[falseta]

Hi Mik,

That was great! I agree with Bob about the tremelo... Just think in your mind... every note gets equal time... start out slowly and try to keep it as a long uninterrupted flow of notes...

Thank you for suggesting this new feature and bieng the first to use it!

[Frontera]

That was good Mik. I understand your tremolo problem as I have the same problem due to nerve damage. My a and m fingers try to work together and this makes it hard on tremolo and rasqueado. With arpeggios I don't have the problem and I think this is due to each finger touching a different string.

Now my opinion ... I prefer methods like Graf Martinez or Juan Serrano to Juan Martin. Graf Martinez is my preference because he teachs a more progressive method, he doesn't jump into "pieces" but rather teach short falsetas and rhythms with focus on compas. I think you would really make some amazing progress using the Graf Martinez method.

How long have you been playing?

[Mik]

Thanks for your kind comments gents. I appreciate the point about the tremolo. I'm hoping that's improving, thanks to the YouTube suggestion from Payul which in turn put me on to 'YouTube-Coordination exercise with tremolo'.

The staccato feel came from an idea I had that the fingers should move from the main knuckle - perhaps like a piston or more musically piano hammers. It seems to work well with arpeggios, producing clearly defined notes with a pleasing 'bounce'. But you're right with tremolo the fingers while pushing down on the strings need also to evidently slide off.

I'm something of a plodder rather than a natural musician so am grateful for any advice e.g. the tremolo comments and would appreciate advice on other aspects too.

Frontera, I've been playing 5 years or so and making slow progress with both classical and flamenco guitar. Like you I've had nerve damage to my hearing etc. I play always in a combo. Me on guitar and tinnitus on wind, mobile phone etc etc

[Frontera]

Thanks for reply Mik. We may have more in common than we know. I have an inner ear disorder called Endolymphatic Hydrops with inner ear balance nerve loss so I have and have had for 5 years tinnitus screaming both ears, almost all hearing lost right ear and about 70% left in the left. Constant dizziness usually mild, but has and can turn to vertigo quickly leading to vomiting, etc...

I developed a visual motion and distance problem from the inner ear nerve lost so I learned to play without looking except to learn a falseta, etc. If I look playing up to speed, I get confused and compas goes south. My hands and other body parts are usually sore, etc from the brain nerve damage called white matter similiar to MS but caused by the Varicella Zoster virus (chickenpox shingles).

I recently under went emergency neck surgery as I had two disc pinching the spinal cord so bad I was days, maybe weeks away from permanant paralysis. Anyway I played about 5 years back in the 70's and gave it up to make a living doing labor jobs that caused hand damage. After I retired 5 years ago from the inner ear disorder, I started playing again and it has been real difficult. I relearned a lot of Juan Serrano pieces, some Moron, and other old school, but realized several months ago that it wasn't good. I quit playing any of it and started over focusing on Moron and primitive gypsy styles. I have been working on short falsetas trying to perfect them for compas and dynamics and express emotion with my playing. It will be fall before I can really concentrate on it. Too many summer time chores, etc now. Maybe I will post an audio clip when I get something together worth listening to. I concentrate on the Soleares mostly and mess with Taranta only because I was an underground miner for over 10 years in my younger days. I have a lot of emotion and mining stories that I want to convey to my fingers using the Taranta since it is a free form flamenco from the mine area of southeast Spain. The Taranta Cante really appeals to me.

[Mark]

I thought I would post a little recording I did of the first two compasses of the Soleares toque from Juan Martin's "El Arte ..." (I hope I'm not butchering the terminology?). Its very slow but I thought I would share anyway

[Frontera]

Thanks for sharing Mark. I like how you played slowly. Your sound is great and you are on the right track. I had trouble counting the compas after beat 6 of the first compas. I think this was only because it was slow and it is difficult to play some technique slow and on compas. The Martin "El Arte" is a good method and good traditional syle of playing.

I find that sometimes Martins falsetas are hard for beginners to count. When learning the Soleares I think it best to play at least the first falseta with easy counting.

Here are some simple falsetas I recorded for my granddaughter. They aren't perfect, but maybe will give you the idea and help you get your speed up on compas. Hope this helps.

[Mark]

Thanks for the feedback. The falsetas you recorded have really helped me get a feel for the compas, now I just have to get it into my playing

I've slowly been building up the speed but I'm limited by the speed at which I can do the four stroke rasgueo and still keep it solid and evenly timed. Everytime I sit down now I start practicing it on my thigh as a habit

[Frontera]

You are on the right track. You may find you can practice the rasqueado on the steering wheel while driving ... just remember to keep a good grip with the left hand.

You may want to now add a golpe to your remate on the 12 beat
________________G____________________

--------0-------------0--------------------------
-------------------0----------------------------
---------------1--------------------------------
-----------2------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
--0----------------------------------------------

_10______11______12_____________________

[Mark]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give that a shot

[falseta]

@frontera - Thanks for that! Are you using capo or am i seriously out of tune?

@mark - Sounds great! Look forward to hearing your progress!