Florian -> RE: Rule of thumbs when accompanying singers? (Jan. 8 2011 5:11:21)
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this is a big big subject but good one for conversation..., hard to know where to begin...here are some of my opinions...il start slowly and see how many big and little one i can think off and if i can arrange them in a way that they make sense... Simply put a guitarist is there give a singer the tones and reinforce the compas or make it obvious for the singer...he is in a supporting role..this is the first rule ( or a healthy way of thinking of it), you are not there to shine on your own...or proof how good you are technically (there's ways of doing that without doing it..it will make more sense after reading bellow) Once you adopt the right frame of your approach add...style, personality , a good guitarist will inspire a singer...a good accompanist can perform the supporting role perfectly (chords, compas) but also go way beyond and inspire so much that he gets more out of the singer than say another guitarist ( there are many factors that contribute determine something like that.. some are ...to be there in the moment with him, not switch off or play chords like a robot..this is what separates the good accompanists from the rest imo...how good are they at being in the moment with the singer and compliment and answer the voice with clinical timing and ask questions and share the singers sentiment and accent it and deliver it, their experience and understanding of that palo and particular letra) Another Rule Generally a guitarist shouldn't rush ahead, you listen first then do the chord, try not to anticipate too much even if you know what hes singing ...for one thing it takes away from spontaneity feeling associated with flamenco, most singers wont like it, its the same as finishing someones sentences, eventually it gets old...and also singers can decide to do something different this time ...(unless its something practiced and agreed before) But ...like any other rules in flamenco there's always exceptions to this too...in a few cases anticipation is great!! and produces magic....(u have to be 100000% certain and know what you doing and hes singing)..when i say anticipation i mean educated anticipation...not blind gambling Another General Rule If there's dancers and singing and dancing at the same time ... you always pay attention to and follow the singer...that's just common sense...if u play something different over a dancers feet ...mistake is not as obvious as ...playing the wrong think over a singers..its really OBVOIUS... The guitarist is always the one that joins the singing and dancing together since u have to remember detailed things about both dance and singing..you spent more time with both separately getting to know in detail what they do then they have with eachother so its up to you to be the bridge between them, the translator, and the orchestrator.. Unwritten guitarist responsibilities ...there's plenty When there's dancers involved and there's not a specific different choreography ...singers like a really obvious llamada to know when to come in...that's more the dancers job ...but if his/her llamada is soft and you copy her dynamics and singer dosent come in because hes unsure...you are the one that gets the blame... i found it to be the case alot of times...especially if the singer is not familiar with the dancer or choreography...so generally if theres is no singing i always follow a dancers dynamics and volume...except if i know there's a soft or unobvious llamada coming and i know the singer hasn't seen it before or might miss it...this type of things you also discuss and make singer aware of before hand if time permits. All this "rules" are subject to change depending on the singers/ dancers, guitarists experience, compas etc..you shouldn't anticipate too much but if you got dancers or a setting where a whole company is in perfect compas and you know that letting the singer finish the way he/she wants to and you can tell it will take you all out of compas and screw you all up for the next part which needs to be in compas..you have to make a quick executive decision...personally I anticipate and make the compas obvious and slowly take him to the end not leaving any room to go out of compas or for taking artistic licences with the compas ...say at the end of an letra...before a falseta choreographed with footwork where is vital that everyone is perfectly together... when more then just you and singer involved...you have to judge whats at risk, have to balance it in your head quickly and decide what rule is practical to follow and when...if blindly following a flamenco rule will make for an obvious noticeable mistake, cause singer is not experienced enough or having an off day etc ...you have to brake it..people are not robots...sometimes flamenco rules and performance rules will knock heads...if in a performance id say do whats best for the performance and group as a whole....I can speak for outside spain atleast..where audiences are more forgiving with this type of thing..., i am not encouraging anyone to take matters into their own hand but you will be putt in situations where you need to and you need to think and react quickly and make the best decision ... its damage control The way to get good at accompanying is listen to any and every cante cd u can get your hands on...theres thousands of rhythmical specific phrasings that fitt over certain singing parts...the way to resolve a letra ...the way to accent between it...etc..too many to explain...wouldn't know where to start...but surrounding yourself in cante accomp albums without realizing one day you internalize all of it and recall it when you hear the specific familiar rhythmical parts of letras...also a practical calculated way to work through it is to slow down cds and slowly work your way trough the different strumming s associated with the specific parts..one palo at the time..its not a perfect world and we dont all have acces to singers to practice as much as we like...use what u can also last but not least at all is good to know atleast what the letra is about.. I am sure there's other helpful information others can add things they can argue with ...this is a good generalized dive into the subject it is all subject to circumstances and specific scenarios......this are things i have taken from reading and heard and combined with personal experiences and circumstances and mixed it down to form my practical, usable way of beginning to make some sense of it.. Rules made in Spain for singers with perfect compas are no good if you cant always use in your own circumstances because your singer has less compas..u need to think on your feet, judge, balance and do whats best for everyone...Under YOUR circumstances...that's why i think of the guitarist as the orchestrator, damage control guy, the glue, the neck that turns the head and the guy that gets the best out of everyone involved..singer, dancers, compas, other instruments etc..absolutely the silent foundation that keeps it all togheder and makes it work..pretty much a magician that needs to produce miracles, inspire and save the day in a spilt second if required..
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