5 Guitar Lessons from Mariachi Music ★ Acoustic Tuesday 185

[@ZacCostilla]

I grew up in my grandparents’ and father’s Mexican restaurant, so there was always Mariachi music on the jukebox, and often live Friday and Saturday nights. I have loved it all my life. It drive me to check out all kinds of Latin music, and I especially love flamenco and Andean folk music. The vihuela technique is also use in various flamenco rhythms. You can get a requinto, which is small like the vihuela, but tuned like a guitar with a cap on the 5th fret. You’d use a lot of the same techniques, but it might simplify the playing. The vihuela is small, like a ukulele, but much deeper bodied, and tuned like a lute.

[@derrickd3gmail]

Big respect for showing big respect.

[@heymrguitarman7637]

Whoop whoop got a mention 🙂. Made my day thanks Tony.

[@CarlosGonzalez-tx4cb]

Thank you for bringing these techniques into the limelight and making them more accessible. I used to be a mariachi and I appreciate that you are introducing people to the techniques

[@vrai3078]

Finally someone has given the bajo sexto some exposure , Being hispanic I can tell you that the history if the bajo sexto is very incomplete and tainted and was not kept throughout time ,it is a very important instrument to us in south texas because it has alot of cultural value ,but unfortunately alot of the native players are getting less passionate of the instrument and therefore an entire row has been taken off the instrument turning it into a "bajo quinto" (5 courses instead of six) there are actually other positions on the bajo sexto that are very old fashioned and aren't used anymore but are similar to open guitar chords ,however these have been lost to time and only a few old men still play them in a small region where I live.It would be cool if you made a seperate video elaborating on the instrument because in my opinion it is going extinct and the united states has never recognized it as a real instrument or preserved it in a cultural program.Mostly the bajo sexto isn't really considered a mariachi instrument though it is part of norteño music which is a seperate sub culture from mexico ,maricahi was considered high class music in the olden days and norteño and rancheras were considered peasant or working class music so they are actually very seperate in that regard.

[@thirtyyearoldmulberryfield]

The Bajo didn’t loose a course bc people were getting less passionate about it. It lost the lowest course bc other instruments joined the bandas and conjuntos that could fill in those low notes better, like the tololoche, electric bass, tuba or sousaphone. Most Bajos are of similar size and scale length as a guitar so its really pushing the expected tonal range one could get with those limitations. And Bajos are associated with Norteño styles which have Germanic influence (which is why accordion is another key instrument in those styles). I have never read or seen them associated with Mariachi, which is usually agreed to have its roots in Jalisco and other neighboring central states. Really when I think of Mexican folk instruments, I think of stuff the instruments from Huapango Huasteco, like the Jarana or Huapangera.

[@vrai3078]

@@thirtyyearoldmulberryfield Dude I grew up around this music and many local musicians that play it in roma tx ,I have literally went up to all of these bajistas and asked them if they know how to play the "bajeo" all but two have told me "no, porque soy flojo y ,al cabo tienemos basista" or something of that nature.They just play the highest two or three courses and never utilize the rest of the instrument.I understand the the chamber of the bajo and scale are a bit too small for the range that the instrument is in but that is honestly irrelevant and we dont usually concern ourselves over that,if anything we have pick ups and even an interesting example of a group valled "los rojos" where they didn't have a bassist for a long time and their bajista made a special setup where he would remove the octave strings from the bass courses and put a second pickup routed to a bass amp ,and I swear you couldn't even tell that there was one instrument doing the job of two,however let me stress how important it is that the bajo have the 6 rows that it needs,as for the bajos involvment in mariachi music ,It has ,there was a very brief time period at the turn of the century there was a transitional era in which it was quasi-common to see a guitatron and bajosexto together along with a violin(which I have family members who have been in exactly this setup) ,not to mention the ancestor of the bajosexto the "bajosexto mixteco" which came from the same area you mentioned in central and south mexico ,what with the "jaranas" and what not, How can you tell me that bajosexto players are not passionate about the instrument anymore when they are just switching it out for a guitar or other alternatives and ditching the correct way of playing it because "al cabo tienemos basista" ,the original 6 row bajo and the way of playing is a dying art and even the people that use this instrument now don't care for it ,I know because I have seen it happen in front of my very eyes .when the hell do you ever see anyone talk about this instrument outside of south texas ,never, which is why this video is exciting to me as it exposes a larger demographic to this fading instrument.

