Ricardo Cobo Masterclass: Part 1 Tone & Fingernails Manicure

[ROCDR88]

That is not Ricardo Cobo

[SoloGuitaristNet]

@ROCDR88 That's very funny, but yes it is indeed Ricardo!!

[brianrhg]

I study at the University of Alabama under Professor Michael Johnson. He wanted me to view this and it's helping me. I have the same flaws in right hand stroke.

[andrewkrejsa]

yes i had master class with Mr cobo prob 15 years ago in toledo and he was extremely helpful. my piece went up at least 2 levels from the time i sat down until the time i left the lesson. my teacher was astounded

[Genesisman]

I met Ricardo at the University of Texas at Austin a couple years ago and he really is a great teacher. I had the fortune to had lunch with him and talk about music and more. Thanks for posting!

Ps. And yes, he is VERY patient! :)

[inodoro7]

poor kid he probably had to pay hundreds of dollars for a lesson with MR.cobo and the other guy goes in to interrupt/steal that kids money, that is so rude

[SoloGuitaristNet]

This lesson was complimentary from the Wichita Guitar Society. The "poor kid" got over an hour of personal attention. At this point they had already went through the "Fantasia" by John Dowland, fingering the right and left hands and discussed the anatomy of the wrist, while fielding questions from the audience. "Mr. Cobo" is one of the most patient, giving and inspiring teachers on the planet. He does not charge "hundreds of dollars" for a lesson. In each and every case you are wrong!!!

[inodoro7]

he does seem very patient unlike segovia. and he is the very first person that explains directly what exactly gives you a good tone. this lesson reminds me of my first lessons with norman ruiz. I have never taken lessons with Cobo so i don't know how much he charges but if you say he doesn't charge hundreds of dollars then i believe you. Good video Probably the only good video on you tube about nails and tone.

[SolDrivn]

moded

[CarlosMacMartin]

@SoloGuitaristNet I've communicated with Rick by email and viewed his website.Lessons are $100 an hour or $360 for 4 hours.That's pretty steep unless you have a huge pocket book or supported by wealthy

parents.I don't know anyone in my circle of friends who can afford to pay those kind of fees.To each their own & the man is a great player.However,with high prices music becomes only a dream for most.

[SoloGuitaristNet]

@CarlosMacMartin Barrueco would charge much more. it is doubtful you would get such patient encouragement. Few really great artists will teach for much less, especially since their performance fees are so much higher. Yet, full time teachers will charge less. You should be aware that Ric is running a very affordable program for the summer at UNLV from. June 6 - July 22, 2011 / Seven private lessons / Seven Master classes / One student master concert open to all students / $450.00/non-credit.

[CarlosMacMartin]

@CarlosMacMartin I wasn't talking about Barrueco and I heard awhile back that he does not teach privately.

Maybe he changed his mind? Like I said,$100 an hour is way beyond what 90% of the population can afford,so music lessons become reserved for the privileged few.The other option would be to get into a

community college.

[arash402003]

pleaaaaaaaaaase post more of this...it is so awesome.

[CarlosMacMartin]

Aaron Shearer's school of playing is really a

great place to start if you want to learn how

the hand and fingers work.I'd also suggest

viewing Kent Murdick's video's for those who

are not familiar with the technique and would

like a more visual demonstration.Priceless and

extemely useful material!

[tarquin16123416]

Thisdream said that your hand flops down when relaxed. but i dont think that is the case when you're playing- i find it takes muscular effort to hold the wrist perpendicular to the strings. I would rather keep the wrist almost inlien with my forarm.

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Absolutely!!!

[LutenistDeMari]

@tarquin16123416 rubish. Watch Denis Azabagic, John Williams, Paul Galbraith. All of them let their wrist relax into the strings. If you like to play at an angle to the strings, you can let your wrist relax and alter the anlge of the guitar, NOT your wrist.

[tarquin161234]

you're right, i suppose everybody got their own technique.

[LutenistDeMari]

@tarquin161234 True. But some techniques lead to injury and others are better at avoiding it. The number one priority of a teacher should be to prevent injury. Not to provide a short cut to fat tone. The American school of playing, characterized by gripping the strings, 'making a gun' and not letting the right wrist relax, and not giving the fingers enough height to be relaxed when not plucking, - this can and does cause injuries. Scott Tennant for example, injured his right hand.

[LutenistDeMari]

@tarquin161234 The other problem with how technique is taught these days is the attitude towards how one improves. The most obvious example of this is Pumping Nylon - a book that encourages students to believe that technique is a matter of drills and repetition, rather than analysis and questioning; A book full of difficult and pain-causing 'drills', with almost zero explanation of how to execute them with minimal tension; A book that devotes less than half a page to posture.

