A brief flamenco history over the last

500 years since ancient conception.

What makes flamenco sound

flamenco, medieval Greek Dorian
sound and more.

Richness, diversity and complexity of

the music on guitar.

FLAMENCO
Paco de Lucia by Ian McPherson

Featuring bios of
flamenco legends
Pepe Habichuela to Paco De Lucia,
Moraito Chico to Manolo Sanlucar

Intro into the philosophy

of flamenco
by Charles H Keyser

MANUAL OF RARE FLAMENCO HARMONIES (CHORDS)

THE PERFECT
HANDBOOK
FOR NOVICE
& PROFESSIONAL

CONTENTS
PHILOSOPHY OF FLAMENCO
Why does it exist, what is its purpose? What do flamenco
enthusiasts believe in? What kind of attitude of life is
required to pursue it?

02
HISTORY OF FLAMENCO
From the gypsies of Rajasthan to the modern age Paco de
Lucia, where did it all come from? How did it evolve over
the years? Trace back the roots of flamenco through the
waves of crusades, oppression and the magnificent, cultural
explosion in Spain.

02
02

MUSICAL ANALYSIS
In depth musical analysis on why flamenco sounds different to other
generes of music and gain better understanding on how to make ore
flamenco.

02

SPECIAL CHORDS
Flamenco is known for its magical, dissonant chords
and harmonies. This section gives you access to an
unprecedented number of chords collected from flamancos
biggest online community at foroflamenco.com

220+ Rare Chords

FLAMENCO TECHNIQUE

02

Understand what key right hand and left hand techniques

are needed to conquer this mesmerizing genre of music.

EDITORIAL
You may be new to this form of art or may be thinking
of beginning it. You may be an experienced player looking
to extend your horizons. There are resources in here
for everyone. The first section stars with a broad level
understanding of flamenco, its purpose and philosophy. To
closely examine why flamenco came to be what it is, the
next section will take you on a journey, 500 years in the
making.

All information in this booklet is provided as is. None

of the works are under copyright by the author and the
images are property of their respective rights holders. They
are only used for illustrative purposes. This booklet must
not be resold for any value as this will result in copyright
infringement. The information in this booklet has been
sourced from various locations and simply consolidates the
information into a convenient format.

Fla

t
s
i
g
o
l
menco

The Philosophy
of Flamenco
by Charles H Keyser P.hd.

My own view of Flamenco is that it is an artistic expression of an intense awareness of the

existential human condition. It is an effort to come to terms with the concept that we are all
strangers and afraid, in a world we never made; that there is probably no higher being, and that
even if there is he/she (or it) is irrelevant to the human condition in the final analysis.
The truth in Flamenco is that life must be lived and death must be faced on an individual basis; that it is the
fundamental responsibility of each man and woman to come to terms with their own alienation
with courage, dignity and humor, and to support others in their efforts. It is an excruciatingly
honest art form.
My own view of Flamenco is that it is an artistic expression of an intense awareness of the
existential human condition. It is an effort to come to terms with the concept that we are all
strangers and afraid, in a world we never made; that there is probably no higher being, and that
even if there is he/she (or it) is irrelevant to the human condition in the final analysis.
The truth in Flamenco is that life must be lived and death must be faced on an individual basis; that it is the
fundamental responsibility of each man and woman to come to terms with their own alienation
with courage, dignity and humor, and to support others in their efforts. It is an excruciatingly
honest art form.

Flamenco Dancers: Elaborate art form.

For flamencos it is this ever-present consciousness of

death that gives life itself its meaning; not only as in the
tragedy of a childs death from hunger in a far-off land or
a senseless drive-by shooting in a big city, but even more
fundamentally in death as a consequence of life itself, and
the value that must be placed on life at each moment and
on each human being at each point in their journey through
it.
And it is the intensity of this awareness that gave the Gypsy
artists their power of expression. For the gitanos in the
Morn del la Frontera, Lebrija, and other small towns around
Sevilla (the cradle of cante flamenco) this consciousness
was clearly evident in the sense of community among the
artistic families and the value that they placed in their art.
Flamenco is an adult art and philosophy, in which the
axiom that if god is dead, everything is permitted must
be balanced by a secular humanism; with a sense of care
and compassion about life in general and human beings in
particular.
As the struggle for physical survival and the necessity for
competition for the basics of life become less relevant for
man in the light of technological and social advances, the
old mechanisms for meaning (religion, flag, greed) lose
their relevance.

In the world (in the 60s and early 70s) into which the
flamencos that I knew existed, these ideas (in a less modern
sense) were expressed in the essence of their art. Certainly
religion was irrelevant to their lives (except as required by
Francos Spain); after all, the Gypsies originally came from
India with a completely different intellectual heritage than
that of the Catholic church.
Rather, the art of flamenco became a center of meaning
for them, with a very real consciousness of the art to be
preserved and passed from generation to generation as a
justification for family. In this sense, music, dance and song
in the secular world became their religion.
Flamenco is not an art without responsibility; the technical
demands of the art required a discipline, complete with peer
review (the grandmother chiding her grandchild for losing
rhythm (fuera compas, nio). In Morn, the existential
aspects of the cante were evident immediately -children
were surrounded by the cante jondo from a very young age.
Through the cante, they became aware of the consequences
of consciousness of their existence early on; for the parents
it was a solution of the problem of creating life in the face of
having to teach the meaning and consequences of natural
death - it was provided by the surrounding culture.

