Bulerias Falsetas - Collection 1 - Flamenco Chuck

Bulerias Falsetas 

Collection # 1 

© Charles H. Keyser, Jr. 1974 

The Academy of Flamenco Guitar 

P.O. Box 1292 

Santa Barbara, CA 93102

Bulerias Falsetas - Collection 1 

Falseta 1 ( Source: Agustin Rios/Paco del Gastor) 

Falseta 2 (Source: Paco del Gastor) 


Falseta 4 (Source: Diego del Gastor, Agustin Rios) 


Falseta 6 (Source: Diego del Gastor) 




Falseta 10 (Source: “El Mellizo”) 

Falseta 11 (Source: “El Mellizo”) 

Falseta 12 (Source: Sabicas) 

Falseta 13 (Source: Paco / Diego del Gastor) 

Falseta 14: (Source: Diego del Gastor) 


(Continued Next Page)

Bulerias Falsetas - Collection 1 (Cont.) 












Falseta 27 (Source: Uncertain) 

Falseta 28 (Source: Uncertain) 

Falseta 29: (Source: Diego Del Gastor)

Bulerias Falseta Collection 1 

Bulerias Falseta 1 ( Source: Agustin Rios/Paco del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode. 

This falseta is one of Agustin’s; the first part is an excellent example of hemiola. Bar the 

2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th strings (only) with the first joint of your l.h. index finger, playing the ligados with the 

other available fingers (2,3, and 4). Right hand technique is all thumb.

Bulerias Falseta 1 (Cont.)

Bulerias Falseta 2 (Source: Paco del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode 

I believe this falseta comes from Paco del Gastor, although Diego might have had a hand 

in it. In any case, it is one of my all-time favorites; lots of excellent ligado and thumb work. 

(The ending is my addition, imported from Juan Maya “Marote”; just one of many possible 

alternatives.) You can also start the falseta on count 12, inserting an extra count just before the 

final sequence.


This also has Diego’s influence; a strong use of thumb/ligado.

Bulerias Falseta 4 (Source: Diego del Gastor, Agustin Rios) Key: A Phrygian 

Mode 

Here’s a falseta of Diego’s with a picado finale of Agustin Rios’. Note the use of octaves 

in the 1 st and 3 rd measures. Also note the phrasing of the quadruplet picado sequences, and the 

ascending 3rd’s.



This falseta makes good use of the 2 nd and 3 rd positions for the A Phrygian Mode.

Bulerias Falseta 6 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode 

Here is a short falseta of Diego’s with some interesting syncopation and a typical use of 

the thumb.


This falseta is one of Diego’s trademarks. Note the interesting phrasing.


A good ligado exercise in the 2 nd and 3 rd positions.


Here’s another octave falseta with a syncopated ending.

Bulerias Falseta 10 (Source: “El Mellizo”) Key: A Phrygian Mode 

This falseta (and the next one) are from Francisco “El Mellizo”, Diego’s brother. These 

are some of the most haunting and beautiful Bulerias falsetas in the Flamenco repertoire, and in 

the proper setting can really inpire a singer. What is most important in falsetas like these is the 

notes that are NOT played........

Bulerias Falseta 11 (Source: “El Mellizo”) Key: A Phrygian Mode 

Another beautiful falseta from El Mellizo.

Bulerias Falseta 12 (Source: Sabicas) Key: F# Minor (Relative to A Major) 

Agustin told me that this is one of Sabicas’ falsetas, although I’ve never discovered it on 

any of his recordings. Nevertheless, it does have Sabicas’ compositional genius. You could also 

think of the falseta in Bm; however, I usually perform this falseta out of an A Major chording 

compas, as in the accompanying recording.

Bulerias Falseta 13 (Source: Paco del Gastor/Diego del Gastor) 

(F# Minor relative to A Major) 

Here’s another falseta in the relative minor to A major. I’ve heard a lot of guitarists 

perform this falseta, and am not absolutely certain of its geneology.

Bulerias Falseta 14: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Major 

This falseta is another of Diego’s famous trademarks. Use your 3 rd finger (l.h.) for the 

slides. Use picado for the right hand. The melody is a Spanish folk song “La Zarzamora” (The 

Blackberry”)



This falseta has some interesting lligado counter-rhythms in the last measures, as well as 

a method of expressing chords in 6/8 time (see also falseta 25).


Another of Diego’s ideas. Falsetas like this are often improvised, and you get to hear 

them only once, if you happen to be in the right place, at the right time.


Diego often performed this falseta in juergas. It is a great picado falseta in the old style.


Here’s another falseta of Diego’s with an octave finale characteristic of the Moron style 

(see also falseta 19)


Here’s another of Diego’s famous trademarks. This falseta has great expressive good 

humor in the appropriate situation.

Bulerias Falseta 20: (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: A Minor 

Here’s a falseta of Diego del Gastor in A minor. Use your thumb for this one.


Another falseta in the old style, using octaves.


Note the interesting way the phrases resolve in this falseta.


Here is a melodic falseta of Diego’s; again, note the interesting resolution.


Another of Diegos’s famous trademarks. He usually “bends” the “chords” a little for 

expression.


This falseta is similar to Falseta 15 in concept; it somewhat reminds me of “Autumn 

Leaves”. (This brings up an interesting point. Often Diego would hear snatches of themes of 

American pop music (usually from Americans at the base in Moron), and woud work them into 

his toque. Americans at juergas would often be disconcerted by a Bulerias falseta with the theme 

of “In a Little Spanish Town” or even “How dry I am” thrown in with all the rest of the funky 

Gypsy stuff. Of course the Gypsies just thought it was more funky Gypsy stuff.

Bulerias Falseta 26 (Source: Diego del Gastor) Key: B Minor 

Here’s a rather extended Bulerias falseta from Diego’s “Suite in B Minor”; its 

construction is interesting; note the syncopation/polyrhythm (5 + 5 + 2) in the chord sequence. 

One point: I play this a little differently on the tape from the way it is written. After I recorded it, 

I went back and realized that the arpeggios were different from the way I learned it from Diego. 

The difference is slight; on the tape I alternate basses, where as Diego arpeggiated them.


Bulerias Falseta 27 (Source: Uncertain) Key: A Phrygian Mode 

This falseta and the next are similar, in the old style. You used to hear these performed 

quite often, but I’m not sure whose they are. Perhaps Melchor de Marchena, or Morao, but 

maybe earlier. I doubt they are Diegos’s, since they have a different style, or “aire” from his.

Bulerias Falseta 28 (Source: Uncertain) Key: A Phrygian Mode 

This falseta is a variation of the preceding one, and probably from the same source.

Bulerias Falseta 29: (Source: Diego Del Gastor) Key: A Phrygian Mode 

Here’s yet another famous falseta of Diego’s; he uses variations of this in various places, 

for effect.

Bulerias Falsetas - Collection 1 - Flamenco Chuck

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