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We all know the main difference between flamenco and classical guitar sound. Bright versus warm. Does it apply to flamenco tremolo? Do flamencos claw at the string when playing tremolo?
RE: Flamenco tremolo sound. Bright o... (in reply to Stu)
quote:
Claw at the string?
What do you mean?
How your fingertips and tip joint approach the string is crucial to whether you sound flamenco or not. R. Marlow pointed it out in another thread. Del Monte and S. Tenannt also adressed it without making reference to flamenco.
When you claw at the string you get flamenco sound. We talked about flamenco clawing arpegio a few years ago on the foro.
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Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Flamenco tremolo sound. Bright o... (in reply to devilhand)
quote:
ORIGINAL: devilhand
quote:
Claw at the string?
What do you mean?
How your fingertips and tip joint approach the string is crucial to whether you sound flamenco or not. R. Marlow pointed it out in another thread. Del Monte and S. Tenannt also adressed it without making reference to flamenco.
When you claw at the string you get flamenco sound. We talked about flamenco clawing arpegio a few years ago on the foro.
Manolo and Gerardo use the same posture as for ami arpegio. They both have examples just rolling ami ami ami with random bass notes tossed in. Paco de Lucía, by contrast changes slightly for trémolo, getting more underneath the string than he does for ami arpegios. I can’t honestly say it sounds much different ie “warmer” because he does this. Maybe it is just habit or psychological that he changes a little. Trémolo is basically a type of arpegio technique where we are hitting one string instead of 3. Gerardo Encuentro furthers the concept with examples where two fingers are hitting an adjacent string rather than all 3 on one.
For sure the clawing at the string, as Tennant demonstrated is NOT promoted at all in classical guitar playing. In flamenco it “rips”, ie, is desirable in most cases as it adds a percussive effect to the cascade of notes. Like the difference between a piano and a harpsichord.
1:43:
This guy uses a different posture with similar results. Perhaps a bit warmer due to the straighter fingers? Certainly not “better”:
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Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England
RE: Flamenco tremolo sound. Bright o... (in reply to devilhand)
quote:
When you claw at the string you get flamenco sound.
So there's your answer then. you seem to know it all already. better sharpen your claws.
but you started by attempting to outline the sound difference between classical guitar and flamenco guitar. Do you have a flamenco guitar yet? or is this old news? maybe you got one?
I'd wager that you can claw all you want on a classical, its not gonna sound v flamenco .
RE: Flamenco tremolo sound. Bright o... (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
Trémolo is basically a type of arpegio technique where we are hitting one string instead of 3.
This says it all. I claw at the string during arpegio. My observation is the closer your palm to the string the more you claw, or else you'll end up with apoyando. For tremolo it's hard to keep the same hand position. I have to lower my hand a bit like Paco. Otherwise my thumb cant reach 2nd string sometimes even the 3rd string.
Do you guys change your hand position in tremolo when your thumb plays 2nd string?
quote:
Do you have a flamenco guitar yet? or is this old news? maybe you got one?
I still have to outgrow my guitar. It's a flamenco sounding cedar top classical guitar with perfect setup for both hands. 5-6mm at the bridge. 3mm at the 12th fret. Actually it's a flamenco guitar.
Posts: 15413
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Flamenco tremolo sound. Bright o... (in reply to devilhand)
quote:
Do you guys change your hand position in tremolo when your thumb plays 2nd string?
no, but likely don't use apoyando on that string. I have a passage in my method book "formative works", soleá trémolo, that focuses on this issue where both thumb and fingers have to hit the same string (second string). The trick is to first learn this using the rhythmic gap AFTER the previous thumb stroke. That is how it is notated, with the intention of eventually closing the gap rhythmically (making a 5-tuplet) as you advance.
see here....you will like it as it sounds "arabic" LOL:
They absolutely understand the difference, and deliberately want to avoid that sound most of the time. Just look at thumb passages alone. They are deliberately avoiding things that flamenco players desire sound wise.
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you seem to know it all already. better sharpen your claws. 
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