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I think I've hit the point where I need to learn some guitar theory. Not flamenco (compas etc) theory but guitar / music theory.
Ideally with a flamenco twist. Phygian mode - heard of it - no idea what it is. Differences between minor and major, how to build chords. What the heck key is this anyway? That sort of thing. So - any good recommendations where to start? Want something easy reading and with a high learn - to - practical application ratio. Prefer not too stressful easy reading rather than the definitive bible.
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to mrstwinkle)
Ive tried a few guitar music theory books. I don't have a favorite. but I've been working through the Guitar Fretboard Workbook by Barrette Tagliarino (for a while now) and it's the best of the bunch. I pull from a lot of internet resources. Jazz guitar resources are pretty good
Basic Theory is not hard stuff. it's just a lot of boring memorization, like memorizing all the notes on the fretboard or the circle of fifths. I haven't been able to find any short cuts without cheating myself.
I wouldn't worry too much about flamenco theory right now. It's a lot more than just the Phrygian mode and doesn't always fit neatly into a classical theory box
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to mrstwinkle)
Some time ago I came across this. Not sure why the order of the concentric circles is like that (I would put phrygian outside major etc. so that the note order is from inside to outside), but it shows the relationships. In the 12-o-clock slice up top, you can see E-phrygian, C-major and A-minor all share the same key signature of no flats or sharps.
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Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to mrstwinkle)
quote:
ORIGINAL: mrstwinkle
I think I've hit the point where I need to learn some guitar theory. Not flamenco (compas etc) theory but guitar / music theory.
Ideally with a flamenco twist. Phygian mode - heard of it - no idea what it is. Differences between minor and major, how to build chords. What the heck key is this anyway? That sort of thing. So - any good recommendations where to start? Want something easy reading and with a high learn - to - practical application ratio. Prefer not too stressful easy reading rather than the definitive bible.
Thoughts?
All you need to know about theory is contained in the circle of 5th diagram:
Modes and their relations also are implied by a good understanding of this... however other music disciplines will approach practical examples quite differently.... for example those that come from a jazz discipline learn to do away with the key signature altogether and derive harmony and mode from altering the major scale alone (described by numbers 1-7). The idea of using sharps and flats this way seems odd since the picture and need for sharps and flats derives clearly from the Circle of 5th after all.
In flamenco it is not quite fair to talk about the Phrygian “Mode” as it is used in jazz or rock or other modern music, again flamenco like jazz has it’s own discipline and language. Instead of the major scale as 1-7 they use the old European solfege “do re mi fa” etc to describe the major scale. If you wanted to understand flamenco via the circle of 5th diagram, then one could alter the major and minor key pie cut sections by adding a third tier thusly:
Moving clockwise-Cmajor/Aminor/Por Arriba....Gmajor/Eminor/por Granaina...Dmajor/Bminor/por levante or por Taranta....A major/F#minor/por Rondeña (montoya) or por Velez (C#)....E major/C#minor/por minera....B major/G#minor/por David Serva (D#)....F#major/D#minor/A# phrygian(not used in flamenco)....C#maj/A#minor/E# phrygian (also not used)....
Moving counter-clockwise-Fmajor/Dminor/por medio....Bbmajor/Gminor/por Abajo...Ebmajor/Cminor/G phrygian (not used much)....and the rest not really used much in flamenco due to the lack of open string options. Modern Flamenco might have some high tech examples that use unique open tunings (Gerardo Nunez Calima for example uses C phrygian derived from 4 flats key signature, but requires CGCGBE tuning).
Hope that helps.
Ps kitarist- the order is by 5ths going inward or brightest to darkest on your modal circle
When you post things like this, please link to the original site instead of linking to your own copy. There's also a LOT more information on flamencochuck.com than just the music theory document - it's immensely more useful to provide the original context and original source of the information rather than just a detached copy.
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo Ps kitarist- the order is by 5ths going inward or brightest to darkest on your modal circle
Thank you. I'd still put phrygian on the outside of major if not for any other reason then so that the field has a larger arc span - more space to write out "E-phrygian (Por Arriba)" and so on for the rest.
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to timoteo)
When you post things like this, please link to the original site instead of linking to your own copy. There's also a LOT more information on flamencochuck.com than just the music theory document - it's immensely more useful to provide the original context and original source of the information rather than just a detached copy.
It was in public internet domain, not his website(which is also public domain), I have in no way plagerized the document, and orignal authors and addresses are stated in the opening page. best i can do for you buddy. The reason why I shared it via my personal server, it's just that easy for me so spin up a webserver to a share a document.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to kitarist)
quote:
ORIGINAL: kitarist
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo Ps kitarist- the order is by 5ths going inward or brightest to darkest on your modal circle
Thank you. I'd still put phrygian on the outside of major if not for any other reason then so that the field has a larger arc span - more space to write out "E-phrygian (Por Arriba)" and so on for the rest.
Yes but you are thinking keys not modes I believe....the concept of key doesn’t work for the other related modes as it does for Ionian aeolian and phrygian.... so book ending them bright to dark as the person did, also going sharps to flats, is the logical organization
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
quote:
ORIGINAL: kitarist
Thank you. I'd still put phrygian on the outside of major if not for any other reason then so that the field has a larger arc span - more space to write out "E-phrygian (Por Arriba)" and so on for the rest.
Yes but you are thinking keys not modes I believe....the concept of key doesn’t work for the other related modes as it does for Ionian aeolian and phrygian.... so book ending them bright to dark as the person did, also going sharps to flats, is the logical organization
Oh, right. But if I leave just the phrygian (in addition to the usual major and minor) it should be OK. Sort of a flamenco circle of fifths. Just visualizing what you have described several times here in the foro.
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to mrstwinkle)
For the basics (intervals, chord construction, progressions and intro to modes), you could try the fake doctor:
(just video 1 but if you go to his channel you'll find the full series)
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RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to mrstwinkle)
FWIW, I really appreciate it if reference is made directly to my website, but I did make my course available to humanity in honor of the Flamencos I have known and revered.
If it helps you get through the night, that is all I expect....
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to mrstwinkle)
quote:
I think I've hit the point where I need to learn some guitar theory. Not flamenco (compas etc) theory but guitar / music theory.
Ideally with a flamenco twist. Phygian mode - heard of it - no idea what it is. Differences between minor and major, how to build chords. What the heck key is this anyway? That sort of thing. So - any good recommendations where to start? Want something easy reading and with a high learn - to - practical application ratio. Prefer not too stressful easy reading rather than the definitive bible.
Thoughts?
If you want to start from real basic you could try
I was given it by my aunt and uncle when i was about 14 and into punk etc. so music theory wasn't a priority.... I didn't look at it until years later when flamenco happened to me and I was starting to ask the same sort of questions as those in your post.
But it's not specific to flamenco and doesn't discuss Phrygian/Flamenco mode/scale/key
Claude Worms has published 3 volumes on flamenco theory "Desde la Guitarra Armonia del Flamenco/Harmonizing The Flamenco From The Guitar" - I don't know if they are still available.
RE: Book / website for theory? (in reply to BuleriaChk)
quote:
FWIW, I really appreciate it if reference is made directly to my website
Sorry if your website was not mentioned. Reason being my copy did not originate from there. Although you are clearly given mention in the document itself. As you have said yourself, you did release into the Public Domain.
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