These are harmonies of ancestral styles that are commonly used so that the palo retains its traditional sound, although, as I mentioned before, all kinds of chords are used in Flamenco guitar, as it has evolved towards increasingly evocative harmonies. However, one must never lose sight of the origin, so that what you do has that characteristic flamenco flavor.

How can I improve my strumming technique on the flamenco guitar?

Like everything, by studying slowly, with a lot of repetition, with a metronome, with a relaxed hand, seeking precision and clarity. At “Música, Maestros” we have an exceptional Flamenco Guitar Course by Alfredo Lagos where you can see examples of very well-executed strums.

What is the correct way to chain chords in flamenco?

There is no exact and correct way to chain them to make a composition sound flamenco. As always, you have to listen to a lot of traditional and avant-garde flamenco to build a subconscious foundation to draw upon, armed with your best common sense and always being sincere. You will succeed and you will make mistakes, but if you trust the intuition that develops from listening to the Masters, both their music and their words, you will undoubtedly develop an instinct that will allow you to approach Flamenco with the beauty it holds. But no, that is a fact, there is no magic formula.

Which chords are most frequently used in flamenco?

As I mentioned before, there are a series of traditional chord progressions in flamenco, although a multitude of other chords from many disciplines have been incorporated by guitarists into the flamenco sound.

What are the tonal functions of the flamenco mode?

All of them. The flamenco mode encompasses everything.

There is no magic formula to musically define the flamenco mode. As my dear and admired Jorge Pardo says in the Flamenco Flute course we recorded, there is the major mode, the major mode, and “flamenco mode,” and he develops it note by note, demonstrating the greatness of this music and comparing it with other wonderful genres, such as blues.

Are there specific chords for each flamenco style?

How can I learn to play flamenco chords as a beginner?

The priority is a good teacher, patience, and a lot of love for what you do. Don’t forget that there’s much more to it than just chords; these chords are there to accompany something, whether it’s a singing melody or a guitar melody. They belong to a style, a way of doing things, and that should not be overlooked. Simply playing a specific chord progression is not enough to feel like you’re playing flamenco.

Where can I find resources or guides to learn flamenco guitar chords?

There are many guides, a lot of information on the internet. That’s why I insist on the need for a good teacher to help you discern among such an excess of information.

If you’re enjoying my blog, I’ll see you in the next installment.

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Best regards
José Luis Montón

For me it means the sounds that filled the streets of my native Santa Coloma; the joy of those days that bubbled out through the windows of that neighborhood inhabited by Andalusian and Extremaduran immigrants who sang cantes on every street, at every step, on every corner; it’s my mother in the kitchen filling our stews with bulerías, seguiriyas, or alegrías; or the heartbreak of my grandparents for having left their native Córdoba behind.

For me it’s the peñas or the Tablao “El Cordobés,” where I started as a professional. Or the Patio Andaluz in Barcelona where I played for Mayte Martin.

I was born, breathed, and dreamed in flamenco, and when my first guitar came into my hands it couldn’t have been any other way: it was flamenco.

And if in a strict sense some would say that a flamenco guitar is a somewhat lesser instrument than the classical guitar, lighter, with a thinner body and a more compact design, I would say it’s much more than that—that to know how to distinguish it you only have to listen to it sound. It sounds like rasgueo, like weeping, and like a different rhythm.

What is the difference between a classical guitar and a flamenco guitar?

I know, for those unfamiliar with flamenco perhaps my description of flamenco guitar is somewhat unorthodox; closer to the soul than to reason and more intertwined with the spirit of Man, with a capital M, than with the logic and structure that mark the rhythm and essence of the classical.

And, again, these words help me draw differences not only in the instrument itself, but in the way of playing it. Classical guitar scores contain within their staves, for example, the tempo. It might be allegro ma non troppo or meno mosso e pesante and the performer adheres to them as if it were a religion. However, flamenco guitar lives free from the corset of scores that dictate tempo or ways of interpreting, leaving the guitarist free to express their feelings in the moment of playing. Free from constraints, the flamenco performer conveys different emotions each time they approach the audience.

If classical guitar is excellence, flamenco is earth. If the classical performer replicates the creation of the composer of the original piece they play, flamenco has more space for improvisation, which makes each concert different.

Is Spanish guitar the same as flamenco guitar?

Well, this is also a common question. And no, Spanish guitar and flamenco guitar are not the same. Flamenco guitar is a type of Spanish guitar with distinctive characteristics such as a soundboard made of pine or cedar wood, sides and back made of cypress or rosewood, high-tension nylon strings, and a thinner body, which allows for the rhythm and expression characteristic of flamenco.

What are the main distinctive features of flamenco guitar style?

Compás, rasgueo, pulse, or rhythm are some of the distinctive elements of flamenco guitar. With rasgueo we strike the strings with our fingers in a specific rhythmic pattern, or with golpe on the guitar’s soundboard we indicate which part of the rhythm we’re in.

What techniques and resources are used in flamenco guitar?

Some of the techniques and resources used in flamenco guitar are picado, rasgueo, or alzapúa, the latter characterized by strumming the strings with an upward movement.

What is the best brand of flamenco guitars?

The flamenco guitar that best suits me are Ramírez guitars, so much so that I’ve had the privilege of having one of their guitars bear my name: Ramírez José Luis Montón guitar.

My relationship with the Ramírez family goes back many years and I consider myself very fortunate for it. For me the sound of their guitars is magical.

What strings are recommended for flamenco guitar?

I use high-tension knocblockstring but there are many recognized brands that specialize in flamenco guitar strings. When choosing the best strings for your flamenco guitar, keep in mind that nylon strings are the most common, but there are also carbon options. Also, thickness or tension varies greatly and it’s important that you look for the ones that best suit you. Research and read reviews to make your decision and try and try until you find the one that works best for you.

What are the names of the guitar strings

The strings are numbered from first to sixth, and the first three strings are also called tiples and the fourth, fifth, and sixth are also called bordones.

Is it necessary to have prior guitar knowledge to start playing flamenco?

It’s not necessary, you can learn flamenco guitar directly.

How and where to learn flamenco guitar

You can study flamenco guitar in countless places, although if your level is intermediate or advanced I would recommend our flamenco guitar courses, taught by great flamenco guitar masters who share invaluable teachings with students to understand and master this wonderful instrument.

José Luis Montón

Learning to play flamenco guitar involves more than just technique, isolated falsetas, or rhythm notions. It requires meaning and a global vision. It demands a learning direction aimed at understanding its essence.

And no tutorial can teach you that in 10 minutes.