- Flamenco was born in southern Spain, in the region populated by Andalusian gypsies. This quintessentially Spanish art form has three permutations: the cante, or the song, which is considered the core of Flamenco; the baile, or the dance; and the toque, or the guitar-playing. Beyond this specific region, people refer to flamenco guitar-playing as any type of music that has a Spanish-sounding influence or incorporates the percussive flamenco techniques.
- The convergence and divergence of Spanish classical guitar and flamenco is a hotly debated topic amongst aficionados of the genre. In general, a Spanish guitar may be used to perform both classical and flamenco music, with flamenco demanding a different style of playing rather than a distinct type of guitar. This blurring of styles is represented in the history of flamenco, which developed alongside Spanish guitar during the 19th century. Eventually, flamenco music overtook the region of Andalusia, becoming more popular than Spanish classical guitar.
- A traditional flamenco guitar has several defining features beyond the wood used to build it. Special metal plates, called gopleadores, are attached below the sound hole. The plates allow the guitarist to slap or tap the metal, amplifying the rhythm. A flamenco guitar has wooden tuning heads, rather than metal ones, more of a cost-saving measure than a technical innovation. The strings are attached closer to the guitar body, so that the intricate and rapid fingering that the genre demands is made easier for the guitarist.
- Fans of classic flamenco music may tolerate the fusion sounds introduced by the likes of the Gypsy Kings, but they revel in the innovative techniques and revolutionary fingerings performed by Paco de Lucia. The Spanish guitarist and composer entered the public eye at the age of 11 when he won a music competition. He went on to perform in jazz, world music and classical styles, but never stopped performing flamenco.
- Flamenco guitars allow guitarists to create some unique sounds. Traditional flamenco techniques include the golpe, a tapping of the guitar body above or below the strings; the picado, in which scales are performed with emphasis and articulation; the rasgueado, a type of strumming enhanced by abrupt flicks with the fingers of the right hand; alzapua, in which the right thumb is used for notes as well as strumming; and tremolo, also popular in classical guitar.
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