Group 1

Rhythm and Rubato - Improving Your Interpretation Of Latin Dances

Immerse yourself in the vibrant and rhythmic world of Latin American dances with our two-week intensive course, “Rhythm and Rubato”. This course is a deep exploration into the rich musical heritage of Latin America, focusing on authentic interpretation and rhythmic structure of emblematic pieces like Heitor Villa-Lobos’s Choro 1, Antonio Lauro’s Carora, and Cardoso’s Milonga.

Core Concepts:

  • Rhythm and Rubato: Delve into the essential techniques of employing rhythm and rubato, learning where to take time and where to maintain a straightforward tempo.
  • Understanding Rhythmic Structure: Gain insights into the intrinsic rhythmic structures that define Latin American dances, enabling you to render performances that resonate with authenticity and vitality.
  • Addressing Technical Challenges: Overcome typical technical hurdles such as mastering arpeggios with ami and thumb, negotiating chord changes, and more.

Hands-on Learning:

Participants are encouraged to bring their own repertoire to the course, allowing for a collaborative learning environment where individual pieces are analyzed for their rhythm and interpretability. The course will guide participants through the process of identifying where to take time in their pieces, ensuring a broader applicability of the skills acquired.

Who Should Attend:

This course is tailored for classical guitarists who are eager to refine their interpretative skills, enhance their understanding of rhythm, and delve deeper into the beauty of Latin American music. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or an enthusiastic beginner, this intensive course will enhance your musicality and broaden your interpretive horizons.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will have a nuanced understanding of rhythm and rubato, allowing them to bring out the authentic essence of Latin American dances in their performances. They will also have honed their technical skills to navigate through typical challenges encountered in playing such pieces.

Join Us:

Embark on this musical journey and immerse yourself in the rhythms and expressions of Latin American dances. This course promises a transformative learning experience, offering a rich blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, all aimed at unlocking the true potential of every classical guitarist.

Timeline:

  • Sign-Up: October 13th - 15th
  • Course Period: October 16th - 27th
  • Optional check-In via Zoom: tba

 

Assignments

 

PART 2 ''MILONGA'' by Jorge Cardoso

 

Practice assignment:

1. Try the rhythm with open strings concentration on the beat from the metronome.

2. Play the first couple of bars (first three or four chords is enough).

 

Part 3: Carora (vals Venezolano) by Antonio Lauro

 

Assignment:

1. Try to play the cuatro's rhythm very slowly, by strumming in a down and up motion six 8th-notes damping 8th-note number 3 and 6 (1 2 X 4 5 X). Don't forget it is a vals and has a 3/4 measure.

 

2. If you play this piece or any other Venezuelan vals you can post it, if not, you can try the first couple of bars.

 

Have fun!

 

Part 4: Choro No.1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos

 

Assignment:

Try to play the basic rhythm as explained in the video and if you can, add some percussion from this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYWXrkYTLOE

 

Have fun!

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    • Derek
    • Derek
    • 11 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi Arturo - Hi everyone. I've just watched the video and I'm really looking forward to taking part in this course. I've played the Choros (probably very badly) for a long time on and off and I learnt (and promptly forgot) the Milonga a year or so ago. I also play a couple of Lauro waltzes (La Gatica and El Negrito) and occasionally attempt some Barrios. I'm hoping that this course is going to improve both my understanding of the rhythms and my ability to play them more authentically. Thanks Derek

    Like 1
    • Derek Thank you for your comment and for being here with us! That sounds great! I think the most important part is to learn how to search this tools by ourselves and improve our understanding of this music and cultures in a non linear way. By that I mean watching a movie, listening to different music, reading about the culture or a short story and thus creating a universe of our own related to said culture.

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    • Deb Covellnull
    • Long term hobby guitar player and one time guitar builder
    • Deb
    • 11 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi Arturo, I am also looking forward to this course, you mentioned in the video that you would be happy to post some written explanations of the first assignments. I Wouk’s appreciate this just to get started , thanks 

    Like 1
    • Deb Covell Thank you for your message and for joining us! Sure, thank you for your patience  :) It will be posted above.

