D05 Classical guitar lesson 02

[Jean-François Delcamp]

Hello everyone,
Please start by downloading the latest version of volume D05.
If you are new to the course, please read this message to familiarize yourself with the conditions for participating in the lessons. You should also read the first message in lesson 1, where you will find advice on how to make the most of your study time and on the methods of practising that I recommend.


Today we're going to look at 5 pieces.

- page 6 Luys de Narvàez (ca. 1500-1555) Diferencias sobre guardame las vacas

These "diferencias" (variations) are based on the sequence of four chords (C major, G major, A minor and E major) laid out in the first four bars of the work, and are among the oldest variations ever found in print.
Each "diferencia" consists of eight bars. The harmonies of the first four bars are repeated in the next four bars, with the last two chords (A minor and E major) both incorporated into bar 7. This makes it possible to conclude with a perfect cadence in A minor, while still fitting the phrase into an 8 bar structure.
The remaining "diferencias" elaborate on the initial harmonic sequence. Hemiolas abound, the rhythmic freeness giving the piece a jubilant lightness.
I indicate the hemiolas with broken lines above the staff. See this video extract, where I demonstrate the hemiolas in bars 9 to 12.

These "Diferencias sobre guardame las vacas" conclude in a coda of 4 bars where the 4 initial chords (C major, G major, A minor and E major), which were until now dotted whole notes (dotted semibreves), are contracted at the end into 3 quarter notes and 1 half note (3 crotchets and 1 minim).

Don't hesitate to improvise on this sequence of 4 chords, keeping strictly to 6/4 time.



- page 14 John Dowland (1563-1626) Lady Laiton's almain
The allemande (almain or alman), a dance from the 15th and 16th centuries, is accompanied by music in a binary rhythm. According to Thoinot Arbeau, it is of a medium solemnity, which gives it the pace of a rather heavy pavane. The allemande is a very sober dance, in which the dancers promenade in pairs in open position (side by side). With its origins in very ancient popular tradition, it symbolizes not only seduction but also ravishment. It disappeared at the beginning of the 17th century and the only memory it leaves behind is in the instrumental suite.




- page 40 François Campion (1680-1748) Prélude à 4 têms
François Campion is the next most significant French guitarist of the baroque period after Robert de Visée. He was Master of guitar and theorbo at the Royal Academy of Music in Paris.



- page 56 Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Leçon XVIII opus 60
This is to be practised first with chords, and then with different patterns of arpeggio. As far as the right hand is concerned, the ring finger plays the first string, the middle finger plays the second, and the index finger plays the first, while the thumb plays the 3 bass strings.

In bars 24 and 25 the third finger serves as a pivot, so leave it resting in position on the third string.




- page 90 Francisco Tàrrega (1852-1909) Estudio en forma de minuetto
This minuet in A major, in the A B A' form, starts with a 3 bar phrase which ends in an open manner (like a question) on the dominant E followed by a 3 bar response which concludes the first phrase with a perfect cadence in A major. The second section (bars 11 to 18) is in the key of the dominant (E). Finally, the third section repeats the first section with a small variation in bar 25.
In bars 3, 6, 10, 21, 24 and 28 damp the preceding bass note.




I ask you first to work on all these exercises and tunes for a week and then to upload your recordings of:
- page 6 Luys de Narvàez (ca. 1500-1555) Diferencias sobre guardame las vacas
- page 56 Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Leçon XVIII opus 60


Good luck!


I thank Geoff (GeoffB) who has helped in the translation of my lessons into English.


Jean-François
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Exam qualifying submissions
Luys de Narvàez (ca. 1500-1555) Diferencias sobre guardame las vacas
Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Leçon XVIII opus 60

DaveMoutrie
Luys de Narvàez (ca. 1500-1555) Diferencias sobre guardame las vacas
Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Leçon XVIII opus 60

Chu Bun
Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Leçon XVIII opus 60
Luys de Narvàez (ca. 1500-1555) Diferencias sobre guardame las vacas

[Chu Bun]

The F# tuning for the 3rd string used in the variation piece really messes up my sight reading.
Your fingers want to go to certain fret, and your brain has to remind them to fret something else.

[Colin Bullock]

The F# tuning for the 3rd string used in the variation piece really messes up my sight reading.
Your fingers want to go to certain fret, and your brain has to remind them to fret something else.

You’re right, it does need extra concentration. At least this month’s is less stressful on the hands so I have a chance to catch up.

[Rick Beauregard]

When I got to these F# tuning pieces I struggled too. Guardame las Vacas is a piece I’ve played for a long time and I had to relearn it. It is maybe slightly easier in F# tuning, but not much. Other pieces are not easier at all. I also had problems with intonation. I know this tuning is recommended for some lute pieces for some reason to preserve the original tablature score, and guitarists should be familiar with this tuning. But it’s not worth the extra brain power to me to go in and out of F# tuning. You can sometimes find Delcamp editions of these pieces in standard tuning if you search for them.

