Sal's Flamenco Soapbox-Learning flamenco guitar Part 1

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Frequently Asked Questions

Recommended teaching Books - CDs -DVDs

El Arte Flamenco De La Guitarra - Volume 1

Guitar Method

By Juan Martin.

$26.95

Instructional book and CD for guitar.

Published by Theodore Presser Company.
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sample.mp3 (music samples are from both volumes 1 & 2)

El Arte Flamence De La Guitarra - Volume 2

Guitar Method

By Juan Martin.

$24.95

Instructional book and CD for guitar.

Published by Theodore Presser Company.
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This internationally acclaimed guitar method has everything you need with 19 solos progressively graded from absolute beginners to advanced. It contains detailed explanations flamenco elements such as history, palmas and many specific exercises as well as daily workout routines. This is a well balanced method and is well worth the money as you will find yourself playing and enjoying these solos for years to come. The music is accurately written in notation and tab in the book. Written in English only.

If you are serious about learning flamenco I highly recommend you buy this. I got my start with the lessons and solos in this excellent method. It's a bit more expensive than the Mel Bay series but it is worth every cent. Unlike the watered down, "flamenco style" techniques you see in books written by well meaning, but uninformed classical guitarists, this is the genuine stuff.

This is a book you simply cannot do without.

Play Solo Flamenco Guitar - Volume 1

Book, CD, and DVD

By Juan Martin.

Beginning-Intermediate.

Text language English and Spanish.

160 pages.

$29.95

Published by Mel Bay Publications Inc.
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sample.mp3

In my opinion, this is by far the best value flamenco tutor around. This comprehensive multimedia teaching set has 42 solos, progressively graded in 6 levels from absolute beginners to more advanced. It contains examples of eighteen different palos (rhythmic forms) of flamenco, with a wealth of melodic falsetas and rhythms. The music for all these is accurately written in notation and flamenco tab (cifra) in the book, and is also recorded on the companion CD. The DVD video contains over 57 minutes of solo music.

Play Solo Flamenco Guitar - Volume 2

Book, CD, and DVD

By Juan Martin.

Intermediate-Advanced

Text language English and Spanish.

160 pages.

$29.95

Published by Mel Bay Publications Inc.
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This second volume, of a two-part series, contains a book, CD and DVD by internationally recognized flamenco guitarist, Juan Martin. Provided are more than 21 solos, progressively graded in the three higher grades, 6 to 8, to suit players at intermediate and more advanced stages, who already have some experience of the instrument and techniques of flamenco. The music for all these is accurately written in notation and flamenco tab (cifra) and (except for the two final solos) is also included on the companion CD. The DVD contains over 60 minutes of music.

Flamenco Guitar (Basic Techniques)

By Juan Serrano.

Book and CD

Multiple Levels

Text language English and Spanish.

148 pages.

$24.95

Published by Mel Bay Publications
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sample.mp3

In various ways, this method is in direct contrast to Juan Martin's style and approach. The rasgueados lessons and exercises are great and very different in style. So many beginners think that there is only one way to play flamenco. Not true. I learned some valuable lessons about right hand technique from this method. Juan Serrano has some other books full of challenging, but manageable solos, but this is the book to buy first.

This book begins at the beginning with photos showing finger strokes and basic music theory. The technical section has exercises for rasgueados, tremolo, arpeggio scales and ligados. The 11 solos are good, chunky study pieces and include a preamble explaining origins and characteristics. The rasgueado styles used in this book are significantly different to Juan Martin's style of playing. Both are solid traditional flamenco styles but different. It’s worth leaning both. I particularly like Juan Serrano’s way of starting rasgueados with "i" instead of "e". Written in English and Spanish.

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