greeny -> Pulgar revisited (Mar. 16 2008 19:35:27)
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Hi everybody! While still concentrating on developing some pulgar chops I've just discovered a nice little formula which seems to open up some avenues for me - thought I'd pass it on to you all in the hope it might benefit someone, somehow. The basic idea is to use the pulgar and ONLY the pulgar on (and in an even) group of eight notes. They can be of any type of duration: eighths, sixteenths, thirty-seconds or simple quarter notes for that matter, but the important aspect to remember is that they are all - all the 8 notes - of equal length (duration). The pulgar's movement in this exercice goes both ways - down and up. Now the specific quality of the following exercice lies within the actual GROUPING of the down and upstrokes performed by the pulgar. In this case the group of eight note's stokes is subdivided into three small groups. The formula is: 3 - 3 - 2. Translated into pulgar stroke directions: Down, up, down,(3) Down, up, down,(3) Down, up.(2) Recognize the grouping's structure? 3-3-2? OK, Now comes the actual trick. Maintain the pulgar stroke-directions, do not vary them (yet!); down,up, down, down, up, down, down, up..... but mentally REGROUP the eight notes into two four-note groups of of equal length; (simply said divide 8 by 2) careful, because by playing the sequence and accenting the halfway points you now get: Down, up, down, down, Up, down, down, up .... (Loop it to get into the groove and place an accent at the two halfway points)..... Like in a two-feel kinda thing, Rumba or what have you....? All in all it's a little different feel than straight up and down or doing the standard Alzapua formula of down-down-up played continuously even if it's done in a duple meter kind of thing. What to do with the formula? I like to do four extra variations while keeping the stroke-directions formula intact because the formula should always remain the same! - Down-up-down-down-Up-down-down-up while observing the symetrical accents! Step 1) On a single string, on a single note perform the above formula, keeping the forearm lose, with only the pulgar. Do the same with small and large chords. The Pulgar sure is loud! Step 2) On a single string varying the note (different pitch) at the halfway point of the formula; ie: on the sixth string third fret G-G-G-G then fifth fret A-A-A-A so that it sounds like : looped : G G G G A A A A - Notice the first of the A notes is an upstroke. Also do with chords. Step 3) On one or more strings sub-divide the pulgar-strokes formula with four different pitches, say for instance G-G-A-A-Bb-Bb-A-A. and loop it. Chords maybe? Step 4) Play a different pitch for every different pulgar stroke. For example: a scale going up to the octave (8 notes). Here's a pattern I like to get into when dealing with single notes - on a single string: G-A -G-Bb-A-Bb-G-A. Declinate this pattern going up the scale : start on the next note of the scale, etc.... My own favorite scale right now is a Harmonic-Major scale - a regular major scale but with a flatted sixth. Works well with Flamenco, too! May I also suggests two other formulas! Namely: 3-2-3 and 2-3-3 ..... As in the example above re-divide the group of 8 notes into two even groups of four maintaining the pulgar's picking directions - "3" stands for down-up-down and "2" stands for down-up. Now the picture is quite complete, I guess! Well folks, I hope you haven't fallen asleep just yet, I know it's a bit of a long story but it is all meant to motivate you!!... It's actually a simple little piece of information I wished to share. I haven't invented it. In the mid-nineties I took two years of lessons with a classical Indian Sarod player from Calcutta. I have always admired the rhythmical articulations a musician like Ali Akbar Khan could draw upon, very similar to the scope of Flamenco masters. The Sarod is played with a large pointed pua (pick) called a Jawa and is made from a piece of coconut shell. Now, Koustuv Ray, my teacher has passed on to me a great amount of sarod picking techniques along with dozens of exercices and musical pieces. I've just recently been able to bring the two together: my new love for Flamenco, my beautiful new guitar and some of the Sarod music and techniques I had worked on long ago.The Indian name for this actual exercice with the Jawa (or the pulgar) is called Ekara which means One - as in a single note. It's one of the single note techniques used melodically in Sarod music. Today I don't own a Sarod anymore and my teacher has passed away, leaving me with only music - and various picking techniques, rhythms, scales, ideas on developing themes and melodies and ways to string them all up together...... in the Indian way! Flamenco and Indian Music share common roots in my ears: principally improvisation. Ok, my girl's on the phone and dinner is served - got to go! But please feel free to react or comment, dis or encourage.... Oléeey!
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