Continued Philosophy
of Flamenco
Flamenco is an art of courage, dignity, and
humor in the face of existential chaos.
This perspective means that sexual motivation plays a
secondary role in the serious interpretation of the art
(indeed, attractive members of both sexes are often viewed
as distractions unless they are flamenco aware, or entrao);
rather it is an adult expression of existential ideas by both
sexes in ways that are most attractive to their roles as men
and women in preserving their dignities under these absurd
conditions.
It is an expression of the courage to face not only
the consequences of existential consciousness as a
philosophical principle, but a determination to express
them with the essence of ones being in an art form that is
highly technically demanding, requiring a deep commitment
to mastery of even the basic techniques.
For a flamenco artist, it requires facing them every day
in technical practice - it is a race against time to master
technique in order to be able to interpret and improvise
meaningfully, and requires the courage to face the prospect
of losing technique in the face of lifes requirements for
survival, or the fact of merely growing older.

This courage is often expressed by a sense of humor in the

great flamenco artists as well; fully capable of expressing
profound desolation, they are also deeply aware of the
absurdity of extending this to a general characterization of
life.
Even the absurdity of human existence must be taken as a
joke occasionally. As most performance artists are acutely
aware, death makes life transient by its very nature; how
can even the most meaningful expression have enduring
meaning?
In spite of the pressure to make products, the essence
of the art is spontaneous performance (as expressed in
improvisational technique - guitar, cante, and dance) rather
than created things- on community artistic relationships
rather than acquisition of material wealth.
In summary, Flamenco is an art of courage, dignity, and
humor in the face of existential chaos - it is a codification
of the search for human values in a world free of
institutionalized superstition and an emphasis on these
values as expressed in the art in defining the flamenco
community.

Centuries in the making: Gypsies give birth to Flamenco in Spain and Gypsy Jazz in France.

Flamenco:
A History

The 15th century marked a small revolution in the culture

and society of Southern Spain. We must highlight the
following landmarks, all with future implications on the
development of flamenco: first, the arrival of nomad
Gypsies in the Iberian Peninsula in 1425. Later on, the
conquest of Granada, the discovery of America and the
expulsion of the Jews, all of them in 1492.
In the 13th century, the Christian Crown of Castile
had already conquered most of Andalusia. Although
Castilian kings favored a policy of repopulation of the
newly conquered lands with Christians, part of the Muslim
population remained in the areas as a religious and ethnic
minority, called mudjares.
Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in the Iberian
Peninsula, fell in 1492 when the armies of the Catholic
Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and queen Isabella of
Castile invaded this city after about 800 years of Moslem
rule.
The Treaty of Granada guaranteed religious tolerance, and
this paved the way for the Moors to surrender peacefully.
Months after, the Spanish Inquisition used its influence to
convince Ferdinand and Isabella, who were political allies of
the Church of Rome, to break the treaty and force the Jews
to either convert to Christianity or leave Spain.

The Alhambra decree of March 31, 1492 ordered the

expulsion of all non-converted Jews from Spain and its
territories and possessions by July 31, 1492, on charges
that they were trying to convert the Christian population
to Judaism. Some chose to adopt the Catholic religion
(Conversos), but they often kept their Judaic beliefs
privately. For this reason, they were closely watched by the
Spanish Inquisition, and accusations of being false converts
often lead them to suffer torture and death.
The conquest of Andalusia implied a strong penetration of
Castilian culture in Andalusia, which surely influenced the
music and folklore. The expulsion of the Sephardi Jews
and Moriscos could have led to a weakening of middleEastern influence on Andalusian culture.
However, during the 15th century groups of Roma people
(gypsies), known as Gitanos in Spain, entered the Iberian
Peninsula. At the beginning, they were well tolerated. The
Spanish nobles enjoyed their dances and music, and they
were regularly employed to entertain guests at private
parties. The Gypsies, therefore, were in touch (at least
geographically) with the Morisco population until the
expulsion of the latter in the 16th century.
According to some theories, suggested by authors like
George Borrow and Blas Infante and supported by other
flamenco historians like Mairena and Molina, many Moriscos
even joined the Gypsy nomad tribes and eventually
became indistinguishable from them. This has not been
proved scientifically. It is generally accepted, however, that
the Zambra of the Gypsies of Granada, still performed
nowadays, is derived from the original Moorish Zambra.

Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada,

Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress
in 889 and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and
rebuilt in the mid-11th century by the Moorish emir Mohammed ben
Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace
and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I,
Sultan of Granada.

