Some context about Tientos - how it works, the different ways it can feel, and where it falls in the Tientos-Tangos-Rumba continuum.

This video is really the heart of this course. We look at lots of ways to play compás por Tientos, along with llamadas and a bunch different ways to make your compás more interesting.

We look at some common Tientos ideas in their simpler form, and then the ways those ideas can be developed into some pretty advanced material. We also see how we can borrow ideas from Tangos and use them in our Tientos.

Three ideas for compás embellishment in an advanced form.

You don’t have to add a Cierre (closing phrase) after every falseta, but you’ll want to know how to do it. We look at some common ways to close your phrases and to work them in as seamlessly as possible.

This Tientos falseta by Enrique Melchor uses all thumb technique and can be played to equal effect whether in strict time or in the more loose ‘plastic’ Tientos feel.

This Tientos falseta by Enrique Melchor uses all thumb technique and can be played to equal effect whether in strict time or in the more loose ‘plastic’ Tientos feel.

This Tientos falseta by Tomatito use thumb technique and alzapua, and features a couple of big stretches in the left hand.

This Tientos falseta by Tomatito use thumb technique and alzapua, and features a couple of big stretches in the left hand.

This advanced level Tientos falseta by Kai features quite a bit of picado and thumb technique, with an extended sextuplet scale run at the end.

This advanced level Tientos falseta by Kai features quite a bit of picado and thumb technique, with an extended sextuplet scale run at the end.

This Tientos falseta by Kai is great for accompanying dance. It features a couple of big left hand stretches and quite a few picado runs, including a short burst of 32nd notes (which at this tempo is not quite as daunting as it sounds.)

This Tientos falseta by Kai is great for accompanying dance. It features a couple of big left hand stretches and quite a few picado runs, including a short burst of 32nd notes (which at this tempo is not quite as daunting as it sounds.)

Rather than give you a full solo in this course, we give you the tools to take all of the material you’ve learned and create your own solo. We look at ways to start, how to flow from one falseta to the next. Then we look at ways to end your solos por Tientos or bump up to Tangos, which is the Mac...

The vast majority of letras por Tientos follow the structure of the letra we look at here, so it’s a great place to get started. In fact, because the letras por Tientos tend to follow this somewhat predictable structure, it’s an excellent place to get your feet wet with accompaniment in the first...