Flamenco Guitar Voicings Explained by Kai Narezo

Ever wonder why so many different chords in flamenco have the same name, or why we use so many versions of the same chord when accompanying Cante? In this flamenco guitar video tutorial, Kai Narezo breaks down the difference between a chord and a voicing and then shows you a ton of great voicings (chords) to use when playing Por Medio.
Check out our Flamenco Chords and Voicings PDF here: flamencoexplained.com/tabs-an... which has over a hundred chords and progressions that are commonly used in the two most popular keys in flamenco - Por Medio and Por Arriba.
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[@armandoroman4049]

I would absolutely love the 1 hour "nerd" version of this exact video where he explains every chord, chord name, and varitations. I LOVE that stuff!

[@emilram]

seriously?

[@suntrees3]

From an intermediate aficionado guitar player's point of view, for sure you are one of the clearest, more informative, knowledgeable and pedagogic "maestros" of flamenco and music theory I have seen in the Flamenco KZbin world so far, and not being boring at all, for either beginners or intermediate level aficionados. Congratulations, and please keep up with your noble efforts. All the videos I watched from you are as illuminating as this one. I am a US flamenco aficionado from Peru, and I can say that you sound and have the vibes of a real flamenco nerd :). You are enriching the lives of so many flamenco fans. Thank you, Kai Narezo !!!!!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thank you so much for this! Knowing the videos are helpful really inspires us to make more, so it's very much appreciated.

[@rogerm7922]

Agree 100% !!

[@PedroMachadoBorges]

I love your practicality and teaching skills. Thank you.

[@Geert.Van.Boxelaer]

Stuck around for the nerd part, being a jazzer and stuff 😎 Great info, lots of hidden treasures 👍

[@FlamencoExplained]

Glad it helped a little! -Kai

[@ruicarreiro7539]

Kai, you are a great gift to the flamenco guitar community, thank you for the instruction, keep it up! :-)

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thank you!

[@bronxemail7180]

Rewatching - these explanations are so helpful and so clear thank you again so much Kai Narezo

[@jwilliams8210]

That second inversion B flat 7 with a 9 with a sharp at the 11 etc. (02:43-02:45) , is an absolutely gorgeous chord!

[@FlamencoExplained]

It is!!

[@elyasuaral]

lovely noise :D

[@huntikis]

Oh Sweet Lord! You have a new subscriber!!! Lately I have been finding channels that FINALLY help me to understand what I have been looking for my entire life and for any reason I couldn't digest! Thank you Kai!

[@FlamencoExplained]

You're very welcome!

[@hayesdabney]

The more I watch on KZbin and on your website Flamenco Explained.com, and the more I try, the more I understand.

[@FlamencoExplained]

Aww - thanks Hayes!

[@conceptofdreadnought]

Come on! A big nerd?!? Say it ain't so! Honestly, this is a great and clear explanation. If more jazz people thought in these terms, the world would be a better place.

[@FlamencoExplained]

Paul - really I aspire to be a bigger nerd than I am! The jazzers have me beat, though.

[@conceptofdreadnought]

@@FlamencoExplained It is a worthy aspiration!

[@deldia]

They don’t? They are always simplifying too. Look at the real books etc.

[@conceptofdreadnought]

@@deldia Yes, I do know this; I simply liked Kai's explanations here for their clarity.

[@floriancazacu4504]

You spend the first 5 years of your musical journey learning complexity and then the rest of your life learning simplicity, great content, thank you!

[@timdaynes744]

It's lovely when you refer to yourself as a nerd! But you play flamenco like a rock god. So respect to you Great lessons thanks

[@FlamencoExplained]

Tim Daynes Aww, thanks man!

[@jesus7357]

Amazing channel, awesome explanation! Where were you my whole life?!!!

[@elyasuaral]

I am not a nerd but watched it all, thank you 😉

[@BlahBlah-de5id]

Kai, thank you for everything you do!

[@cybrunel1016]

Smoke on the water flamenco style. I'm on it ! Great idea. Thx for sharing these lessons.

[@ThePandaGuitar]

Thank you very much for making this video. I was always getting confused by all these chords even though they all fit in.

[@guidodezwaan]

This is helping me out, i am picking up tangos and now I can try to use the different b flats.

[@Aalii6]

very helpful, thank you

[@yunggaucho3534]

Thank you

[@talibe801]

great lesson,thank you.one of the best i´ve seen on youtube.

