WEEK ONE Updates: Main Thread - Awakening Tárrega's Spirit
Hello and welcome to the WEEK ONE Main Thread for this challenge! 
Alright my friends - this is the thread where we'll all be posting our daily updates.
Make sure you've read the rules before replying (<- click)
Twice a week between Mai 31st and June 21st, I hope to be reading your daily updates in this very thread right here!
Download the music here! (← click)
Please use the following format when commenting (feel free to copy & paste!):
- One thing you found easy:
- One thing you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
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Hello! Completed prelude number 1 .
Easy, it is a beautiful piece so it is fantastic to practice. Interpretation is coming along well.Difficult, there are a couple of places where I still stumble. The bars 13 and 14 and the harmonics at the end. As I am travelling I may let it brew before I record it. Then record this and number 5 next week, even if it is with a worse guitar. Guys you are all playing so so wonderfully that I need more time to catch up!
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Emma Looking forward to hearing from you, Emma. That is such a gorgeous piece! (P.S. And aren't you jealous of Martin, playing it so beautifully after ONE HOUR of practice!?)
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Emma Thank you for your update! Bar 13 works really well with a hinge bar! Keep going, excited for your update!
Eric
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OK, here it goes:
What I found easy: Listening to all of the beautiful interpretations by so many dedicated Tarregians (is that a word?). I learn so much from seeing and hearing these pieces performed. For my own piece, Prelude No. 5, what has become easier are the 3 (and 4) note chords in measures 3 - 5, and again in measures 13 - 14 (thank you Martin).
What I found difficult is getting the dynamics right in measures 20 and 21 p < pp > along with the accent over second beat in measure 20 - it is a lot going on, especially while trying to play legato!
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Paul Kennedy Oh, let's make it a word then, haha!
Yes, the dynamicys in the end are quite interesting, I really tried to use it like a manual. Playing what is written is a challenge in itselfe, but it makes the end bloom beautifully!
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Hello Martin Tonebase crew and Community.
I would love to join in with this challenge. The music of Francisco Tarrega is very dear to me.
I have chosen the 'