D01 Classical guitar lesson 6

[Scott_NyLonChaney]

Nice, Linda2. I like the "hall" sound.

[LindaWoodford]

OK, I get the message and am hanging thick curtains and sticking egg boxes to my walls as I type

[Penelope Phillips-Armand]

Here's a Ricercar, from memory.

[Scott_NyLonChaney]

Hi Penelope:
First off let me say that if you are playing from memory, I am jealous. Even as a young man (when my memory was better ) I could probably perform half a dozen pieces, maximum, without the score. To do this, and to be able to play by ear are two abilities I would love to have.

Listening to your recording, my one suggestion would be to allow the A and the E in the bass to sustain for the full measure. It sounds like they are being damped prematurely. Other than that, just keep at it. I like the way you practice at a slower tempo. That's a really good way to "hammer out the kinks" before you play at the suggested tempo. I need the discipline to remember to always do that!

[LindaWoodford]

Hey, really nice playing, Penny

All that slow and precise practice is certainly paying off, because you have made a big improvement in fluidity, and the notes sound smoother too. I second Scott's comments - and jealousy - about being able to play that from memory - I can't... I particularly noticed that towards the end, the notes were even more fluid, which could be a result of you relaxing (if so, do more relaxing ), or perhaps that you practiced each part evenly (in contrast to my practice, which starts at the beginning of the piece, focusses on the difficult bits until I can start from the beginning and play through them, but the end only gets practiced if I make it that far... in which case I need to learn from your discipline )

Have you been practicing the improvisations in preparation for the next lesson? I've got a bit lost with this, so am waiting for the next instruction.

[Scott_NyLonChaney]

but the end only gets practiced if I make it that far...

That's an interesting observation. I've read on some of the threads here that a number of players had instructors that actually told them to start at the ending measures and learn them first - quite often they are the most difficult part - and then learn the beginning. I never would have thought of that. You learn so many fascinating things on this forum!

[Penelope Phillips-Armand]

Thanks for your comments, Linda and Scott. I'm focusing so much, lately, simply on keeping the melody going that I've probably been paying less attention to damping....and frankly, I would like more legato in general, though I realize that it's important to damp to control dissonance and keep the sound clean.

That's an interesting suggestion concerning practicing endings first. Certainly the conclusion is one of the most important phases to be secure and resolute. I haven't been practicing that way, but if I sound more fluent there, it's probably just because I'm happy to get there!

Linda, I must admit that I haven't been doing much with solo improvisation practice these last few days because I've been wondering what to do about the musical game that should have finished last Saturday. As the fourth player, I'm supposed to wrap it up--but only after Chris has made one more contribution. The cumulative line has become really devilish to play; I know where I'd like to end it, but there's no telling what kind of twist Chromatic Chris may give it in the meantime. Chris, are you reading this?

I've been working on the Carcassi opus 59, and hope to upload that by the end of the week.

[Chris NewVillage]

As the fourth player, I'm supposed to wrap it up--but only after Chris has made one more contribution... but there's no telling what kind of twist Chromatic Chris may give it...

Contributed. See viewtopic.php?f=109&t=57343&p=632738#p632738

Chris, are you reading this?

I was. I thought I could go to sleep after this visit. Something had to be taken care of right away...

*yawwwnnn* Nitey nite...

Chromatic Chris.

[Penelope Phillips-Armand]

Here's my rendition of the Carcassi exercise. As Linda remarked, it's really fun to play....

[James Williams]

Here's my rendition of the Carcassi exercise. As Linda remarked, it's really fun to play....

Sounds good, Penelope. It sounds as though you are getting more comfortable with all of the notes. The trouble I have with this piece is getting the thumb to move as easily as the rest of my fingers. I end up moving my whole hand instead.

[James Williams]

Hi all,

Here's my lesson 6. I've been pretty busy lately so it's taken a while to record and get uploaded. I've decided not to wait for a perfect recording, as was discussed recently. So all the flaws are there to pick over. Right now my main problem is getting the thumb to function more independently. Perhaps some finger exercises will help with that.

I look forward to any comments or critiques.

Jim

[Robert Goodwin]

Hi James,
I liked both of these. There was a definite musicality to both pieces and you played them at a nice pace that's still a bit of a challenge for me.

I hope to join you soon but I've been a bit ill last week and it has seriously delayed getting through lesson 6. I want to really nail those simultaneous rest strokes before I move on plus there's the part about simply learning the music well enough to play it I still have to do.

[James Williams]

Thank you, Bob. I'm glad you liked them.

Don't worry about being delayed. Take your time and do things at whatever pace works best for you. It will pay off in the end.

[Scott_NyLonChaney]

I second that motion Jim. And I know what Bob is talking about regarding the simultaneous rest strokes. I find when there is more separation between the strings being sounded, like the 6th string E and the 1st or 2nd string, I can do it just fine. Sounding the 1st and the 3rd string together - as one of the exercises calls for in D01 lesson #5 - that's another story. It's giving me fits. Also, I was hoping to be posting #5 soon, but my computer had a stroke over the weekend.

[joss_adley]

Hi all,
As a late arrival I've been ploughing through the earlier lessons on my own. I've still got a bit of catching up to do but I thought I'd post up my lesson 6 vids anyway. Any feedback would be gratefully received. I found it quite awkward playing with the webcam pointed at me, moreso than I thought I would. It actually made me realise how many mistakes & restarts I make when just playing without any pressure!

[media]https://youtu.be/H-0JE2e1KAM[/media]

[media]https://youtu.be/Bnw9qOp12Vs[/media]