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20 points mazzystar | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.211s | source

I've recently become interested in Spanish guitar, particularly the Gypsy and flamenco styles, but I don't know how to get started. Are there any beginner textbooks or videos available? I previously bought a book that started with scale exercises, which I found very tedious, and ended up giving up. Thank you very much.
1. dansmyers ◴[] No.44383558[source]
To learn a folk style you really need a mentor that can connect you to the oral tradition. Rather than scales and technical exercises, focus on learning rhythm and complete pieces. If there is a flamenco dance school in your area, see if they offer guitar lessons and the opportunity to accompany dancers.

Always remember: The notes are not necessarily the most important thing.

That said, there's a lot of overlap between flamenco and traditional classical guitar, so learning classical pieces (particularly by Spanish composers) will help build your fingerstyle technique. Solo Guitar Playing by Frederick Noad was the book I used for classical practice when I was younger.

Also check out pseudo-flamenco pieces that have been recorded by rock and country guitarists, like "Mood for a Day" and "Malagueña", and smooth flamenco crossover artists like Ottmar Liebert and Jesse Cook. You might find these too diluted from "real" flamenco, but they can be another entry point for building up your playing.