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flyeogh -> RE: Suggested beginner's flamenco syllabus... (Oct. 27 2019 15:36:12)
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Hi. I hope there is something here that might be useful. But if not it is only 2 or 3 minutes of your life. Hopefully you'll forgive me.
I've started on my flamenco guitar route 3 times. 17 and 10 years ago I was determined but within one or two years my efforts ground to a halt [:(]. I'm now exactly 300 days into my 3rd effort. I've promised myself that I will play 2 or 3 pieces in my local bar (without clients running out) after 500 days. And so far that is keeping me focused and looking good.
I practice between 1 and 3 hours a day. I missed 3 weeks with tennis elbow after practicing very stretchy chords and over doing it. And I missed 2 weeks when I traveled back to England.
I use a pro in Jerez for 60/90 minutes about twice every three weeks. I show him what I'm trying to play. Ask lots of questions. He plays/I play/we play. Basically I use him as a sounding board. He corrects any techniques where he sees issues. Some lessons he might spot just one thing but that is all I want. As Ricardo never tires of saying [;)] "practice doesn't make better, it makes permanent" so any issues corrected early are very welcome.
I then use an online course with interaction. Loads of materials. You can look at openings, compas bases, adornments, falsetas, with cante, with dance - mix and match.
Each week he does a live 2 hours. Normally about 12 people connect but only 6 or 7 interact via chat or make requests beforehand by email. You can get him to look at anything, any level, even things not from his course materials (this week for example he covered: Soleá por bulerías » por medio «- Base – Falseta – Cante. Cante – Bulería – Amantes de Lin Cortés. Rumba – falseta » por arriba «. And everything is available in edited form at a later date. Before I'd used books like the ones suggested above but they were too rigid (in structure) for me.
I do look at things from numerous books, youtube, et al, in addition. And I spend quite a bit of time listening to flamenco.
Why do I think this time I will succeed:
I have the time to do a minimum of one hour a day.
I only play what I like. My pro did offer a picado for Fandangos early on but it wasn't musical to me. I dropped it. And now we work on only what I select. To little time to play what I do not like.
I stick (largely) to only four palos (Solea, Farruca, Fandangos and Tango). I remember trying to follow courses before that had a new palo every piece/chapter/week. Just too much for me.
I use a metronome frequently (but only when I've mastered a piece).
I play a lot of base compas.
I play a non flamenco piece every now and then (at the moment 'House of the rising sun', 'Every breath you take', 'Angie').
I exercise technique every day and now my rasqueos, stretchy chords, barre chords, arpeggio, picado have improved no end.
I'm starting to record myself more (as advised here).
When I'm waiting for the train to go to my lesson I play on the platform and don't give a monkeys if someone hears me (tx to the guys here who encouraged that [:)]).
Not saying these things will work for everyone but I'm sure very pleased with my progress.
Not sure how helpful that is but I'd be weary of following some structured course unless that is very much your thing. Set your own structure based on what you want to achieve (the good folks here will always help out). Enjoy your journey and do update us on progress.
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