Book review: Flamenco Guitar Method Volume 1 by Gerhard Graf-Martinez

Flamenco Guitar Method Volume 1 – Gerhard Graf-Martinez

Synopsis:
This book (with DVD and CDs) looks at the techniques used in Flamenco. There are two volumes and the first volume introduces the basic techniques such as the Rasgueado and the Golpe. The second volume expands on the techniques and introduces more advanced techniques. The first volume is split up into five lessons which detail a certain aspect of playing (such as a technique or style of Flamenco). Exercises, examples and pieces of music are included in each lesson starting from basic exercises to more demanding compositions. The DVD provides videos of all the pieces played at slow and faster tempos from multiple angles. Close-ups on the right hand are used to show how the techniques are to be played. The volume concludes with a glossary on all the Spanish words used in Flamenco and their meanings.

What I gained from reading this book:
I bought this book after I started getting interested in Flamenco. I had seen other ‘Flamenco’ books at local guitar shops but I from a simple flick through the pages I realised they lacked substance. This book is a fantastic introduction to the traditional techniques and styles. The explanations are very clear and the video explanations are extremely helpful.

Within weeks I was able to recognise the difference between proper Flamenco and Spanish sounding music imitating Flamenco. The pieces of music in this volume are so fun to play and I still play all of them. The explanations of the techniques were very detailed and were extremely helpful. The explanations and exercises were great help from bringing me all the way from the first ‘one finger Rasgueado’ to the ‘continuous Rasgueado’.

Positives:
So much effort has gone into this package and it really helps the learning process. The explanations and examples help so much and being able to see the exact same pieces played with close-ups makes learning them a breeze.

Negatives:
There really isn’t anything negative to say about this package. Although this is not for beginner guitarists! This book assumes you have a solid foundation in guitar before you even start. A beginner will not be able to play any of these pieces. Even after 8 years of playing I struggled as I worked my way through this book. Flamenco is considered one of the most technically demanding styles to play on guitar so don’t expect it to come easy. If on the other hand you are already an advanced guitarist, you should be able to learn at a fast rate.

Recommended for: Advanced guitarists
I recommend this book for advanced guitarists looking to learn how to play real Flamenco. After learning the material here I looked again at the so called ‘Flamenco’ books at my local store and could easily recognise that they were way off the mark. This book teaches the real deal.

Genre: Music - Guitar

Overall rating: 10 of 10 stars
I don’t like giving a perfect rating to anything but I am truly impressed with this book and DVD. It is worthy of such a high score.

Australians can buy the book, DVD and CD package by clicking the picture below:

Book review: What every body is saying (an Ex-FBI agent's guide to speed reading people) by Joe Navarro

What every body is saying (an Ex-FBI agent’s guide to speed reading people) – Joe Navarro

Synopsis:
The author is an ex-FBI agent that has studied people’s non-verbal signals and gestures in an effort to determine their thoughts and feelings. The author explains what body language is and why people make signals and gestures without even thinking about it. A very detailed explanation of the human brain is given and why the signals made are accurate indicators of people’s thoughts. The author uses experiences interviewing suspects to explain situations where a signal helped in finding out the person’s true feelings.

What I gained from reading this book:
I have already read a book on body language by Allan Pearce but the difference with this book is it was written three decades later. Much scientific research has been conducted in this area and this book is a result of that research. I enjoyed reading about the human brain and how our body acts without our control. The examples were fantastic and very entertaining. It was great to hear examples of how the author interrogated suspects and lead them to confessing by noticing the clues in their body language.

After finishing this book I noticed so many signals and gestures people around me made that helped me determine what they were thinking and feeling. I have been using the information from this book whenever my friends would have a game of poker together. Although I am far from an expert, my ability to tell if somebody is bluffing or not has increased as I can now recognise tells.

This book (as well as the other book I have reviewed on body language) has helped me out in many situations from the poker table to dealing with customers.

Positives:
The credibility of the author and the obvious research that has been made gives me a good feeling that I am reading good quality material. The explanations are simple enough to understand but go into enough detail to give you a thorough understanding.
There are plenty of photographs to demonstrate examples and the examples of real life situations are very interesting.

Negatives:
Body language is a very wide topic and there are countless gestures and behaviours. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to include all of these into a single book. People who expect to know absolutely everything about body language after reading this book may feel disappointed. But for everybody else, there are more than enough signals and gestures to study.

Recommended for: Everybody
I recommend this book for everybody because a basic understanding of body language can help you out in almost any situation where you are involved with somebody else. Not only can it help you out in communicating with other people, it is a very interesting topic.

Genre: Human behaviour

Overall rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:



Where to from here:
If you want to read another book on body language, have a read of my review on:
Body language (how to read other’s thoughts by their gestures) by Allan Pearse

Other related topics include negotiation:
Getting to YES by Roger Fisher and William Ury

Or you may want to read up on general people skills:
How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie