Foro Flamenco


Posts Since Last Visit | Advanced Search | Home | Register | Login

Today's Posts | Inbox | Profile | Our Rules | Contact Admin | Log Out



Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

Update cookies preferences




RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping.   You are logged in as Guest
Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
All Forums >>Discussions >>General >> Page: <<   <   1 2 [3] 4 5    >   >>
[Poll]

Bulerías basic timekeeping.


Marking a steady beat in 2's (2,4,6 etc)?
  28% (19)
"Al Golpe" (1,2 - 4,,5 - 7,8 - 10,11)?
  9% (6)
Marking the accented beats (3,6,8,10,12 or 7,8)?
  30% (20)
A combination of the above
  31% (21)


Total Votes : 66


(last vote on : Nov. 6 2019 16:01:41) 
Login
Message<< Newer Topic  Older Topic >>
Guest

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to duende

quote:

Look at it this way - everyone knows a 12 bar blues in E, right? I bet you could jam along a 12 bar blues with somone and you'd know exactly were you were at any time, and you'd know exactly when to return to the E and start again. Would you need to count the beats or the bars? Nope. It such a familiar rhythm structure you don't need to and in fact it would take away the fun if you did (and imagine trying to improvise a solo and count at the same time. Ouch)

Bulerias - same difference.


I've heard and participated in I dont know how many bluesjams, where everything fell apart, because someone goofed it.

But I do agree: Bulerias - same difference.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 17 2004 13:57:00
 
Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

Estela,
is this right:

when you say counting in two's, you mean to tap on 12 2 4 6 8 10 of the twelve count. The 3 would be heard as a sort of syncopation in there.

when you say counting in three's, you mean to tap on 12 3 6 9. Now we have a waltz feel. Fandangos would be felt this way, Sevillanas, or sometimes bulerias like with Lola and Manuel.

Now I have to get admit I get confused when we talk about flamenco in classical music terms.

When you talk about a rumba, most people say that it is in 4/4. But I always think of it in cut time, because I feel it in two beats.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 17 2004 14:42:21
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to zata

quote:

!!! That's not possible...3/4 is like waltz, units of 3, diametrically opposed (bulerías-wise) to units of two.



Not when quarter note is 100-120bpm. A waltz is more like 160-200+bpm. Most people feel a waltz in "one" , just tapping the foot on the down beat. I would prefer to think of waltz as 3/8, or 6/8 since I like to tap my foot to quarter notes. But either way is correct, it depends on the tempo(bpm). Saying 2's is missleading and incomplete because you fail to explain there are 3 of them in a group. Hence 3 quarter notes is the measure. Two measures is one full 12 "count" compas.

And Ron's poll is very straight forward. I just thought he left out an option.

Ricardo

Ps, you guys who know the blues, do you feel it in 4 beats per bar or like 12/8 since it has triplets and swing? See, both ways are correct.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 17 2004 19:52:46
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ricardo

quote:

Not when quarter note is 100-120bpm. A waltz is more like 160-200+bpm.


I never met a bpm, but have a feeling that stands for beats per minute. If so, we're talking about two different things because compás is never related to tempo.

Obviously anything that repeats in a cycle of three, regardless of its velocity, is fundamentally different from something that repeats in a cycle of two.

The most perfect example is bulerías/tangos crossover. This happens at fiestas when twos are going strong and there's no guitar. Everyone starts out doing bulerías but after a while it morphs into tangos without a break and without anyone noticing.

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 17 2004 22:21:49
 
Escribano

Posts: 6440
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to zata

quote:

Everyone starts out doing bulerías but after a while it morphs into tangos without a break and without anyone noticing
Hey, I do that all the time, they are closely related falsetas and chords of course, maybe it's the remate? Wish I could control it though.

The difference is that Bulerias has "swing" (the closest I can come to explaining the Bulerias compas) whilst Tangos as a more ordered syncopation - I never tire of a Buleria but do of many but the best Tangos.

_____________________________

Foro Flamenco founder and Admin
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 17 2004 22:33:51
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to zata

quote:

compás is never related to tempo.



Tempo is a fundamental component to any rhythm, and is of the utmost importance in flamenco compas. Bpm IS beats per minute. 120bpm is 2 beats per second. No need for a metronome to find that speed.

