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ive been trying to push myself recently by attempting more difficult material and doing it at a relatively slow pace and with a metronome, it has brought up my game as regards the simplier pieces but happliy has higlighted the areas in which i am most weak.
how do other people here approach learning in flamenco, do you think its better to learn a full piece back to front tackling all tech and musical area's in the piece or do you disect the piece and take the falsetas which you like.
ive been partial to the former for quite sometime as you can do "your party piece" and walk away saying you learn a full piece on one toque.
but lately i say to myself, is this "you" playing or merely trying a paltry attempt at a masterpiece done better by the original player.
Hi Henry, complete noobie noob Ailsa here. It's an interesting question and one I've wondered about as sometimes am unsure how to progress. Because I'm at a much earlier stage than you, and for me almost anything is a development, and I could go in lots of different directions! I'd learn something by all of them, but which to choose?
The route my teacher has taken me down is to teach me three short pieces in different palos, Solea, Bulerias and Tangos (which I've just finished today). Each of those has introduced some new technique so I'm sort of learning about the palos as well as technique. However now he says he wants to spend some time concentrating on exercises, which will improve the way I play the pieces I know, and then we will move on to some more short pieces in different palos.
I'm pretty happy with this approach because it means I have got some 'party pieces', so it sounds as if I'm achieving something, even to my relatives! But I can see that I need some technique in there too. But I know that other teachers take it a different route, and I guess it's all a question of personal preference.
Inevitably what I play is a paltry attempt at copying my teacher - but then that's why I pay him!! I freely admit that when I played in front of my in-laws last weekend, I just left out the falseta that I don't play so well. Hell probably everyone does that!
I could not agree with you more ... that is exactly what I do. The end result is that whatever palo I play has something of its own unique character and does not sound like what everyone else is playing.
Yes Romerito and Doog, that's the best way for me too.
Then I take the falsetas to the dance class and try them out. When I'm looking for easier ones or just some inspiration I'll take falsetas off a cante album or from Youtube and do some patchwork. If you do this before you know it you have a number of 7:00 "pieces" for accompanyment OR performance.
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Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things
Yep, what Romerito said is the way to go. If you have already been doing it this way for a while, sure you can sit down and learn a "standard" in a classical manner such as R. Montoya's Rondena, or Impetu by escudero, etc, but only after you have a strong foundation IMO.
I agree with Romerito. I enjoy learning titbits. I adjust them to my own, lower level and knit them together. It's so much more fun then learning a whole piece note for note like when you play classic.
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