Ricardo -> RE: Picado is Impossible! (Jan. 16 2006 0:48:08)
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1- Are all you guys pro flamenco players or just play flamenco as a hobby? 2- Is it possible to be able to play PDL pieces if flamenco is only a hobby? or does it need like five hours of practice daily? 3- What age (approximately) would you expect that one will start regressing in terms of technique and playing-ability due to age? 4- How long should one practice (on average) if one aims at playing PDL pieces? 1. some of us are pro, some for hobby. Remember "pro" just means we get paid to accompany or perform solo. One could be on a "pro level" and still have it as a hobby. Ottmar Leibert is a "pro" flamenco player who plays at an embarrasingly low level. I have a friend who is an "amature" who works for DOE as consultant for nuclear waste disposal...he PERFORMED ONCE with Paco de Lucia in the 70's. Obviously he is at a "pro" level even though it is a hobby. 2. Of course. You can buy the music and start working on it right now, anyone can, no practice. But will it be good? You have to decide how well or close to "pro" you want to play. You should understand that real "pro" flamenco players understand you don't and SHOULD NOT be approaching flamenco from the point of view of "pieces" of music to master. It is more simple, just falsetas, rhythm. Almost all pros can play SOME of Paco's falsetas. What separates "pro" from "amature", and even "good" from "great" playing, is COMPAS. No harm with an amature having fun hacking through a piece by Paco. But a "pro" can't waste his time with that. Just getting one useful falseta tight and solid is all you need to work in the pro flamenco world. 3. Entropy, all things are breaking down NOW. But honestly, it is about when you have time to focus. Young teenagers have no job, liscense, or toys to worry about so it is a perfect age to focus on music. Adults have bigger responisabilities in life than learning to play perfectly in rhythm. 4.As long as it takes to play at an acceptable level for YOU. Paco practiced 12 hours a day when young. If you want to play LIKE him, you should do the same at least, until you have the compas very natural. Most important is to play as much as you want to and can. Remember to get feedback on your playing. Practice does not make "perfect". Practice makes perminant. As far as SPEED. Well, gypsies born in spain, practicing 12 hrs like Paco, have been chasing his speed forever. A lot get close, but no one has "beaten" him really. Plus he has something extra interms of sound and feeling behind those speedy notes. Modern players have given up on the speed thing and focus on rhythmic sophistication. You will probably never match him either, but you can learn A LOT trying. Just be aware of your limits and progress, you will get faster. Be in control regardless. The fastest I have heard him on CD is his Farruca with the dancer where he speeds up. The fastest recording in tempo with a song I know of is "Chanela", a rumba around 115 bpm and he plays long i-m picados as 32 notes (16th at 230). His nephew JM Banderas does a short run that fast in the DVD Francisco Sanchez ("Cana de Azucar"). So good luck chasing them amigo! Ricardo
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