The morph you describe gets to the heart of what I have been talking about. The subdivision of bulerias allows that to happen w/out a break because of the symmetry involved. The flamencos who do that demonstrate their understanding of how to feel compound meter. Of course they would not describe it like that, but for those who know how to read time signatures, that is what is happening. 3/4 divided into 16th notes has 12 subdivisions. 3 groups of 4 notes. By accenting in 3s, you get 4 groups. The four groups translates to a 4 beat rhythm, such as triplets in tangos. No change in tempo occurs, but the beat feeling changes. It is easy to shift back and forth using the subdivision. That is compound meter.

Ricardo
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 17 2004 23:19:56
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ricardo

quote:

Tempo is a fundamental component to any rhythm


You're using different definitions from the ones I'm using (which are the only ones I know).

I'm using the word tempo to refer to speed. Daniel Méndez and Rafael de Utrera do siguiriyas faster than the average bulerias, but the rhythm never reminds you of bulerías, only siguiriyas. That's because the rhythm, aka compás, or accents are unchanged.

This is why with no change of tempo you can move from bulerías to tangos....by changing the rhythm (compás, accents). You can do this fairly easily in bulerías because of the crazy twos that weave through it all the time. Conversely, you can't morph from verdiales into tangos because verdiales is in threes with no overlapping twos.

I'm using the word "cycle" to refer to one complete unit without repeats. Therefore a cycle of three contains 1-2-3, while a cycle of two is 1-2. Einstein's ruler gets shorter as it approaches the speed of light, but in compás, threes and twos are different animals at any speed.

Notice how quickly a driving bulerías changes into a syrupy waltz just by removing the twos, with no change of tempo.

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 17 2004 23:51:43
Guest

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

So Estela,

quote:

Notice how quickly a driving bulerías changes into a syrupy waltz just by removing the twos, with no change of tempo.


When this happens, and it does often in guitar falsetas, also by very wellknown and respected players, what do you do with you 2 count bulería compas.
I do not ask you in order to argue, but simply understand. I follow you a very long way, but exactly when it comes to these falsetas in three (12-3-6-9), I need to find another way of feeling the compás.

Saludos
Anders
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 18 2004 7:33:17
 
duende

Posts: 3053
Joined: Dec. 15 2003
From: Sweden

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

I have a video of Pdl accompanying dancers in his teens. (16 i belive)
his foot goes 12...3...6...9...etc.
Don´t know why i brought it up.. just a little thing i noticed

_____________________________

This is hard stuff!
Don't give up...
And don't make it a race.
Enjoy the ray of sunshine that comes with every new step in knowledge.

RON
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 18 2004 7:46:01
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to zata

quote:

I'm using the word tempo to refer to speed


Um, tempo is bpm, which IS "speed". Not sure what you are getting at there.

Anyway, yes, you can morph rhythms because the accents are different, but you are using subdivision of the beat. Verdiales does not really work, not because of "2's", but because the tempo's are fundamentally different. Like in the bulerias/tangos example, because the quarter note remains the same you can also morph a Solea escobilla into a bulerias rhythm w/ no break or change of rhythm. Why? Because 3/4 is fundamental as a beat. Tempo is crucial here.

Maybe this will make sense. Your "twos" of bulerias can be felt the same speed as your "1-2-3" of a Solea escobilla. Does that make sense? Do you see what I am going on about w/ this 3/4 beat?

Ricardo
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 18 2004 8:56:37
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

quote:

Notice how quickly a driving bulerías changes into a syrupy waltz just by removing the twos, with no change of tempo.

When this happens, and it does often in guitar falsetas, also by very wellknown and respected players, what do you do with you 2 count bulería compas.


Hi Anders... I'm baffled by some people's having referred to an "argument"...must have to do with the internet medium . Bulerías compás is something we all partake of at will and as we please, like hors d'oeuvres at a cocktail party. I noticed that one of the hors d'oeuvres is more satisfying than the others and the taste goes with everything. That's the binary compás of bulerías, and it's no pet theory. Just last night I was at the Villamarta theater for the Christmas "zambomba". Thirty-two people, I counted twice, seated on stage in a semicircle....professionals like el Torta, Chiquetete, el Mono, Fernando Moreno...fat housewives who sing and dance at family fiestas...assorted youngsters and oldsters... Jerez is famous for the flamenco rivalry between neighborhoods and their different ways of feeling the compás, and at least three important neighborhoods were represented. Throughout the two-hour show which was about 80% bulerías (the rest, standard threes which are common for zambomba) all 32 people were tapping their feet in twos like a little compás army. I've noticed the same thing at fiestas in Morón and Utrera.