[@g.jernigan4545]

Thanks, your help is greatly appreciated. I’m a beginner at 73. Your teaching style is excellent.

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thank you!

[@marctucciaronemusic7738]

Really love your videos ! You demonstrate thing real well Thank you

[@charlesrast4235]

Thank you thank you thank you teach me more. I'm on a bit of a roll

[@SorenAraujo]

Gold! 🙏

[@evaharryson]

This guy is so good at explaining! I have always had troubles with understanding theory, but this I can follow! look forward to seeing more! Thank you so much Kai! what a great teacher!

[@sriflute7318]

i am almost totally self taught apart from a few guitar lessons with a classical master when i was fifteeen,i am now 53 years old,and much of the stuff that you explain about theory ,and different chords i have been lately doing just by experimentation,thankyou so mucxh your lessons are so helpful,and flamenco is not as difficult as many people even some gyspies that i know ,say it is

[@nordinne1]

That was very interesting, thank u

[@boco1951]

Respect!

[@MrJosehermoza]

I learned the functionality, good enough for me .Thanks

[@beastlybombers]

Love what and how you explain things. Thank you. Love the detail. Struggling to understand others probably because of language barriers.

[@luisloureiro4740]

Very good tutorial, Kai. I'm following your staff and obviously learning! Thank you.

[@romand5209]

So cool and explained! Thanks!!!

[@andreasant8972]

Thank you so much for those great teaching videos!!!! Keep upload more stuff like that. You are the best teacher!!!!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thanks Andreas!

[@michaelmcmahon3183]

What an informative video! Seriously thank you

[@ashleydesmond7517]

Thank you! This was very helpful! I am a chord nerd, too, but sometimes I allow it to stress me out. The idea of thinking more of the function of a chord really helps me to relax about it. I love this!

[@leonberrios1834]

Thank you! This is great information!

[@RoscoeJames]

Excellent.

[@dlind36]

Great, informative lesson

[@dljon]

Excellent and very important lesson!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thank you!

[@Blueslad]

I never learned music theory and didn't even you explained it well. But the way you said that i dont have to was the best thing in all the videos i have watched about guitar lessons. Thank you sir!

[@twoowls5570]

Again, thank you for these superb lessons/explanations on flamenco. You really are able to communicate so well and share your knowledge with us. I have been enjoying flamenco for years and thanks to you I can now play some things for my own pleasure!!! Regards, Jimp

[@FlamencoExplained]

So glad it’s helpful!!

[@quynguyen-qn5mo]

Very good instructions. Thank you

[@cozyfromearth9864]

thank you

[@eenayeah]

Wow. I'm so glad I found this channel. Needs more subscribers! What amazing content! Thank you, Kai!

[@FlamencoExplained]

So glad it's helpful!

[@moodybard9036]

I've really seen a dozen of flamenco videos but this one is one of the richest in content. Thank you so much for your nerdiness, it is really a pleasure and funny too to watch you explaining that complex art.

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thanks - So glad this was helpful for you!

[@japanesemaplepruning]

I can hear Paco when you do the variations toward the end; adding the extensions. Great job demystifying one of my favorite musicians/flamenco ever.

[@Jamie-js3qw]

because Paco was a great modernizer with his chord voicing

[@TheStuderman]

Learnt a lot!

[@rietveld840]

Very interesting master. Nice "Hnos. Conde sobrinos de Esteso" flamenco cypres guitar

[@cobio51]

Great video...

[@artvandelay1555]

Thanks Kai. Those added 9's are so nice, but a killer on my hands! Use sparingly i guess.

[@mpsmithobrien]

Your nerd versión gratefully took me , a ‘nonswimmer’ , to the edge of the sea where I realized how safe it is to wade into the shallow depths and not fear the fullness of the sea and appreciated the power of the waves. The weather can greatly effect the variations of the waves . I for the first time understand voicing and chords within the mood of the music and degrees tension that changing a note can achieve. Thanks I suspect my analogy was not wasted on the music nerd eyes and mind!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Definitely not wasted! Thanks so much for the great analogy :) Cheers, Kai

[@willliutube]

I don’t know how to express how fortunate I find this channel. The whole presentation is awesome 😎. I’m new to flamenco. I’m inspired by Carles Benavent. Yes, I’m a bass player and I want to learn all these lessons!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Very glad it's helpful - and if you want to learn to play flamenco bass you're not wrong to learn what the guitarists know! Cheers, Kai

[@slickrockcreek1]

This was more than great! I think the simple intro followed by the nerd section was a stroke of genius - makes the material accessible for those who aren't interested in (or may not YET ready for) the theory. But I came here for the theory - I've been a jazz and bossa nova player for decades (and was a math/econ major in college) so, like you, I just love this stuff! After years of enjoying flamenco from afar I decided to add the technique to my bag and you taking the time to explain this in the nerd language I speak helped tremendously!

