Actors: Aaron Gilmartin | Directors: Happy Traum | Studio: Homespun Tapes
DVD Release Date: June 1, 2004 | Run Time: 210 minutes
The passion and fire of flamenco, with its driving dance rhythms and spectacular melodies, has inspired guitarists for generations. This Spanish Gypsy folk music has its roots in the Middle East, and you can hear strains of Arabic, Jewish, Eastern European, Indian and other ethnicities in its powerful rhythms and harmonies.Aaron Gilmartin’s clear, concise instructions will get you started playing flamenco guitar right away. All you’ll need is a basic knowledge of the fingerboard and a nylon string guitar to learn this exciting musical tradition. Whether you now play classical, folk, blues or contemporary fingerstyle guitar, these DVDs will open a whole new world of music to you.

Along with flamenco history, terminology and technique, Aaron teaches four of the most important flamenco forms, each with its own recognizable "feel," or aire: Tangos, a dance rhythm in 4/4 similar to the sounds made popular by the Gypsy Kings; Alegrias, a lighter, more uplifting style; Bulerias, the exciting and popular form played by everyone from Sabicas to Paco de Lucia; and Soleares, the "mother of all flamenco forms." In each form you’ll learn the basic compas (rhythmic feel), and become familiar with strumming and picking techniques such as the rasgueado, abanico and picado.

Throughout the two DVD lessons you’ll develop your tone, rhythmic power, strumming variations and the improvisational melodies (falsetas) and heart-thumping rhythms that make flamenco so exciting to players and listeners alike.

Reviewed by Mel Beckman on Amazon
“ I've been playing flamenco for several years, but learned from instructors who were quite busy and could not spend a lot of time helping me refine my technique. The value of this DVD is that you can play the material over and over again until you have the rhythms down solid. I read music, but I find I really like seeing the left and right hand parts demonstrated separately -- another thing you can't really do with a live instructor.Aaron Gilmartin also clarifies some confusing aspects of Flamenco terminology -- something I wish I'd had in the early years of playing

Aaron goes into great detail on each rasguedo and rhythm, giving you everything you need to learn them perfectly. And his hints about playing and how each technique should feel are priceless. The melodic passages are very basic, but pleasant and reasonably interesting. But I'm after the rhythm, and I got it here.

I also have Juan Martin's "Solos Flamenco", but that book is too vague and moves too quickly to advanced material to be very rewarding. I did like some of the Martin's pieces, and enjoyed learning them, but I don't think his course really helped me improve my technique.

This is a great book for new flamenco players that already have some proficiency at classical guitar, but also valuable for intermediate students llike myself. A green beginner will get lost -- you've got to master fretboard and right-hand fundamentals before tackling the flamenco style.