Flamenco guitar lessons By Ruben Diaz

[rubendiaz]

Different tuning by Paco De Lucia

Here is a very cool way of different tuning that is what Paco uses in his ¨Tangos La Cañada¨
This is very useful for composition, and I am sure you will like the experience of this unconventional tuning, and explore a variety of possibilities with it!

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo96.html


Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto2.html

[rubendiaz]

This is part of the advanced lessons on remate usages

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo140.html

while playing with a singer, and is the practical example of how to apply the remates on the following previous lessons viz.
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo62.html
and
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo87.html

and with this soundtrack you can play at home and practice the different remates (end of phrase)
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo88.html
I hope you enjoy it!


Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto37.html

[rubendiaz]

Here I would like to share with you some videos of the group guitar lesson (beginner level) that I have every week at the Conservatory, in this lessons the students play
“Manha de Carnaval”.


http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo141.html


in case you haven’t seen the previous lessons, are here
The chord changes & melody
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo126.html
The chord changes for this arrangement are:

| Am Am |Bm-5 E7 | Am Am/g| F E7 |
| Am Am |Dm G7 | C C | C#o C#o |
| Dm Dm | G7 G7 |C C | F F |
|Bm-5,Bm-5| E7 E7 | Am Am/g| F E7 |

| Am Am |Bm-5 E7 | Am Am/g| F E7 | |Em-5,Em-5| A7 A7 | Dm Dm | Dm Dm|
| Dm Dm |Bm-5 E7 | Am Am/g| F F |
| E7 E7 | E7 E7 | (E7 E7) ||

the arpeggio lesson (for beginners)
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo127.html
and the soundtrack to play and practice…
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo128.html



Be creative and have fun!

Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto5.html

[rubendiaz]

Here is a nice example of improvisations on flamenco-jazz style

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo142.html


the chord changes are:

Em,D7,C7,B7b9.

Im,bVII7,bVI7,V7b9.

Solos by:

Bill Mc Birnie Flute
Alex Dean Sax


here you can find more…
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdwebcam.html


I hope you like this music!

Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto47.html

[rubendiaz]

This is a lesson about Zapateado (Spanish footwork) 4/4 rhythm and generally is played for dance and guitar
Esteban De Sanlucar is the author,he was a great player of the generation of Sabicas,and this piece is a very interesting technique exercise as well.

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo145.html



Happy holidays!
Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto4.html
--------------------------------------------------
This is a fantastic piece
(tangos-rumba by Al di Meola)

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo143.html


The chord changes are:

D,A,C,G,A7,D,A7,D.

play it and enjoy!


Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto4.html

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto23.html

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto15.html

for more intermediate lessons here
http://www.rdiaz.org/rd-PDLintermediate.html

Enjoy!

[rubendiaz]

This is a Buleria (means: teasing jokingly…12 Beats rhythm)
and is one of my compositions for the next record!
For the lovers of fusion, all instruments can try and explore your potential as the chords changes gave a wide possibilities of creating cool phrases etc, through this 12 Beats rhythm genre, that if you play jazz and are not very familiar with the flamenco Buleria, you can count it like 6/8.


Here is the piece (preliminary arrangement)
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo86.html


and here is the structure explained
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo85.html

if you want can listen here another Buleria on the following link:

The piece is called ¨Por Chick¨ dedicated to Chick Corea
fortunately he liked it as you can see here

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto44.html


¨Por Chick¨
http://www.rdiaz.org/recordsincanada.html

Be creative and have fun!

Merry Christmas!

Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto7.html

[rubendiaz]

Here is ¨Dear Alice¨ a very nice rumba by Chick Corea
is on the key of Bm and has just two chords, Bm and Em.

This is an arrangement for guitar and flute

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo65.html



and here is a soundtrack to practice your improvisation
along with some suggestions about scales that could be used etc.

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo64.html




a video of a concert with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmpgw2pvR_M


Michael Carabine acoustic guitar
(from the beginning to minute1:20)
he is one of my students and is left hand player…



In this concert I had the privilege of inviting
as special guest the great player Bill Mcbirnie (Flute) solo
-from minute1:22-

Enjoy!


Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto24.html

[rubendiaz]

Here I would like to share with you a part of a nice workshop
at the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, in which the subject of
the characteristics & qualities that a good flamenco guitar
should have were explained.


http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo148.html



To summarize some essential factors:

1) QUALITY OF SOUND (concepts of female & male, etc.)


a) “timbre” and tone of every string
b) Balance
(between trebles and basses etc.)
c) Quality & age of the soundboard or top, and wood.
d) Intonation & harmonics, sustain etc.
e) Projection & response.
f) Diverse bracing patterns and the “golpe” or taping
h) different kinds of bridges, thickness & symmetric, etc.

2) PLAYABILITY



a) Bridge measurements (even distance between holes, bridge proper height etc)
b) Action (millimetres between 6th and 12 fret, etc)
c) Tension of the guitar while playing.



3) BEAUTY

a) Kind of varnish (how it affects the sound etc)
b) Colors of wood & kinds of woods traditional and beyond.



Be creative and have fun!



Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdbegining.html
--------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the second part of the workshop at the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, in which the subject of
the characteristics & qualities that a good flamenco guitar
should have were explained.

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo149.html

To summarize some essential factors:

1) QUALITY OF SOUND (concepts of female & male, etc.)

a) “timbre” and tone of every string
b) Balance (between trebles and basses etc.)
c) Quality & age of the soundboard or top, and wood.
d) Intonation & harmonics, sustain etc.
e) Projection & response.
f) Diverse bracing patterns and the “golpe” or taping
g) different kinds of bridges, thickness & symmetric, etc.