The Alhambra in Spain

The clash between Gypsies and the Spanish would be

manifest by the end of the century. For centuries, the
Spanish monarchy tried to force the Gypsies to abandon
their language, customs and music. During the Reconquista,
tolerance towards Gypsies ended and they were put into
ghettos.
This isolation helped them retain the purity of their music
and dance. In 1782, the Leniency Edict of Charles III
restored some freedoms to the Spanish gypsies. Their
music and dance was reintroduced and adopted by the
general population of Spain. This resulted in a period of
great exploration and evolution within the art form.
Nomadic Gypsies became social outcasts and were in
many cases the victims of persecution. This is reflected in
many lyrics of palos (cqatagories of songs) like seguiriyas,
in which references to hunger, prison and discrimination
abound.
The influence of the New World
Recent research has revealed a major influence of SubSaharan African music on flamencos prehistory. This
developed from the music and dance of African slaves held
by the Spanish in the New World.
There are 16th and 17th century manuscripts of classical
compositions that are possibly based on African folk forms,
such as negrillas, zarambeques, and chaconas. We also find
mention of the fandango indiano (Indiano meaning from
the Americas, but not necessarily Native American).
Some critics support the view that the names of flamenco
palos, like the tangos or even the fandango, are derived
from Bantoid languages, and most theories state that the
rhythm of the tangos was imported from Cuba.
It is likely that in that stay in the New World, the fandango
picked up dance steps deemed too inappropriate for European tastes. Thus, the dance for fandango, for chacon,
and for zarabanda, were all banned in Europe at one time
or another. References to Gypsy dancers can be found in
the lyrics of some of these forms, e.g., the chacon. Indeed,
Gypsy dancers are often mentioned in Spanish literary and
musical works from the 1500s on.

10

However, the zarabandas and jcaras are the oldest

written musical forms in Spain to use the 12-beat
meter as a combination of terciary and binary rhythms.
The basic rhythm of the zarabanda and the jcara is
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. The sole and the Seguiriya, are
variations on this: they just start the metre on a different
beat.
The rise of flamenco
During the late-eighteenth to mid-nineteenth centuries,
flamenco took on a number of unique characteristics which
separated it from local folk music and prepared the way
to a higher professionalization and technical excellence of
flamenco performers, to the diversification of flamenco
styles (by gradually incorporating songs derived from
folklore or even other sources), and to the popularization of
the genre outside Andalusia.
The first time flamenco is mentioned in literature is in 1774
in the book Cartas Marruecas by Jos Cadalso. During
this period, according to some authors, there is little news
about flamenco except for a few scattered references from
travelers.
This led traditional flamencologists, like Molina and Mairena,
to call the period of 1780 to 1850 as The Hermetic Period
or the private stage of flamenco. According to these
flamencologists, flamenco, at this time was something like
a private ritual, secretly kept in the Gypsy homes of some
towns in the Seville and Cdiz area.

Flamenco guitarist: A flamenco guitarist with cutaway guitar, giving easy access to high pitches

11

M A N O LO SA N LU C A R
I wish the experts in universal music
to understand that they may approach
flamenco, so they do not consider it
something tribal and topical, so they
see a branch of music in flamenco
that allows very profound musical
analysis and has extraordinary poetic
and musical quality.

A typical flamenco guitar.

12

Musical
Analysis
In most Western music, only the major and minor modes are explicitly named by
composers, (except as an occasional oddity in jazz and classical music) flamenco
has also preserved the Phrygian mode, commonly called the Dorian mode
by flamencologists, referring to the Greek Dorian mode, and sometimes also
flamenco mode. The reason for preferring the term Greek Dorian is that, as
in ancient Greek music, flamenco melodies are descending (instead of ascending
as in usual Western melodic patterns). Some flamencologists, like Hiplito Rossy
or guitarist Manolo Sanlcar, also consider this flamenco mode as a survival of the
old Greek Dorian mode. I will use the term Phrygian to refer to this mode, as it
is the most common way of referring to this mode in English speaking countries.

The Phrygian mode is in fact the most common mode in the traditional palos
of flamenco music, and it is used for sole, most buleras, siguiriyas, tangos
and tientos, and other palos. The flamenco version of this mode contains two
frequent alterations in the 7th and, even more often, the 3rd degree of the scale:
if the scale is played in E Phrygian for example, G and D can be sharp.
In the descending E Phrygian scale in flamenco music, G sharp is compulsory for
the tonic chord. Based on the Phrygian scale, a typical cadence is formed, usually
called Andalusian cadence. The chords for this cadence in E Phrygian are Am
GFE. According to guitarist Manolo Sanlcar, in this flamenco Phrygian mode,
E is the tonic, F would take the harmonic function of dominant, while Am and G
assume the functions of subdominant and mediant respectively.
When playing in Phrygian mode, guitarists traditionally use only two basic
positions for the tonic chord: E and A. However, they often transport these basic
tones by using a cejilla (capo). Modern guitarists, starting with Ramn Montoya,
have also introduced other positions. Montoya himself started to use other
chords for the tonic in the doric sections of several palos: F sharp for tarantas, B
for granana, A flat for the minera, and he also created a new palo as a solo piece
for the guitar, the rondea, in C sharp. Later guitarists have further extended the
repertoire of tonalities and chord positions.

13

The Rhythm &

Melody
There are also palos in major mode, for example, most
cantias and alegras, guajiras, and some buleras and
tons, and the cabales (a major mode type of siguiriyas).
The minor mode is less frequent and it is restricted to the
Farruca, the milongas (among cantes de ida y vuelta), and
some styles of tangos, buleras, etc.
In general, traditional palos in major and minor mode
are limited harmonically to the typical two-chord (tonic
dominant) or three-chord structure (tonicsubdominant
dominant). However, modern guitarists have increased
the traditional harmony by introducing chord substitution,
transitional chords, and even modulation.
Fandangos and the palos derived from it (e.g. malagueas,
tarantas, cartageneras) are bimodal. Guitar introductions
are in Phrygian mode, while the singing develops in major
mode, modulating to Phrygian mode at the end of the
stanza.

