Rodrigo y Gabriela

GerryRyan

Ok, I've been playing electric guitar for a good while now but only playing metal/heavy metal (Trivium, Maiden, Metallica etc), shredding and the like.

In the last few days I've started listening to 'Rodrigo y Gabriela', 'Gypsy Kings', basically that kind of music and I really like it.

Questions:

I want to play this type of music, but is it completely different style of playing? What I mean is, do any techniques from electric guitar carry over, or do I have to start from scratch?

Is there a lot more theory to learn compared to the type of music I'm playing now?

Could anyone show me any guitar sites that have lessons (not tabs) for this style of playing?

Thanx

Doctor J

Google flamenco guitar

The Freeman

hey guy,there is handy tutorial on d.v.d. from both of them including techniques on there latest album release,tis savage,check it out!

pyure

cool, cant wait to get the new album
how good/long is the guitar tutorial on the dvd ?

Karl Hungus

ThatGuy wrote:

I want to play this type of music, but is it completely different style of playing? What I mean is, do any techniques from electric guitar carry over, or do I have to start from scratch?

Basically, it's not that different at all. In fact, most of the stuff they play is just Metallica and Megadeth riffs, and it's all along the same lines really. It's a little more difficult to play that stuff on an acoustic, but you shouldn't really have any problems. Also, try some flamenco stuff aswell, and you should be on the ball.

GerryRyan

The Freeman wrote:

hey guy,there is handy tutorial on d.v.d. from both of them including techniques on there latest album release,tis savage,check it out!

Yeah, I just saw that now, I didn't watch it last night. A good tutorial, it goes over the rhythm (slapping, hitting ...) and the lead.

I tried a song of theirs but it doesn't sound great on steel string acoustic, might invest in a spanish/classical guitar

Anyone see or hear their cover of stairway to heaven? They did great job.

Kenny_D

Rodrigo y Gabriella use a mix of styles in their playing but Flamenco is NOT one of them so learning it might not be exactly what you're looking for. A lot of people think their music is a kind of flamenco style but they've said it themselves that its not.

Got their new album yesterday which is fantastic and on the last page of the booklet it has a little message about how they dont play flamenco music. When I get home from college I'll post it up

pbsuxok1znja4r

Aye, truly they are NOT flamenco. I'm suprised ye folks didn't know that by listening to 'em.

The Orion cover on the new album is quite nice. Some things about the album are pretty naff though. The artwork's a joke and I thought the Stairway To Heaven cover was a bit much TBH. That's a no-no.

Good band though.

To answer your question; theory-wise, there's a lot less to know (than in metal), but there's more difficult technique and practise needed to actually play the tunes.

muckwarrior

Here's their tutorial.

red_ice

I think that was uploaded on the 1st or march! 2 days ago, i saw it yesterday when i searched for 'guitar tutorial' in google tv and couldnt believe my eyes!

Im having problems with the triplets and keeping them going, im always hitting too deep and catching my fingers on the strings!

muckwarrior

Ay, and 80 hits already. And at 90 megs a pop i'm glad I didn't put it on my webspace!

shatners basoon

Learn the harmonic minor scale and get accustomed to its modes. Handy scale for this music, limited tho.
Get friday night in san francisco if you wanna hear some masterclass in this genre tho. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:lmouak1kgm3m

-=al=-

i got it today i love it, the dvd is a cool bonus, it gives a crash corse in one of their songs and the rhythm aptterns and chords behind it, in the dvd they say they just play what they play and ther not really a name for it, it sounds spanishy ;0

but its a great cd their cover of orion and stairway to heaven really are great and its a good cd, a must for guitarists

Karl Hungus

Just had a look at that video now, and it's some interesting stuff. Rodrigo's style of playing actually reminds me a lot of Mikael Akerfeldt, in fact it's practically identical to some of the Opeth stuff I've been playing, even his picking style, which is very similar to my own. Gabriela's style seems more like a bassist, in that there's a lot of rythmic and percussion sounds, like slap and pop that you'd do on a bass.

And yes, I'd definetly agree with learning the Harmonic Minor scale. That's easily my favourite.

dwightshowman

you all sound like the type of people that id hate to be in a band with. no offence.

It wasn't me!

Because they know a little about what's important to making good music? :rolleyes:

dwightshowman

no, because they see music in a completely different light to the way i see music(as regards writing it). Im not saying i don't like rodrigo y gabriela etc.., but when it comes to playing music, i just don't like to play that way.it's just that this whole thread seems to be oversimplifying what is really very difficult. What most people seem to be implying, especially ThatGuy is that there is a simple secret to writing good music. Just learn the right scales, know the theory and you're set. As far as i can see, it isn't like that. if it were, then most of the people on this thread would be very talented musicians, which is statistically unlikely

It wasn't me!

Not necessarily at all. Anyone can be a fantastic musician if they want to. Having a bit of creativity to begin with helps, but it can be learned, as can instrumental prowess. So don't write off people who do it the hard way.

Karl Hungus

dwightshowman wrote:

it's just that this whole thread seems to be oversimplifying what is really very difficult. What most people seem to be implying, especially ThatGuy is that there is a simple secret to writing good music. Just learn the right scales, know the theory and you're set. As far as i can see, it isn't like that. if it were, then most of the people on this thread would be very talented musicians, which is statistically unlikely

Eh, if you think that's what we're saying/implying. But that's not the case at all.

