Experienced Flamenco players, what's the best way for complete noob to learn Flamenco Guitar?

Question

I have very little (almost a complete noob) experience on a ukulele (only learned a few notes to strum), but I have little interest in the uke. I want to learn guitar, and more specifically flamenco guitar (though I have an interest in country music as a whole, too), but I have no idea where to start. I can't read music, and I have a very basic understanding of tabs.

What's the best way for a complete beginner like me to learn? I realize going to Spain or hiring an instructor (in person or online) are the best routes, but neither are something I can do right now. I may seek one out in a few years, but in the mean time I need to start off with something else. So what is my next best FREE option? I have enough to buy an inexpensive acoustic guitar and a few instructional dvd's, but that's it. I'm a very patient person who's willing to put in the basics for months before even attempting a song, so what do you experienced players think would have been the best route if you had to restart from the very beginning without having an instructor (at least for 3 to 5 years), but needed to self-teach?

Should I learn classical, or look through a much more limited selection of flamenco instructional dvd's? I've looked through a few, but they seem geared toward those with a little experience with classical guitar already.

Or do I just learn classical first, and then 'unlearn' a few things when I move into self-taught flamenco a year or two later?


I'm so confused because it seems like there's just a limited amount of flamenco self-teaching aids, and they seemed geared toward those that know a bit about guitar already. There's slightly more classical self-teaching aids, but I've heard I'm going to have to UNLEARN (seems less efficient) a few things when I finally do move to flamenco. And then there's just basic acoustic guitar (country, pop, etc) with so many free instructional videos online...

So what should I do considering I'm a complete beginner with a little bit of funds and only enough time to spend 2 to 3x a week learning the absolute basics right now?

My ultimate goal? In 10 years to be playing flamenco well enough on my own that I can enjoy picking through various songs from memory and having fun...

Answer 1

Spend as a minimum, $300 on a steel-stringed acoustic having good volume and tone. Next, start with Country to get the feel of chord changing and specific runs from one chord to the next.



Flamenco style playing will come as your expertise builds with fingerstyle playing. Start with learning some basic Flamenco-style songs such as "Malaguena," "Espana Cani," "The Breeze and I," "Kiss of Fire," "Marie," and similar Spanish-feeling tunes. I have more on my mind, but cannot recall their titles.



Russell E had provided some excellent tips in that fanning chords is one good way to get that Flamenco touch. You can experiment with the chords of E and Am by downstroking with your four fingers on the nails and then reverse the approach by starting with the little finger and end with the forefinger on the upward swing. I believe nails are crucial to get that volume and control you would need.



What's more, developing your own unique style of playing is ever important. You can mimic other great Flamenco players up to a point, but remember--it's your playing that counts. The same goes for the Country genre.



For many years I copied the deliveries of Chet Atkins and Merle Travis only to eventually learn that there can only be one Atkins and one Travis in the guitar world. I developed my own style of delivery that has nuances of Atkins, Travis, Montoya, and others--to include Lightnin' Hopkins and Jimmy Reed--both credible Blues' players and singers.



Don't forget the lure and captivity that Delta Blues can offer. The tunes and lyrics are simple and so are the chord progressions, but they can create moods where they are in the infancy stage.



Buy a quality chord book and a beginner's guitar manual such as published by Hal Leonard and Mel Bay. Don't forget to focus strongly on the music theory sections in the book as that is one attribute you must build upon.

Answer 2

I'd say that "classical " guitar instruction would be fine. the Flamenco style is actually more of the strumming technique and genre of music. It is a lot of strumming with the fingers where you kind of "fan" your four fingers down the strings each one hitting milliseconds after the other.

Lots of thumb picking and finger strums. And basically mostly chords I think. There is also a very strong similarity to classical playing involving separate single string plucking and melody.



A standard instruction book is "Solo guitar playing" by Frederick Noad. I had it for my classical class in college over 30 yrs ago and it is still being used today. That will teach you beginning solo classical guitar.



This website look like a good place to start as well.

http://www.doceomundo.com/beginnerguitartutorialsindex.html



It has beginner lessons as well as tons of demonstrations of Flamenco techniques.

Answer 3

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