Traditionally, flamenco guitarists did not receive any formal

training, so they just relied on their ear to find the chords
on the guitar, disregarding the rules of Western classical
music. This led them to interesting harmonic findings, with
unusual unresolved dissonances. Examples of this are the
use of minor 9th chords for the tonic, the tonic chord of
tarantas, or the use of the 1st unpressed string as a kind of
pedal tone.
Comps is the Spanish word for meter or rhythm or time
signature in classical music theory. In flamenco, besides
having these meanings, it also refers to the rhythmic cycle,
or layout, of a palo or flamenco style. When performing
flamenco it is important to feel the rhythm the comps
rather than mechanically count the beats. In this way,
flamenco is similar to jazz or blues where performers seem
to simply feel the rhythm.
Flamenco uses three basic counts or measures: Binary,
Ternary and the (unique to flamenco) twelve-beat cycle,
which is difficult to confine within the classical measure.
There are also free-form styles, not subject to any particular
meter, including, among others, the palos in the group of the
tons, the saetas, malagueas, tarantas, and some types of
fandangos.

Comps is the Spanish word for meter or rhythm or time

signature in classical music theory. In flamenco, besides having
these meanings, it also refers to the rhythmic cycle, or layout, of
a palo or flamenco style.

14

Rhythms in 2/4 or 4/4. These meters are used in forms

like tangos, tientos, gypsy rumba, zambra and tanguillos.
Rhythms in 3/4. These are typical of fandangos and
sevillanas both of these forms originate in Spanish folk
music, thereby illustrating their provenance as non-Gypsy
styles, since the 3/4 and 4/4 measures are the most
common throughout the Western world but not within the
ethnic Gypsy, nor Hindi musical tradition.
12-beat rhythms usually rendered in amalgams of 6/8
+ 3/4 and sometimes measures of 12/8 in attempts to
confine it within the classical constraints. The 12 beat
cycle is fundamental in the sole and bueras palos, for
example. However, the various accentuation differentiates
these two. These accentuations dont correspond to the
classic concept of the downbeat, whereby the first beat in
the measure is emphasized.
In flamenco, the different ways of performing percussion
(including the complex technique of palmas) make it hard
to render in traditional musical notation. The alternating
of groups of 2 and 3 beats is also common in the Spanish
folk or traditional dances of the 16th Century such as the
zarabanda, jcara and canarios.
They are also common in Latin American countries. 12beat amalgams are in fact the most common in flamenco.
There are three types of these, which vary in their layouts, or
use of accentuations:
The seguiriya.
The sole.
The bulera
Sole, whithin the cantias group of palos which includes
the alegras, cantias, mirabras, romera, caracoles and sole
por bulera (also bulera por sole): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12. For practical reasons, when transferring flamenco guitar
music to sheet music, this rhythm is written as a regular
3/4.
Buleras is the emblematic palo of flamenco, today its 12
beat cycle is most often played 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11. The accompanying palmas are played in groups of 6
beats, giving rise to a multitude of counter rhythms and
percussive voices within the 12 beat comps.

Among the flamenco rhythms, the Bulerias remains

supreme as the favorite fiesta rhythm. It is highly complex
rhythmically with many variations and a rich tapestry of
guitar, dance, and song effects.
Between coplas of the cante and steps of the dance, the
guitarist has quite a bit of freedom - he can play any
number of 6/8 or 3/4 six count or 12 count measures
of guitar rasgueados and falsetas. (Singers and dancers
also have this freedom, of course; that is why Bulerias can
always be accompanied with the preferred dobles palmas since it gives everyone a six count reference.

Comps is fundamental to flamenco, it is the basic definition

of the music, and without comps, there is no flamenco.
Comps is therefore more than simply the division of beats
and accentuations, it is the backbone of this musical form.
In private gatherings, if there is no guitarist available, the
comps is rendered through hand clapping (palmas) or by
hitting a table with the knuckles.
This is also sometimes done in recordings especially for
buleras. The guitar also has an important function, using
techniques like strumming (rasgueado) or tapping the
soundboard. Changes of chords also emphasize the most
important downbeats. When a dancers are present, they
use their feet as a percussion instrument.
There are two main approaches to Bulerias - one in its
interpretation as a rhythm in its own right, and the other is
its use as a finale to many of the other songs and dances.
The Bulerias is performed in most keys easily available to
the guitar; A and E Phrygian Modes, A and E Minor, and A
and E major (although usually not in C major - it doesnt
seem to have the required punch). Sometimes, for fun,
guitarists will solo in F# or B Phrygian as well.
The structure of the bulerias cante was derived from that of
Soleares, complete with cambio. The traditional verse form
is called copla; however, many popular versions of Bulerias
verses exist (called cuples).

15

Forms of
Flamenco
Flamenco music styles are called palos in Spanish. There
are over 50 different palos flamenco, although some
of them are rarely performed. A palo can be defined as
musical form of flamenco.
Flamenco songs are classified into palos based on several
musical and non-musical criteria such as its basic rhythmic
pattern, mode, chord progression, form of the stanza, or
geographic origin. The rhythmic patterns of the palos are
also often called comps. A comps (the Spanish normal
word for either time signature or bar) is characterized by a
recurring pattern of beats and accents.
To really understand the different palos, it is important to
understand their musical and cultural context:
Some of the forms are sung unaccompanied, while others
usually have a guitar and sometimes other accompaniment.
Some forms are danced while others traditionally are
not. Amongst both the songs and the dances, some are
traditionally the reserve of men and others of women, while
still others could be performed by either sex.

