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

Play Bulerias 09
Falseta 9 (Source: Diego del Gastor)
Play Bulerias 10
Falseta 10 (Source: “El Mellizo”)

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
nd rd

other available fingers (2,3, and 4). Right hand technique is all thumb.
 Play Bulerias 01
Bulerias Falseta 1 (Cont.)
 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 Play Bulerias 03

This also has Diego’s influence; a strong use of thumb/ligado.

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 Play Bulerias 05

This falseta makes good use of the 2nd and 3rd positions for the A Phrygian Mode.
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) Play Bulerias 13
(F# Minor relative to A Major)

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.
 Play Bulerias 26
Bulerias Falseta 26 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: B Minor

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.
 Play Bulerias 26
Bulerias Falseta 26 (Cont.)
 Play Bulerias 27
Bulerias Falseta 27 (Source: Uncertain) Key: A Phrygian Mode

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.
 Play Bulerias 28
Bulerias Falseta 28 (Source: Uncertain) Key: A Phrygian Mode

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.