Bulerias Falsetas Collection # 1

Bulerias Falsetas
Collection # 1
© Charles H. Keyser, Jr. 1974
The Academy of Flamenco Guitar
P.O. Box 1292
Santa Barbara, CA 93102
Bulerias Falsetas - Collection 1
Falseta 1 ( Source: Agustin Rios/Paco del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 01
Falseta 2 (Source: Paco del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 02
Falseta 3 (Source: Paco del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 03
Falseta 4 (Source: Diego del Gastor, Agustin Rios)
Play Bulerias 04
Falseta 5 (Source: Paco del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 05
Falseta 6 (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 06
Falseta 7 (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 07
Falseta 8 (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 08
Falseta 9 (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 09
Falseta 10 (Source: “El Mellizo”)
Play Bulerias 10
Falseta 11 (Source: “El Mellizo”)
Play Bulerias 11
Falseta 12 (Source: Sabicas)
Play Bulerias 12
Falseta 13 (Source: Paco / Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 13
Falseta 14: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 14
Falseta 15: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerrias 15
(Continued Next Page)
Bulerias Falsetas - Collection 1 (Cont.)
Falseta 16: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 16
Falseta 17: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 17
Falseta 18: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 18
Falseta 19: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 19
Falseta 20: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 20
Falseta 21: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 21
Falseta 22: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 22
Falseta 23: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 23
Falseta 24: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 24
Falseta 25: (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 25
Falseta 26 (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 26
Falseta 27 (Source: Uncertain)
Play Bulerias 27
Falseta 28 (Source: Uncertain)
Play Bulerias 28
Falseta 29: (Source: Diego Del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 29
Play Bulerias 01
Bulerias Falseta Collection 1
Bulerias Falseta 1 ( Source: Agustin Rios/Paco del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode.
This falseta is one of Agustin’s; the first part is an excellent example of hemiola. Bar the
2 , 3 , 4th strings (only) with the first joint of your l.h. index finger, playing the ligados with the
other available fingers (2,3, and 4). Right hand technique is all thumb.
nd
rd
Bulerias Falseta 1 (Cont.)
Play Bulerias 01
Play Bulerias 02
Bulerias Falseta 2 (Source: Paco del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
I believe this falseta comes from Paco del Gastor, although Diego might have had a hand
in it. In any case, it is one of my all-time favorites; lots of excellent ligado and thumb work.
(The ending is my addition, imported from Juan Maya “Marote”; just one of many possible
alternatives.) You can also start the falseta on count 12, inserting an extra count just before the
final sequence.
Bulerias Falseta 3 (Source: Paco del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
This also has Diego’s influence; a strong use of thumb/ligado.
Play Bulerias 03
Bulerias Falseta 4 (Source: Diego del Gastor, Agustin Rios) Key: A Phrygian Play Bulerias 04
Mode
Here’s a falseta of Diego’s with a picado finale of Agustin Rios’. Note the use of octaves
in the 1st and 3rd measures. Also note the phrasing of the quadruplet picado sequences, and the
ascending 3rd’s.
Bulerias Falseta 4 (Cont.)
Play Bulerias 04
Bulerias Falseta 5 (Source: Paco del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
This falseta makes good use of the 2nd and 3rd positions for the A Phrygian Mode.
Play Bulerias 05
Bulerias Falseta 6 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
Play Bulerias 06
Here is a short falseta of Diego’s with some interesting syncopation and a typical use of
the thumb.
Play Bulerias 07
Bulerias Falseta 7 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
This falseta is one of Diego’s trademarks. Note the interesting phrasing.
Play Bulerias 08
Bulerias Falseta 8 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
A good ligado exercise in the 2nd and 3rd positions.
Play Bulerias 09
Bulerias Falseta 9 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
Here’s another octave falseta with a syncopated ending.
Play Bulerias 10
Bulerias Falseta 10 (Source: “El Mellizo”) Key: A Phrygian Mode
This falseta (and the next one) are from Francisco “El Mellizo”, Diego’s brother. These
are some of the most haunting and beautiful Bulerias falsetas in the Flamenco repertoire, and in
the proper setting can really inpire a singer. What is most important in falsetas like these is the
notes that are NOT played........
Play Bulerias 11
Bulerias Falseta 11 (Source: “El Mellizo”) Key: A Phrygian Mode
Another beautiful falseta from El Mellizo.
