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RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to pacodegarcia)
Yeah, that makes sense, I don't believe anyone will last very long as an aspiring flamenco guitarist without having that urge to be pushed, and also the ability to take some pushing from teachers. And a dose of stubbornness..
The reason I would like to find simple accompaniment lessons is because I'm eager to fill the gaps i have in the different palos, to make them work for dance. That way I can piece together what I need, set practicing priorities, and eventually muster the confidence to approach dance teachers. A different kind of pushing.. not so much about the guitar as just getting out there.
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to mrMagenta)
If it helps.......I didn't know everything I needed to know when I started playing dance classes. In fact I knew very little. It was by working with the dancers and using the resources I had, a few videos and recordings, I began putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Don't wait for the confidence. Just go and learn. If you walk into a dance class with an attitude of "I know how to play everything" and you are overly confident, chances are the teacher is going to ask you to leave. Go in eager to learn from them. It will work out much better for you. I learned the most about accompanying dance by asking DANCERS and SINGERS what they wanted, not other guitarists. They are looking for support from an accompanist. Not necessarily perfection........... confidence will come later. Go ahead and start "paying your dues".
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to mrMagenta)
Hi magenta, my advise is to just go along to a dance class and join in. Don't wait till your ready, cause you'll never be ready! I put it off for a long time thinking the same thing and realized when i finally got the courage, that man I can learn SO much from these dancers!!
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RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to pacodegarcia)
quote:
If it helps.......I didn't know everything I needed to know when I started playing dance classes
quote:
my advise is to just go along to a dance class and join in. Don't wait till your ready, cause you'll never be ready!
thats great advice and so true..no matter how much u know in theory the first day u walk in u are still going to be lost ..but dont worry chances are theres another guitarrist there so just follow him until u start geting confident.. but dont get too comfortable for too long ..u need to force yourself to think for yourself eventualy..its alot eazyer to sound good following someone and get a false sence of how much u know...u have to eventualy try and get some alone time with the dancers so that u think things out for yourself and can relie on yourself...
it like a job ..u learn in the first week of beeing there what u spent a year studying on a traning course....(but ofcourse the course is also very good for you because it should provide a good strong basework, with thechnology and internet and dvds etc.. we are very lucky today...theres alot of good information out there..alot of good resources..Jason's online lessons, Flamenco Teacher, Flamenco Forums, Solo Compas, Youtube etc..
Its excellent that u wanna focus on accomp too mrMagenta. it will put everything u have learned thus far to practice..its a great feeling its very rewarding good luck with it all..
dont wait, look in the phonebook today, weather u go in now or in a year from now u will still be just as prepared or should i say unprepared (if u have that option in your city) right now things like llamada, escobilla , silencio dont mean much to you (i presume) and its pretty pointles talking about them.. but once u start with dancers...they will make sence to you and you will be able to alter your questions here and to Jason or wherever to suit the specific things u would like help with..
its alot eazyer to learn when you have a plan and know exactly what u are learning for..and u are able to test what u have learned on a weekley bases..
i was a beginner beginner what i started accomp..i didnt just not know anything about acomp but i didnt know anything about guitar, or flamenco ..they would say in class " - Next week we going to begin Farucca choreography...i would rush home and put the Solo Compas cd in to listen to what a Farucca is sopossed to sound like and the format for a dancer...the guitarists solo albums were no help for acompanying" i learned both at the same time....
sometimes u just have to throw yourself into the deep end it happened that way by accident but i am glad i didnt have too much time to ponder about it...u are allready in a better spot then i was
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to mrMagenta)
Florian, what you're describing is exactly what I'm looking for. Just reading it clears my perspective. I need to do this.
The Solo Compas series really is great. My friend is learning to sing the letras on the tientos from the series so she handed me the track for reference. It has a simple but beautiful intro, like a dialogue.. had to transcribe it right away. Great singing too by Arcangel. It's all right there in that series isn't it?.. Man, sometimes i think the huge volume of available material on the net, in books, youtube etc. makes me blind for the things right in front of me.
Guys, thank you for the encouragement! I know you're right and I will follow your advice and just take the plunge. I hope my head won't be chopped off and that I will be given the chance to 'pay the dues'. :D
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to gj Michelob)
Hi gj Michelob,
It's difficult for me to answer your question. I have listened to Flamenco for many years but am a relative beginner as far as guitar is concerned. I already knew how to tune and play simple chords but no more than that. Jason's lessons make an incredible amount of knowledge available to you. But I would recommend you to search out all the information you can. Youtube is a great resource. I also have several Encuentro videos which I find very helpful (especially Gerardo's). If I had someone available in my area, I would definitely take lessons, but that's not the case. That said, there is enough information in Jason's lessons to keep me busy for years. He also gives you narratives that are full of useful tips about accompaning, playing techniques, etc... I am really happy !!! I will also say that I am 55 years old and not looking for a professional career. This is for my own enjoyment.
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to JasonMcGuire)
quote:
Enjoy the journey. The journey is what its all about. If we are lucky we NEVER reach the destination as artists. In that way we have a lifetime of fulfillment.