2) PLAYABILITY

a) Bridge measurements (even distance between holes, bridge proper height etc)
b) Action (millimetres between 6th and 12 fret, etc)
c) Tension of the guitar while playing.

3) BEAUTY

a) Kind of varnish (how it affects the sound etc)
b) Colors of wood & kinds of woods traditional and beyond.



Be creative and have fun!



Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto5.html
-----------------------------------------------------
Here is the third part of the workshop at the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, in which the subject of the
characteristics & qualities that a good flamenco guitar
should have were explained.


http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo150.html




To summarize some essential factors:

1) QUALITY OF SOUND (concepts of female & male, etc.)


a) “timbre” and tone of every string
b) Balance
(between trebles and basses etc.)
c) Quality & age of the soundboard or top, and wood.
d) Intonation & harmonics, sustain etc.
e) Projection & response.
f) Diverse bracing patterns and the “golpe” or taping
g) different kinds of bridges, thickness & symmetric, etc.

2) PLAYABILITY



a) Bridge measurements (even distance between holes, bridge proper height etc)
b) Action (millimetres between 6th and 12 fret, etc)
c) Tension of the guitar while playing.



3) BEAUTY

a) Kind of varnish (how it affects the sound etc)
b) Colors of wood & kinds of woods traditional and beyond.



Be creative and have fun!



Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto4.html
------------------------------------------------
Here is the fourth part of the workshop at the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, in which the subject of the
characteristics & qualities that a good flamenco guitar
should have were explained.


http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo151.html





To summarize some essential factors:

1) QUALITY OF SOUND (concepts of female & male, etc.)


a) “timbre” and tone of every string
b) Balance
(between trebles and basses etc.)
c) Quality & age of the soundboard or top, and wood.
d) Intonation & harmonics, sustain etc.
e) Projection & response.
f) Diverse bracing patterns and the “golpe” or taping
g) different kinds of bridges, thickness & symmetric, etc.

2) PLAYABILITY



a) Bridge measurements (even distance between holes, bridge proper height etc)
b) Action (millimetres between 6th and 12 fret, etc)
c) Tension of the guitar while playing.



3) BEAUTY

a) Kind of varnish (how it affects the sound etc)
b) Colors of wood & kinds of woods traditional and beyond.



Be creative and have fun!



Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto37.html
----------------------------------------------------

Its interesting to see the guitar from different perspective, like from the point of view of a composer,or the guitar as a small orchestra itself etc.
One day many years ago I heard Chick Corea saying that
“I am not pianist but rather a composer” that I was amazed to hear and I am still working on it,that is to realize what all he really meant…
Here is an article for you to enjoy about this subject:

http://www.rdiaz.org/rd-art%203.html

Happy new year !



Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto44.html

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto3.html

[rubendiaz]

In the following link are some of my articles about guitars and flamenco guitar,how to practice,tips etc.

http://www.rdiaz.org/rd-articles.html

Happy new year!

Be creative and have fun!


Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto12.html

[rubendiaz]

This is a lesson for the adventurous that would like to explore the improvisation on Spanish aesthetics, with one of the compositions for my album “Andalusian Flavor”
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdbegining.html

Fandangos “Por Paco”
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo69.html

lesson and soundtrack for you to improvise
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo68.html



Fandangos Is a flamenco genre belonging to the 6/8 branch,and I have as special guest the soloists:
Lorne Lofsky (guitar)
http://www.lornelofsky.com/yesterdays.html

and

Bill Mcbirnie (flute)
http://www.myspace.com/billmcbirnieextremeflute

also if you like to listen a
Fandangos with Paco De Lucia & Camaron De La Isla (singer)
the piece

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo31.html

the lesson

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo43.html


and finally here is the Piano version & amazing playing of my friend the great musician Jouko Kantola from Finland on the same composition http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo92.html

Be creative and have fun!

Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto44.html

[rubendiaz]

Today its John McLaughlin’s birthday and I would like to celebrate it by shearing with you a couple of lessons on his music, 2 pieces that are very much linked to Paco and to a whole generation of lovers of jazz-fusion and guitar players.

I)

Lotus Feet by John McLaughlin

This composition is a fantastic melody with just two chords
Em and C

The arpeggio & melody theme explanation is here

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo114.html

and the sound track to practice improvisation,(for example we can use G major scale (which is G Ionian mode and played over the chord Em becomes E Aeolian and over C major chord becomes C Lydian, so it works nicely G major scale for both chords, you just try and will see…)

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo115.html

and



II)

“El David”
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo82.html


Be creative and have fun!


Happy birthday John!



Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto16.html

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto15.html
------------------------------------------


John is a key person as far as the flamenco contemporary guitar is concerned, and as you know his works with my preceptor
Paco De Lucia are very important on the compositional
field as well as for the all the innovations on guitar and arrangements for guitar/duets etc.

I also composed a special piece dedicated to him,
(track 4 of my “Andalusian flavor” album)
here is that piece played live “For John” (tangos)

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdvideo7.html


Two persons (great bass players) related to john Mclaughlin,
Kai Eckhardt (from “John Mclaughlin Trio” with Trilok Gurtu),
and Matthew Garrison (from “Industrial Zen” record) commented about my record “Andalusian flavor” here:

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdbegining.html



I hope you enjoy it!



Happy birthday John!



Ruben Diaz
http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto14.html

http://www.rdiaz.org/rdfoto6.html

[Geo Sav]

Great lessons! I can't believe no one has posted any replies. Good job.

[Paul Wolfe]

Great lessons! I can't believe no one has posted any replies. Good job.

It's because Ruben spammed this and MANY other sites and never responded to anyone who tried to talk to him...

[Geo Sav]

Now I understand.