[tarquin161234]

@LutenistDeMari Thanks, interesting.

[mynamesnotdan]

wow now i understand cuz i was always wondering why my guitar teacher had really long finger nails only on one hand! nice vid!

[lindzeyn]

Ric did the same "surgery" on me in my first masterclass with him (in front of 50 people). Completely turned my tone around in the right direction. Very Good Video.

[cienanosdesoledad]

Regardless, I have been to master classes. I know how one looks like. Do not take me wrong. I like Ricardo Cobo. I saw him on his debut in Colombia, but this is a class in manicure. At list what you posted.

[SoloGuitaristNet]

This student's lesson was 45 minutes long. there are limitations here on youtube, We chose what we thought would be most helpful to "most people." This is what you get when someone shows up to a masterclass with problem nails. It is a fundamental that many advanced students don't get. Check back on our page on Monday. We will have posted the immediate bit leading up to this point.

[ThisDream]

The American fat tone, ramp nail style is sadly becoming extremley dominant, but it is not the only way to play. Tone is vital certainly but the ramp-nail, angled hand style leads to injuries because the hand is not relaxed (relax your hand and it flops down, it doesn't stay straight at the wrist). John Williams' technique is in my opinion saffer and I would bet my guitar that John will still be playing at a high level long after the muscle players burn out.

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Your point is completely moot as ulnar aligmnment was discussed with this same student just prior to this point in the lesson. The "ramp nail" as you call it has absolutely nothing to do with a relaxed wrist, deviated or not. You are without context my friend. Feel free to post once you have seen the rest of the lesson in the near future.

[ThisDream]

I only need to see the way he plays and teaches. He tells the student that most of his playing should feel like scratching a mosquito bite. This is a tense movement not a relaxed one. Don't worry just keep pumping nylon, its great for your muscles.

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Again, you are wrong. Earlier, Ricardo speaks of the the anatomy of the hand, detailing the diferrence between the two sets of tendons, the extensors and the flexors. He shows how one should not use both at the same time, but that movement should be relaxed and natural. Please save yourself some embarrassment. We will post more of the lesson soon. In the meantime, we suggest that you post your own teaching video with details of your own experience.

[christophe73]

Do you think we could get the rest of the video sometime? I am a big fan of Ricardo Cobo and wish I could see him play or give a few more tips...

Thanks for posting this video by the way!

[waitswatcher]

Hah, that was actually fun to see! It is excactly what Tadashi Sasaki did with me in my first lesson, so it was kinda deja-vu for me.

I found it very annoying back in the days, but it is essential, of course...

thanks for the video, gave me a smile this morning :-)

ww

[parkerzp]

thanks for posting this video,Ricardo Cobo is the best guitarist player of colombia and his way of playing is awesome,l hope see more videos of him

[cienanosdesoledad]

Is this a master class? or a beginner's class?

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Many individuals appear in masterclass without this basic knowledge. Brandon played Dowland's "Fantasia," not a beginning piece. Richard Johnson, (1965 Segovia Class) also played for Cobo. Richard's student, Ray Reussner (65 Segovia class), had been playing the same length of time as Brandon. Both will tell you that Segovia would have never shared such crucial knowledge so intimately. They should know. Ray studied with Segovia, over a period of 20 years.

[elcolibri]

It has been bothering us for long; after JW,Bream,Parkening,P Romero who will be there to lead the CG through the 21st century! Ricardo Cobo is the amswer, the greatest phenomenon to happen in the Classical guitar world in the past decade!

[elcolibri]

Finally, the great master is here on youtube!...wish he was playing also!

[SoloGuitaristNet]

We should be able to post a short teaching exchange from this class, but don't count on any concert footage any time soon. Let's hope he can allow for a performance video at some point. He truly is "the great master" isn't he?

[suramerica]

I saw both, thanks so much for posting these. And yes, Ricardo is an amazing player and teacher, I am from Colombia too, and he has been always an inspiration for me and for many other players from our country. His tone is amazing and the way he possess the music he records and play is unbelievable.

[suramerica]

What a great lesson!!!!

[SoloGuitaristNet]

Who knew that nails could be so fun. Ricardo is a great teacher. He is able to determine with pin-point accuracy what a student needs and is most helpful and encouraging with each one. This is, but a timy portion of the lesson that Brandon received. I hope you had a chance to view part 2, on nails, where he finishes the nails and they try them out a little.