Press and reviews

[...] You should have some playing experience, because the material is quite demanding, even if - pedagogically motivated - the last percentages of playing speed and virtuosity were rightly omitted. [...] Well-made book for flamenco aficionados.
[Akustik-Gitarre 4-22]

Flamenco Guitar School ... for them the publication of the textbook by Gerhard Graf-Martinez should be a sensation. In conjunction with the accompanying CD, the result of this work could not have been more optimal.
[Acoustic Guitar]

Flamenco guitar school by Gerhard Graf-Martinez. Those who have had problems with the Bulería so far will be surprised, due to the transparent presentation, with what simplicity the Bulerías can be understood after all.
... Due to the logically structured teaching method, this textbook offers an important orientation aid for guitar teachers who want to teach flamenco.
[¡anda! - German Flamenco Magazine]

Mit seinen zwei Bänden legt Gerhard Graf-Martinez eine Flamencoschule (für Gitarre) vor, die aufgrund ihrer umfangreichen Zusatzinformation mehr als nur ein Lehrwerk ist; sie dient auch als Nachschlagewerk. Die thematisch und didaktisch sehr gut durchdachte Methode vermittel dem Lernenden ein sicheres Fundament.
... Es gibt aber Lehrwerke, die zur Pflichtlektüre gehören. Gerhard Graf-Martinez hat sich bei der Konzeption seiner Schule offentsichtlich sehr viel Gedanken gemacht und ein in seiner Art einzigartiges Lehrwerk verfasst, das jedem Aficionado wärmstens empfohlen werden muss.
Diese Schule führt den Lernenden auf sicherem Wege zum Ziel, Flamencogitarrist zu werden.
[Gitarre Aktuell]

Ein pralles Kompendium der Flamencomusik hat Gerhard Graf-Martinez hier geschaffen. Er schließt mit seiner Flamencogitarrenschule eine Lücke, denn eine Gitarrenschule, die diese Art von Musik derart ausführlich behandelt, gibt es bis jetzt meines Wissens nicht. Sehr gut vorgeführt werden hier die einzelnen komplexen Anschlagstechniken, eine CD mit allen Übungen im langsamen und dann im originalen Tempo erweist sich als äußerst nützlich.
... Für alle, die das Flamencospiel von der Pike auf lernen wollen!
[Neue Musikzeitung]

Gitarre Konkret
Ein Gitarrist, dem man getrost den Titel “Flamencogitarrenlehrer der Nation” verleihen kann, ist Gerhard Graf-Martinez. Mit seiner zweibändigen Flamencogitarrenschule hat er ein Standardwerk geschaffen, dem auch international große Anerkennung gezollt wird.

The first volume of Gerhard Graf-Martinez' Flamenco Guitar School is structured the way one would want a textbook to be. Graf-Martinez explains the playing techniques of flamenco in a sensibly structured and understandable way.
[Guitar]

Customer reviews on Amazon

Flamenco Guitar Method Vol 1

Average customer rating: *****
***** Completely enthusiastic, January 22, 2002.
Reviewer: Chris Essig.
One of the best self-study textbooks probably on the market right now. Extremely detailed writing, good illustration, and a well-produced companion CD. With a little discipline, one has no difficulty understanding the material being taught. Also, the "around" around playing flamenco is not neglected, such as history, nail care (!), peculiarities of the Guitarra Flamenca and and and.

Famenco Guitar Method Vol 2

Average customer rating: *****
FLAMENCO PURO, January 28, 2002
***** Reviewer: Chris Essig from Düsseldorf, NRW Germany.
Volume 2 follows on seamlessly from volume 1, so there is no break in the subject matter. However, this also prevents you from jumping in with volume 2, so you have to have worked through volume 1 first. In my opinion, this is not a disadvantage, because the material is so extensive that it is better to go one step at a time.
In addition to the pure and lush subject matter, the book also contains the history of flamenco (at least a small outline) and a few small interesting statements and anecdotes. One gains a small insight into the mentality of those who not only play this music but live it.
In addition, there are also plenty of falsetas and accompaniment examples for which one thirsts as a guitarist.
All you need is fire in your heart and speed in your hands to play flamenco.

