Bob wrote:Tomás, your playing speed is amazing!

It doesn't sound like your microphone was being over-driven. What type of microphone were you using and what was the distance between it and the guitar?

I have several condenser microphones. They are all so sensitive that they are easily over-driven by loud playing if they are placed within a foot of a guitar, but if they are placed further away room acoustics (reverberations) become a big factor. I have a high-quality dynamic microphone that is not nearly as sensitive and isn't over-driven by loud playing even if placed very close to a guitar, but even the highest-quality dynamic microphones tend to have poor high-frequency response compared to condenser mikes, which makes recordings less-crisp.

-Bob

Hola Bob,

I am especialy interested in your comments about the microphone.
Personally I am happy with the sort of sound of ther recording but when it was reviewed in Classical Guitar magazine the reviewer thought it sounded like it had been recorded 'under water'. I do not know what that means but it does not sound good.
The microphones were two flat plastic squares on the floor at about one metre from my feet but one a little further.
The sound engineer explained to me that he believed that it was important to place the microphones correctly in a venue that had the right acoustics and this he believed was better than trying to create a sound after recording with the technology.
He said he wanted to record the room, that is to say the sound of the guitar as it was heard in the room.
I would like to get that sound again!
By the way I mention about it in the Soleá thread that I uploaded.
About speed: I have always felt that a little speed at the right moment in flamenco is good although I have never shared what I personally think is happening these days which is that everything is played as fast as possible and the people seem to take pleasure in the speed more than anything else.
I know that you are not saying that, I was just mentioning it here just for general chat.

Saludos cordiales

Tomás

flyeogh wrote:Todo que es flamenco mi amigo - mi inspiración . Cuando estaré listo una lección con Tomas.

Oh by the way are you now in the UK? I thought you were living in Spain?

Sure would be good to meet any time that is good for you.

Saludos

Tomás

El Guido wrote:Well done and old school!

Hola Guido

Muchas gracias!

By the way are you going to upload any of your pieces so we can enjoy? I listened to your Zapateado en Re by Sabicas on your web site.
It is very exciting.

Saludos

Tomás

TomasJimenez wrote:

El Guido wrote:Well done and old school!

Hola Guido

Muchas gracias!

By the way are you going to upload any of your pieces so we can enjoy? I listened to your Zapateado en Re by Sabicas on your web site.
It is very exciting.

Saludos

Tomás

I will, as time and chance permits. Thank you for your kind word!

Tomas –

Muchas gracias. Great traditional flamenco bulerias. I would rather listen to five minutes of this than five hours of the sewing machine noisemakers like P and T and V. How about giving us a Granadinas.

Ramon

Prominent Critic wrote:Tomas –

Muchas gracias. Great traditional flamenco bulerias. I would rather listen to five minutes of this than five hours of the sewing machine noisemakers like P and T and V. How about giving us a Granadinas.

Ramon

Hola Ramon
Thank you very much for your encouragement which is important to me because at these times it seems to be little difficult for flamenco guitarists who feel more traditional to be valued.
I am of course respectful of the technical skill and knowledge of the more Nuevo School of flamenco.
Those guitarists are very capable indeed.
But it can be difficult to be valued if you happen to play in another different style that is perhaps not quite so popular in the flamenco guitar playing community.
About Granaína: you really are too kind but as I am learning how to use my zoom 8 recording studio maybe I should make an experiment and try to play a Granaína.
There is Granaína on my YouTube after the Tarantas at the Festival Nacional del Cante de las Minas. But the truth is that neither the Taranta nor the Granaína are very good.
That was the year that Vicente Amigo won and I was surrounded at the festival by so many very modern jazz guitarists and maybe I was being over sensitive but I kind of felt that I was only liked by the old people (Gitanos or Payos) of La Unión and of course they don’t make any decisions about the guitarists.
So I guess I felt uncomfortable and did not play so well.

Saludos cordiales

Tomás

Tomas, I think with the compas free palos like Taranta it is important to express the emotion of the palos to make it sound flamenco. Most Taranta and Granaína I hear are very classical or jazz sounding and have no connection to flamenco. Many players think that by using flamenco technique they are playing flamenco while performing these palos. I disagree! I think since these palos are more adopted flamenco than puro flamenco, a player must understand the roots of the palo. With Taranta, which of course started with cante, one must understanding the letra of the miners. They were expressing the hardships of their employment and usually death was a factor. Having spent many years as an underground miner and witnessed the movement and sounds of the rock, when I listen to a Taranta I expect to hear something that reminds me of some aspect of this. Very few Tarantas I hear on utube even come close to sounding flamenco IMO. Yours was very expressive and evoked the images I think a Taranta must. Your beginning was perfect. You expressed that a tragedy had occurred and then went on to tell a story. I feel a Taranta must have rapid played falsetas and also slow falsetas to express an aftermath of calm and silence after the tragedy has occurred and finish with a medium tempo to express the mourning and devastation that occurs past the original tragedy. My only suggestion would be to add a few slow falsetas are emotional heart tearing and tear jerking. Sure most listeners wouldn't understand it, but for the aficionados that did, it would be a real treat. I cannot comment on technique as yours is much superior to mine, but it looked good to me. I understand your uncomfortableness playing in a contest of jazzamenco and classamenco players. Your Taranta was very flamenco and I enjoyed it very much. Since this thread is on Bulerias perhaps you can post the video in another thread if many wish to discuss the Taranta or Granaina.

Very very nice Tomás!

I hear a very young Paco Peña, Haven't heared a Bulerias like this in a long time......you made my day!

Payul

Payul wrote:Very very nice Tomás!

I hear a very young Paco Peña, Haven't heared a Bulerias like this in a long time......you made my day!

Payul

Hola Payul

How are you?
Long time no see, I hope you are still playing a lot and enjoying.

Your reference to Paco Peña is very correct. I do like his music a lot and I especially like what he did when he was very young so I guess that is noticeable in my work.
I look forward to the pleasure of hearing some of your work.

Saludos

Tomás