Flamenco Guitar: Basic Techniques

I can't say that I have any more experience with Flamenco than listening to they Gypsy Kings and seeing one or two players in late night venues in South Beach (I do have a few years of experience with acoustic guitar and finger picking). I can say that this book is a good introduction into the amateur Flamenco world. The book begins with some basics on how to hold your hand and how to read the music. Each picking finger is associated with a letter in PIMAS and your left fretting hand also has instructions as to what fingers you need to use. It gives a brief explanation of how to strum eighth note chords - something that all Flamenco players must know and probably the hardest part when starting Flamenco. Others have said it is better to see in action but you can check youtube out for that. After the basics and some scales and chords to follow along with, you get into several short songs written in different styles of Flamenco. The songs are written in tab as well as standard notation. They are also gradually increasing in difficulty. I find myself starting from the beginning of these songs and just working my way through until I realize that my technique is too far gone to really be improving my skills, then I go back to the start. After playing for a few months, you should have learned some of the scales and chords through repetition. Then you can begin to "fake" play Flamenco, a highly enjoyable experience I can only liken to playing the blues but not needing the accompanying rhythm guitar. Overall, the book is definitely not going to make you a master; but, the book can provide years of entertainment that will result in a steady improvement of your Flamenco guitar experience. I heard there is another "Juan" out there with a similar book/video that is better but... I am satisfied with how quickly Juan Serrano entered me into the world of amateur Flamenco guitar. Randall

This is a classic instruction book. The CD gives actual examples of how the lesson should sound. Music sheets include notation as well as tabs. This book is recommended by the very fine John Clarke Music Lesson Series on Spanish Guitar.

My first book for flamenco guitar. It is a good place to start, but it is definitely Juan Serrano's flavor of flamenco. Interesting for his style of rasgueo.

This book would make a good supplement to someone taking lessons from a flamenco guitarist. This is not a good book for someone trying to learn this on their own. The right hand techniques of flamenco are syncopated and require the right form from day one. Only if someone has the correct technique can they ever dream of achieving the speed needed to play a flamenco soleas.Flamenco guitar is the most demanding of all acoustic guitar techniques for the right hand, I would recommend Juan Martin or Herrera's videos to learn flamenco. You need to see the techniques to really understand how to execute them

excellent great and wonderful,if you want to learn flamenco this book is for you! muy buen, muchos gracias Juan Serrano.

Love this book, has helped me, tremendously to understand how to place my fingers and pick correctly, Just love it.

Good book Good condition. Gives some flamenco skills immediately to make you feel your on your way. I would recommend this book.

the notes are not in TAB notation which made it useless for me, i had to return it

教則本のメルベイ「malbay」の本だから間違いないだろうと当たりを付けて、買う。 良い。CDも良い、聴き応えも在るし、初歩から丁寧に教えてくれる。スペイン語と英語表記されているが、 図版も多いし何とかなる。かっても損にはならナいと思う。

Provisionally this publication appears to be the bees knees for learning the techniques needed ie: rasgueado, arpeggio etc. I have had classical and fingerstyle training for many years but some time ago, a little flamenco was incorporated, and now I am trying Bluegrass/flatpicking and a more finished approach to Flamenco, Mr Luigi Marracinni is also good as you can get some Spanish sounds coming from your own guitar, superb. Juan Martin was the chap used by my teacher years ago and I could certainly manage tremolos, but classical was the main theme. Today I feel Juan Martin, and I have his Instruction,that it is better to start his music with a little technique. Having said that from what I have tried today, the fingerings are fine. Until I have mastered a few palos it is not fair to ask whether such teachings are the means to an end ie: reasonable flamenco guitar. Up to now I am well impressed. Incidentally I am doing this because I was looking for a Portuguese Guitar and a desire for Fado, 1 Guitar is available in the UK and no instruction. I have shelved that project for the time being

Das Ringbuch ist in englischer und spanischer Sprache verfasst. Es hat einen systematischen, strategischen Aufbau. Jeder Übungsteil sollte aber auch geübt werden, das macht Sinn und hilft bei den späteren "songs". Beiliegend ist eine CD, auf der man sich anhören kann, wie es einmal klingen soll. Ich finde das Lern- und Übungsbuch gelungen. Ach ja, erst kommen die stücke in Noten und dann jeweils in TABs.

Klingt trocken - aber als Grundlagenwerk macht es Freude, es immer wieder einmal vor sich zu haben. Es ermutigt, bringt Lebendigkeit ins Üben. Und Glanz ins Leben. Man will mehr ...und erfreut an dem, was man 'hat' und kann. Ein selten positives Werk...