Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Just curious, what is it exactly that makes the Zapateado a Zapateado. Is it just the beat? I'm using the beat to write a song and want to know if this makes it one or not. If there's any other things which make it one, please let me know.
Posts: 2879
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England
RE: Zapateado Characteristics?? (in reply to larone)
"The zapateado is a dance of Spanish origin characterized by a lively rhythm punctuated by the striking of the dancer's shoes, akin to tap dance. The name derives from the Spanish word zapato for "shoe": zapatear means to stike with a shoe."
There are two Zapataedo forms. One is as from Catalunya and has the (la la la la la la me ri ca) rhythm and I think that this is what the wikipedia article refers to. It would traditionally be played by a wind band with shaum like instruments.
The flamenco 4/4 (or 12/8 if you prefer) . Tends to be in a major key (C is popular) and is characterised by general flowing lively constant triplets. And that is the one played on the guitar as part of a folk tradition (although there are south american forms which use the catalan rhythm and have close associations with the guitar). Accents are on beats two and four like rock and blues.
The composer Rodrigo wrote a zapataedo for classical guitar in which he mixed up the two forms and it is actually great fun to play. So, although common mistake, the catalan and andalucian versions are musically completely urelated.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Zapateado Characteristics?? (in reply to larone)
Basically it is the footwork music that relates to Tanguillo. Sort of like the escobilla section of an Alegrias dance. The compas is related mathematically, but it takes on a "feel" all its own in the context of dance, so has it's own appropriate music. (You would not play your normal alegrias falsetas under a dancers escobilla necessarily, there are some specific phrasing details that match better).
Tanguillo is 2/4 or 2 beat with a 6/8 feel, very "up beat" (2 and 5 of the 6 get accented). Zapateado, the guitar music anyway, is more "downbeat" 6/8 (1,4 accented), if that makes sense. My experience with dancers that do Zapateado, they do also a lot of "up beat" synchopations. Perhaps the guitar music evolved so "downbeat" to keep it grounded, not unlike the traditonal "escobillas" for Alegrias.
In modern terms, check out Vicente Amigo's "Vivencias Imaginadas". He deliberately programs his modern "tanguillo" before his modern "zapateado" so you can see how the music can feel very different when heard back to back. Pay attention the palmas and the feel they give, even though both pieces are basically 6/8 meter.
RE: Zapateado Characteristics?? (in reply to larone)
Thanks guys. I guess its more singer and feel than that actual groove that determines it....i think I guess i'll record it and let you listen to it and see what you think soon.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Zapateado Characteristics?? (in reply to larone)
quote:
ORIGINAL: larone
Thanks guys. I guess its more singer and feel than that actual groove that determines it....i think I guess i'll record it and let you listen to it and see what you think soon.
CHEERS Larone
Zap is more of a dance than a cante (IS there a cante????), where as Tanguillo is a song that you CAN dance to if you want.
RE: Zapateado Characteristics?? (in reply to Ricardo)
WHOOPS! This is why i shouldn't post anything in the morning...Groove = Feel. I totally agree, it was the morning idiot inside me that was typing.lol. Thanks ricardo, you are the walking talking thesaurus, dictionary and super guitarist of the forum!! OLE for RICARDO...
Printable Version
I guess i'll record it and let you listen to it and see what you think soon. 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread