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If you have played with a pick then it is real similar to bluegrass accompaniment. The Oscar Hererro and Claude Worms book on technique has good advice and lots of examples for Alzapua. Also the Gerardo Nunez DVD on Encuentro. Bassically in triplets the technique is .
1. Starting with your thumb on the D string play a chord (downstroke) with the thumb on the beat. Played with a rotation of the whole forearm ( like turning a screwdriver )
2. Chord upstroke with a rotation in the opposite direction which should deliver the thumb ONTO the A string.
3. A bass note rest stroke on A with the thumb bringing you back to the starting position.
To get a powerful sound I find it useful to have the first knuckle of my index finger actually lower than the first string.
Practice this real slowly for literally two or three months before trying to speed it up,
ja sam iz zemuna pa ako si negde u blizini i ako si zainteresovan za casove mozes da mi posaljes mail na brankompas@sezampro.yu, da se dogovorimo.. na forumu mozes da cujes neke moje snimke, najnovije je sevillanas od gerarda nuneza koji sam upravo postavio
There was a good explanation previous of triplet alzapua and how it is used with chords. I think Seguiriyas and Bulerias are both good palos to practice for alzapua and almost every recording of either of these styles will at least one extensive alzapua segment (if not more)
Alzapua is a gypsy word that means "to raise the thumb" and this refers to thumb upstroking. The most common alzapua application is the triplet with chords, where a bass note is played with the thumb, followed by a down-up stroke to complete the triplet.
This can be reversed to down-up-bass note and can be combined with the golpe in many different applications.
Alzapua can be a single articulation within a falsetta, or can make up entire falsettas. It's a very impressive technique and there is always more room for improvement and alteration.
The best way to learn it is to observe how many different players use it melodically and technically.
By technically, I mean how they hold their hands. Some players use the side of their thumb more often, while others turn their hand outward and use their thumbnail as a pick. Some players will rest their index finger on the high E string, others will rest it on the face of the guitar.
These are variations you should try and consider to find what works best for you, and continue trying them as you progress so you might find something new.
Heh 2-3 months is a good amount of time to practice slowly, but what's important is that you only move forward at a pace at which you can maintain the integrity/clarity of the technique and the rhythmic emphasis. Don't bore yourself practicing the same thing over and over, practice doing many different things with it (all slowly, of course)
If you go to www.affedis.com (Alain Fauscher's website) and click Articles, he has a few articles on Alzapua too and some other useful freebies. By the way, if you want good flamenco transcriptions, he has some excellent ones!
For a great collection of Alzapua cliches ( in the best sense of the word ) you cant beat the Seguiriya on Paco Penas toques flamencos. The recording is essential too, not just because this is a difficult form but also because the playing is fabulous.
I agree with whole heartedly with wiseguy that you need to study interesting material to encourage you to invest a lot of time in a new technique. My advice was intended purely as technical information and as always there are lots here who have also have good tips. In terms of sound I prefer the extra attack of not using the index finger as a guide on the first string and I am really trying to get out of this habit. Although having i in contact with the string makes the technique more secure it is limiting. It was Todds recent upload of the guy with monster Alzapua (which sounded just like really early Paco ) that made me think again about this technique.
ok then it is not possible for you to take classes..it is just that we have some similar names in our countries, so i thought you are from somewhere here, near place where i live..
Yeah.... not only I'm from Kiyv, now I'm stuck in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, US, which is a swamp hole and no one even knows what flamenco is. It's like bunch of rednecks and stuff. Although they do have some nice jazz in New Orleans. Only after the hurricanes it's not fun to even go there. And out stores sell some cordoba and ramirez and that's it. No choices, there is a guy in Texas (I think he's on this forum) but I don't think you can go and choose. I think he ships the guitar and you try it and if you don't like it you send it back. So as you can tell it's one frustrating place.
I borrow from Paco Pena's Seguiriya from Toques Flamenco almost every time I play. He's an impressive player in how he can do so much with so little effort, and when you sit there and try to mimic his level of perfection it's a great learning experience. I think that's a greatly overlooked part of flamenco, and alzapua too, that you can make a guitar do so much with so little if you use the right technique and practice until it's consistent.
I think "Toques Flamenco" is the essential material for any aspiring flamenco player. Paco Pena takes from the traditional, Ramon Montoya and Nino Ricardo works and shows how great they can be
His Colombiana and Rumba are also very nice. His Rumba is still my favorite to play, and I am still trying to perfect it and add new variations of my own.
Here's my guilty secrtet the first alzapua I learned was from Juan Martins famous rhumba ( la Feria ). My heart alwasy sinks now when people who have been indifferent to most of my playing go crazy for that piece.
One must never underistimate how philistine the general public is, Paco Pena lives here and really can play yet the man on the street thinks that Juan Martin is the best.
(sorry for using your thread, just need to ask these ex-yugos one thing)
zdravo ex-yugovici. ja sam iz svedske i srpski jezik mi je puno los, ali moram i ja da vas pozdravim. da vas pitam, znateli ko je Miroslav Tadic? Citosam da on potrebljava flamenkoteknike u sviranje mekodonske narodne pesme (ima CD zajedno sa Vanjom Lazaricom). (this is too difficult, i'm switching to english).. I would like to hear what it sounds like, but his albums with Vanja are not available here, and i haven't found any way to order them and have them shipped, perhaps you know something? btw, If you have any tips on interesting ex-yu folk music on guitar, please send me a pm.
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, just kidding.
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