The classification of flamenco palos is not entirely

uncontentious, but a common traditional classification is
into three groups. The deepest, most serious forms are
known as cante jondo (or cante grande), while relatively light,
frivolous forms are called cante chico. Other non-musical
considerations often factor into this classification, such as
whether the origin of the palo is considered to be gypsy or
not.
Forms which do not fit into either category but lie somewhere
between them are classified as cante intermedio. However,
there is no general agreement on how to classify each
palo. Whereas there is general agreement that the sole,
seguiriya and the tons must be considered cante jondo,
there is wide controversy on where to place cantes like the
fandango, malaguea, or tientos.
Many flamenco fans tend to disregard this classification
as highly subjective, or else they considered that, whatever
makes a song cante grande is not the song itself but the
depth of the interpreter.
The classification below reflects another traditional
classification of cantes more based on rhythmic pattern,
but also taking the origin into account.

Many of these traditional distinctions are now breaking

down; for example, the Farruca is traditionally a mans
dance, but is now commonly performed by women too.
Many flamenco artists, including some considered to be
amongst the greatest, have specialized in a single flamenco
form.

Comps is the Spanish word for meter or rhythm or time

signature in classical music theory. In flamenco, besides having
these meanings, it also refers to the rhythmic cycle, or layout, of
a palo or flamenco style.

16

Ton Palos (usually known as Cantes

a palo seco)

Palos based on the Sole rhythm

Albore

Debla
Martinetes
Carceleras
Saetas
Tons
Trilla

Buleras - Bulerias (and Jaleos from

extremadura, a variety of Buleras)

Palos derived from Fandango

Fandangos de Huelva
Fandangos orientales (from Eastern
Andalusia and Murcia)
Fandangos abandolaos, including:
Verdiales
Rondeas
Jabera
Fandangos libres (free of rhythmic
pattern):
Grananas
Media Granana
Malagueas
Cantes de las minas (songs originated in mining areas): Minera, Tarantos,
Tarantas, Cartageneras, Murciana, Levantica, Cantes de madrug
Fandangos personales (personal creations)
Palos de Ida y vuelta
Other palos with a tango rhythm are
often considered as Ida y vuelta, that
is, originated in Spanish America.
Colombianas
Guajiras
Milonga
Rumba
Vidalitas

The Cantias group, including:

Alegras
Caracoles
Mirabrs
Romeras
Peteneras
Romances
The related palos Caa and Polo.
Sole - Soleares and Buleras por
Sole.
Seguiriya Palos
Cabales
Livianas
Siguiriyas - (also seguiriyas)
Serrana
Palos with a Tango rhythm
Farruca
Garrotn
Marianas
Tarantos (when played for dance).
Tientos
Tanguillos
Tango
Other palos of difficult classification
Campanilleros
Bambera
Sevillanas
Nanas
Zambras
Zorongo
17

~1500AD

BIRTH OF
FLAMENCO
ART FORM

1859

FLAMENCO
GUITAR

1920

BLUES
GUITAR

1925

JAZZ
GUITAR

1956

ROCK
GUITAR

1960

FUNK
GUITAR

CLASSICAL
GUITAR

PH: Lorem ipsum

Edited: Lorem ipsum
Written: Lorem ipsum

18

The Flamenco
Guitar
Although, the flamenco guitar may
look like the classical type, it is built
differently to produce a harsher, brighter
and percussive sound. Both guitars
were invented by the same father of the
classical guitar, Antonio Torres. The two
guitars, competed, classical for the upper
class and the flamenco guitar for the
poorer low classes.
An examination into the guitar is given by
LESTER DE VOE.

19

We are all familiar with classical guitars and some of us

have had the opportunity to play a flamenco guitar. I would
like to explain what makes a flamenco guitar different from
a classical.
Flamenco guitars feel lighter, play easier and have a more
immediate and percussive sound. These features reflect
differences in the method and types of woods used in
construction. The differences in construction are subtle and
vary from one maker to another, so I speak from my own
perspective.

Typically, the depth of the guitar body of the flamenco is

shallower than the classical, with the soundboard and the
back of the instrument usually 1/8 1/4 closer together.
This reduces the volume of air in the soundbox and raises
the pitch slightly. Internally, the length of the fan braces
of a flamenco guitar are not as long and this shortens
the duration of tone, giving a more immediate sound the
characteristic punch that is a desirable flamenco attribute.
This punch or edge allows the guitar to cut through other
sounds when in accompaniment with the flamenco song,
dance and clapping (palmas).

Juan Martin plays

a Flamenca Negra
20

On the flamenco guitar, the action as measured by the

height of the strings above the twelfth fret is 1/32 lower
than on the classical. To facilitate right hand strumming
(rasgueados) and finger tapping (golpes) on the tap
plate (golpeador), the strings must also be closer to the
soundboard, which requires a lower bridge and saddle
height.
Flamenco guitars are tuned with tuning machines or, more
traditionally, by wooden friction pegs of ebony or rosewood.
Based on the woods used in construction, flamenco
guitars fall into two categories: traditional or modern. In the
traditional or blanca flamenco guitar, light colored cypress
is used for the back and sides while the modern or negra
guitar uses dark colored rosewood.

