This post is to introduce the discussion forum for the Bulerias. The idea of these individual palos discussions is to create an organized archive so questions, advice, audio or video demo clips, tab or music notation, etc., can readily be found in the future. Discussions can be on guitar, vocal, or dance as long as they relate to that palo. If you have a palo you want to discuss that isn't yet posted, please email or PM any moderator.

here's a question.

how do you guys tap your feet/count when playing bulerias and why?
i like to tap in two's (12,2,4,6,8,10) because it's the easiest.
but i also tap 12,3,6,8,10 depending on the feel. it's a little tricky to tap that way when playing falsettas.
some people tap every three beats. and count in sixes. does anybody here do that?

As a general rule I use the (12) 1,2,(3),4,5,(6),7(8),9,(10),11,(12) If playing a pair of sixes I count them 1,2,(3),4,5,(6),1,2,(3),4,5,(6). I am still not real clear on the use of sixes. I was told that they always had to be played in pairs, but I have heard players throw in a 6 count then continue with the 12 count, then finish with six counts, or maybe never play another 6. Maybe some of our advanced players can explain the use of sixes. Is there any guidelines or hard and fast rules?

(12) 1,2,(3),4,5,(6),7(8),9,(10),11,(12),1,2,(3),4,5,(6),7(8),9,(10),11,(12),1,2,(3),4,5,(6),7,(8),9,(10),11,(12)


I think in time one has to have their brain trained to the compas automatically. When playing a falseta that has difficult phrasing, you have to know when it sounds right. For me it is impossible to tap my foot to such a falseta.

Hello!

Starting with flamenco guitar i feel a little confused about the Buleria-Compas.

As above linked many authors describe Bulerias compas as fast Solea, accenting 3,6,8,10,12. And exactly that way i think i can hear it listening to Paco del Gastor, Diego del Gastor and i think Sabicas. Palmas in Tapes from Moron in pairs oft to on 2,3 5,6 etc..
And then there are others, like in that threat above, who will start at 12 accenting 12,3,6,8,10. Basically the same rhythm, but falsetas, palmas etc. will start one beat to early compared to soleares type Bulerias.

Is there some trick? When finishing the first compas-cycle, to the listener things might feel the same, especially when i stress 12, as found in Moron type Bulerias. But i will always start the falsetas 1 beat to late, compared with the "modern?" form. To me great confusion!

Any comment that might help me to undertand these things better might help. Thank you!

HVR, Here is a short clip I play starting on 12. Because of the speed for the Bulerias, starting with 12 makes it easier to start the following 12 beat compas. Think of the intro beat 12 as a signal for the compas 12 beat cycles to follow. It stands alone in my opinion and is not part of the compas. I made a mistake in my above post that I corrected. It should be (12) 1,2,(3),4,5,(6),7,(8),9,(10),11,(12),1,23,etc. This is done in both old and new Bulerias. New Bulerias tend to use accents on counts like 7 or wherever a great modern player has played them or fits in with the latin and jazz sound of the new flamenco. Sorry about omitting beat 12 in my post above, it was confusing.

archives-f8/very-short-bulerias-t281.html

Hello and thank you for your explanation.
Therefore, when 12 is an intro beat to start with, falsetas should start at 1? That would make sense.
When playing alone, this should be not to large a problem. But Palmas should start on 2, am I right?

And the Moron people, compas-shure as they are, will start on 1, without that compas cruch.
I hope i get it right that way.

when accompanying baile therefore the danacer yust has to wait until the first compas is completed and than can use the compas at will, as long as it is even, even through falsetas. Same the cantaor. Hopefully they wont expect me to start a falseta at 12 and acclaim me of strict contratiempo otherwise.

Technically it would be now large problem, becouse in the rhythm part of my notes the 12 is usually plaed as i upstroke. This could easily be played before starting the copas at 1, even accented, becouse it has to be accented during solea-like compas as 12 as well.

If not explained like this, there would be in fact to different palos: Modern or straight Bulerias and Old School Bulerias/Solea-Bulerias, as i guess it.

Thanks again
HVR

you can think of the flamenco compas as a "cycle." there's no real beginning. you can start a falsetta anywhere you want. as long as it fits into the compas, accent wise. with bulerias, it often starts on 12. but it does not have to.

while the palmas are going, accenting 12, 3, 6, 8, 10 the guitarist can start his falsetta wherever he wants as long as he is following the accents. but typically most falsettas do start on 12.

take a look at the clock:

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you can start anywhere on the clock as long as you stay in compas.

here he demonstrates how to use it. notice that the first time he is playing, he starts on 12. the second time, his falsetta starts on 10

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Hello,
and thank you for your help!
That makes things sure better for me.Of course i did already realise that the compas is the same in bulerias and Solea and i know the compas-clock. I lacked the information that, within this compas, i can start my own stuff ad libitum, as long as the compas keeps flowing. Thanks again.
Having a closer look at the problem Bulerias it might be the fast rhythm, that made people stick mor to the start at 12. This gives the Rhythm more the impression of a fast ternary rhythm usually used in at last middle europe frequently, eg a fast vienna waltz. This sonds deffinitely different, and rhythmically easier though we are used to it, to accenting the last beat of the barr solea-like. And from 6-12 its also easier to feel the compas by the much used emphasising of the "first" beats of the barr, opposite to the 2... . This is more used in any music coming from blues or latin. Therefore we are used to both, at last in my generation, who grew up with that sort of music, even in Germany.
Shifting between the start of a falseta at 12 or 1 or whatever accented beat will be tricky to learn, though the compas has to go on undisturbed and recognisable. Lots of work. But that way it can be understood. And, playing music with others, guitarists, dancers or singers, this should be done in reaction of their interpretation. That takes even mor time to learn.

Thanks again!

this can be very confusing, i know! but keep at it and listen to a lot of flamenco and do palmas and count along with it. bulerias and alegrias are easier to count than slower palos like soleares, imo.

we're taught to think of alegrias as starting on 1 but listen to this alegria. it's easier to feel the 12 and go from there.

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now check out this solea. near the end, it's easier to feel the 12. the feeling of where the beginning shifts, imo. from 1 to 12. it acquires the feeling of buleria.

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and lastly, here's lole y manuel. the compas is very easily felt in their compositions, imo. lole's voice is amazing and manuel's accompaniment is spot on.

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