Sorry for the long paragraph...I just want to make clear I have no argument with people who are unhappy with the binary compás of bulerías since last time Andy got so feverish about it. I'm glad Richard is able to present another facet which some people might find helpful even though it doesn't jive with anything I've experienced personally.

Your question about avoiding syrupy threes is interesting. It's something that happens within the mind of listeners/observers...there's no way to demonstrate a guitarist stopped feeling twos during a section of threes, but no matter how strongly he might be *feeling* twos, naked threes send a powerful audio message.

Extending threes in bulerías over more than one compás is usually done for a specific effect, and it's a valuable option. But the effect can be lost when there's nothing to juxtapose twos (or twelves) such as palmas, a dancer or other percussion. Nearly all bulerias exits for dancers are in threes because the effect is so exciting, almost jarring.

All this fades away without the rhythmic juxtaposition of twos, and that's when the syrup starts to flow.

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 18 2004 9:02:22
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

Anders, that is a good question. I think your waltzy 3/8 or 6/8 falsetas can be felt like you said (12,3,6,9). But it is not wrong, and can be a cool synchopation, to feel them AGAINST the quicker pulse, (12,2,4,6,8,10) or what I call two bars of 3/4. That is what Zata is saying should be the fundamental under it ALL if it is to be "bulerias". When you can easily do either one, then you have got it, IMO.

Ricardo
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 18 2004 9:15:44
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ricardo

R: Um, tempo is bpm, which IS "speed".
Not sure what you are getting at there.

Different terms for "speed" (velocity, tempo, brio, bpm, mph, rpm...) can't change the fact that speed and compás (pulse, accents, rhythm...) are not the same thing.

R: Anyway, yes, you can morph rhythms
because the accents are different

Rhythms can only morph unclumsily when the accents are the same. That why bulerías felt in twos slides right into tangos.

R: Verdiales does not really work, not
because of "2's", but because the tempo's
are fundamentally different.

Do an experiment. Play verdiales as fast and as slow as you possibly can. Notice how it never threatens to feel like tangos. That's because it's only unit is threes. Now play bulerías as fast or as slow as you possibly can. If you know about tango crossover, you'll see how easy it is to slip from bulerias into tangos.

R: Like in the bulerias/tangos example,
because the quarter note remains the
same you can also morph a Solea escobilla
into a bulerias rhythm w/ no break or
change of rhythm. Why? Because 3/4 is
fundamental as a beat. Tempo is crucial here.

This is an unrelated issue. Bulerías and soleá have the same basic structure, so by flipping a mental switch you can go into double or half time (relative to what went just before). For all practical purpuses this is a theatrical contrivance and something you would never see happen in a setting where a group of people are keeping compás in a non-intellectual way.

R: Maybe this will make sense. Your "twos"
of bulerias can be felt the same speed as
your "1-2-3" of a Solea escobilla. Does that
make sense? Do you see what I am going
on about w/ this 3/4 beat?

I can also whistle Dixie at the same tempo with no fear of slipping into bulerías. It's all in the compás.

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 18 2004 9:27:22
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to zata

quote:

Bulerías and soleá have the same basic structure, so by flipping a mental switch you can go into double or half time (relative to what went just before). For all practical purpuses this is a theatrical contrivance and something you would never see happen in a setting where a group of people are keeping compás in a non-intellectual way.


Yes, but you don't need to "flip a mental switch" (unless you think 12's) because to move into bulerias, nothing about the beat feeling changes. You don't have to double time your foot tap, it can stay the same for both, if you are tapping "twos" for bulerias. Why? Because the twos ARE the 3/4 beat. The only thing that changes, if you are a guitarist, is maybe how you move chords. No need to make it intellectual. In fact, the first time guitarists encounter this accompanying the baile, it just seems to "happen" naturally, in a "non intellectual way". Later the guitarist might think, "that was weird, how did that happen", if they are used to counting or thinking in 12's. But if you get the idea of a simple slow 3/4 groove, it is not really much to bust your brain about.

Anyway this is gettin old. So I leave it at this: you are right in your meaning of two's being fundamental, but as a music reader this should be called 3/4. The other feel is 6/8, and it is not wrong to feel that in bulerias either IMO.

Happy Holidays

Ricardo
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 18 2004 23:25:52
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ricardo

quote:

Anyway this is gettin old. So I leave it at this: you are right in your meaning of two's being fundamental, but as a music reader this should be called 3/4.