[@jimmyc5498]

Great clip. Even though I’m very comfortable with V7 altered chords, Lydian #11 voicings thru jazz and rock stuff, hearing these voicings slowed down and resolved in context helps understand some of Paco’s music. This is extremely helpful. Thanks

[@alirezababaei4377]

thanks

[@zarcero21]

Very good. Bought your book. I like the sections on the progressions "por medio" and "por arriba." Thanks

[@FlamencoExplained]

Hey Mike - so glad you like the book and thanks for letting us know! Cheers, Kai

[@rogerm7922]

I enrolled in the flamenco explained course recently after over 3 months of searching for a teacher. I am blown away by your website. Amazing presentation, great camera work, lighting and sound clarity and your teaching style is phenomenal. You have inspired me to put in the effort to become a better flamenco guitarist.

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thanks so much for the comment - so glad you’re liking the site and making progress! -Kai

[@josem.ignacio3370]

Gracias, maestro.

[@FlamencoExplained]

You're very welcome!

[@monkeyrater]

I just subscribed to your course (under the name Brad Cantrell), its a really nice course that cuts through all the confusion. The only thing I think its lacking is lack of theory videos like this. I want to be able to improvise in flamenco so I want to know exactly how to build chords in phrygian

[@lordtaharqa2316]

inversion is another name for voicing, good vid

[@cenzotatcenzotat8036]

Wow, I am very happy to know this canal, finally someone who explain clearly the soul of chords (with other important stuff), relationship.... Etc.. clearly. You are a nerd? No! You are un Maestro excepcional🤓. All my respect🙏

[@FlamencoExplained]

I like "the soul of the chords" - I may have to borrow that! Cheers, Kai

[@MrUrech]

I agree regarding extensions . I recently decided to only write a chord as either C Cm or C7. All other details will be obvious in the action of your playing mind.

[@mesopotamiangladiator4281]

Hi , there . Thanks for everything , this is solid gold . Could you please make a video about the main structures / chord progressions of Bulerias , Taranta , Solea , Fandango comping , Tangos and Alegrais ?

[@slickrockcreek1]

I second that!

[@JWNOSNHOJ]

Great stuff! This guy is a great teacher- why? because he opens the doors, giving accessibility to musically speaking lesser people (like myself) Knowledge combined with enthusiasm and a relaxed engaging presentation like a knowledgeable mate helping you out. There are many great players of flamenco guitar out there but they are not necessarily great teachers. This guy could teach an elephant to fly!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thanks John - you made me blush!

[@bronxemail7180]

excellent needed tutorial on wtf is going with flamenco chords in an art mostly taught by apprenticeship, seriously kai narezo thank you

[@FlamencoExplained]

Haha - you're seriously welcome! Cheers, Kai

[@robbes7rh]

Everything you’re saying here is exactly correct, but I think it’s helpful to put the whole thing under the aegis of “Phrygian Cadence” in which the penultimate chord to the cadence, no matter the voicing, inversion, or added notes, is always going to involve either Bb major or G minor to resolve to A. In the big picture, probably the majority of the most celebrated Flamenco Guitarists who created the harmonic language of Flamenco, did not have formal music schooling and arguably didn’t need it.The essence of this music was embedded in their brains from a young age. But the one who is perhaps the most celebrated in our generation, Paco de Lucia, could read music, and he studied the works of Spanish classical composers such as de Falla and Albeniz. This undoubtedly contributed to the depth in his playing and his widening the harmonic pallet.

[@pepincuatro2865]

He actually couldn't read a single note. As the vast majority of flamenco players in hist time he learnt by ear. He learnt to read some music when practicing Concierto de Aranjuez by Albéniz when he was an already acomplished master

[@rotanux]

Lovely video! So good even if you are not interested in flamenco as it provides a very practical example of chord voicing etc One question: how do you calculate so fast the interval between notes? Every time I have to decipher a chord it takes me a bit of not so quick math to know which notes are included

[@RGL01]

What model Conde Hermanos are you playing? Very glad I found your channel. Muchas gracias!!!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Hey! That's a 1969 'Sobrinos de Domingo Esteso'

[@RGL01]

Thank you so much for the speedy reply! Your guitar has that flamenco growl that I hear and love when I listen to Pepe Habichuela. Your playing style is excellent! Looking forward to learning from you!

