Other Influences!!!

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Other Influences!!!

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Zorro02

Posts: 151
Joined: Feb. 23 2007

Other Influences!!!

Hello

Just curious as to how we develop an appreciation of flamenco. Is the passion innate, or does it develop with age/maturity?

I played guitar for numerous bands in my teens and early twenties. My childhood hero of the guitar was Brain May.

Later, when I accepted I was not to be a famous rock guitarist, I decided to "calm down" and have formal lessons. The works of Tarrega and Sor now inspired my playing style.

After a number of lessons my classical tutor played for me a buleria. My passion for flamenco was realised!

4 years have now passed and I continue to have lessons in flamenco

What about you?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 16 2007 23:15:18

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

I dont make much time for Tarrega now but Sor still inspires me.

Exchange Randy Rhoads for Brian May (

any day !!).

WATCH OUT RANT AHEAD

I think that when we are young we like all music , all styles ( certainly the young kids I work with do ). Then one day we wake up and decide what's cool and whats not and then try make the cool it define us. So the only good guitarists/singers/drummers/accordian players are Rock /Jazz/ Flamenco /Classical /Funk /Jimmie Hendrix etc.
We throw away the facility to appreciate things so that we can believe that we know better than those who can.

In other words we become teenagers and shove our own heads firmly up our a###s. We carve the world up into tiny little kingdoms that we can rule.

Well I did anyway.

When I was eighteen I thought that Yngwe Malmsteen was God and that I was his successor on earth. Then I started to listen to Baroque violin music and realised that this was the goldmine that little Yngwe had smuggled some sooty nuggets from. Since I had only just started learning the guitar and it seemed to 'fit' me I decided at the last minute not to learn the Violin and changed to classical guitar.
I listened solely to classical for a while.

When I left the conservatoire I started listening to flamenco and fellow foro member Jim Opfer opened my ears to rhythm again and my head emerged another centimetre or so from my 'you know what'.

Now its all good, if music is honest and played with respect and honesty then I dont let the 'hipnesss', or otherwise, of the style concern me. It tend to judge people now by whether or not the seem to have realised this when they talk about music.

Im not saying that I like a bad or inauthentic performance ( like when a man in a Groucho Marx mask tells bad Groucho marks jokes -and fluffs the punchlines- says that you dont get it and that he is not trying to be Grouch Marx but just doing his own thing and that you are the one not getting it kind of thing ) its just that there are so many truly great players out there in every genre and on all instruments. Why should I deprive myself ?

It makes me laugh when people ask whether or not you are 'allowed' to play in a certain way. If your EARS are not good enough then listen more and find a better teacher if you can. If you want things to BELIEVE in then sell your soul to a religion or a political party.

Sorry if you suffered all that but I liked the question.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 17 2007 0:41:19

Ricardo

Posts: 14822
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

I had a great summer guitar camp teacher who was real open and let everyone bring one song we liked so others could hear it. We had a huge mix of styles, metal, metal, metal of course, rock, bluegrass, some classical, M. Hedges, some jazz fusion, etc. The teacher made us listen to Paco de Lucia. I went out and bought his album the next day.

I have to say, my first impression was he made every other guitarist I ever heard sound like a student. And I still feel that way most of the time. Of course Paco is just the tip of the flamenco iceburg. Once you go through that window, you never go back.

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 17 2007 5:07:30

ricecrackerphoto

Posts: 265
Joined: Feb. 5 2006

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

i'v always noodled around on the guitar, never really playing well, never really getting better. just snippets of bach and sor and black sabbath.

it was two years ago that i heard an mp3, must have been carlos montoya. i had no idea that a nylon guitar could sound like an angry growling dog. went out and bought entre dos aguas the next day.

been playing for about a year and a half now but only seriously with regular practicing and a teacher for a little less than a year. big improvements but i'm a beginner so all steps forward are noticeable. its like i always say, i might never become any good with flamenco but i don't have a choice! i've got the bug.

brian may and his sound still amaze me.

oh and i'm 39 and for the past year i have rarely put more effort into anything the way i do with flamenco. better late than never. played violin as a kid but was never really a musician or a guitar player, just always owned a guitar.

doug

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 17 2007 5:17:59

Guest

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to ricecrackerphoto)

The one thing that stands out to me is when a good mate of mine (aloyious)put on vicentes first album 'De mi corazon al aire' in his car, it was a poor quality tape but it blew me away because i had never heard any guitar sound as good as it before, and when i heard that album i decided vicente was my favourite guitarist. I was already into flamenco but this really cemented my admiration for the style.

To this day i still struggle to find an album as good as that, to me every track is a winner on it and i think this album is still cutting edge all these years later. Even though i really dig all of vicente other albums i still think this was his best work, it had a raw energy to it.

I dont overly like the commercial processing that went on once sony bmg picked him up(its still good but a little overprocessed for me, and takes away some of that raw energy).

