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Is that still worthwhile? I have been studying mostly from Juan Martin and Paco Pena books but would be nice to have some new and perhaps different sounding material.
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Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to rombsix)
Has anyone tried this out yet? Looked up Javier Conde's class, looks like it's got some pretty interesting stuff, like this picado exercise. Has anyone tried the site though? Would be curious to get an informed opinion on it.
Also, as I was wondering where the hell Javier Conde disappeared to, I tried to hunt him down. Turns out, as of last summer, he's been teaching at the Robert Schumann Music School in Düsseldorf, Germany. I suspect he fled Spain when he knew I was on my way, ready to harrass him for one-on-one classes Good for him though, sounds like a cool gig that would suit him well.
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to Piwin)
I bought the Javier Conde course and I definitely recommend it. It has only technical exercises and they are very musical, not the usual boring stuff. It's the stuff that he plays on a daily basis to warm up and to keep in shape. I had a two hour lesson with him this past summer and he gave me 5 exercises, this course has more than 20. And they are played both fast and slow, apart from being tabbed as well. You can do the math, this course is very cheap for all the great quality material you get.
Anyway, Javier also gives skype lessons and private lessons. He is a very down to earth fella and a great teacher, try to meet him if you can.
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to FredGuitarraOle)
Thanks! That's all the encouragement I need to try it out.
As for one-on-one classes, would you say that he's a good teacher? I've had some bad experiences with reknown players where I got incredible material but little to no feedback on how I was playing (which is usually what I'm looking for in a one-on-one class, more so than the material per se).
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to FredGuitarraOle)
Update: so I went ahead and got his course. Jesus those left-hand exercices are difficult!!!
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to drhildr)
It's really good. I just got it so it may just be the excitement talking but the content is really good as is the presentation (3 videos for each part of the course: a walk-through, a normal speed version and a slow speed version with different camera angles). I'm finding Conde's class especially good for left hand work and strength.
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to drhildr)
I guess it depends on how novice we're talking about. I haven't gone through all of it yet. The exercices focusing on right hand technique are fairly straightforward as far as the left hand is concerned, perhaps a few weird fingerings but nothing too difficult. I haven't tried the exercices on ligados yet so I don't know what they're like but he has two exercices that are solely about stretching and strengthening the hand. One of these I can't finish because it hurts my left hand too much. To be fair, I hadn't played the guitar in a while before now but wow, it requires a lot of strength. That being said it's one of those patterns that you're supposed to bring up chromatically so you can just play the pattern once or twice instead of doing all twelve. Though I haven't tried them yet, ligado exercices are often meant to strengthen the left hand as well. In a nutshell, I'd say it's tricky (his class is marked as intermediate-advanced) but not impossible to learn for a beginner. It will definitely help build strength... Sorry that probably doesn't help a lot. If you're a beginner it will definitely be challenging, but not necessarily in a bad way, if that makes any sense. Worst case scenario: it's too hard but you can just put it aside and get back to it when you feel ready. This for instance,
seems fairly easy at a slower speed, but it's actually pretty rough on the left hand... You can sign in for free on the website and there are a few exercices that you can watch without having to pay, so that may be your best option.
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to Piwin)
Hey Piwin, Javier in his classes basically gives you the exercises that are in the course you just bought. He has about 80 or 90 that he practises daily. You have enough material to work on for many months and some of it for many years. Have you already seen the Soleá remates? Doing that on the first fret, my god... f*ck that sh*t... My advice is to work on this for some time and then try to have a couple of lessons with him. He will watch you play, correct you if needed and give you more stuff directed at what he thinks you need to work on the most.
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to FredGuitarraOle)
quote:
Have you already seen the Soleá remates? Doing that on the first fret, my god... f*ck that sh*t...
I just watched the video. How the hell does he get his pinky finger to move that fast???? Seriously though, practicing this we're gonna become left-hand monsters, with one hand way more developed than the other, kind of like this javelin thrower
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Posts: 503
Joined: Jun. 14 2014
From: Encinitas, CA USA
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to rombsix)
All of the Javier Conde sample videos I have watched are in Spanish. Do they have English versions? If not, maybe a good opportunity to increase my Spanish.
_____________________________
Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena
Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to Cervantes)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Cervantes
All of the Javier Conde sample videos I have watched are in Spanish. Do they have English versions? If not, maybe a good opportunity to increase my Spanish.
For each exercise he gives a brief explanation but always in Spanish and there are no subtitles.
Posts: 503
Joined: Jun. 14 2014
From: Encinitas, CA USA
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to rombsix)
Frederico,
Thanks, do you think the explanations are important and worthwhile? I could stumble my way through the Spanish.
_____________________________
Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to FredGuitarraOle)
quote:
there are no subtitles.
There were subtitles on the one I purchased (perhaps they added them since you got it?). You just have to click on the CC button at the bottom of the video.
Posts: 503
Joined: Jun. 14 2014
From: Encinitas, CA USA
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to Piwin)
I just got this from them:
The Javier Conde Advanced technique course is available in English with subtitles.
_____________________________
Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to Cervantes)
Yes that's sounds about right. Though what I have isn't "English with subtitles", it's "Spanish with English subtitles" (i.e. no English audio, just the subtitles in English).
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Posts: 898
Joined: Dec. 6 2012
From: Lisboa, Portugal
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to Piwin)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Piwin
quote:
there are no subtitles.
There were subtitles on the one I purchased (perhaps they added them since you got it?). You just have to click on the CC button at the bottom of the video.
Sorry Cervantes, Piwin is correct, there are English subtitles. Before my previous post I logged up to the website to check if the videos had subtitles but I completely missed the CC button, my bad.
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to FredGuitarraOle)
quote:
but I completely missed the CC button,
To be fair, the only reason I noticed it was because my cat walked all over my keyboard and somehow turned the subtitles on... I worked out the rest for myself, bested by a feline with a tiny brain
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Posts: 503
Joined: Jun. 14 2014
From: Encinitas, CA USA
RE: New online flamenco teaching website (in reply to rombsix)
I decided to sign up for the Javier Conde course, really liking it so far.
_____________________________
Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena
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