Hello everybody!

[falseta]

Summer classes with Gerardo Nunez! That would be a great summer indeed! Can you tell us more about the classes and the experience?

[Estanislao]

Originally Posted by federico

I would not try to learn on my own at your age if i were you. I am also your age so I can say that. Trust me that somewhere out there, there is a FLamenco Guitarist out there closer than 150 miles or so. We are everywhere in the World.

Get a teacher, because I think that the videos and books will just confuse you. I have played and taught many years that is whay I say this
Good Luck!

PS: I do not believe that Sabicas learned everything by himself, even though he stated that. But suppose he did. He learned in Spain and that is a different ball game. Don't try this at home :-)

Don't get me wrong Federico,

But even if there was a Flamenco teacher next door I couldn't afford the lessons. So a professional teacher is not an option. I agree that a teacher is the best route at any age, but I'll work with what I have for now. If circumstances change, say I win a lottery, inherit something, or sell that novel I've written, I won't hesitate to follow your advise.

I have made first contact with a fellow enthusiast in Jacksonville Florida, just down the road from me. He tells me that there are about six or so enthusiasts in that town of almost 800,000. He is having Jorge Berges there from the 27th 0f April to the first of May for a workshop.

rumbaking.com

Interstingly I have my birthday during that workshop and can't think of a better way to spend it. But the price is WAY out of my league, so I won't be able to go.


I hope that link doesn't violate the promotion policy in any way because I am not really trying to promote the workshop.

[fdemilde]

Originally Posted by falseta

Summer classes with Gerardo Nunez! That would be a great summer indeed! Can you tell us more about the classes and the experience?

well I followed the summer class in 2006, and it was great fun. Because the class from Gerardo was a bit too difficult because I was not well prepared enough (almost everyone had a recorder), I also followed the 'repeat class' from Tino Van Der Sman (more info Tino Van Der Sman - Flamenco: BIOGRAPHY), which was very helpfull to me.

And of course I've met a lot of other people and at night I've learned the most, because every night there was in a bodega a 'fiesta flamenco', where the fiesta started by either Gerardo and his group, or some local flamenco group, or even some of the geniusses which took also the class.

Conclusion: it's not a place for a beginning guitarist, but a great place for those who are already at the level of performing them selves on a podium. And it has a tremendous atmosphere. It's amazing that a person like Gerardo is so open and friendly (he's really a normal guy, unlike many other VIPs in today's world)

more info at CURSO FLAMENCO DE GERARDO NÚÑEZ Y CARMEN CORTÉS

[federico]

To Estanisloa:
I understand better now. Money does seem to get in the way learning FLamenco in this country. That gives me an idea. I teach a woman student here in Los Angeles 6 months a year and then another 3 months a year I teach her with Spike, a free camera program. The results have been good. I wonder if anyone out there knows of anyone else that teaches that way. This could be a good alternitive and might be far less expensive.

[Estanislao]

Thank you Federico.

Right now I am following along in the method I bought the first part to. I bought the book-cd-dvd package and I find the dvd particularly helpful. Mr. Graf-Martinez does explain the techniques rather well. My family and I noticed a real improvement with my tocando from day one. I plan to buy the second part of the method when I get the money in hand.

In addition to that I've been trolling through youtube looking for folks who are posting instructional videos of good quality. I have a downloader/converter I can use to copy those videos which I feel can help me once I learn the basic techniques. There is one fellow who caught my attention recently. His professional name is Pepe Martinez. He is a tocaor who seems to also be something of an academic who dedicated his career to documenting old-school traditional forms. He is now producing instructional videos on those forms.

So far he has produced a series of about three or four short videos on the Sevillana and more on several other styles. He shares a small wealth of information in his videos that anyone can use. His videos are in spanish, which is not a problem for me since I am fluent in that language. his youtube handle is JoseMartinezCaro and here is his first video on the Sevillanas:

YouTube - Sevillanas-1 Básico JoséMartínezCaro.mpg

As I mentioned earlier, I am not in a hurry to become a virtuoso player by any means. I understand that it takes a while to become competent, especially under circumstances like mine. Hopefully, when I have questions I need answered I come to this forum for those answers. If my circumstances do change I will seek out a teacher. Rest assured on that one.

There is one question which does occur. That is to do with the European system for naming musical notes. La and fa are pretty obvious. I've figured out Sol, but can somebody here post the complete list?

[Payul]

Hi Estanislao,

The other way to say C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C, is Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si-Do

( You remember the musical / movie, "sound of music?"

Payul

[federico]

Estanislao: If there is anything I can do to help you ,call on me. Juan Martin also has a fairly good set of instructional videos. Good Luck