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 17 2007 8:00:35

Stu

Posts: 2536
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Guest)

Hi Zorro,
I began playin guitar when I was about 17 (Now 28) after I heard a friend of mine playing johnny b goode, and being a big "Back to the Future" fan, I decided I wanted a piece of that. So I began playing and taking lessons.
I didn't really know what I liked back then and just got into what was accessible at that time. ie Rock stuff, like Oasis, Blur, then Aerosmith, Eagles, Clapton. Although I somehow felt that something was missing, perhaps a lack of fellow musicians to jam and form a band. (electric guitar can only do so much solo) so got bit bored of it all.

I remember from early on in my guitar journey I always loved the sound and feel of Flamenco guitar and finally started learning 4 years ago and I haven't looked back. one of the main draws for me was the moody solemn firey vibe, which I can definately say is in me. Whether its innate or been nurtured I'm unsure, but it is there!

At the moment I'm at a place where I can listen to nothing else but flamenco!!! (is this a phase that will relent a little or what??) All my friends wanna listen to indie bands and rock stuff, I wanna slap them and say "forget THE arctic monkeys or, THE white stripes or THE this and THE that, check out this Bulerias from Gerardo Nunez latest album!!!"

Like Ricardo says, Paco was the tip of the iceberg for me when I heard Entre dos Aguas on a chillout compilation years ago. I recently delved deeper into his discography and through the 'Window' and I think there's no turning back for me. I'm discoving all these great flamenco artists round every corner and my hunger for this music seems to be getting stronger all the time. As I said, music wise, nothing else matters (except a bit of classical now and again)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 18 2007 2:42:19

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

I pretty much agree with Guitarbuddha's "rant". I respect ALL genres and forms of music which have something good to offer. TBH, who cares what your amigos like, or what is socially acceptable. The bottom line is what YOU like, and thats all that matters. Obviously, our musical tastes develop and grow as we do. For me it was Rock music that first got me interested in guitar-based music, and then I progressed to Heavy Metal and Shred. From there I branched off into Nuevo-Flamenco, and then eventually "proper" Flamenco. These days I spend most of my time listening to Flamenco, but every now and then I put on something different... just to keep it diverse, and not get stuck in a rut. I recently got into Gipsy Jazz and Bavarian accordeon music, and IMHO they are great! In other words, a little of what you fancy does you no harm... as long as you don't end up getting bored of it!

Jb

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¡Si esto no está en compas, esto no es el Flamenco!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 18 2007 19:45:30

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Stu)

quote:

All my friends wanna listen to indie bands and rock stuff, I wanna slap them and say "forget THE arctic monkeys or, THE white stripes or THE this and THE that, check out this Bulerias from Gerardo Nunez latest album!!!"

Luckily for me, I have amigos who appreciate Gerardo Nunez. it sounds like there is a difference in mentality (or at least taste) between you and your friends. thats not a reason to ditch them, but perhaps a good motive to find some new friends that share your passions.

Jb

_____________________________

¡Si esto no está en compas, esto no es el Flamenco!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 18 2007 19:50:08

Zorro02

Posts: 151
Joined: Feb. 23 2007

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

So, looks like the passion for flamenco develops with maturity/age.
I have always appreciated a good strong rhythm (remember the famous "good times" riff by Chic?) and feel that this appreciation has in some way influenced my current taste in music.
Will my taste in music change in the future, who knows?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 18 2007 21:12:39

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

I think for me discovering flamenco spoiled the fun in playing classical, electric etc. It's a femme fatal that doesn't tolerate other women to be around.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 18 2007 21:18:00

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

quote:

Once you go through that window, you never go back.

quote:

discovering flamenco spoiled the fun in playing classical, electric etc. It's a femme fatal that doesn't tolerate other women to be around.

Well said Ricardo and Koella!

Thats exactly what it is also for me!
Adding that this femme fatal is so beautiful and sexy that you dont need those other women anymore

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 19 2007 10:01:00

Stu

Posts: 2536
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to JBASHORUN)

quote:

ORIGINAL: JBASHORUN]

Luckily for me, I have amigos who appreciate Gerardo Nunez. it sounds like there is a difference in mentality (or at least taste) between you and your friends. thats not a reason to ditch them, but perhaps a good motive to find some new friends that share your passions.

Jb

Yeah I'd love some friends who shared these tastes!! Its hard to find flamencos in london.
Although my best friend is into drumming and the last drum he bought was a cajon!! So we have started playing together recently. He was brought up on hip hop and dance music but he purposefully looks to expand his music tastes all the time. I recently managed to slip some Paco mp3s onto his pc, so when he's playing his itunes on random hopefully a few will pop up and slowly hook him in.

Koella:
Great metaphore about femme fatale! and yeah she is so beautiful all other women seem ugly!!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 19 2007 20:07:33

koella

Posts: 2194
Joined: Sep. 10 2005
From: holland

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Zorro02)

Thank you Stuart

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 19 2007 21:14:52

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: Other Influences!!! (in reply to Stu)

quote:

Yeah I'd love some friends who shared these tastes!! Its hard to find flamencos in london.

Manzmann, be sure to check out the links I gave you in a previous post. Going to Flamenco-related classes and workshops is a good way to meet like-minded people in the area. Also, find a good teacher... he will be sure to know what is going on within the Flamenco scene.

Jb

_____________________________

¡Si esto no está en compas, esto no es el Flamenco!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 20 2007 17:02:05