Notes from Spain 68 - Ramirez and the Spanish Classical Guitar

[Ben]

http://www.notesfromspain.com/wp-content/uploads2/ram4.jpg

Now, as a fledgling guitarist, I really enjoyed putting this podcast together.

The world-renowned luthiers Ramirez have been making Spanish classical guitars for over 125 years here in Madrid. We visited the Ramirez guitar workshop in Madrid, spoke to Amalia Ramirez, and listened to a pro playing one of their guitars.

Listen to the podcast here (http://www.notesfromspain.com/2008/01/17/ramirez-spanish-classical-guitar-podcast/) and see more photos here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/spanishben/sets/72157603736216973/show/).

http://www.notesfromspain.com/wp-content/uploads2/ram3.jpg

[Jules]

What an amazing place! I'd love to have a look round. In my own much more modest workshop I have many of the woodworking tools that I can see in these photos. Suspect I don't have quite enough skill to make a guitar though I do have a son who can play.

[ValenciaSon]

I believe I saw Ramirez interviewed on España Directo on TVE Internacional. I love Clapton and wondered if he used a Ramirez for his acoustic pieces while listening to the podcast, before he was mentioned. Very interesting podcast, thanks!

[RitadeLosAngeles]

Great podcast! As a fellow flamenco guitarist, I was very excited to hear this podcast. I personally play a 1967 Conde Hermanos, which has that old-time flamenco guitar sound. Unfortunately, most flamenco guitar makers (including Ramirez), no longer make guitars as well as they used to. Basically most flamenco guitars after 1973 are not made as well.

In the old days, Ramirez used to make only 12 guitars per employee. Which is why they can command the prices they do for the hand-made, custom guitars.

I hope you do more flamenco-themed podcasts in the future.

Many thanks!

Rita de Los Angeles:thumbs-up:

[Ben]

Hi Rita,

I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I hope to make more Flamenco podcasts in the future too :)

[Edith]

Yes, this is a great podcast! :thumbs-up::thumbs-up::thumbs-up:

It was interesting to hear more about the way these guitars are made, and to see some pictures of the taller itself.

I have always been interested in Spanish classical music and in flamenco, and I truly wish I had some talent for playing the guitar!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with classical composers from Spain, here are some suggestions (including audio samples):

Fernando Sor, The Spanish Guitar

http://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Guitar-Fernando-Sor/dp/B000001VKN/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201774055&sr=1-11

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez and Manuel de Falla: El Amor Brujo (guitar + orchestra)

http://www.amazon.com/Rodrigo-Concierto-Aranjuez-Falla-Brujo/dp/B0000041YL/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201773386&sr=1-10

Tárrega: Recuerdos de la Alhambra (guitar + orchestra)

http://www.amazon.com/T%C3%A1rrega-Recuerdos-Alhambra-L%C3%A1grima-Germany/dp/B00000E2O1/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201773113&sr=1-6

Los Romeros, The Royal Family of the Spanish Guitar

http://www.amazon.com/Royal-Family-Spanish-Guitar/dp/B0000057NF/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772940&sr=1-1

Isaac Albéniz: Echoes of Spain

http://www.amazon.com/Alb%C3%A9niz-Echoes-Spain-Isaac-Albeniz/dp/B0000025J5/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772853&sr=1-1

Paco Peña and Eduardo Falú, Encuentro

http://www.amazon.com/Encuentro-Paco-Pena/dp/B0000037CZ/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772804&sr=1-18

John Williams, Paco Peña: The Seville Concert (no audio samples)

http://www.amazon.com/John-Williams-Seville-Concert-Segovia/dp/B000MGBTOI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772534&sr=1-4

And here's one of my flamenco favorites, The Art of Paco Peña:

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Paco-Pena-Pe%C3%B1a/dp/B0000037I5/ref=pd_sim_m_img_4

[ese]

Yes, this is a great podcast! :thumbs-up::thumbs-up::thumbs-up:

It was interesting to hear more about the way these guitars are made, and to see some pictures of the taller itself.

