Official Luthiers Forum!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BCoZiSbGtY&mode=related&sear ch=

I can't evn clap that good - forget about the playing!

Here's the link again guys:

Tomatito Bulerias

OLE!!!


WOW Tony... That is crazy... I can't believe how fast he does those stocatto strums!!!

Amazing! Thanks for sharing. Now I have to go practice some more...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

If i could strum as fast as that, i'd already have 20 guitars under the belt!

Thanks for sharing Tony, it was really worth it!

I build about 3 flamencos to every 7 classicals that I build. I play everything but have the most fun playing flamenco.

My flamenco teacher believes that the only way to learn to play flamenco guitar is as part of a flamenco group. To learn to play flamenco solo is to learn technique but the learn the "duende" (soul) of flamenco it can only be learned through experiencing it as part of a group. For a lesson, I will sit in the middle of the group and play along (for the forms and pieces that I know) and it is a more interactive learning experience than anything I have experienced.


The foundation of flamenco is in the "palmas" which is the clapping as the beat sets the pace of the group. This is usually set by the dancer but others clapping can set it as well. Sometimes it will be a drummer playing on a wooden box (cajon) that sets that rythm.

The guitarist plays the song that gives sound to the movement of the dancer. The singer inspired by the music adds the voice to music which can affect the dancers mood which can change the cadence or direction of interaction.

This interplay is what makes flamenco so fascinating and alive. On any given moment another member of the group that is interacting can be moved to add their element whether it be the beat, a melody, a verse, a rythmic strum or whatever...it all becomes part fo the performance.

If you are searching for Tomatito video clips, you will almost always come across ones of him playing with Camaron de la Isla as the singer. They made a very powerful duo and often played together until Camaron's untimely death. Of the younger pure flamenco players, they were incredible together.

If you are into Flamenco the others that I really like are Manito de la Platas, Manolo de Sanlucar, and Nino Richardo.

Shawn I love Flamenco, the real stuff not the tourist flamenco!

Some years ago, about ten I think, my wife and I were playing in a European folk festival in Seville and, rehearsing in the same building as us was a flamenco group that were in the festival, put together especially for it. We sat in on 3 days of rehearsals watching and listening and were invited to a special private performance. This was modern, flamenco of the highest quality with just a group of female dancers doing there own interpretations, and is one of the great memories of my life.

The main performers were:

Principal dancers: Eva la Yerbabuena, Sara Baras.

Dancers: Rosa Manzano, Rosa Maria Maya, Silvia Marin, Gadea San Roman, Almudea Recuenco "La Gatita", and Lola Zalanea.

Singers: Elana Andujar, Montse Cortes, and "Guadiana".

Cajon: Lucky Losada, Timo Lozana.

And of course the guitar players: Jose Jimenez "Viejin", and Ramon Jimenez Ramirez.

I don't think I've ever seen so much passion or adrenalin in any rehearsal room or stage and I still feel remarkably priviledged to have been there. To me the rehearsals with the interplay between the dancers and the musicians being developed was a particularly fascinating and enlightening time and has influenced my performance ever since.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Thanks Shawn and Colin for describing all of this to us, really fascinating music and culture, you guys make me want to learn more on flamenco! Ole!

Be careful Serge...Flamenco has lured many

I know several well known classical guitar builders who now make almost exclusively flamenco guitars (Les Stansell, Lester Devoe, Eugene Clark) as they find the musical form so engaging and in general Flamenco players are more fun than classical players who are much more conservative, especially in what they expect a guitar to look like.

One thing to note is that historically there was no distinction between a classical guitar and a flamenco guitar. It is much more than just blanca (Cypress or Mapple) or Negra (Rosewood). In Torres day he built very successful instruments from very humble woods to very nice pieces of wood.

In Spain, Cypress trees grew like weeds and therefore was the cheapest most plentiful material to build a less expensive guitar that still sounded good. Because the people in the south who were Sephardic jews, Moors, Greeks (El Greco was a Greek) and Romish Gypsies, they were much poorer and therefore played less expensive Cypress guitars which today we would identify with Flamenco.

What has changed in guitar construction that has lead to todays Flamenco guitar has been the virtuosity of famous guitar players such as Carlos Montoya, Nino Richardo, Sabicas and Paco De Lucia that has changed the flamenco guitar from an accompanying instrument into a solo instrument.

This caused luthiers to build for quick attack with less sustain (achieved in part by making the body more shallow), with more volume up front (by lighter and less bracing) and much lower action (string buzz is tolerated if needed to get the action faster). This evolution has resulted in an instrument that is different than a classical guitar.

"Negra" guitars are Rosewood guitars that are built to flamenco dimensions and voicing but for players that want the tonal color with which a classical rosewood guitar is associated.

Personally Flamenco can be appreciated recorded but it is when you hear and experience it live that you get the full effect and understand why it is so enticing. Colin was correct in that alot of the flamenco heard today is either "nuevo flamenco" which is not really Flamenco as it is like calling easy listening music Jazz...cant touch the real thing.

Also at a number of restaurants tourist traps (even in Spain) you will see what is put out as Flamenco which is usually alot of strumming and heel stomping dancing...this is not the pure Flamenco and a pale imitation at that.

If you get a chance to hear real Flamenco in person you will be amazed...

Geesh Shawn, you must have travelled a lot to be able to do descriptions so detailed about Quebec, Norway, Spain, all kinds of woods, you speak many languages and now Flamenco, i'm impressed to say the least my friend!!!!

   Yep, different cultures and different music styles, that's what makes this world so beautiful. There was this flamenco virtuoso back in the 70's or 80's that use to come to Quebec, he had long gray hair but i can't remember his name, maybe you do? Anyway, he was out of this world back then but i was too young and could not appreciate the immensity of his talent, now i would1!

Serge