[@arsambeig9341]

Love u 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@timmullen678]

What’s the difference between a B flat And C # ? And by the way your a really good teacher

[@mainsblanches8793]

9th's and sharp 11th's, that's the Tomatito sound!!...hi!...hi!...

[@charlesrast4235]

Yep. I can't believe you know that. ♥️

[@charlesrast4235]

@Che Bernhardt ♥️

[@slickrockcreek1]

@Che Bernhardt Ha, I'm a 9th addict, sharp, natural, flat, I love them all, whichever fits the moment - sometimes have to discipline myself not to include 9ths in every chord I play

[@rockyboy976]

Great Video Kai!! Where is the flamenco chord and voicing pdf? I cant find it in ur tabs list.

[@FlamencoExplained]

It’s in there :) Look for ‘Flamenco Chords and Voicings” Cheers, Kai

[@thomasstevens1436]

Thank you for the informative lesson. One question: can that basic first position chord (x13030) you call Bb(add 13 add#11) also correctly be called Bb6(add#11)?

[@FlamencoExplained]

Hmm - good point! Could just be Bb6 #11, right? Do we even need the "add" once it's a 6 chord? We use the 'add" to indicate there's no 7, but the 6 also does that. Hadn't actually thought about this before, but will now. Thanks!

[@thomasstevens1436]

@@FlamencoExplained Thanks for the response. Yeah I'm never really sure about it. I actually thought that using 11 also implied the 9th as well as the 7th. Anyway, it's all academic. I'm really enjoying your book Flamenco Explained. It's definitely helping me out and clarifying some issues. Thanks!

[@ba8898]

What an incredible channel. Perfectly presented, with everything so clearly explained. Muchas gracias señor.

[@FlamencoExplained]

Thank you!

[@tinohernandez9070]

Please show the the different chords using the diagrams/tabs

[@aleksik4028]

Hi, in chord voicings pdf is there mistake in page 6 and a Asus4 chord?

[@Maciek1947]

I would like to get some rules on what we can add to the hord and what not. He, for example, did not played any diminished or suspended hords. He like to add 7, 9, #11 and 13. Is this the rule what we can add in Flamenco?

[@FlamencoExplained]

Like in all harmony, it's about what extensions work with which chords in which context. I haven't quite come up with a system for all of it, but I'm sure someone has!

[@k-rock353]

❤

[@LadyCroMag]

Ole!!!

[@joycesanders4898]

Ole!!!

[@allangarcia5886]

Function has more to do with voice leading while harmony has more to do with chord progression.

[@petterhouting7484]

I dont understand how the bII chord could be dominant. In the key if A the A in Bb function is flat...? How can Ab resolve to A?

[@junkheadyamiken]

Could you make a video with higher advanced music theory?

[@junkheadyamiken]

Its like i feel there are two types of music theory: One is just describing chords giving them names and just make words corresponding to the music. Like g minor 7th sharp 13 b c triade voicing.... The other builds up on this. It needs words to describe whats actually going on on the guitar. And here kicks in the interesting part. With all the terms you can build a system where the actual music theory can describe and show things that arent apperent on the guitar or while playing. Maybe a little comparable like transforming everything on a piano where things are much more apparent...? then comes the part that is like: wait a minute theoretically this should sound good too(like that chord around 17:00) and then you play it and it sounds actually good. But i am still missing "the next stage vision from above" type of thing... or is music theory not getting you there? Because till now its easily comparable to just let me trail and error on the piano and transfer back to guitar? I would like not to know anything about music theory because it hurts my brain but still get the benefits.

[@FlamencoExplained]

@@junkheadyamiken I'm still not sure I completely understand the question. What sort of things would you like to know? And are you asking for a theory that doesn't involve understanding traditional music theory, or for a way to implement the theory you know on the guitar? Or something else completely? Cheers, Kai

[@junkheadyamiken]

@@FlamencoExplained hey wow thanks for responding! After reading again i am even more confused of myself. It wqs probably very late when o wrote this. Your channel and videos and charakter are very enjoyable and pleasant! Thanks!

[@DessieTots]

Kai, can I practice your lessons with a classical/nylon strung guitar or must it be a Flamenco guitar? Thanks.

[@FlamencoExplained]

You can definitely practice on a classical!