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to ddk)
Gracias Dean: I am seriouasly considering the on-line lesson as an alternative (or hopefully a supplement) to the teacher I cannot find. I too am not harboring any fantastic ambition to establish myself as a flamenco artist (and like you I am around that age when it would be sort of farfetched an aspiration) . 'still enjoy learning, however, and as long as that desire shall last, so will my curiosity and passion.
In the few days since joining this Forum, I have realized rather clearly that I need to approach this wonderful style in a more disciplined way, and pay it the respect its traditions require.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to gj Michelob)
quote:
ORIGINAL: gj Michelob
Gracias Dean: I am seriouasly considering the on-line lesson as an alternative (or hopefully a supplement) to the teacher I cannot find. I too am not harboring any fantastic ambition to establish myself as a flamenco artist (and like you I am around that age when it would be sort of farfetched an aspiration) . 'still enjoy learning, however, and as long as that desire shall last, so will my curiosity and passion.
In the few days since joining this Forum, I have realized rather clearly that I need to approach this wonderful style in a more disciplined way, and pay it the respect its traditions require.
It is nice to exchange views with you.
One of Jason's teachers also works and lives in New York City if you need some one on one lessons. His name is Pedro Cortes Jr. Maybe he lives in jersey, but he is very close to you either way. Look him up, he is a nice guy.
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to gj Michelob)
gj Michelob,
This forum is a great resource as well. My site can provide at best 1 piece of the puzzle. Listen to recordings, go see shows and YouTube, books, DVDs, online lessons like mine, Flamenco-Teacher.com and New Learning Vision all provide valuable information. I am sure we could find you a suitable teacher in your area for private lessons as well.
Dean,
Thanks for the great compliment on my website. I have put my heart into it even when it seemed like an impossible task, my belief in its potential to help people achieve their dreams of playing flamenco kept me on track. I wish both you and gjMichelob all the best.
Yes, Pedro is a great teacher and a cool guy to hang with. his website url is.... http://www.canastero.com
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to Ricardo)
Thank you so much Ricardo, i will imediately seek out Pedro's number.
And Jason, quite gentlemanly of you indeed. I am an incurable YouTube junkie and have learnt a wealth from it; however, Ricardo's posts on Flamenco compels me to secure a face-to-face lesson to figure out all details i am missing. I will however suscribe to your site, Jason, and am sure there shan't be much left to learn....
Ricardo... if you ever travel to NY or SF or LA, please let me know, I would love to take a "master class" with you. dearly, mich
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to gj Michelob)
I'm in SF myself. If you twist my arm, I might give you private class or two. I'm not teaching many privates at the moment, but I fit a few in when I can between my other projects. Ricardo is a great player and he would definitely be a great person for you to study with. He is one of just a handful of guitarists in the US that really have a handle on flamenco, both as a soloist and an accompanist.
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to JasonMcGuire)
wow Jason.... you are in SF? brilliant.... i alternate or commute two weeks on each coast, so either NYC or SF would work handsomely for me. Here starts the arm-twisting process: feel the painful pressure yet? I will pm you with some detail and hope you could give me the basics so that I could then follow your on-line classes with same fundamentals under my belt. Capital !! ciao
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to gj Michelob)
I'm feeling it...... email me at info@flamenco-lessons.com and we'll set it up. I usually videotape the private class onto a DVD for people so we can cover lots of things and you don't have to rely on just your memory when you get home.......
Posts: 43
Joined: Apr. 21 2008
From: York, England
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to pacodegarcia)
Hola,
Just been having a read through the posts and had a look your site Jason. Once Xmas is out of the way I will be signing up. Its about time I pulled my finger out and did something constructive rather than just flitting between books and not making head nor tale outta stuff. Incidentally that youtube vid (Bulerias) was the first vid I posted on Facebook to a friend who teaches classical guitar. Small world. Many thanks.
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to mrMagenta)
ive noticed tons of teachers are offering lessons via webcam (skype) now. I wonder if its too late to jump on that wagon at this point. Anybody here taking lessons via webcam? What's it like? Have you had good, bad, mixed results? Just curious.
RE: Online flamenco guitar lessons (in reply to enurbf03)
quote:
ORIGINAL: enurbf03
ive noticed tons of teachers are offering lessons via webcam (skype) now. I wonder if its too late to jump on that wagon at this point. Anybody here taking lessons via webcam? What's it like? Have you had good, bad, mixed results? Just curious.
I offered lessons via Skype, but only had a few people interested. I think people are skeptical about the technology. I have used Skype and if your conncetion is fast enough the image quality is good. If not it sucks. You can record the video calls with an additional software plugin that costs about $15 US. I offered the Skype classes only to my website subscribers. Maybe that had something to do with the lack of interest. Most people seem content with the subscription lessons and the price offers them a real value.
After a one year hiatus from teaching private classes, I am accepting weekly students again on Saturdays at my studio here in Oakland if any of you foro members in the Bay Area are interested. Students leave each class with a DVD video of the lesson as I have always done and I accept students of all levels, even beginners. Contact info@flamenco-lessons.com for details.
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(if u have that option in your city) right now things like llamada, escobilla , silencio dont mean much to you (i presume) and its pretty pointles talking about them.. but once u start with dancers...they will make sence to you and you will be able to alter your questions here and to Jason or wherever to suit the specific things u would like help with.. 
it happened that way by accident but i am glad i didnt have too much time to ponder about it...u are allready in a better spot then i was
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