3/2000:
Gipsy Guitar - Flamenco - Rumba
... Astonishment, however, is only short-lived and turns into admiration at the latest when inserting the two enclosed CDs.
... The compositions themselves are not from cardboard! ... which are technically as well as rhythmically quite demanding.
... On the two enclosed CDs these pieces are recorded in captivating quality.
[Guitar]

3/2000:
Gipsy Guitar - Rumba Flamenca
... Dazu gibt es Noten, Tabulatur und eine Menge aussagekräftiger Fotos, die die Bewegungsabläufe bestens verdeutlichen.
... Spezielle Techniken oder Patterns sind Ton für Ton aufgeschrieben.
Die vorgestellten Stücke selbst sind Kompositionen des Autors und repräsentieren die behandelte Stilistik sowie die zugehörigen Spieltechniken vortrefflich. Wichtig für den Erfolg dieses Bandes sind sicher die beiden beiliegenden CDs.
... Die musikalische und klangliche Qualität der Aufnahmen ist hervorragend, es macht Spaß , diese Silberlinge durchzuhören.
... Fazit: eine gelungene Schule für alle, die an der "Rumba Flamenca" interessiert sind.
[Akustik-Gitarre]

4/2000
Gipsy Guitar - die Rumba in der Flamencogitarre:
... Mit fünf überaus schönen Kompositionen und einer übungsfreundlichen Auslegung ist "Gispy Guitar" sogar denjenigen zu empfehlen, die bisher noch nichts mit spanischen Gitarrenklängen am Hut hatten.
Wer bereits eine gewisse Fingerfertigkeit besitzt und sich stilistisch weiterbilden möchte, sollte diesem Buch unbedingt eine Chance geben.
[Das Musikinstrument]

7/2000
Flamenco - Rumba - Gipsy Guitar
... Der Autor Gerhard Graf-Martinez konnte schon vor einigen Jahren mit seiner wegweisenden Flamenco - Gitarrenschule die "spanisch" schlagenden Herzen erobern.
... Im Verlauf des Buches werden vier eindrucksvolle Stücke behandelt.
... die auf relativ komplexen Bewegungsabläufen beruhen.
... Speziell für fortgeschrittenen Gitarristen bildet "Gipsy Guitar" eine ideale, interessante Repertoire-Erweiterung.
[Soundcheck]

Nomination for the digita 2009 (German Education Media Award)

Comenius EduMedia Award 2009 of the GPI.

6/2000
Gipsy Guitar - Rumba Flamenca y mas:
... And those who know the two volumes of Gerhard Graf-Martinez Flamenco-Schule may rightly expect a well presented textbook, ...
... - a rumdum supply that should leave nothing to be desired. Conclusion: an altogether successful work, which publisher and author present here, all around recommendable!
[SOLO]

5/2000
Rumba flamenca - Gipsy Guitar
... the whole range of the Rumba is presented in an exemplary and clear way for solo guitar and accompanying guitars. If you still don't get it, there's no helping you.
[¡anda! - German Flamenco Magazine]

5/2000
Flamenco guitar - Rumba
... The author explains in detail the fusion of South American rumba rhythms with the typical percussion techniques of flamenco. ... Olé.
[Guitar & Bass]

MUSIKWOCHE 24/2000
Gipsy Guitar - Rumba flamenca
If you want to play like the Gipsy Kings, you will find finger exercises in the volume "Gipsy Guitar" by ...

The flamenco world has not seen this yet. The nation's flamenco guitar teacher Gerhard Graf-Martinez published what is probably the most successful flamenco guitar school to date almost ten years ago. Thousands of flamenco beginners have taken their first steps with it, discovered the secrets of flamenco or - as it is with students - cursed their teacher.
What Gerhard Graf-Martinez has now produced with the accompanying DVDs borders on the impossible. A look at his homepage shows that he is not only an accomplished flamenco guitarist, but also at least as much a computer scientist, a computer genius. The DVD was programmed by himself, it contains onscreen buttons, dozens of submenus, various selectable (among them almost amazing) camera settings, is of course bilingual (German/English), can be played in different tempos, notes and tablatures can be faded in for playing and so on. In the well structured chapters flamenco techniques are explained and - the decisive advantage - played. The pleasure of having Maestro Graf-Martinez sitting in your own living room and watching up close in slow motion is anything but cheap, €44.95 per DVD.
But Gerhard Graf-Martinez has developed a new kind of eLearning, of MultiMedia/-Digital-Didactic and has consequently exploited the advanced technologies - of all things for the good old flamenco guitar.

Oliver Farke (publisher of ¡anda! - Flamenco Magazine.

Comenius EduMedia Award 2005
In the category "Musical, artistic, literary and sports education" the DVDs "Flamenco Guitar"(Graf-Martinez/Schott) are awarded with the Comenius Medal 2005.
More ...

c't magazine for computer technology
Gipsy Guitar - Rumba flamenca (CD-ROM)
However, anyone who wants to support a classical music lesson with PC help, or who wants to further educate himself as an advanced instrumentalist, benefits from being able to see on the screen how it is done. This is also the strength of the production of the flamenco guitarist Gerhard Graf-Martinez, who has now brought his book, published by Schott, to CD-ROM. ... can offer the advanced guitarist an aid that many a musician might envy.
[c't 22.10.2001]

This school is also available as an interactive CD-ROM. It can do everything that the paper and audio CDs can do, but much better, because it also includes videos. If you have the technical equipment, you should prefer the similarly priced CD-ROM.
[Guitar 01/2002 No. 36]