[@thomasszejnmann3917]

Great video! I have one difficulty: this "sad" sounding chord with four fingers on the first fret - can it really act as a Bb? To my ears it does not resolve to A (only when I leave out the F in the base). Can you make a video where you show in which musical context this chord is used?

[@FlamencoExplained]

It's used a ton to resolve to A. And like all of the Bb voicings with the b7 and the #11 it even analyzes perfectly in Western theory if you think about it as a substitute dominant resolving down a half step. Cheers, Kai

[@thomasszejnmann3917]

@@FlamencoExplained Funny, two years later I watch this video again. I follow your advice and use this chord on the way to A. But I found a way to deal with this F in the bass: most times I put a g minor in between, so I have a nice bass run F G A, sometimes also with a G# in the g minor.

[@amirkhoshsafa3283]

🙏❤🙏

[@mrinalkalita269]

Hi!! Is your course a good place for absolute beginner??

[@FlamencoExplained]

We have a lot of resources for beginners, but if you are truly an absolute beginner you might want to wait for our Beginner Course which we will be launching soon (We've shot the course, and we're editing now. We'll release it in 2020 when it's done). This course will start with everything from holding the guitar through playing a guitar solo. If you join our mailing list - eepurl.com/dhwxMf - you'll know as soon as we launch that. Cheers!

[@mrinalkalita269]

Thank you for the initiative. I will wait.

[@theologian1456]

I can't find the mentioned pdf on your link

[@FlamencoExplained]

Hey - it's in there. Scroll to almost the bottom and look for Flamenco Chords and Voicings PDF. Cheers, Kai

[@encapsulatio]

What would you say are the best price/performance flamenco guitars?

[@FlamencoExplained]

There are a lot of good brands out there. In the US Cordoba are very good price/performance, and in Europe you usually have a lot more choices like Raimundo, Esteve, Sanchis, Alhambra, etc...Main thing is that it sounds and feels good to you!

[@encapsulatio]

As a beginner you can not judge what is good quality. Please list a model you think can be ideal for a beginner and intermediate in Europe. I also don't have good guitar shops in my country so I can't demo them.So i need a really specific recommendation that is ideal fot a beginner and intermediate player that has the best price/performance you can think of from what you know from your guitarists colleagues/friends or your own hands experience of testing them.

[@FlamencoExplained]

neti neti what’s your price range?

[@encapsulatio]

No more than 900$.

[@maurizioalcuaz1728]

Mi piacerebbe una bella traduzione in italiano

[@eldiabloramon]

"Conjunction Junction - whats your function..." :-) #SchoolOfRock lol

[@RenatoMachado91]

3:54... hit the road jack

[@stavrosk.2868]

Amazing how a 100% acoustic flamenco guitar sounds more rich than electric guitars with their countless pedals and effects.

[@Tuga4life]

2:34... Fly wants be in the video too

[@andriwguitarr9262]

The guitar its hermanos conde?

[@FlamencoExplained]

Yes - that's a 1969 Conde!

[@arthurtigreat8929]

Very nice! More theory stuff please and some Vicente Amigo would be superb. Also can you tell us what guitar you are using in your videos? Thank you!

[@FlamencoExplained]

Arthur Tigreat Thanks! That guitar is a 1969 Sobrinos de Domingo Esteso (Conde).

[@MrMelodynelson]

how I wish to know how ton play Flamenco. but, its so so so hard that I give up

[@FlamencoExplained]

We have a course for beginners that we think will make it easier for you. You can check it out here - flamencoexplained.com/learn-flamenco-guitar/#beginner-course - and try it free for 7 days to see if it's right for you. Cheers, Kai

[@Jamie-js3qw]

he is probably talking about sis chords when he uses the power chord metaphor

[@thomasszejnmann3917]

That´s for sure: no gitano ever thought of nines and elevens. In Granada they told me it´s just try and error. That´s why they play the A with only two fingers - so they have two fingers to move around and try every note they can reach. Some chords were invented by beginners who could not play barree and played open strings instead.

[@ThatPoyglot]

Great video! What you are describing is what we discuss here, only we discuss it from the perspective of how Paco de Lucia expanded it... because before him Flamenco was just 4 chords with just a few voicings. But Paco expanded it to almost 80 chords, or rather, chords with extensions. Take a look at this series and you’ll get the context. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o17Ug4JvaZudkK8

[@BabaBest2000]

Now, why would Mark Knopfler use that Andalusian cadence to write a song about a jazz band?