with two guitars
God: La Barrossa while doing the helicopter dance with two guitars
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
I think I'm turning into one of those old fellas. A few years back I bristled at the older guys who grumbled about modern Paco or vicente, Antoni rey etc
but thats now me! wacky outfits, avant garde compostions, dancers going so 'deep' into their art they turn into morons! ahaha
Back to levels.
I guess, like i thought, im intermediate. I can play for dance but can't play la barossa. but I've been playing over 20 years.
honestky i dont care that much. just having ome fun
Level one: out of compás, playing in bedroom. Level two: In compás most of the time, learning to accompany dance. Level three: Always in compás, except when libre accompanying cante. Level four: Out of compás with control and expression and taste as needed, invited to accompany singers or dancers as needed, all falsetas make sense created or adapted.
Level five: considered a maestro and while it is not necessary to achieve this level, there comes an obligation to represent the art form properly and carefully.
Level five: considered a maestro and while it is not necessary to achieve this level, there comes an obligation to represent the art form properly and carefully.
That's interesting. The highest level in a popular school of Taijiquan not only involves skill and mind development but "refereeing competitions;organising seminars/workshops; visiting China and broadening your own and other peopleʼs general knowledge about the development and benefits of Tai Chi, writing Tai Chi related articles/reviews etc."
Does level five flamenco not involve attending courses in Jerez? Should do.
I think we forgot to mention that there is another level above god, which is professor of flamenco, and only one person has ever achieved that level and I can not name him
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ok let's have some numbers ramzi! 
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