Bulerias Falseta 12 (Source: Sabicas) Key: F# Minor (Relative to A Major)
Play Bulerias 12
Agustin told me that this is one of Sabicas’ falsetas, although I’ve never discovered it on
any of his recordings. Nevertheless, it does have Sabicas’ compositional genius. You could also
think of the falseta in Bm; however, I usually perform this falseta out of an A Major chording
compas, as in the accompanying recording.
Bulerias Falseta 13 (Source: Paco del Gastor/Diego del Gastor)
(F# Minor relative to A Major)
Play Bulerias 13
Here’s another falseta in the relative minor to A major. I’ve heard a lot of guitarists
perform this falseta, and am not absolutely certain of its geneology.
Play Bulerias 14
Bulerias Falseta 14: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Major
This falseta is another of Diego’s famous trademarks. Use your 3rd finger (l.h.) for the
slides. Use picado for the right hand. The melody is a Spanish folk song “La Zarzamora” (The
Blackberry”)
Play Bulerias 14
Bulerias Falseta 14 (Cont.)
Play Bulerrias 15
Bulerias Falseta 15: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Major
This falseta has some interesting lligado counter-rhythms in the last measures, as well as
a method of expressing chords in 6/8 time (see also falseta 25).
Play Bulerias 16
Bulerias Falseta 16: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Major
Another of Diego’s ideas. Falsetas like this are often improvised, and you get to hear
them only once, if you happen to be in the right place, at the right time.
Play Bulerias 17
Bulerias Falseta 17: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Major
Diego often performed this falseta in juergas. It is a great picado falseta in the old style.
Play Bulerias 18
Bulerias Falseta 18: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Major
Here’s another falseta of Diego’s with an octave finale characteristic of the Moron style
(see also falseta 19)
Play Bulerias 19
Bulerias Falseta 19: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Major
Here’s another of Diego’s famous trademarks. This falseta has great expressive good
humor in the appropriate situation.
Play Bulerias 20
Bulerias Falseta 20: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Minor
Here’s a falseta of Diego del Gastor in A minor. Use your thumb for this one.
Play Bulerias 21
Bulerias Falseta 21: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Minor
Another falseta in the old style, using octaves.
Play Bulerias 22
Bulerias Falseta 22: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Minor
Note the interesting way the phrases resolve in this falseta.
Play Bulerias 23
Bulerias Falseta 23: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Minor
Here is a melodic falseta of Diego’s; again, note the interesting resolution.
Play Bulerias 24
Bulerias Falseta 24: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Minor
Another of Diegos’s famous trademarks. He usually “bends” the “chords” a little for
expression.
Play Bulerias 25
Bulerias Falseta 25: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Minor
This falseta is similar to Falseta 15 in concept; it somewhat reminds me of “Autumn
Leaves”. (This brings up an interesting point. Often Diego would hear snatches of themes of
American pop music (usually from Americans at the base in Moron), and woud work them into
his toque. Americans at juergas would often be disconcerted by a Bulerias falseta with the theme
of “In a Little Spanish Town” or even “How dry I am” thrown in with all the rest of the funky
Gypsy stuff. Of course the Gypsies just thought it was more funky Gypsy stuff.
Bulerias Falseta 26 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: B Minor
Play Bulerias 26
Here’s a rather extended Bulerias falseta from Diego’s “Suite in B Minor”; its
construction is interesting; note the syncopation/polyrhythm (5 + 5 + 2) in the chord sequence.
One point: I play this a little differently on the tape from the way it is written. After I recorded it,
I went back and realized that the arpeggios were different from the way I learned it from Diego.
The difference is slight; on the tape I alternate basses, where as Diego arpeggiated them.
Bulerias Falseta 26 (Cont.)
Play Bulerias 26
Bulerias Falseta 27 (Source: Uncertain) Key: A Phrygian Mode
Play Bulerias 27
This falseta and the next are similar, in the old style. You used to hear these performed
quite often, but I’m not sure whose they are. Perhaps Melchor de Marchena, or Morao, but
maybe earlier. I doubt they are Diegos’s, since they have a different style, or “aire” from his.
Bulerias Falseta 28 (Source: Uncertain) Key: A Phrygian Mode
Play Bulerias 28
This falseta is a variation of the preceding one, and probably from the same source.
Bulerias Falseta 29: (Source: Diego Del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode
Play Bulerias 29
Here’s yet another famous falseta of Diego’s; he uses variations of this in various places,
for effect.