Dowland, John; Fantaisie 7 - D09 Video

[lucy]

Hello again

This piece is tricky. I took this video when doing a run through during a practice session. There are a couple of shaky moments - but I think I'm making progress!

Please let me know what you think - constructive criticism welcome.

Thanks.


Youtube

[Noadman]

Bravo Lucy! I know this piece very well. It is one of my absolute favorites and I spent even more time on it than usual this past month. Saying it's tricky is an understatement! I think you have it down very well and it will only get better as you get more comfortable with it.

Thanks for sharing!

[KeMe]

Fantastic performance, Lucy!!
I really enjoyed your interpenetration of this Dowland masterpiece. Thank you for making my day so much brighter.


Kay:sorride:

[Erik Zurcher]

, Lucy. I enjoyed that. You are still struggling here and there (who wouldn't with a difficult piece like this?), but I am convinced that it will only get better. Have you considered using a capo on the 2nd fret?

[lucy]

Thanks for your very kind comments Noadman, Kay and Erik.

Have you considered using a capo on the 2nd fret?

Someone has already suggested this to me, but I'm afraid I haven't got around to trying one yet! I think should try one though, as I think it would probably make this piece a bit easier to play.

Are there special capos for classical guitars, or do I just buy a good quality one with padding, so as to avoid possible damage to the neck?

[pogmoor]

Yes, there are capos designed for classical guitars - the bar is flat rather than curved, to suit the flat fingerboard. However IMHO there's no need to use a capo for Dowland if you like playing it without. The use of the capo is based on the idea that the lute was tuned in G. However this is an oversimplification, both because lute players may not always have used any pitch standard and because lutes came in different shapes and sizes, tuned to different pitches.

I think you play this piece very nicely - you've pretty much got it under your fingers (with a few stumbles) and you've got the pulse of the piece flowing very well. There's a bit of a tendency for people to play Dowland without much tonal variation. My personal opinion is that this may be a mistake - listen to Rob McKillop if you want a different way of playing Dowland! In this piece some sections can be rhythmic and driving, others more lyrical. You might find it worth trying to get more of this type of contrast

[Noadman]

Use of a capo could be helpful in cutting down some of the stretches, it certainly would be worth a try, though you've managed well enough without it. Also think Pogmoor has a point about contrasting sections.

[paltieri11]

great!

[Cary W]

Well done Lucy! This not an easy piece to pull off...seems you are well on your way.



Cary

[lucy]

Thanks for commenting pogmoor, paltieri11 and Cary. Much appreciated.

There's a bit of a tendency for people to play Dowland without much tonal variation. My personal opinion is that this may be a mistake - listen to Rob McKillop if you want a different way of playing Dowland! In this piece some sections can be rhythmic and driving, others more lyrical. You might find it worth trying to get more of this type of contrast

This is very good advice - thank you. I've listened to some of Rob's playing - it is excellent. Thanks also for the advice on capos - I think I will try one.

[George Crocket]

Lucy



It is a tricky piece and you still need to work on parts of it, but you're not very far away.

Personally I do not thinks you should use a capo. You seem to be coping fine as it is.

Thanks for posting.

[attila57]

Hi Lucy,

I know this is an old string, but I haven't checked it before.
You've probably bought a capo since the recording, too. Nevertheless, I tell you what I've experienced in the capo field. Others might benefit from it, too.

I think a capo is good if it's light, quick to use and doesn't stick out of the neck, in this order. A heavy neck is awful...
It should, however, match the width of the neck and hold the strings down firmly as the starting point.

I use the simple Dunlop crocodile jaw design. It's a bit on the narrow side, especially in higher positions (such as VII), but still it's the best because it is the lightest, the firmest, the smallest and the fastest to use when you have other things on your mind. You need two hands for the fixation, but only for a short time. It has only a strap that goes around the neck, but it's never hurt my finish yet.

You can consider flamenco capos, they are very natural (wood, bone, leather, &c.), very light, very firm-gripped, very fancy, but fussy to use (position change is a slow process, you need two hands for a longer time). The good ones are expensive, too. I have a very beautiful one, but rarely use it - its proper fixation is a slow process (compared to the Dunlop design).

From the more modern designs there's the one which holds the neck exactly like your index finger and thumb in a barre, and has another, third lever underneath with a tiny roller. This is to fix the 'barre' on the neck. This type is extremely fast, sleek-looking, but it can be weak-gripped (especially if you don't adjust the setting screw as you go back down the neck), and a bit on the heavy side. And they still jut out a bit from the neck which can hinder your hand's free motion in certain positions. This is the ony one, however, that you can actually fix - and move - with one hand, if you are experienced.

There's the type which looks like a barre again, but with a very short 'thumb' only, no third lever, and the 'thumb' has a screw with a big head, which sticks out to one side of the neck. It is light, doesn't project much, quite firm, sleek-looking, but you, again, need two hands and some relaxed time and concentration to fix it properly. And, it's aluminium, which is light, but not a very 'musical' metal.

I think you can forget the other designs because of their disadvantages.

If I were you, for the renaissance pieces I'd try capoing up to 3rd position, maybe 2nd, to gain more brilliance. If the sound is better, then you've gained something, if not, you can always forget the capo.

Attila

[lucy]

Thanks for commenting George and Attila.

In the end I bought a Planet Waves classical guitar capo, as it seemed the least bulky. I did try it out, but had trouble getting a clear sound. It was a bit muffled. I probably didn't tighten the screw enough, but I was afraid of damaging the neck. I've never used a capo before. Is it usual to have to tighten it very strongly? Or perhaps, I didn't put it in the right place? I placed it just behind the second fret. Any advice?

[wianno]

It would be quite an achievement for me to play Fantaisie 7 as well as you do! But that's not going to happen soon.


Jack

[lucy]

Thanks Jack!