How to Get the Rhythm?

<a href=”https://kristokao.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/20071221052735kristo_keila07_anne.jpg”><img title=”Anne Anderson (castagnets and clapping) Kristo Kao (guitar)” src=”https://kristokao.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/20071221052735kristo_keila07_anne-300×225.jpg” alt=”Anne Anderson (castagnets and clapping) Kristo Kao (guitar)” width=”300″ height=”225″ /></a>Get a drummer! Or two.

When I had realized that most of the interpretations of the enormous amount of dances written for the guitar are lacking the rhytmic flow I tried to find a way how I could fix it in my own playing. It is clear that solid playing techniques and proper arrangements and fingerings are needed but playing like a machine doesn’t improve the groove, though.

Adding some percussion seemed to be a solution. Classical guitar + small percussion. Sounds great! But if you put too much rhythm then you’ll loose the feeling of a guitar CD. There is a limit between band music and solo music and that’s why I decided to add only a small amount of rhythm instruments to certain pieces. Initially I wanted to put more and more because I was excited about the idea but when I started to play the pieces, I changed my mind. If you put too much salt it’ll not act the way you want 🙂

So what percussion do I have here: medieval drums (one at the time!) and tambourine in early music tracks, hand clapping and castagnets when it comes to the Spanish music and percussion on the guitar strings and body in the samba. When performing the program at live concerts with a real dancer, of course the sound of her feet will be added to the sound.

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