I have always been interested in Spanish classical music and in flamenco, and I truly wish I had some talent for playing the guitar!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with classical composers from Spain, here are some suggestions (including audio samples):

Fernando Sor, The Spanish Guitar

http://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Guitar-Fernando-Sor/dp/B000001VKN/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201774055&sr=1-11

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez and Manuel de Falla: El Amor Brujo (guitar + orchestra)

http://www.amazon.com/Rodrigo-Concierto-Aranjuez-Falla-Brujo/dp/B0000041YL/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201773386&sr=1-10

Tárrega: Recuerdos de la Alhambra (guitar + orchestra)

http://www.amazon.com/T%C3%A1rrega-Recuerdos-Alhambra-L%C3%A1grima-Germany/dp/B00000E2O1/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201773113&sr=1-6

Los Romeros, The Royal Family of the Spanish Guitar

http://www.amazon.com/Royal-Family-Spanish-Guitar/dp/B0000057NF/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772940&sr=1-1

Isaac Albéniz: Echoes of Spain

http://www.amazon.com/Alb%C3%A9niz-Echoes-Spain-Isaac-Albeniz/dp/B0000025J5/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772853&sr=1-1

Paco Peña and Eduardo Falú, Encuentro

http://www.amazon.com/Encuentro-Paco-Pena/dp/B0000037CZ/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772804&sr=1-18

John Williams, Paco Peña: The Seville Concert (no audio samples)

http://www.amazon.com/John-Williams-Seville-Concert-Segovia/dp/B000MGBTOI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201772534&sr=1-4

And here's one of my flamenco favorites, The Art of Paco Peña:

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Paco-Pena-Pe%C3%B1a/dp/B0000037I5/ref=pd_sim_m_img_4


Edith, ¡qué documentada estás! De hecho creo que eres la forera no española de Notes In Spanish que mejor domina el español, y que más cosas sabes sobre España. Me quito el sombrero ante ti.

[Liam]

Ben,

How is your guitar playing coming along? I am a 17-year player myself and I remember getting started. You have to build up those calluses on the fingers! Are you playing nylon strings, or steel strings? Any successes or frustrations setting in?

[Edith]

Edith, ¡qué documentada estás! De hecho creo que eres la forera no española de Notes In Spanish que mejor domina el español, y que más cosas sabes sobre España. Me quito el sombrero ante ti.

:)

Muchas gracias Ese, ¡me haces sonrojar! ¿Hay un equivalente espanol de 'you made my day'?

Me gusta mucho leer sobre la historia y cosas así. Y llevo escuchando la música española clásica desde hace muchos años, me encanta. Pero de verdad, creo que hay otros foreros que dominan el español mejor que yo. :)

[Ben]

Hi Liam,

It's going well, thanks, still on the steel string acoustic, though I didn't practice for one week and lost most of the callouses, now it hurts again! I have got to the end of the Guitar for Dummies dvd I was using which was really excellent, I'm now working on the last part of that, learning House of The Rising Sun finger-style, going well except for that pesky F major chord!

I really enjoyed using the dvd to learn from and now really want to find another one that will take me to the next levels.

p.s. Edith, wow, great resources!

[ese]

:)

Muchas gracias Ese, ¡me haces sonrojar! ¿Hay un equivalente espanol de 'you made my day'?

Me gusta mucho leer sobre la historia y cosas así. Y llevo escuchando la música española clásica desde hace muchos años, me encanta. Pero de verdad, creo que hay otros foreros que dominan el español mejor que yo. :)


He buscado en Internet el equivalente en español a la expresión "you made my day", y en algunos foros de Internet dicen que viene a significar "me alegraste el día". De todas formas, no estoy muy seguro.

[eldeano]

Me alegraste el día.

:confused:

[Liam]

Yes, that F chord can be difficult because you are fretting every single string, which is not typical. I found that using the thumb to fret the low E and forefinger to fret the B and E strings together is the easiest way to do it. It also gives you practice on fretting the low E with the thumb, which is very common among fingerstyle players.

Also, there are sites like fretplay.com which are great for tablature, which comes in handly while you're still learning to reading music for the guitar. A basic acoustic Beatles song like Mother Nature's Son, for example, would be easy to figure out once you know the chords. Then you tackle Blackbird.

Good luck, and have fun.