Aguinaldos & Seises for the Puerto Rican Cuatro: Samuel Ramos - Paperback

by Samuel Ramos (Author)

The Aguinaldos & Seises will open your musical mind to the ancient world of Christmas music that dates back centuries. Originally a traditional music gift during the Christmas season, aguinaldos were performed by family and friends during a parranda or a trulla. Bring back this tradition that is slowly getting lost in oblivion, far from the hearts of today's genext culture.This book, authored by Samuel Ramos, brings back memories of happy childhood Christmases, packed with treats at the parranda and singing these unforgettable aguinaldos accompanied by several uncles strumming away gaily on their Cuatros. This is your chance to revive those memories by learning to play the aguinaldos in ways that cannot be forgotten.Another form of folk music, the seis, is an immensely enjoyable one to learn. Usually utilized as ground for poets to showcase their talents in lyric writing, seises were songs that were made up on the spot based on ideas given by the audience.Revive the seis by learning to play it with the assistance of this very special book. The book instructs in a clear and concise pattern the styles in which you can play the seis.The book has been written in the standard notation and tablature (TAB) format and includes guitar chords, in anticipation of fun times to come when you're sitting with your family.Features: Clear and concise style of writingCovers well-known aguinaldos and seisesAuthored by a renowned musicianWritten in the standard notation and tablature (TAB) formatIncludes guidelines on practicingThis book is a beautiful attempt at reviving age-old traditions and music. Let's make this attempt a success and learn to play these gorgeous melodies every year at every parranda in every house

Author Biography

Samuel Ramos, born in Lajas, Puerto Rico, started playing the guitar with his father at the age of 12. At the age of 15, he discovered the cuatro and began taking lessons with Norton Torres. As a high school student, he joined the school's rondalla (an instrumental group) playing both guitar and cuatro. Samuel holds a BA in music education from Antillean Adventist University in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, with a major in classical guitar. He studied under the tutelage of Dr. Jacques Landre. In 1999, he recorded his first instrumental CD for solo guitar, Meditando en la Cruz (Meditating on the Cross), He joined the faculty of the Juan Morel Campos Performing Arts School in Ponce, as a strings instructor. He later became an assistant professor of guitar at the Inter-American University of San German, Puerto Rico. He also served as a public school music teacher for 6 years in Lajas, Puerto Rico Samuel resides in Winter Haven, Florida with his wife Brenda and two sons, and currently teaches elementary music for the Polk County School of Florida.