Pepe's playing position

[thedrizzle]

I was watching some videos of Pepe Romero and I really like how his guitar is really high on his chest, I tried it and can't figure out how he sits. I couldln't tell from the video if he was using a support other than the footstool. its probably just how he naturally sits and won't work for me but, if you know something i don't, please share.

[Dinosaur SR]

Any chance he was using a leg rest or
one of those mechanical attachments?
Some of us elderly types with bad
backs cannot play without them now.
I recently saw a young performer here
locally perform with some sort of fold down
mechanical frame and both of his feet
planted firmly on the floor-smart boy-
he started early because he is aware of
what has happened to alot of us oldtimers.
Dinosaur SR

[Perf_de_Castro]

Instead of placing the curve of the guitar wiast on his left leg, he places the the guitar's upper bout there. You can see it clearly on this pic:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00076YNGO.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[dlmoak]

Pepe's position is very ideosyncratic and, though it works well for him, one should remember that he has not always performed sitting this way and his superb technique was established long ago. Pepe is also pretty short, which would have a direct effect on one's ability to sit in this manner. His students that I know do not sit this way. Your teacher should be able to help you find a sitting position that will work well for you in the long term development of your skills.

[Perf_de_Castro]

Pepe's position is a variant of the traditional flamenco position:

http://peperomero.com/images/photos/photo-04.gif

The upper bout resting on the left leg (with a footstool) allows the player to free up his right arm, which in the trad. flamenco position secures the guitar.

Apparently Pepe is not the only one using this position, Sabicas also held the guitar this way in his concerts:

http://www.flamenco-world.com/artists/sabicas/sabicas-guit.jpg

However, Sabicas moves the guitar around depending on the what angle he needs it to be for any particular passage.

As far as Pepe being short, I beg to differ. I'm taller than Pepe yet I don't have a problem adapting that position:

http://photos.perfdecastro.com/albums/userpics/10001/flamenco.jpg

Anyway, YMMV. Try it and see if it works for you.

[Section_10]

i started hiring a person to hold the guitar for me. Only for performances. That way I can slouch with feet facing the audience.

[Perf_de_Castro]

i started hiring a person to hold the guitar for me. Only for performances. That way I can slouch with feet facing the audience.

Does he play it for you, too? ;)

:lol:

[Sandra]

A purple footstool, Perf? Wherever did you find such a thing? 8)

[thedrizzle]

hey perf, thanks for the clear picture, i can see how that would work. I tried and it doesn't work for me. I've been using the gitano support for quite a while and its the best thing I've found yet.

[Perf_de_Castro]

A purple footstool, Perf? Wherever did you find such a thing? 8)

I found it in a music store in Hong Kong, it's actually a K&M footstool 8)

PERF
"The Purple Footstool Guy"

[Perf_de_Castro]

It takes a real man to play with a PURPLE footstool BACKWARDS. :lol:

A MANLY MAN!!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Perf_de_Castro]

Here's another guy using the same position:

http://vgorecordings.com/videos/Gaquere_Boris.htm

He doesn't have the purple footstool, though!!!!

drizz Yeah, iot's hard to get into this position after using guitar supports. I guess traditional flamenco players would easily adapt to it.

Glad to be of help ;)

[dennis]

Perf & Drizz - for playing flamenco, the easiest thing for me is to use the gitano on my right leg to get something closer to the traditional position rather than the cross leg one, I'm pretty tall, so I like using the top bout on my knee for classical, not exactl the same as pepe, but after watching him play a few times, it seems he may use that to really get a determination of his tone, since I have never seen him play other than from memory, he's fanastic to hear live.

[Axel]

I've always liked having the hole of the guitar near the center of my chest. Usually it hangs a little towards the left and I tend to bring it in to the right and being forced to play on the edge of my guitar rest. Footstools tend to do this too, but I notice in this seating position it doesn't... hmmm

[thedrizzle]

i just want to play like pepe