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I have been slowly teaching myself flamenco over the last few years mainly from the popular instructional books including Juan Martin, Paco Pena, Juan Serrano, Dennis Koster etc and the odd video lesson. How many people here have had lessons one on one and how beneficial were they? I have often found myself lacking a little inspiration, motivation or direction in my studies over the years and have always wanted to find a teacher and was just curious about others experiences with this and how it influences your playing and progression.
RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to FelixH)
Hello, I started alone, mainly with youtube and some books. I had no idea I would get stucked and sucked into Flameco . I have two teachers around and I must say it has been totally necessary for me. The two teachers are very different, but they both bring me tremedous help. I've been unconsciously alternating from one to the other (one year periods), and I also have times when I don't take a course for three months. I follow my guts for what I need in this matter.
I do the class one-to-one. I've tried with skype, and it's good, but I find it frustrating.
RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to FelixH)
A big yes from me too.
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RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to FelixH)
I thought as much, if not just to improve my technique but also to master the principals and structures of the music fully which is something I have struggled to do alone.
RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to FelixH)
Hey Felix,
I've learned more with a good teacher in 2 years than this number multiplied with many on auto modus with books for example.
If you are a musical genius, you can get far copying your playing from for example YouTube, or finding technique via books. Most likely a teacher will get you further faster.
If you are not a musical genius (like me), I think it would be great for you to find a teacher who is related with flamenco in Spain. Flamenco guitar probably is one of the guitar styles with the most technique involved. It’s hard to learn all this on your own (sight and ears).
Some more tips, not directly an answer.
Based on my current student situation I think it’s very flamenco to not learn from books (sheets can help though). Find a paperless flamenco guitar teacher. A teacher who will show you how to do things, so you need to watch and listen. If you can take stuff from YouTube to your lessons it can be handy
Start easy. As is common for guitarists, I think. As a starter we want to play solo’s from John Petrucci and who ever. But we would learn more from Johnny Cash. For complete songs start with rumba’s (and later easy tango’s or easy (other) flamenco pieces). On the side practicing right hand technique is great. It’s better to learn one song for 95% than 10 for 60%.
You are lucky to live in a crowded area (London?). There must be great flamenco teachers. But don’t be afraid to take Skype lessons.
Posts: 15329
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to FelixH)
The best teacher is to record yourself, listen back, and be very critical. If you listen back and hear Tomatito’s equal playing, you will never improve.
Posts: 137
Joined: Sep. 4 2010
From: New York area
RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to FelixH)
Teacher is a must especially in the beginning. There will be so many things which you dont notice in your playing but will be obvious for the teacher. Did you learn to play each palo in compas? The stuff you are learning from Pena and Serrano, can you play it note for note with them, at least a slowed down version?
Now after certain time you can go back to studying solo, but I think you will eventually hit a roadblock and your craving for lessons will start again. I think it is a natural course of development.
Posts: 208
Joined: Mar. 29 2017
From: The Netherlands
RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to FelixH)
Jimmy Hendrix never had any lessons I always understood. So you do not need lessons to become a great musician. (I know, no flamenco and "great" is debatabel :-) ) I had maybe max 10 lessons the last 5 years. Which I all greatly enjoyed, Including one from Ricardo. I learned a lot on them. However, I predominantly like playing and do not care so much if I am good or bad. So if I feel like it, I definitely will take up on a lesson again. When I had a flamenco dip, I bough some Bach music which was a new and inspiring challenge.
RE: Importance of flamenco guitar le... (in reply to devilhand)
quote:
Equal playing? Could you go more into detail?
I think what he’s saying is if your ear isn’t critical enough to hear your own shortcomings then it will be difficult to progress. So, if you listen back to yourself and hear what sounds like a nice Tomatito falseta, when in reality you had just whipped out your interpretation of Jimmy Page’s solo from “Heartbreaker” out of Led Zep II, then you might need a little bit more work.
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