That's a mighty strange way to try end a discussion. To most people this will sound self-evident: twos are most definitely not threes. One-two. One-two-three. Makes no difference if it's three quarters, three eighths or three apples, nor is the speed of the apples relevant. If you planned on taking a long weekend but your boss said "no way, you better show up on time Monday morning" you'd protest soon enough, and if he said "ok, leave it at this...on Saturday and Sunday count every two hours as three and you'll end up with a 72-hour weekend, 3 days instead of 2" I can imagine what you'd tell him .

The solea to bulería issue is, as I wrote, nothing more than a theatrical intellectual contrivance that doubles or halves the tempo of identical rhythms, and is something that cannot happen spontaneously among people who know compás. It is quite unrelated to the juxtaposition, simultaneity or overlapping of twos and threes in bulerías.

Try the verdiales-bulerías experiment I suggested previously. If you get that going, you won't even need time signatures.

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 19 2004 2:47:59
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

quote:

twos are most definitely not threes. One-two. One-two-three. Makes no difference if it's three quarters, three eighths or three apples, nor is the speed of the apples relevant.


Do you know how to read time signatures? If not what are you argueing about? Just listen for a second. If a half compas is 6 counts/claps, and we call them "eighth notes", and you tap your foot in "twos" or quarter notes, how many TIMES does your foot tap in a half compas phrase? In other words, 6 counts, divided into "2's" by way of foot tap=THREE BEATS! If you tap in "3's" than you have TWO beats , the way you feel a 6/8 bar. Is there anything more fundamental (rhythmically smaller) to bulerias than the half compas phrase? You can't have "twos" unless you have at least 3 of em. You can't have "threes" unless you have at least 2 of em.

Escovillas of Solea and alegria often have sections of 3/4 which is slow enough to be felt as bulerias (if the subdivision is 4notes per beat). 1e&ah 2e&ah 3&. That IS bulerias. Your foot and feel is the same. It is not an intellectual game or theatrics, unless you think about the 12 count system. If you don't, it is simply a 3/4 groove.

This time I am done......no really!

Ricardo
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 19 2004 18:29:15
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ricardo

quote:

Do you know how to read time signatures? If not what are you argueing about?


Hey, have a glass of anise, it's Christmas here in Jerez...didn't it get to your town yet?

I know enough about time signatures to know that 3/4 time is waltz (or what?), and therefore the yin of yang. Then too, your insistence on the importance of tempo shows you're talking about something else, no doubt interesting, but something else.

Do the verdiales experiment, go on, no one will ever know...

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 19 2004 19:02:23
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

Ok, Bulerias is in 2/4, and 3/4 is always like a waltz no matter what tempo. Is that how you want to see it? Fine if it makes you happy.

Verdiales, well as FAST or SLOW as I want? I can morph it into anything YOU want if I have that much freedom. Tempo is part of making Verdiales what it is. Likewise it is tempo and subdivision that make this "morphing" of different rhythms possible. If I change tempo I can make bulerias/tangos, but it ain't Verdiales no more, and vice versa. Way off topic here.

Merry Christmas

Ricardo
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 19 2004 19:34:51
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ricardo

quote:

Ok, Bulerias is in 2/4, and 3/4 is always like a waltz no matter what tempo. Is that how you want to see it? Fine if it makes you happy.


Since you ask, bulerías is what makes me happy, and they don't let you do it unless you're in compás. Calling twos "three quarter time" may have an intellectual basis, but no practical application. As soon as the play between twos and threes is eliminated, your compás fizzles like a pinched balloon.

Consider this: even if bulerías were written in sheet music (and obviously solos are), there would be no visual evidence of twos. At best, a written note would be required. But how could it even be phrased? "Think binary" ?

Still talking about tempos is a sure sign you're not talking about the same thing. Take those verdiales (not off topic unless you're a real flamenco snob ). Compare them to malagueña (the danced variety). It takes twice as many compases of verdiales to accomodate one line of cante as it takes in malagueña because the tempos are radically different, and it's physically impossible to use the same abandolao strum because malagueña is so fast (in relative terms). Neither verdiales nor malagueña will ever slip into tangos or even bulerías because the threes, (waltz time, three quarters, three eighths or three foot-taps), are all-powerful.