During the time that Antonio Torres was defining classical

and flamenco guitar construction, Spanish cypress wood
was used because of local availability and low cost and
was generally used for flamenco guitars although some of
Torres most famous classical guitars were constructed with
Spanish cypress.
The Spanish guitarist, Paco de Lucia, popularized the use
of the flamenco negra. The use of denser rosewood gives
flamenco guitars a fuller and richer tone approaching that
of classical guitars. However, if a guitarist has a strong
attack, with a low action, the rosewood negra still yields the
familiar flamenco sound and attack.

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Rare Flamenco
Harmonies
(Chords)
The Andalusian cadence is a term adopted from flamenco music for a chord progression comprising four chords descending stepwise--a VI-V-IV-III progression. It is otherwise known as the minor descending tetrachord. Traceable back to the
Renaissance, its effective sonorities made it one of the most popular progressions in classical music About this sound Play
(helpinfo).
Despite the name it is not a true cadence (i.e., occurring only once, when ending a phrase, section, or piece of music; it is most
often used as an ostinato (repeating over and over again). It is heard in rock songs such as Runaway by Del Shannon.
A popular melodic pattern of Ancient Greece offers a possible starting point for the Andalusian cadence. Called the Dorian
tetrachord, the sequence resembles the bass line of the chord progression developed centuries later. Some theorists consider
that the same structure may have occurred earlier in Judah. A sequence more or less close to the Greek tetrachord structure
might have been known to the Moors in Southern Spain and spread from there through Western Europe.

22

Francisco Gustavo Snchez Gomes, known as Paco de Luca, was

a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer and producer. A
leading proponent of the New Flamenco style, he helped legitimize
flamenco among the establishment in Spain.
De Luca was noted for his fast and fluent picados (fingerstyle runs).
A master of contrast, he often juxtaposed picados and rasgueados
(Flamenco strumming) with more sensitive playing and was known
for adding abstract chords and scale tones to his compositions with
jazz influences. These innovations saw him play a key role in the
development of traditional Flamenco and the evolution of New
Flamenco and Latin jazz fusion from the 1970s.
Richard Chapman and Eric Clapton, authors of Guitar: Music,
History, Players, describe de Luca as a titanic figure in the world
of flamenco guitar, and Dennis Koster, author of Guitar Atlas,
Flamenco, has referred to de Luca as one of historys greatest
guitarists.
Manolo Sanlcar (Manuel Muoz Alcn) is a flamenco composer
and guitarist born in Sanlcar de Barrameda (Cadiz) in 1943.
He is considered one of the most important Spanish composers
of present times, and together with Paco de Luca,Tomatito, and
Vicente Amigo, one of the main figures in the evolution of the
flamenco guitar in recent years. His album Tauromagia is regarded
as one of the greatest flamenco albums of all time.
He soon began to research, aware that the guitar had infinite
possibilities that had hardly been explored. The most ambitious of
his contributions to the art has been his constant striving to integrate
flamenco in symphonic music. Several works of the greatest interest
have placed his name among the great composers of our time.

Pepe Habichuela (born 1944 as Jos Antonio Carmona Carmona

in Granada) is a Spanish flamenco guitarist, cited as one of the great
flamenco masters and one of Spains finest contemporary guitarists.
He belongs to a flamenco dynasty of gypsies started by his
grandfather, known as Habichuela el Viejo (Old Bean), who took
the nickname, and continued by his father Jos Carmona and
his brothers Juan Habichuela (1933), Carlos and Luis. Pepe later
pushed the boundaries of flamenco by fusing it with classical Indian
symphony.

23

A Chords

24

Carlos Garca Montoya (13 December 1903 3 March 1993) was a prominent
Flamenco guitarist and a founder of the modern-day popular Flamenco style of
music.
His unique style and successful career, despite all odds, have left a great legacy for
modern day Flamenco. It is because of his pioneering work in popular Flamenco
music that have allowed other great modern groups such as the Gipsy Kings to
take hold in all parts of the world. A few of his video recordings can still be found
on YouTube.

Diego del Gastor (March 27, 1908 in Arriate Mlaga, Spain July 7, 1973) was a
renowned flamenco guitarist. Diego del Gastor was the creator and best known
exponent of the guitar playing tradition of Morn de la Frontera, Sevilla. Few
today are able to capture the flamenco essence like Gastor. His tradition has been
inherited by his nephews Diego de Morn, Agustin Ros Amaya, Paco and Juan del
Gastor, several grandnephews and nieces.

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Gerardo Nez Daz (born 1961) is

a Spanish guitarist and composer.
His roots lie in flamenco, but he
has also ventured into fusion with
other genres, especially jazz. As a
composer, his music is complex and
rich, but it allows him to demonstrate
his playing ability, as he is a great
guitarist. He has composed a large
number of pieces for one of his best
artistic partners, Carmen Corts.

Sabicas (Agustn Castelln Campos)

was a Flamenco guitarist, of Romani
origin, who was born on 16 March,
1912 in Pamplona, Spain and died in
14 April 1990 in New York.
Sabicas was instrumental in the
introduction of Flamenco to
audiences outside of Spain. He was
probably best known for his technical
skills: blazingly fast picados(scales),
fast arpeggios, quality composition
for the many forms of flamenco, and
infallible rhythm..

