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What type of material does he cover? Is it all technique or does he cover dance accompanyment and cante accompanyment as well? Does he provide tab for the material he covers? Also, how difficult are the classes? I would assume that the classes are at the advanced level.
lots of falseta's and rasgueo patterns for the beginners/int, we did some stuff by solea stuff by sabicas mixed with some modern chords and some of gerardos personal material, guajiras, colombianas, an alegria silencio, a malaguena and tientos on the last day.
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Is it all technique or does he cover dance accompanyment and cante accompanyment as well?
mainly falsetas and compas but they could be applied to both, learning to accomp dance is about you and your relationship to the dancers movements, no one can teach you it imo. the same goes for cante, however you can pick up alot from cds.
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Does he provide tab for the material he covers?
nope, observe, listen, watch again and try to repeat. im still working some of the stuff out.
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Also, how difficult are the classes? I would assume that the classes are at the advanced level.
i did the 1st advance class for giggles last year, never has my left hand or right for that matter felt so inept.
Is it all technique or does he cover dance accompanyment and cante accompanyment as well?
mainly falsetas and compas but they could be applied to both, learning to accomp dance is about you and your relationship to the dancers movements, no one can teach you it imo. the same goes for cante, however you can pick up alot from cds.
Actually, most of what you guys learned there, the solea falsetas moving into Cana por bulerias, solea escobilla type strumming, the Silencio for Alegrias, is all meant for use with dance, not so much for cante or guitar soloing.
Actually, most of what you guys learned there, the solea falsetas moving into Cana por bulerias, solea escobilla type strumming, the Silencio for Alegrias, is all meant for use with dance, not so much for cante or guitar soloing.
Ricardo
cana por bulerias? i must have been more hung over than thought
so the accelerando's or escobilla's are only for dance? im sure ive heard a silencio before the cantaor sings somewhere.
im sure ive heard a silencio before the cantaor sings somewhere
You have if there was a dancer. Generally there is a letra after the silencio in Alegrias.
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Also, how difficult are the classes? I would assume that the classes are at the advanced level.
There was a lot written about this on a forum thread that we all got banned from and unfortunately that info got lost. Basically there are 2 levels:
Media Bajo- which is not bajo at all and still requires that you know your way round a fretboard and are familiar with the right hand techniques alzapua, picado, tremelo, rasgueo etc. The material is as Ricardo described above and is all useful usable stuff, espacially for baile. It is a bit easier than say the material on his teaching DVD. Media Advanzada- which is basically the hardest guitar lessons on planet earth and surpass the level of his DVD and much of his recording. Gerardo explores the full limit of his own technique and generally leaves the small group of students with their jaws on the floor. The material is concert compositions, insane exercises and experimental ideas.
I'm going to upload (audio) the small soundbite again from this years advanced course so you can get an idea of the advanced level. Ricardo and Tino Vandersman can more or less keep up but but for most mere mortals its like studying with Paganini
Actually, most of what you guys learned there, the solea falsetas moving into Cana por bulerias, solea escobilla type strumming, the Silencio for Alegrias, is all meant for use with dance, not so much for cante or guitar soloing.
Ricardo
cana por bulerias? i must have been more hung over than thought
so the accelerando's or escobilla's are only for dance? im sure ive heard a silencio before the cantaor sings somewhere.
That solea falseta that speeds up into bulerias rhythm. It starts on the D string, 2,3,2,3 then g string, 0,2,0, then d string 3,2,3, etc. That whole thing is the typical lick you play for the dancer's escobilla when they dance Caña or Polo.
Silencio only happens in the dance, the singing that CAN come right after that (doesn't have to you can go into escobilla) is usually the colatilla type melody of alegrias or Romeras or whatever. It is a Cantiñas melody, often the one used for the intro "tiri tiri tran tran". Oddly, a lot of dancers call that little section of the dance the "Castellana" section. Make any sense? Not to me either.
Gerardo just gave a mixed bag of usefull stuff, and arranged it in a way so the students could perform it all together for the last day's recital.
Oddly, a lot of dancers call that little section of the dance the "Castellana" section. Make any sense? Not to me either.
i have also known dancers to call it "Paseo De Castilla" which might make more sense, if the name is to do with dance steps/choreography, rather than to do with the cante that goes with it..... but i did say might