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 19 2004 20:07:15
 
Jamey

Posts: 187
Joined: Jul. 7 2004
From: Winnipeg, Canada

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

After reading through this, I don't think you two (Zata, Ricardo) are talking about the same thing. Zata appears to be talking about a rhythmic patter or sequence, whereas Ricardo is essentially talking about timing signatures with a 12 count applied to it (to accommodate bars and measures?).

It sounds like you're both right but neither is focused on the same thing as the other. I think perhaps there's a problem with parlance, not semantics.

Zata, if I read you correctly, is the two-count approach more a method of knowing where you are in a phrase in bulerias, i.e. in order to not to start dancing, playing or singing halfway into the next phrase? And that this is not a way of finding the bulerias rhythym specifically (since that is a pattern you have to internalize and superimpose on the two-count)?

I'm I even close?
???????
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 19 2004 21:38:40
 
Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Jamey

Jamey,
unfortunately, neither you nor I are part of this conversation. They just seem to want to talk at each other. But is anyone listening?
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 19 2004 23:45:55
 
Ricardo

Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ron.M

Miguel, sorry to seem like I am having an exclusive arguement w/ Zata. It is easy to get sucked into these things. I wish I could have just left things to my 1st and second post. Anyway, it seems like YOU get it anyway:

quote:

I already put down my response. I think I get it. You tap your foot three times, corresponding to 12, 2, 4. Then you do it again, corresponding to 6, 8, 10. You don't need to think the count, you just tap, and rely on the natural ability to do so. This works on bulerias because it's quick so there's no chance to lose track of the the three taps.


Tap your foot three times, ie, there are 3 beats, makes musical sense, vs. your 12-count stuff or just "twos" as terms. You don't need to count 12,2,4 and 6,8,10, just feel 1,2,3 and 1,2,3. I was just trying to put that stuff into musical terms that agree w/ what Estela says, but man it sounds confusing reading through it. Sorry.

Jamey, don't think too much about it. One could just as easily come on and say "hey don't count or tap, just FEEL it man!". Ultimatley it IS as easy as that. But how do you get it? By riding in the car and trying to sing with gitanos giving you the compas? Everyone is different. Some need twos, others only make sense of 12,2,4,6,8,10. For me, 1,2,3 is easy. That is all I am saying man. Once you see it different ways you will say, Oh man, what a pointless arguement that was, it is all the same!

Ricardo

PS, I WAS trying to push this thing to 11 pages, but I am gettin bored LOL!
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 20 2004 5:27:44
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Jamey

quote:

After reading through this, I don't think you two (Zata, Ricardo) are talking about the same thing. Zata appears to be talking about a rhythmic patter or sequence, whereas Ricardo is essentially talking about timing signatures with a 12 count applied to it (to accommodate bars and measures?).


Nothing regarding tempos is in play in what I'm describing, and certainly there's no 12-count. As I wrote above: "even if bulerías were written in sheet music (and obviously solos are), there would be no visual evidence of twos". That alone says Ricardo's quest for the right time signature is unrelated to the context of this discussion. Listen to a Strauss waltz and think twos: suddenly you're in Santiago and Moraíto is playing hot bulerías.

Then you say:
"Zata, if I read you correctly, is the two-count approach more a method of knowing where you are in a phrase in bulerias, i.e. in order to not to start dancing, playing or singing halfway into the next phrase? And that this is not a way of finding the bulerias rhythym specifically (since that is a pattern you have to internalize and superimpose on the two-count)?"

Let's call it binary or twos rather than a two-count...no one should actually be counting "one, two". But yes, that sounds very apt: "knowing where you are". I would add: "...in the context of the group". Anyone can keep their own compás, but bulerías only clicks when everyone is on the same wave-length, which is much more difficult that you might think. Saturday night I went to a Christmas "zambomba" at a large peña in Jerez where a circle of about 80-100 people sang charming folksongs in chorus (Simon, that was Cernícalos). Then a singer and guitarist arrived and sang Christmas songs por bulerías. Of the twenty or so people in the circle who did palmas (this is Jerez after all), I studied each one and not one was able to keep compás for more than two or three measures, having to stop and pick up the rhythm again and again.

The superimposition of twos over threes is what locks the compás in automatic pilot and frees guitarists, singers and dancers to create and relax. Threes alone, twos alone or twelves alone have too many opportunities to screw up and require constant intellectual monitoring...I compare it to spinning plates...it can only be kept up for a limited time, and always with great tension and concern about the plates falling.

Pay no attention to anyone who says this topic is meaningless: it'll keep you fascinated for years!