B Flat Chords
26

Victor Monge Serranito. Flamenco

guitarist and composer was born in
Madrid (Spain). He was self educated
and at the age of 12 he started as a
professional. He is regarded as one of
the best guitar virtuosos in History,
and one who has demonstrated in his
trajectory a great ease for performing,
as well as an usual interest in his own
evolution and artistic growth.

Rafael Riqueni (born 1962 in Seville)

is one of Spains top flamenco
guitarists. Accomplished from a very
young age, at just fifteen years old he
was awarded the Ramn Montoya
Prize in the Concurso Nacional
(National Competition) inCrdoba.

Rafael Corts is one of the few

composers who unites the tradition
with the present time and maintains
pure flamenco, playing modern style.
In the Alcaicera young guitarist
demonstrates in impressive form not
only to be a technical magician but
that also being a sensible musician
who can transmit all the emotions
and feelings with his guitar.

Nio de Pura is one of the greatest

flamenco geniuses of our time,
Nio de Pura and his four-member
troupe from Spain brings a level of
world-class authentic flamenco rarely
experienced outside of Andaluca. A
child prodigy, Nio de Pura became
one of the most international prizewinning flamenco guitarists in history.
Get ready for spectacular energy,
brillance, blazing fast finger runs and
never ending passion.

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B Chords

28

C Chords

29

C# Chords

Paco Cepero (born 6 March 1942) is a Spanish Flamenco guitarist. In addition to accompanying numerous artists, he has
released several solo albums, including Corazn y Bordn and De Pura Cepa.
Paco Cepero is undoubtedly one of the best guitarists to accompany singing there in these times. It has come at a time
when other guitarists are already more established, but has succeeded precisely because they like them, to have personality,
and, of course, being a great performer cleaning their executions. It is difficult to define the characteristics or contours of
his art, but when do you have to take into has at least two fundamental data: it de Jerez, which involves deep domain
knowledge and compass

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Manitas de Plata (born Ricardo Baliardo; 7 August 1921 5 November 2014) was a French flamenco guitarist. Despite
achieving worldwide fame, he was known for disrespecting certain rhythmic rules (comps) that are traditional in flamenco.
Ricardo Baliardo was born in a gypsy caravan in Ste in southern France. He became famous by playing each year at the
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer gypsy pilgrimage in Camargue, where he was recorded live by Deben Bhattacharya.
Manitas de Plata (Little Hands of Silver) only agreed to play in public ten years after the death of Django Reinhardt,
unanimously considered the king of gypsy guitarists. One of his recordings earned him a letter from Jean Cocteau acclaiming
him as a creator.
Upon hearing him play at Arles in 1964, Pablo Picasso is said to have exclaimed that man is of greater worth than I am!
and proceeded to draw on the guitar.

Jos Fernndez Torres, known as Tomatito (born Almera, 1958), is a Spanish Romani flamenco guitarist. Having started
his career accompanying famed flamenco singer Camarn de la Isla (with Paco de Luca). Tomatito, who had been playing
clubs in Andalusia, became a flamenco sensation when he was discovered by guitarist Paco de Luca. He accompanied
legendary flamenco singer Camarn de la Isla for two decades.
Tomatito incorporates elements of jazz in his style of flamenco; both, he says, emerged as a response to discrimination, a
cry of suffering, or the joy of liberation. Half of what he plays is improvised, he said. He frequently employs the Phrygian
mode.

31

D Chords

32

Nio Ricardo (11 July 1904-14 April 1972), born as Manuel Serrap,
was a Flamenco composer, considered by some sources as the most
accomplished flamenco player of his day. He played a significant
part in the evolution of the flamenco guitar. He lived in the city
center of Sevilla. A child guitar prodigy, his early audiences referred
to him as the son of Ricardo, leading to his stage-name Nio [de]
Ricardo.

Paco Pea (born 1 June 1942) is a Spanish flamenco composer and

guitarist. He is regarded as one of the worlds foremost traditional
Flamenco players. Pea has collaborated with the Classical guitarist
John Williams. Pea generated so much interest among a British
public previously uninitiated in Flamenco that he soon found
himself sharing concerts with artists such as Jimi Hendrix, and
made his solo debut at Wigmore Hall in 1967.

Manuel Moreno Junquera, Morato Chico (Jerez de la Frontera,

Cdiz, Spain, September 13, 1956 - Jerez de la Frontera, August 10,
2011) was a Flamenco guitarist.
He was known as one of the greatest and most in-demand
accompanying guitarists of his generation, and was the regular
accompanist for Jos Merc, Diego Carrasco and other popular
flamenco singers. He also played regularly for such stars as La
Paquera de Jerez, Camarn de la Isla and Manuel Agujetas. Moraito
was particularly renowned for his powerful, full and round sound,
driving rhythm and exceptional rasgueos. He was one of the finest
exponents of the buleria and can be seen and heard paying in
this style on Carlos Sauras influential Flamenco and Flamenco,
Flamenco films.

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34

NIO MIGUEL
Miguel Vega de la Cruz, better known as the Flamenco guitarist, Nio Miguel, passed away at
the Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos del Hospital Juan Ramn Jimnez de Huelva in the early
hours of Thursday 23rd of May 2013. Miguel died aged 61 of Pneumonia. Nio Miguel took
the flamenco world by storm during the 1970s with his aggressive virtuoso playing style, many
consider him to be the greatest, but in later years he became largely forgotten, except in his home
town of Huelva in southern Spain and flamenco aficionados. His legendary presence was felt by
Paco de Lucia as an exemplary player and a fountain of pure genius. Able to play extremely long
pieces with unparalled technical dexterity, he was set to become a legend of the flamenco world
until drug abuse and a minor lack of left-right hand coordination ruined his career.