[DaveMoutrie]

The F# tuning for the 3rd string used in the variation piece really messes up my sight reading.
Your fingers want to go to certain fret, and your brain has to remind them to fret something else.

You’re right, it does need extra concentration. At least this month’s is less stressful on the hands so I have a chance to catch up.

I really struggled with this one when I attempted it last year. Not sure why though - its just one string tuned down by a semi tone: what ever note you were about to play on that string you just move one fret up.

So far I have found the easiest way is to practice it very slowly to start with - to give my brain enough time to process one fret up - then gradually commit to memory.

Good luck and keep at it!

[DaveMoutrie]

But it’s not worth the extra brain power to me to go in and out of F# tuning. You can sometimes find Delcamp editions of these pieces in standard tuning if you search for them.

There is of course one other simple solution to this: When you have the music printed off, simply go through the score with a highlight pen and highlight all the notes played on the G string(now f sharp string). Then with a red pen write in the fret that each note played on the G string is played on. Now when you are sight reading (you read a bar ahead right?) the notes played on the g sting and their position on the fret board are immediately obvious. Simple!

[Colin Bullock]

I really struggled with this one when I attempted it last year. Not sure why though - its just one string tuned down by a semi tone: what ever note you were about to play on that string you just move one fret up.

So far I have found the easiest way is to practice it very slowly to start with - to give my brain enough time to process one fret up - then gradually commit to memory.

Good luck and keep at it!

After a couple of runthroughs it is looking easier to remember that the tuning has changed. As you say, slow to start

[Chu Bun]

Another way to deal with alternate tuning is converted the score to tabular notation. But you will need to learn another notation! I used to do this when trying to play New Age guitar pieces where it's common to see many strings tuned in non-standard way.

[DaveMoutrie]

Still struggling a bit with the Differencias - tried playing it at full speed, but too many mistakes. Playing it a bit slower now, but still a few mistakes.

Here's where I'm at with it.

[Chu Bun]

Dave,

Sounds good to me, not slow at all (at least compare to my speed). The alternate tuning does not seem to bother your playing. I find your right hand fingering quite interesting. You often hit the same string using the same finger. Would that be more difficult than alternating the fingers?

[DaveMoutrie]

Dave,

Sounds good to me, not slow at all (at least compare to my speed). The alternate tuning does not seem to bother your playing. I find your right hand fingering quite interesting. You often hit the same string using the same finger. Would that be more difficult than alternating the fingers?

Thank you for your comment Chu,

Hitting the same string twice with the same finger is certainly not more difficult as I don't seem to notice when I am doing it. It is however a bad habit that I have a tendancy to slip back into. Andrei has picked me up on it a few times.

As far as the alternate tuning is concerned, I found it quite difficult to begin with but am starting to get used to it now and it seems a lot easier.

Have you had a go at the other piece in drop f sharp tuning?

[Andrei Puhach]

Still struggling a bit with the Differencias - tried playing it at full speed, but too many mistakes. Playing it a bit slower now, but still a few mistakes.

Here's where I'm at with it.

...

Congrats! Sounds good, but that RH finger alternation... I find it very difficult to re-learn wrong RH patterns, takes patience. So, be careful with RH when you just start a piece.

BTW, my study of this piece is very unproductive and painful... Not sure what's wrong (not the tuning, it is okay).

[DaveMoutrie]

Still struggling a bit with the Differencias - tried playing it at full speed, but too many mistakes. Playing it a bit slower now, but still a few mistakes.

Here's where I'm at with it.

...

Congrats! Sounds good, but that RH finger alternation... I find it very difficult to re-learn wrong RH patterns, takes patience. So, be careful with RH when you just start a piece.

BTW, my study of this piece is very unproductive and painful... Not sure what's wrong (not the tuning, it is okay).

Thank you for your comment Andrie,

I guess I was concentrating so hard on getting the notes to sound right that I totally neglected the right hand. Sorry to hear you are struggling - I certainly didn't find this piece easy. When playing it slow it sometimes sounds wrong even when its right - the scales are so unfamiliar. I found I had to listen to JF playing it over and over again before it started to make any sense. Not sure why you should experience any pain - there are no awkward stretches and just one short section using a barree.

Keep at it - I'm sure you'll get there.

[Chu Bun]

My submission for the Sor's piece. I tend to struggle with pieces that do not have a clear melody line such as this one. There is simply little audio clue, so it becomes pretty much all sigh-reading. So I made quite a few mistakes, but need to move on to the other piece that everybody seems to have problems with.

[DaveMoutrie]

My submission for the Sor's piece. I tend to struggle with pieces that do not have a clear melody line such as this one. There is simply little audio clue, so it becomes pretty much all sigh-reading. So I made quite a few mistakes, but need to move on to the other piece that everybody seems to have problems with.

Excellent playing Chu. As you say it's hard to make out a tune in this one - I think it's more of an arpeggio exercise. Just a few very minor mistakes:

You missed the A in chord in bar 9

At the end of bar 17 wrong note instead of the f

Bar 22 missed the g.

By the way, very nice tone quality from your guitar and the recording quality is good as well.