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  • Salut, Arturo, Derek, Deb and other participants. I’m really looking forward to this 2wi. Thanks for your introduction video, Arturo. Very inspiring. I’m not such an experienced Latin guitarist (my Nordic roots, I’m afraid). However, for the Villa Lobos Challenge I learned preludio#2. This intensive gives me a good reason to practice the choros#1. I did play the Cardoso piece some time ago (both as solo and duo piece), as well as some other Milongas.  Rodrigo Riera’s Preludio Criollo is one of my favorites (this 3/4 against 6/8 polyrhythm). 

    Time for your exercises. You gave very clear instructions., Arturo. I’ll try to post some  examples of my working on them this coming week….

    Like 1
    • joosje How great to read this, thank you so much. I love Riera's preludio criollo, it is a fantastic piece! I'm sure we'll enjoy this next two weeks!

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  • Hi you all, I am looking forward too, to learn about my beloved latin music;-)

    Like 1
  • and I have to see it written, I am not able to catch it from watching the screen....sorry

    Like 2
    • Stefanie Mosburger-Dalz Thank you for your comment and your patience, I am posting it now. Let me know if you have more questions. Also, as I go on each style I can give more exercises, so no worries if you don't perfectly get this introductory one :)

      Like 1
  • Saludos Arturo Castro Nogueras , estoy muy emocionado de comenzar este intensivo de dos semanas y de sumergirme en el aprendizaje de los ritmos latinos. Mi experiencia con la música latinoamericana incluye interpretar algunas piezas de Barrios y Brouwer y de acompañar con la guitarra el cuatro puertorriqueño. 

    Like 1
    • Raul Guzman Vidal Hola ! Fantástico, que alegría leer lo que me cuentas. Muchas gracias, déjame saber cualquier pregunta que tengas. Saludos

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    • Saludos Arturo Castro Nogueras , durante estos días he estado trabajando con la Milonga de Cardoso. Me parece que lo mas difícil de la pieza son los cambios de acordes. Me siento cómodo tocando el ritmo de milonga. Incluyo un video de la introducción para que por favor me digas en que puedo mejorar. 

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    • Raul Guzman Vidal Hi Raul. it sounds good and it sounds like  a Milonga ;-)

      Like 1
    • Stefanie Mosburger-Dalz Thank you for the feedback!

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    • Raul Guzman Vidal ahí, que se sienta el saber latino! Muy bien, en general se escucha muy bien. Los acordes trabajalos con calma y en bloque. Enfócate en la mano izquierda y el cambio, siempre relajando antes de cambiar. Voy a estar en PR hasta finales de noviembre, si quieres te puedo echar una mano con eso.

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    • ¡Gracias Arturo Castro Nogueras por los consejos! Trabajare en los acordes como me sugeriste y me gustaría mucho recibir tu ayuda en persona mientras estés en Puerto Rico. Espero poder mejorar antes de finales de noviembre. ¡Gracias de nuevo!

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    • Romy
    • romy
    • 11 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Thanks for the interesting topic. I am currently playing „Candombe en mi“ by Pujol from the 5 Preludes. It is a very rhythmical piece and I have never played a Candombe. Can you tell me something about it and give me some advice on how to play? Thanks a lot!

    Like 1
    • Romy Hi, Thank you very much for your comment and for being here with us again. Would you like to post a short video playing the piece? I'm sure there will be things that others can find interesting. (I have to admit I didn't know the piece before you mentioned it and as I started listening to it I thought: this is too modern for Pujol. Then I realized it was Maximo Diego and not Emilio X) Let me know what you think.

      Like
  • I know it is not the best quality, but I hope this helps. Tomorrow we'll start with the milonga and we can do a couple of more specialized exercises for the piece.

    Like 3
    • Deb Covellnull
    • Long term hobby guitar player and one time guitar builder
    • Deb
    • 11 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Thanks Arturo, that will help me visually to get started. Cheers 

    Like 1
    • Deb Covell let me know how it goes :)

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    • Deb Covell me too!!!

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      • Deb Covellnull
      • Long term hobby guitar player and one time guitar builder
      • Deb
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

      Arturo Castro Nogueras 

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  • thank you so much, that helps me to start;-)

    Like 1
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