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 20 2004 8:31:48
 
Escribano

Posts: 6440
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to zata

quote:

Saturday night I went to a Christmas "zambomba" at a large peña in Jerez where a circle of about 80-100 people sang charming folksongs in chorus (Simon, that was Cernícalos).


Now that breaks my heart. I loved that peña. I am jealous, perhaps I can be part of a flamenco Navidad next year? I could be Joseph, like I was at school

_____________________________

Foro Flamenco founder and Admin
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 20 2004 9:10:30
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Escribano

quote:

perhaps I can be part of a flamenco Navidad next year? I could be Joseph, like I was at school


If you talk to the president maybe you could be the burro.

Just kidding! But the Wise Men are out... Still kidding

You be Simon and we'll all love you as is .

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 20 2004 12:58:30
 
Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to zata

quote:

The superimposition of twos over threes


So you thought the thread was finished eh?

Seriously, though..
For folk who are not trained musicians such as Richard, or experienced Flamencos like Estela.....
Sometimes I find it easier to learn from someone who has "just" learned something.
That's why I listen a lot to the "minor" guitarists.
You can then hear the things that are difficult and the things which are straightforward.
Whereas, the "greats" just merge everything into one.
The straightforward and the mega-difficult just rolls out with the same fluidity.

Speaking for myself, as a learner, a lot of problems in understanding Flamenco compás comes from this 2 beat and 3 beat pulse overlapping.

It's a bit like things like, say, circular breathing in Jazz sax.
It's not an instinctive thing to do, but once you get it, it makes sense.

Back to Flamenco, and Bulerias, I've found one of the best ways of making sense of the compás is to tap 2 X 3 (=6) beats with your foot and 4 X 3 (=12) beats with your fingers, making it all fit into one compás cycle.
It's tricky to do, but gets easier as you go.
Remember, your foot is coming down on 2, so your fingers should be down on 1 and your foot should be up on 3.
Preferably do it to a Bulerias recording (cante) that you know well.

You should then hear the 2's and 3's emphasis shifting around as the singer, guitarist/palmeros etc interact, or when the guitarist takes a couple of falsetas.
ie...you will feel the dominant rhythm with either your foot or fingers depending on what's happening and will feel this shift throughout the piece.

Try it.

cheers

Ron

(PS Richard, I liked the description..."a full gringo compás" LOL!)
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 22 2004 20:36:04
Guest

[Deleted] (in reply to Guest

[Deleted by Admins]
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 22 2004 21:07:58
 
Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

Minor guitarists....

the one that works well for foreigners seems to be Juan Martin. A lot of his flamenco is about 75 years old. This is nice because it seems to be the "core" of flamenco--compas, old-school falsetas, not too much syncopation or complications.

Then, I think a little further down the line is Paco Pena. The nice thing about these two guitarists is that they also have a lot of tutorial material.

Juan Serrano fits into this category. I put him third because he uses a lot of picado in his falsetas, and overall they are just a bit more difficult to play.

After that, you might want to stick along with the "old school" stuff. Dennis Kostner has a lot of Sabicas era stuff (alternatively, you may just want to learn Sabicas, although it's fairly difficult).

Or you may want to go more modern and try Granados or Oscar Herrero.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 22 2004 21:44:38
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Ron.M

quote:

So you thought the thread was finished eh?


If nothing else it's clear a lot of people would like to get a better handle on bulerías ...you aren't going to see a conversation like this about alegrías or soleá.

Bulerías compás is a labyrinthe and in my experience it's best to jump off at the deep end of the pool from the first day, rather than try get by with a 12-count which is like the guy in Flatland who didn't know there was a third dimension.

At first, the twelves are a handy crutch, but later on it becomes a straight jacket.

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 23 2004 1:04:50
 
zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003
 

RE: Bulerías basic timekeeping. (in reply to Guest

quote:

as someone who has just tsarted to learn Bulerias (last week) - reading this thread has been more confusing than helpful ........


If someone teaches you bulerías compás one week, ask for your money back!

_____________________________

Estela Zatania
www.deflamenco.com
www.expoflamenco.com
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Dec. 23 2004 1:07:21
Page:   <<   <   1 2 [3] 4 5    >   >>
All Forums >>Discussions >>General >> Page: <<   <   1 2 [3] 4 5    >   >>
Jump to:

New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts


Forum Software powered by ASP Playground Advanced Edition 2.0.5
Copyright © 2000 - 2003 ASPPlayground.NET

0.1103516 secs.