Alegrias 1 Flamenco Guitar

This lesson covers the theory and techniques of Alegrías for an advanced-beginner student. It includes a very important traditional phrase called escobilla and a traditional rhythm phrase called compás. Also a melodic falseta (musical variation) using scales and thumb technique. Perfect for understanding the fundamental rhythmic and harmonic structure of Alegrías.

As in most of flamenco forms, Alegrías is a mixture of various musical cultures converging in the south of Spain or Andalusia. The melody of Alegrías was originally a part of a peasant dance called the Jota, an unsophisticated style of music and dance originating in the northern part of Spain, Asturias. It then found its way to the southern part of Spain, Cadiz and the area of El Puerto de Santa Maria, where it was later mixed in with the 12 beat compás of Solea. The rhythmic structure of Alegrías is the same as the Solea and Bulerias; 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 where the underlined numbers representing the fundamental accents. The main difference is in the harmony. Alegrías is one of few forms that is in a major mode, rather than the Andalusian cadence (many times referred to as the Phrygian mode, however, that explanation is incomplete).

The Alegrías is a part of a category of cantes known of Cantes de boda - wedding songs. The sister forms of the Alegrías are Romeras, Alboreá and Cantiñas. The Alegrías is typically played in E major for mostly dance accompaniment and in A major as a solo however, many solo Alegrías compositions are in E major as well.

In this lesson Adam del Monte is playing a Blanca flamenco guitar by the master luthier Erez Perelman