Flamenco instruction

[portlandgreg2]

All apologies if this type of thread has already been created.

I'm a moderately advanced classical guitar player and would like to explore flamenco a bit. I studied flamenco for about 8 months (two years ago), with a really good player. I learned a lot of bits and pieces of but overall the material was too advanced for me at the time and lessons are not an option for me right now so I'll have to go it alone.

So...does anyone have reccomendations of flamenco dvd (preferable) or vhs (less preferable) instruction? Flamenco Connection has a lot of options and I was wondering if someone out there has had any experience with the material. I'm a visual learner so I need something in additon to an instruction book.

Thanks.

[keith]

if you want to learn good basic flamenco technique and some good tunes to boot, the juan martin series i think is the best. i know there is the vhs version and there may be a dvd version. if you remember the basic technique of rasqueos and tremelo (remember there is an extra note in the flamenco version) then juan martin's cd/dvd/book of graded flamenco pieces is great (grades 0-5). the dvd shows juan playing the pieces but without instruction per se. the book is green (cd and dvd inside) and costs approx. $30. has some nice pictures of spain prior to each piece (about 30 or so).

[portlandgreg2]

Keith,

Thank you.

Do you have any experience with his Solos Flamencos or El Arte de Flamenco de la Guitarra products?

[Dimitri]

Greg,
The Encuentro series (except for Merengue de Córdoba's, which I don't own) is geared toward advanced flamenco players. You are welcomed to tackle them, but I can almost guarantee that you will be overwhelmed (especially by the Tomatito and Chicuelo videos.)

The Oscar Herrero series seems to be the most comprehensive and recommended of all the insructional videos currently out there.

The Juan Martin series is ok, but I found it rather unuseful to the novice (he either played things that were waaay too easy, or waaaay too hard... with nothing in between for the student to be able to progress and bridge the two.)

Gook luck.
Dimitri

[keith]

the el arte series is the instructional vhs/cd/book--which is very good especially given the time signatures and compas' particular to flamenco.

the solo flamenco is the green book--i think--which is dvd/cd/book. no instruction but you get to hear and see how each piece is played.

personally i think the juan martin series is very good. dennis koster has 3 books--books 1 and 2 are good, but they are book/cd only and more expensive than the juan martin series.

[M. Stephenson]

I have the juan martin book and video mentioned above. I enjoyed it very much, but have not used it like I should. I really liked juan's spirit.

[NGiorgio]

Greg,

I have used the Juan Martin material. The three book/video series, as well as the el arte series 1&2 and the latest book/video with the 42 graded solos. I found them to be very helpful. As a classical player with some flamenco instruction, if you are a good reader, you should be able to jump right into Martin's books. I agree with Dimitri, that the methods do not really have a middle ground. I think that Martin sort of remedied that problem with the 42 graded solos book. But the latest book offers no instruction, just graded solos. I have heard good things about Oscar Herrero's books, also. Then there are the Graf-Martinez methods which get good reviews. I have gone to the previously mentioned Encuentro series which are books with video's. Have the Moraito, Rafael Riqueni and Tomatito books. Working with Tomatito's material currently. Awesome and yes, difficult.

Flamenco Connection.com has all of these methods, and if you call you should be able to get some advice on which books you should start with.

Do you still have your flamenco guitar?

Good luck,

Nick

[keith]

hey dimitri--i have heard good things about the Oscar Herrero series--just have never seen it.

hey how do you like your new aaron green blanca? i was chatting with aaron last week and he said he had shipped it out to you about a month ago.

[Dimitri]

Hi Keith,
It's a real monster. Very loud, aggressive, fast attack (but without sacrificing tone.) Hands down, it's the best blanca I've ever owned (easily on par with a good DeVoe.)

I'll be recording some audio and video clips in the future, once I upgrade my mic and install the latest version of ProTools (which should be next week.) I'll probably publish the review on the Flamenco-Teacher website.
Dimitri

[keith]

someday i will own an aaron green--maybe if that lottery ticket i bought today.......

[portlandgreg2]

Nick, yes, I decided to keep my Felix Manzanero. Everytime I thought about parting with it, I would take it out and play it a bit. That was all it took to stay the separation. And sometimes it's just nice to have a guitar around with super-easy action. And as you can see, I've decided to dabble in flamenco again.

Thanks to everybody for the advice. As usual, it's all good. I gave flamenco connection a call and decided to go with the Herrera volume 1 set. It had really strong reviews at flamenco-world.com also.

The Martin series sounded great but not having as much "middle-ground" material scared me. I'm probably too advanced for the easiest material but definitely not ready for advanced technique. I think that's what turned me off to flamenco the first time; the material I was being taught was too much for me at the time.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice.

[NGiorgio]

Glad to hear that you are going to put the Manzanero to work again.

Once you get into it, I'd like to hear your opinion of the Herrero book.

Have fun .....

[portlandgreg2]

Thanks. I'll be sure to post feedback on the book.

[NGiorgio]

Hey Greg,

I can recommend another book for you. No video, but it is very, very good. It is "The Art of Rasqueado", by Ioannis Anastassakis. It is published by Mel Bay. I bought from Flamenco Connection. The book covers rasqueado techniques from Sabicas to Gerardo Nunez and really helped me improve in that area, which is so important in flamenco. It is a $15.00 book and is worth many times the price. You may want to check it out.

[portlandgreg2]

I will. Thanks.

[stevec]

pgreg

Any opinion yet on the OH DVD? I'm thinking of getting it to.

Stevec

[NGiorgio]

In case it has not been mentioned previously, Oscar Herrero.com has audio and video samples of his teaching methods. It is worth checking out if you are interested in his stuff.

[hcrunyon]

I've heard that the Paco Serrano volume is the most useful for guitarists with modest flamenco skills. Haven't seen it, but I got this advice from a good and very knowledgeable teacher.

Howard

[keith]

if you can go without the video and can rely on pictures and of course an accompanying c.d., the dennis koster seriers (book 1 and 2) i think has to rate as one of the best. dennis is a n.y.c. guitarist who studies with mario escuerdo and sabicas. a lot of his pieces are influenced by these two. he breaks things down to the components in a logical and clear manner and puts a lot of attention to compas--the heart and soul of flamenco. his books are the called the keys to flamenco. book 1 goes over basic technique and compas' and provides a lot of exercises and some pieces. book 2 is more advanced... book 3 is basically all performance pieces. check it.