the SPANISH JOB

"Writing Down Flamenco"

Flamenco is an art-form which traditionally does not use written notation. Many readers must, therefore, wonder about the authenticity and accuracy of the transcritions of Juan Martin´s music into staff notation and tablature (cifra). The approach adopted here was designed to preserve as much as possible the vital spontaneity of Juan´s playing and to avoid simplification or distrortion in showing how Flamenco is actually played.

After the main outlines of the Method had been decided upon, he played and tape-recorded the pieces impromptu, most of them in just one and very inspired session. In this way he linked together many melodic falsetas and rhythmic passages of rasgueo into pieces suitable for a progressive introduction to guitar techniques as well as for solo performance. Next, the music was transcribed from the tape-recording into notation and cifra. Some further sections were recorded and transcribed separately in order to complete the coverage of basic techniques and essential toques.

Working now from the basis of the transcriptions and the recordings, Juan memorised the pieces as he had originally played them and re-recorded them for the cassette to go with the book. Both during and after the re-recording at EMI´s studios the transcriptions were checked through again note by note to ensure that they correspond as exactly as possible to the final recording you will hear.

P.C. " (signature)

No wonder this is still the best tutorial flamenco book, crossed my way; EL ARTE FLAMENCO DE LA GUITARRA, by JUAN MARTIN. United Music Publishers Ltd., 1978.

It went back to basic flamenco traditions, more understandable for the outsider than ever.