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.
|
|
|
Listen to this
|
You are logged in as Guest
|
|
Users viewing this topic: none
|
|
Login  | |
|
   
Jim Opfer
Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.
|
 RE: Listen to this (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
|
|
|
Thanks MdM for that link.
This is one of those fellas that's just so incredibly tallented that if he fancied, he could have been a top violin player or an Ashkenasy, if he had turned his hands to piano.
Pure prodigy, I guess we're all reacting a bit to the fact that he's relying on concert performance of other people's material, this is fine for classical guitarists but we all know that it's wrong for flamenco.
I hope he gets out of this 'method' of playing and starts to express his personal emotions that's the only way for him to put his talent to use, at the moment he's just doing what he's exceptionally gifted and good at.
Daft to suggest perhaps, but he's just doing what comes natural to him and impossible to most others, a bit like musical masterbation. (if I'm allowed to say that?)
Not critisism, just very good advice.
Anyway, If he were here, I'd definately buy a ticket and go see him.
Jim
|
|
|
|
REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 16 2004 10:53:39
 |
|
Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
|
|
RE: Listen to this (in reply to TANúñez)
|
|
|
I don't feel that way Tom. When I play, it's not usually guitarists listening. And I get lots of good feedback. It's a rare gig when someone doesn't come up and say that they loved my music. And they should--I choose good music! :) It is hard when other guitarists listen to you. I was playing last night with a new partner for the first time...we had rehearsed for an hour and had a two hour gig. I wasn't very comfortable because he plays really loud and we used mics, so I had to struggle to make myself heard. Then another guitarist, a friend, showed up and it was embarrassing, because I knew I wasn't playing up to my potential... Later the friend said my rasgueado "looked like a Spaniard's..." I said how did it sound. He said, "Very smooth, but it looks like a Spaniard's.." I think that was a compliment. Afterward the other guitarist happened to be playing there and I checked him out for a few songs. When he saw me watching I could tell, he was getting a little uptight, so I just gave him some "Ole's" and he loosened up a little.
I agree that you can't please everyone,and probably can't please that many people. Some people will agree with your vision of the music, be moved by it, and also think you are a decent enough player to enjoy your stuff. As long as you do what you like, some people will catch on to that. And if you play some gigs doing standards, what's wrong with that? People like that too. I am playing a gig with two people I've never rehearsed with tonght...we'll be using charts and doing Ottmar and Girl from Ipanema and Blue Bossa and stuff like that. I'm sure some people will dig us too, although not the same people who like my solo stuff!
Tom, if you keep practicing 4 hours a day, you will be good, you will be a professional, and you will like it! :)
|
|
|
|
REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 16 2004 20:17:44
|
|
Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
|
|
RE: Listen to this (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
|
|
|
Wow, lots of great thoughts to consider here.
1. "for compas you only need a thumb and a finger" --sure, Simon, and I bet there are many excellent flamenco guitarists that use that thumb and finger to do a whole lot more, too! But I don't think compas is intrinsically simple. I think the act of playing a repeating rhythm is a fairly basic, although not easy, skill. But then there is the idea of becoming familiar with all the variations and "connations" of a particular rhythm, internalizing them and eventually being able to interact and execute them. For example, in Bulerias you can see that not only are there several different basic rhythms (depending on who you talk to), but often several alternate rhythms going on. Probably all of these need to be kept tabs on while you're playing it, in some fashion.
2. "why do I play guitar?" I have to admit that playing guitar is a bit of an ego thing for me. I'm not like most of you guys taht have already established careers. This is my first career, and I guess I do identify with my guitar skill. I want to get real good, because I see myself as the type of person who achieves his goals. I would never be satisfied being mediocre in something like guitar technique. Last night I gigged with two fairly average musicians, who have been playing out 10 years here in Phoenix. I wouldn't want to do it like them, I take the time to perfect my skills. I don't want a sloppy technique, I have a firm vision of how my guitar will sound and I do what it takes to achieve that.
3. "human CD players versus creators" I see where you're coming from Jim, but I don't wholly agree. I see nothign with performing good music that I don't writer. If you can let loose and just play music, it's a nice state to get into and good way to spend your time. You express your personality and musicality regardless of whether you've written the music. Sometimes "writing" is just rather random doodling on the fretboard anyway. That being said, I look forward to writing my own songs, too.
|
|
|
|
REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 17 2004 14:49:52
|
|
Jon Boyes
Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
|
|
RE: Listen to this (in reply to TANúñez)
|
|
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: El Zurdo
I guess what I want to know is what drives you? When you hear negative things about your music does it get you down? does it drive you more? do you not care at all?
I have to be honest and say that like Mike, I rarely hear negative things about my music. Also like Mike, 99% of the time its actually the opposite ie people coming up and saying how much they loved it. This answers your first question - the ability to share music with people and get that emotional reaction, that confirmation that I am communicating something, that validation that I doing something with music, is what drives me.
Tom, when you get paid to do something that makes people so happy, it make you feel very humbled and very fortunate. There is nothing quite like it.
BTW, I do not consider uploading a piece of music and getting critical feedback to be negative. That's simply peer evaluation. You never stop learning, you never 'get there', there is always something to begained from other people.
quote:
Guitarists are very competitive. There's always someone who's better or thinks he is. If your a professional, and people pay to hear you, chances are that a lot of the people in the audience are guitarists as well. That would drive me nuts. I think I would be too focused on NOT messing up rather than on my music.?
Professionals aren't like that Tom. In my experience, the notion of who is better than who and one-upmanship is something for the playground. There is mutual respect amongst all the working guitarists I know, for we all have to face the same battles to find decent work and to 'make it' as you put it. The notion of who is better than who just doesn't come in to it. We each have to make our mark, find our niche. I can play stuff some of them can't and vice versa.
There will be some people, no doubt, who play guitar and like to go to gigs to stand at the back and whisper to their mates about the mistakes the guy on stage is making. No doubt it makes them feel big and important, and gives the impression that they are somehow 'better'. These people are actually very rare, and are just frustrated wannabe bedroom guitarists. I have only ever encountered one in hundreds of gigs. Most guitarists want to talk about gear, how long I've been playing, whether I do full time for a living, whether I teach, etc etc,
Hoever, it does put the pressure on for me when I know there is another local working guitarist in the audience, especially if they haven't seen me play before.
Jon
|
|
|
|
REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 18 2004 8:36:55
|
|
 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 |
0.125 secs.
|
Printable Version
and for me, those opinions matter the most. I just have to make sure the demo CD that Miguel de Maria sent me isn't in their site or that would basically bring a crashing end to my fame! 
