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RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to andresito)
quote:
I didn't think anyone took my banning proposal seriously
Yeah they did Alex is now officially not a beginner any more and has to compete on the intermediate challenge. This is to avoid the same winners every month or two.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to Pimientito)
quote:
Yeah they did Alex is now officially not a beginner any more and has to compete on the intermediate challenge. This is to avoid the same winners every month or two.
Well it's up to the organisers of course, but I would tend to agree with Pimientito.
In the end it boils down to a question of honour and fair play as to which level genuinely presents a challenge to entrants to make a half decent attempt at.
Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to Ron.M)
I think the clue is in the title it's a challenge. If you can get this down in a couple of weeks, it's not a challenge for you, you should be intermediate. That's why we've got six weeks to work on it (also because Easter is in the way).
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to Pimientito)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Pimientito
quote:
I didn't think anyone took my banning proposal seriously
Yeah they did Alex is now officially not a beginner any more and has to compete on the intermediate challenge. This is to avoid the same winners every month or two.
Makes perfect sense to me. Besides, now that I have a bit more confidence, I can stop treading the same waters and try something a bit more challenging without fear that I am missing a lot of crucial foundation. This has been a worry for me, since I've only had a couple of sparse lessons and have mostly been reading books, watching videos, and beating my head (and guitar) against the wall
In fact, I would invite Aleksi to do the same. I would not consider myself a better player than him, judging by his entry.
I'll be rooting for all of you from the sidelines!
Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to val)
Yeah I haven't started to try and play it yet - am still just listening and getting the sound in my head. But I can already see from looking through the tab that I am going to have work at it.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to at_leo_87)
Hi fellow contesters, how are you doin'with this? Thanks to val for the nice tabs!
I was trying it this weekend for more than 2 hours to get some things goin', but it hardly worked out. So I eventually yesterday went to the music store to get Graf Martinez's book to do some pre-exercises, so I am busy with that. Hopefully it will work out so I will be able to sent in some kind of musical related notes instead of a complete exercise of notes with no meaning at all.
How do you get that ami p at the 3rd bar sound nice? If I am trying to play it, Darth Vader is comming out of my guitar doin a complete Star War on its own, a lot of sound, for a very long time and making no sence at all.
Anyway, maybe its just me, but I don't like the audiofile from Martinez, it makes me nerveous in a way. Perhaps we should ask our Intermediate/Pro challengers to record an audiofile.
Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to at_leo_87)
quote:
How do you get that ami p at the 3rd bar sound nice?
it's like a normal a, m, i rasgueado but instead of flicking the fingers, just brush them across the strings then follow through with a soft downstroke with the thumb.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to kozz)
quote:
ORIGINAL: kozz Anyway, maybe its just me, but I don't like the audiofile from Martinez, it makes me nerveous in a way.
No, it's not just you, I'm not really that rapt in the way he plays either It's a little bit tense and all at the same volume, but, that may be because it is teaching material rather than an actual piece, and probably encouraging for learners to be able to play similarly rather than trying to get a perfect, nicely reverbed sound... Once you can play it, though, I think it would sound nicer with some light and shade
Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to andresito)
quote:
may be because it is teaching material rather than an actual piece, and probably encouraging for learners to be able to play similarly rather than trying to get a perfect, nicely reverbed sound... Once you can play it, though, I think it would sound nicer with some light and shade
Yeah I think andresito has got it right. It is meant to teach, not be a performance. You can imagine it's a midi file if you like!
Once you've got the notes and technique down then you can make it sound like music, make it sound like your own.
Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to kozz)
quote:
I am trying to play it, Darth Vader is comming out of my guitar doin a complete Star War on its own
Nice analogy kozz! Can't wait to hear it.
I agree with everyone who has said it is a tough one. But you've got plenty of time - just take it one section at a time and get that solid. Advice I ought to take myself - I always have the temptation to play whole pieces instead of looping small sections til they are almost automatic under my fingers.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to Ailsa)
Hey kids! This may be of help to anyone struggling with this piece... or maybe it won't... but, for those of us without Gerhard Graf DVD's, here is video of the challenge piece, played by a beginner
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to val)
quote:
I agree this is really difficult - far too many hammers and pull-offs (don't know the technical terms) for my liking.
val,
i would simply advocate working on the ligado (hammers on and pull-offs) by itself. ligado in the left hand takes quite a while to develop but is worthwhile as it is the backbone of nearly 50% of the flamenco falsetas out there.
check out scott tennats pumping nylon book for some great left hand exercises to develop this skill.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to val)
quote:
I've been doing that but it's shredded my finger tips. I haven't played in a long time, so it's going to take some time to get the callouses back. This being the case, I've moved off the intro for the time being.
ah the dredded finger chapping, i went through most of that with my steel string guitar not pleasant. try rubbing a small amount of e45 cream on the hands after.
my issue with ligado at the moment is brining on the strength of it in the little finger or menique.its taking ages to get any decent sound out of it.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to at_leo_87)
quote:
Nice analogy kozz! Can't wait to hear it.
