Sabicas flamenco

[Ingo Lee]

I haven't seen any mention of Sabicas on this forum. He's important to flamenco and guitar in general I think, definitely worth a listen.

[Rob MacKillop]

I'm sure he's well known to many members. A guitar giant - if not in height. Phenomenal.

[ragman1]

Bulerias, always a crowd pleaser :-)

[Ingo Lee]

[ragman1]

[ragman1]

Siguiriyas are hard because they're slowish and you have to maintain the intensity.

[ragman1]

He did rock as well...

[Ingo Lee]

His right hand work is amazing. Looks like classical technique.

[ragman1]

No, it's flamenco technique which is a lot more percussive than classical. The essential hand position is more angled to the strings than classical but there's a lot more to flamenco playing, like the fast strumming and hitting the guitar with their finger to make the tapping sounds. They also use their thumbs to play strong lines more than classical players. Interestingly, both styles use the tremolo effect although flamenco tremolo is usually more complex.

Overall, the whole thing is far more aggressively passionate than classical. Different cultural influences.

[daveg]

One of my favourite guitar albums of all time is " The Fantastic Guitars of Sabicas and Escudero" from way, way, way back.
It is currently available on CD and Streaming.
DG

[Ingo Lee]

No, it's flamenco technique which is a lot more percussive than classical. The essential hand position is more angled to the strings than classical but there's a lot more to flamenco playing, like the fast strumming and hitting the guitar with their finger to make the tapping sounds. They also use their thumbs to play strong lines more than classical players. Interestingly, both styles use the tremolo effect although flamenco tremolo is usually more complex.

Overall, the whole thing is far more aggressively passionate than classical. Different cultural influences.

I'll bet he could do all 120 of the Giuliani arpeggios.

[Cunamara]

It's interesting how unflappable Sabicas is as he is playing. No "jazz guitar face," as Jimmy Bruno calls it, here. He lets his hands do the talking.

I believe classical tremolo is i-m-a whereas flamenco tremolo uses all four fingers. Or at least that's how it has been explained to me.

Lenny Breau cited Sabicas as a significant influence.