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I posted a comment on Ramzi's Bulerias video on YouTube (also posted here: http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=246874&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1) , thanking him for showing his face while playing. It occurred to me to post a follow up here to see what you guys think of a rant I've been itching to get out there.
I don't like the headless guitar-playing videos!
I feel that a bunch of zombies are playing! I care about privacy more than most people I know, so I can appreciate if that is your rationale. However, please show us your face, so that we not only hear you play, but also see you dance with the guitar. The reason that I like watching solo guitarists play is not only to learn, but to experience the whole performance which includes posture, facial expressions, and other physical cues.
For example, I have always liked to see Pepe Habichuela play, not only because of his musicality that is undoubtedly steeped in Duende, but also for his elegant posture, steady finger movements, and the seriousness of the gaze with which he endows the guitar he plays.
So unless you are wanted by the law or afraid of your wife, show us your face or forever store your guitar!
the practical problem is the non manned still camera....at the distance required to capture entire guitar and full upper torso and head, the fingers lose focus and clarity. I doubt anyone is doing this for anonymity.
there are exceptions of course:
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ya, i think if you want to focus on the finger board and strings on the top of the guitat, to show your both hands, you need to mave the camera down, unless you set the guitar in the tradtional postion,
for example, if i will upload a video with cross leg and my face, i need to move the camera back, but its difficult to learn from this video ,,
If youre after face expressions, i recommand this vid. To be honest, the guitar playing isn't really revolutionary, but the face is.
While i know that most people who upload vids just showing their hands and guitar don't do it because of anonymity and simply because that way we see better whats goin on with the guitar,,,, i would like to deepen the issue of "dance with the guitar":
Take Jesus de Rosario for instance. This guy is simply introverted. If you would focus on his face expressions or other aspects of his appearance instead of the guitar, you might think this guy is bored to death while he is playing a bulerias (which he is of course not). So would we then conclude something "negative" if we would see the whole picture instead of just the hands and the guitar in an imaginary upload to the foro? really?
And to go further and connect this subject with a similar subject which you read here from while to while: If he was a member here, would we really want to ask him or force him to change ("improve!") his appearance or his "personality" (which is impossible anyway) to have a more "flamenco" type of appearance and to "dance more with the guitar"?
You are what you are. Some can dance with their fingers. Some can dance with their faces and bodies. Some can dance with both. (And some with none of them of course lol)
yes it is a problem to get it all in clearly .. sometimes i have used a split screen , but thaT is a lot of work ... mainly I miss my head out cos I am ugly...everyone has their own reasons ...
you have to be ugly to play authentic flamenco. the uglier the better. with singers this is even more important. you should be ugly and fat and small. only then its authentic.
You are what you are. Some can dance with their fingers. Some can dance with their faces and bodies. Some can dance with both. (And some with none of them of course lol
That pretty much sums up Kai Narezo. He face looks very calm while his fingers fly. I'd post a video but I have no idea how to do that.
I suppose having the "wrong" camera (for the job) or a suboptimal set-up might force some players to zoom on the guitar. I took some lessons with a local guitarist and I now remember that he had shot his videos using his Macbook (which is designed for headshots at best)! In fact, not only is his face cut off, but the resultant clip is flipped horizontally! I had to do some post-processing on my computer to get it fixed.
Many of Amir-John Haddad's videos were shot by a professional videographer in a studio, so we can't expect that quality from everyone. However, there are many good videos that don't seem to use high-end gear and still show well (including several by members of this foro).
@Haithamflamenco ما زعلان حبييبي ... بس بردان وضايج
@Ricardo It's ok to leave off your head from the frame if you look like that
@Arash I like the videos of both Diego de Moron and Jesus de Rosario with their distinctive look. I didn't think de Rosario was bored and still liked to see his interaction with the guitar even if it's a faint gaze. I'm not asking for Paco- or Vicente-style appear-to-have-a-dream look. In fact, I prefer a more composed look, but I'll take anything over a severed head!
It seems to me that the main reason people leave off their heads from their guitar playing videos is self-consciousness! I can appreciate and relate to that. Hopefully, we can overcome this timidity if we care to share our hard-earned skills with the world (which is the raison d'être for posting these videos in the first place!)
Thanks for entertaining my rant with your responses
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