Hahaha, don't be afraid, you will, since we have to play without capo....and then my guitar is like a lightsaber.....buzzing, dark long notes....
Nice challenge....
quote:
Just been doing some more work and have come to bit where the tab was, at first, confusing. I checked back to the original and it was the same - to my mind, there seems to be some notation missing .
I asked a friend of mine who's a funk guitarist and he says the tabs are fine, but Graf Martinez got too enthousiastic at some points....
quote:
No, it's not just you, I'm not really that rapt in the way he plays either
Pfff I'm glad to hear that....I hear so many nice solea's and this one just didn't fit into....but the falsetas are nice
So now its time to hurt the fingers a little more untill.....just hammering on/of on all the strings with all the fingers, but that pinky is a bastard...
Edit:
quote:
it's like a normal a, m, i rasgueado but instead of flicking the fingers, just brush them across the strings then follow through with a soft downstroke with the thumb.
Posts: 528
Joined: Nov. 10 2008
From: Helsinki, Finland
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to alex_lord)
quote:
quote:
ORIGINAL: Pimientito
quote:
I didn't think anyone took my banning proposal seriously
Yeah they did Alex is now officially not a beginner any more and has to compete on the intermediate challenge. This is to avoid the same winners every month or two.
Makes perfect sense to me. Besides, now that I have a bit more confidence, I can stop treading the same waters and try something a bit more challenging without fear that I am missing a lot of crucial foundation. This has been a worry for me, since I've only had a couple of sparse lessons and have mostly been reading books, watching videos, and beating my head (and guitar) against the wall
In fact, I would invite Aleksi to do the same. I would not consider myself a better player than him, judging by his entry.
I'll be rooting for all of you from the sidelines!
Hello Alex, thanks for your advice. I was also strugling with categorising my self. I've been hanging there in the midle of beginner and intermediate for a whilie but maybe you are right and I should start thinking my self as a intermediate now. The first challenge was very nice. It was perfect way to start participating in the forum and it was also exiting to wait for the score especially after the two first judges . Last sunday I had also my second flamenco birthday so this could really be good time to shift my mentalitet to intermediate. I like this challange also, Ive been listening and analysing the track and Im confident that I can do it. Maybe the notes them selves are not challange to me, but the way how to play them. How to put some spirit in to them. But this can be already intermediate thing, I dont know. Maybe I should wait for the next intermediate challange and then participate in that, what do you think? In the mean while I can stick for the merengues track 'cause that was my favorit and wish all the good luck for all in the challange
...but alex you have different position, you won but I havent won anything yet, I think I should be given one more shot
Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to aleksi)
quote:
Maybe I should wait for the next intermediate challange and then participate in that, what do you think? In the mean while I can stick for the merengues track 'cause that was my favorit and wish all the good luck for all in the challange
Aleksi, why don't you set up your own intermediate challenge? You could make a post asking who is interested and asking for suggestions of what to learn.
The beginners one finishes 20th April, and the advanced challenges don't finish until 1st June, so there's nothing so far going on in May. I will volunteer to be your admin for you and collect and post all the mp3s.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to aleksi)
quote:
Last sunday I had also my second flamenco birthday so this could really be good time to shift my mentalitet to intermediate.
That's the spirit and Happy birthday, Aleksi! I have mine next month, in time of solea challenge, can't wait.. I'd like to upload something before, I am working on a tientos and if can get my set-up, maybe, I have never record anything and so I need this and that.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to Ailsa)
Yeah, this piece is just to darn busy, it has no room imho. I don't believe anyone can make this sound real good. In other words, it blows big time!
Honestly, let's see an adanced player play this exactly as it is scored, no cheating and substituting with nicer rasgueos or subtracting notes to make it breath, and let's see if it sounds any good. That should be the target, not this GERMAN GUY!
I will never use it again. But I am gonna learn it anyways!
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to aleksi)
Forget it dude, once you are in beginner challenge, you can't leave until you win. This is like the Hotel California but with an escape clause. So I am trapped myself...
PS Rombsix, if you are reading this for some reason, let's see you do a version of Hotel California, load it on you tube and link it in off-topics - you want to play something that people can recognize, right? So here is your challenge! I am working on a version of the Hotel myself on the side. Could use some more ideas... make it a solo version.
RE: FINAL Solea challenge for beginners (in reply to at_leo_87)
quote:
Honestly, let's see an adanced player play this exactly as it is scored, no cheating and substituting with nicer rasgueos or subtracting notes to make it breath, and let's see if it sounds any good.
Printable Version
Alex is now officially not a beginner any more and has to compete on the intermediate challenge. This is to avoid the same winners every month or two. 
) so hello all! 
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