[@msd2819]

Hey Tony. So it’s been a bummer month. At the beginning of April I broke my elbow while I was skateboarding. It is my fretting arm. So at first I was devastated to realize I can’t play for a while. But then I realized because of TAC philosophy, I can always do something. So I have been working on my picking hand. I tuned my guitar to open D so that it at least sounds pretty LOL. And so I have just been working on my rolls and different finger style techniques. Just wanna encourage others out there. If one limb goes down, there’s always still a way to play LOL and move forward. Thanks for all you do Tony. Can’t wait to get back to full playability.

[@john84896]

4 fingers on the way down...thumb on the way up Fantastic! Thnx for the tip! There is somethings that may seem obvious to experienced players but when it’s just yer hobby ...vids like this brake down technique in an easy relaxed way that is nice...I would like to chill with this guy n have a beer n a joint...he seems as cool as Fuc 👍

[@turtleie]

Tony thanks for the play in open D in 3 easy steps. After injuring my left 3rd finger tip I can still play with the 2 finger chords THANKS PAUL

[@jacsvihus]

Saxophones have an intoxicating way of fluttering between half steps. This is a sound I am working on replicating with acoustic guitar. It is funny because the note transition is slow until it changes then it is fast. Kinda hard to explain in words. I don't have it 100% at will, but working on it. Such a fun challenge.

[@bennyatkinson6916]

Yes can’t wait

[@angelg8445]

So glad u ventured into the 'foreign folk' Mariachi music! I have been playing old-time banjo, fiddle, and guitar music for 20 years, I also have studied the Charango and the tres, which are Spanish folk instruments from Argentina and Puerto Rico respectively. I realized a long time ago that Old-time music is a mixture of African/Indian/European/Celtic instruments. The guitar draws from Moorish string instruments, and obviously Spanish/European lutes, and the banjo is based upon African drum and string instruments. We all can grow from learning folk music and instruments from all over the world! Great Work Tony!

[@flouisbailey]

Very interesting this came up as I was taking a break from natural notes and chords on electric, music is aaaammmmaaazzzing. Thanks for the exploration sorta reminds me of Bluegrass of which I know very little but...It's all music.

[@edwardpetersen4309]

Ah, No requinto? Small guitar tuned A to A. Wonderful sound.

[@ZionForman]

how timely, I was teaching my guitar students Los Lobos yesterday , Saint Behind the Glass , transposed the harp solo to guitar ,

[@pauleverettguitar1568]

Such a great idea ! Remember buying my Yamaha DCPA based on an in depth review from AL and it's been fab! I've a few arrangement lessons on my new channel also.

[@1olddoggie]

A great idea Tony!

[@oscarsanchezt.1750]

All great content my friend but one small thing here, the Bajo Quinto/Sexto is not used in a Mariachi but rather a different Mexican music genre called “Norteño” very characteristic by the usage of a accordion as well as a mixture between local Mexican music and German/Austrian/Czech folk music.

[@johnviolette5511]

Good show Tony!

[@gaddyiii]

If you watch the vihuela player, the standard strum is like what you demonstrate, but with an extra hit of the thumb on the way down. The pattern is: fingers down - *thumb down* - thumb up. This creates a triplet feel similar to flamenco fan strumming (rasgueo de abanico). A bit more exotic and flashy, but probably a thumbnail breaker on steel strings.

