Ricardo -> RE: How many hours a day do you practise? (Oct. 26 2006 5:05:26)
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Wow this is almost a chat room. Lot of stuff I had to say about palos and accomp., but I can't even remember all the points I had. In general I would say, going to Spain is real important. Recordings are a good source and reference, but you won't learn how to accomp, unless you do it with a good knowleadgable cantaor. One that does different styles, can improvise, and do palmas for him/herself. And if you do it, then you learn it real fast, like I mean literally in minutes. You can study all you want, but that is really the flamencologists job. Even a pro singer need not know ALL the palos. A guitarist certainly does not need to IMO. I have learned to sing several cante's with detail of whoever inspired me to, not for performing, but you know, for the shower or in my car. That does not guarantee that I could accompanying perfectly the same letra from an other singer with his own style. To accompany good the guitarist must pay attention, understand the structures, but let the singer LEAD him. The worst thing the guitarist could do is hit the wrong chord, or anticipate the singer wrongly, then argue later "well that is not how I heard it from Caracol...". It is best to be focused on the singer you are working with and support him. Accompanying is better when it is educated guessing rather than pre-thought out chord/melodic folk song structure. So Vicente does not need to work on "Murciana" because he already knows Taranta/Minera. The singer will lead the guitarist through the tones once the key/compas etc, is established. One need not, really, to know before hand that there will be a "cartagenera classica" in the middle of the performance of cante de las minas. It is not going to be a pop quiz of obscure cante when performing. You simply go to the minor chord when the tone is given, then let the singer lead through to the end. It is really much easier than memorizing tons of old melodies and the different ways each singer will do them. I mean if you know THIS one, great! But keep on guard, keep your ears open along the way. There are times when the guitarist might resolve to a tone for the singer, like in Taranto or Malaguena, but those things are infact done the same way, even though the cante is not the same at all. So the guitarist's job is not so hard as it might seem. Ok just my opinion guys based on my personal limited experience with singers as a non Spaniard. Ricardo
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