D# Chords

35

Grigory Grisha Goryachev (born December 29, 1977 in St. Petersburg) is a Russian virtuoso flamenco and classical
guitarist now living in the United States. A master of both flamenco and classical guitar, he is one of the worlds few
guitarists to continue the traditions of solo flamenco in concert performances. He is heavily influenced by Paco de Luca
and Sabicas. Goryachev is technically a highly proficient player, testament to his background in classical guitar from a
very young age. He has professed his desire to see more guitarists follow his example in playing traditional flamenco to
keep the music alive and to encourage classical players to play flamenco compositions in their repertoire and accept it.

E Minor Chords
36

E Chords

37

F Chords

38

F# Chords

39

G Chords

40

G# Chords

41

The
Technique
In the minds of many guitarists, flamenco is the king of guitar styles, combining the most appealing aspects of
all guitar playing: its spectacular, driving rhythms rival the most exciting popular styles; it shares improvisational
freedom and great harmonic sophistication with jazz; it equals the musical depth and complete right-hand technique of classical guitar; and todays flamenco players perform with a level of virtuosity that leaves even heavy
metal players breathless.

42

What was once an art limited to the narrow confines of ethnic boundariesthe Gypsies of southern Spaintoday,
flamenco is played all over the world by guitarists whose enthusiasm appears limitless.
Many are first drawn to flamenco by exposure to superficial pop-flamenco styles; many begin playing flamenco
by faking it in an attempt to sound Spanish such as a basic rumba in Andalusian cadence. But, oh-so-often,
these same guitarists, once theyve heard the real thing, forget all that is fake and devote themselves to learning
authentic flamenco.
From classical to rock, guitarists of other styles often express frustration about solving the mysteries of flamenco:
How can that technique possibly be done? or, I could never learn that complex rhythm, and so on.
- Dennis Koster

43

Flamenco is known for its heavy complexity and a range

of difficult techniques, often completely unfound in other
forms of guitar playing. The left hand is often identical
to classical guitar, however there are many abstract and
awkward chords that you will have to overcome in flamenco.
To add to the complexity, there are no such things as chords
in flamenco, they are harmonies and their sound changes
depending on surrounding harmonies, like chameleons.
Adding to this, is the idea that flamenco is a music of
rhythm, so no flamenco is played the same twice with
variations and embellishments within the rhythm, much like
its distant ancestor, Indian classical music.
Flamenco is therefore taught mostly by oral methods. Note
that due to the different techniques, flamenco has a very
wide dynamic range, from soft and mellow in one second to
razor sharp, aggressive strokes the next second.
It is recommended that you Google and closely examine
these techniques.

44

The flamenco right hand is just as complex classical guitar.

The right hand incorporates the following fundamental
techniques over which you must have a certain level of
proficiency to play flamenco.
The following key right hand techniques are found, all of
which must be mastered:
Rasgueado
There are over a 1000 variations of this right hand pattern
and this is the cornerstone of the flamenco sound. It
involves a rapid succession of outward finger flicks, the
nail striking the strings. The pattern can be repeated in
numerous variations. This technique requires a lot of
dexterity, stamina and strength in the right hand.
Arpeggio
Same as your average arpeggio however flamenco arpeggios
are played with a thumb rest stroke unlike classical. Often,
flamenco arpeggios can reach up to and over 500 BPM.

Tremolo
The tremolo creates an illusion of two guitars playing.
The thumb rest strokes a bassline while the other fingers
rapidly strike another treble string. The flamenco tremolo
is different to the classical tremolo in that it is a 5 stroke
tremolo, with thumb, index, third finger, middle and back
to index. The classical tremolo is 4 strokes. The flamenco
tremolo sounds like a slow moving stream of water while
the classical tremolo is a fast river in constant motion.
Pulgar
Flamenco is often played at very high speeds and therefore
finger placement for arpeggios can be impossible. High
speed and an extra punch is created when the thumb is
used to strike strings into the soundboard.
Alzapua
This virtuoso flamenco technique can create the illusion
of multiple guitars playing and originates from the middle
eastern oud method of playing. Notes are held, the thumb
strikes one string and then flicks down to strum the
remainder of the notes and then back up. Sounds like a
baseline on top of chords being strummed.

Picado
Another virtuoso technique, this technique gives flamenco
its blazing fast finger runs. A succession of several notes
are played after the other, however only two fingers are
used in a mandatory alternating pattern to play an entire
melody/ scale. Performing this technique with three fingers
is often heralded as the most difficult technique to master.
Can exceed 500 BPM.
Golpe
Although, heavy tapping on the guitar is depreciated, this
is a finger tap on the soundboard of the guitar, typically
with the third finger, while playing something else. These
are used to accent beats of a palo. This is a traditional
technique, a cornerstone of flamenco.
Muting
The strings of the flamenco guitar is often muted for
dramatic effect using the last finger on the left hand or the
left side of the right hand palm.

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Author reserves no rights on this document as it is a curation from numerous sources. Original authors are credited