[@squiddyft.insecurities3549]

i’ve never used that extra thumb

[@gaddyiii]

@@squiddyft.insecurities3549 Cool. Well if you wanna try it, it's a cool way to strum triplets

[@squiddyft.insecurities3549]

@@gaddyiii didn’t say it was cool but okay

[@nedludd3641]

Why's it called 'Bluegrass'?

[@coreyevans835]

A friend of mine in highschool taught me that the vihuela technique was similar to flicking a booger off of you fingers 😂

[@michaelabbott1924]

Hi Tony. Watched the show today and was interested in the comment made by Daisy Tempest regarding using hand modelled paper for inlays. My friend and Luthier Mark Bailey (Bailey guitars) also has exclusive use of compressed Heather (well we are in Scotland!) from a company that makes Heathergem jewellery. Check out Preston Reeds signature jumbo featured in an interview with Dream guitars to see this beautiful material. Great show, keep rocking 👍🥃

[@squiddyft.insecurities3549]

i used to play mariachi but i stopped after a few years 😕

[@madmusicianmagician]

Like #200

[@nancyshumway4418]

Hello Tony from Germantown MD. I have actually have my Guitarsenal shirt, but scared to share because no Martin’s Taylor’s, Gibson. I have four guitars. One that strictly is on the wall ( it was my fathers to expensive to fix, maybe one day.) Thank you for everything you do! Today is going to be first tac lesson. Is there anyone in Germantown , Gaithersburg, or Rockville MD contact me here! Have a wonderful day.

[@aleidasuarez]

nancy, to me the guitar community is all about lifting each other up and supporting each other's guitar journey, not about the number of and what brand name guitars you have. passion and determination [and fun!] is what it's all about! so, please share your collection. rock on, sister.

[@vwbeetle72jellybeen]

Nancy, Aleida said it well. Bottom line is we're all guitar geeks. As such, sharing our love of the guitar, the guitar learning journey, and celebrating small wins with each other is what it's really about, not the label on the headstock. ;-)

[@nancyshumway4418]

@@vwbeetle72jellybeen Thank you for answering. I love my guitars one of course my father’s guitar he gave it to me cause he knew he was going to pass. It needs a lot of work I wish I knew a luthier a good one in Maryland I do not want to go to any other states. I call them by name not by what they are I have an Fender Strat with bird inlays it’s name is birdy . I have an ovation celebrity I love that guitar it’s name is cherry.I as searched a certain point I have a new guitar well it was my son’s his father bought it he played it once said it hurt his fingers (lol) The new guitar is an Ibanez isn’t new it was new two years ago . It was down in the in the den never polished never did anything to it, it warped the top a little one guy at Victor Litz Music well

[@nancyshumway4418]

Have to go

[@vwbeetle72jellybeen]

@@nancyshumway4418 Nancy, all of those guitars have such deep meaning that what @aleida and I said still stands...........they are yours, they all mean something to you...........and I can actually see you smiling as you wrote each of those descriptions. As @Tony would say, "Oh, man, that's awesome!" I'm going to make a deal with you...............I've been waiting to get my daughter and I together to take a guitarsenal picture and post it on TAC. I'm going to buy us our guitarsenal t-shirts and get that picture (before she buys another electric Daisy Rock guitar - LOL) and you'll see there's no Martins, no Gibsons, just one Taylor we bought for my daughter (but I play it more than she does as she's totally in to electric these days). When I post the picture, I want you to do the same. It's liberating to share your guitar life with others and I'm encouraging you to simply jump in, feet first, and start feeling the love in this "awesome" community. Challenge accepted? :-)

[@nedludd3641]

I'm trying to play without looking at the fretboard, so I can focus on the music sheet. The high strings are sort of OK, but the bass strings are messy. Any suggestions anyone?

[@vincent5542]

Inspired by Drums kind of

[@sajanasathsara9346]

197like by me.....😂😋✨️❤