The CD-ROM is produced at a high level and delivers exemplary clarity. Anyone who loves flamenco and is not afraid of modern media should take a look at "Gipsy Guitar" in multimedia form.
[Acoustic Guitar 4/2001]

Frankfurter Allgemeine: Lela de Fuenteprado and Gerhard Graf-Martinez gave a guest performance at the Gallus Theater. The program included genuine flamenco art as well as folkloristic variations. The audience, reserved at the beginning, got increasingly out of hand.
Der Bund Bern (Schweiz): Neben zwei andalusischen gitanos, prägten zwei namhafte Flamencokünstler, der fabelhafte Gitarrist Gerhard Graf-Martinez und Lela de Fuenteprado, das Gesicht des Abends.

Der Bund Bern: (Switzerland): Besides two Andalusian gitanos, two renowned flamenco artists, the fabulous guitarist Gerhard Graf-Martinez and Lela de Fuenteprado, shaped the face of the evening.

Neue Kronenzeitung: (Austria): Flamenco inspires at the Int. guitar week in Lienz. ... with flamenco rhythms that actually left only one wish open to hear more.

Kleine Zeitung (Austria): Lela de Fuenteprado and Gerhard Graf-Martinez offered delicacies of their repertoire. The audience responded and was very devoted in their enthusiastic applause.

Journal de Sarregemuines (France): L'Andalousie au Casino!

Liechtensteiner Volksblatt Vaduz: A flamenco concert with fiery and impulsive sounds.

Ostfriesische Zeitung Emden: A firework of Spanish folklore was ignited by Lela de Fuenteprado and Gerhard Graf-Martinez at the evening of the German-Iberian Association Emden.

Musikblatt Göttingen: Graf-Martinez in any case does not play flamenco trimmed to "original" or "genuine" or" almost as great as ...", but creatively develops his own approaches and thus avoids copying.

Stuttgarter Zeitung: Graf-Martinez drives the sadness out of flamenco without taking away its melancholy.

Saarbrücker Zeitung: Gerhard Graf-Martinez ..., all this makes a musician of the first order.

Bonner Stadtanzeiger: ... you have to have studied this instrument if you want to play like Graf-Martinez.

Gitarre & Laute: Graf-Martinez inspires not only with rasgueados and syncopated rhythms. When he ran out of encores, he started singing, and amazingly well.

Gießener Allgemeine: Gerhard Graf-Martinez, who first presented himself as a soloist on the guitar, pleased with his skillful combination of sharp rhythms and soft, plaintive melodies, as they characterize flamenco music.

Esslinger Zeitung: ... Concert with John McLaughlin and the group "Modo Nuevo", which thrilled with their Andalusian guitar sounds.

Offenbach-Post: ... the much more accomplished guitarist G. Graf-Martinez, without whom the level would have been much lower. He has the classical flamenco in ensemble playing and in the pure solo the more modern Andalusian sound fantasy on it.

Darmstädter Echo: ... in Gerhard Graf-Martinez' playing, with impressive technique, the fundamental feeling for life of the gypsies and the delightful richness of color of the syncopations were rooted very closely together.

Badisches Tagblatt: ... and then the temperament and the class. It is not without reason that she and her partner Gerhard Graf-Martinez are among the highlights of the German flamenco scene.

Süd-West-Presse: ... the ups and downs of the suspense almost took the audience's breath away. ... a fan dance, which again proved the optimal interaction of the couple.

Saarbrücker Zeitung: Gerhard Graf-Martinez ... all this makes a musician of the first order.

Stuttgarter Zeitung: Graf-Martinez drives the sadness out of flamenco without taking away its melancholy.
Bonner Stadtanzeiger: ... you have to have studied this instrument if you want to play like Graf-Martinez.

Stereoplay: ... Doubters have to admit that Graf-Martinez shakes the old familiar phrases out of his sleeve with aplomb.

Hifi-Vision: ... Graf-Martinez exudes such idiosyncratic fascinating charms that one almost suspects that the actual cradle of flamenco is near Stuttgart.

Stereo: ... Graf-Martinez actually succeeds in merging jazz and flamenco in a way that otherwise only Paco de Lucía has mastered.
(Critics exaggeration)

Monographie Monza (Italia): Se c'è un uomo capace die miscelare il jazz e il flamenco con ritmi tradizionali e allo stesso tempo innovativi, dando un nuovo impuslo alla musica andalusa, questo è Gerhard Graf-Martinez.

New Age (Italia): Modo Nuevo, una brillante ed innovativa cornice sonora. ... sua musica splendidi colori ed armonie, interecciando suggestivi madrigali (Nada Mas) con i disegni pastello più intimisti e crepurscolari, aventurandosi ad esplorare etnie indiane, persiane ed africane, revisitate con grafia compositiva originale die grande lucidità espressiva.