Certainly, there's a lot more than just learning the right technique, but in the end, the technique will just point you down the right path. You're the one who has to walk it, so to speak.

Voodu Child

There IS a simple secret to writing good music, but the fat cats in Washington dont want you to know it...:rolleyes:

dwightshowman

Certainly, there's a lot more than just learning the right technique, but in the end, the technique will just point you down the right path. You're the one who has to walk it, so to speak.

yes, i agree. But i don't think that there is a technique to all good music (not a theory at least). But i also accept that the type of music referred to in this thread is generally technically difficult.
What i don't accept is that everyone on this thread shares the view as you.

For instance

Not necessarily at all. Anyone can be a fantastic musician if they want to. Having a bit of creativity to begin with helps, but it can be learned, as can instrumental prowess. So don't write off people who do it the hard way.

I really don't believe that creativity can be learned. perhaps it can, but as far as i know, there is no person out there, and certainly no book, that can teach it.
What is the 'hard way'? Do you mean, 'Follow the instructions'. As Karl pointed out, this can only be a guide.
The hard way(but not necessarily always the best way), in my opinion is to start from scratch without an instruction manual

Karl Hungus

dwightshowman wrote:

yes, i agree. But i don't think that there is a technique to all good music (not a theory at least). But i also accept that the type of music referred to in this thread is generally technically difficult.
What i don't accept is that everyone on this thread shares the view as you.

Er, I don't for one second believe that creativity can be learned, so I don't see how everyone else here shares the same view as me.

Certainly, there's some very tasteless players out there who are all technique and can't write music to save their lives. I think a lot of people will acknowledge this notion.

dwightshowman

i didn't mean to say that everyone on this thread shares the same view as you, i meant to say the complete opposite. I realise that my wording was a little confusing

Karl Hungus

Right you are so. Well, I won't drag this off topic any further so.

El_mariachi

i play rodrigo y gabrielas style of guitar and spanish guitar (which they are not playing its quite different), basicly all that matters is the strumming hand, it gives the sounds, flicks, thumb rakes, taps on the guitar and slaps are what give the music its different sound, he fretting hand is mostly using chords, the dvd that comes with rodrigo y gabriela,(the lesson on tamacun) is a example way to learn as watching and listening i feel is the only real way to paly this style, to get it right does however take ****loads of practice,

brianthebard

GStormcrow wrote:

Rodrigo y Gabriella use a mix of styles in their playing but Flamenco is NOT one of them so learning it might not be exactly what you're looking for. A lot of people think their music is a kind of flamenco style but they've said it themselves that its not.

Got their new album yesterday which is fantastic and on the last page of the booklet it has a little message about how they dont play flamenco music. When I get home from college I'll post it up

Thank god someone said it, can't believe people are still being so lazy and labelling rodgab flamenco! they play a lot of different styles but that is definately not one of them!

Burning Eclipse

Hey all, I would consider myself a fan of rodgab, been to see em 3 times, got all the albums other than foc, like em alot in fact.

I'm confused bout one thing though, although i have read where it says that Flamenco is not one of the areas they blend into their music, i also skimmed through guitarist this month. Rodgab are interviewed and it (well what gab said really) confirmed what i already suspected, Gabs rhythm technique is heaviliy based on the flamenco technique rasgueado

Quote from wikipedia:

"A rasgueado or rasgueo is a technical strum in flamenco guitar that uses the back of the fingernails in sequence to give the impression of a very rapid strum. There are several types of rasgueado employing a different number of fingers."

I know she adds alot of slaps also but Flamenco is not one of their areas... Really?? What am I missing out on here...

truncated spurs

as you said a rasqueado is a flamenco technique. Flamenco music is a lot different to what you may think it is, and rodrigo y gabriella it certainly isn't. Tapping is a rock technique (mostly). this doesn't mean that people like clive carroll can't use it on acoustic/folky tracks.

Try paco de lucia's gold album or anything by tomatito if you want to hear rasqueados used in a flamenco context. I think the main problem is that when people think of spanish music they think flamenco. They're actually different. I suppose it's like the difference between céili bands and traditional irish music. Or swing bands and free jazz.

hope i didn't sound like i was lecturing:p

Burning Eclipse

truncated spurs wrote:

as you said a rasqueado is a flamenco technique. Flamenco music is a lot different to what you may think it is, and rodrigo y gabriella it certainly isn't. Tapping is a rock technique (mostly). this doesn't mean that people like clive carroll can't use it on acoustic/folky tracks.

I'll be honest here and say I don't know Clive Carrolls stuff. Also I never insinuated that Rodgab can't use Rasqueados, but IMO when a technique is the foundation for your rhythm then the basis of that technique would be a part of your style, however small or overshadowed by others. I never said they were flamenco guitarists either, just that I think there's a bit of it in there.

stevejazzx

rod y gab use certain flamenco disciplines in thier playing but sometimes in an unorthordox manner i.e strictly not by the book technique wise, i watched them playing/learning/composing syf in their old appartment(my old apartment too) on waterloo rd and was blown away but they 've (particularly gab) have gotten much better since, they say they're not flamenco because they revere flamenco players like vicente amigo and paco etc so they don't want people criticising them that they aren't at that level etc when thats not what they're trying to do, have to say though their music is getting repetitive.....

stevejazzx

anybody see the guys on jools holland
sound guy fu**ked up and mics were either not loud enough or not plugged in at all, the sound only seemed to be coming from the line in and gabriellas guitar was out of tune, pretty bad performance but it wasn't their fault...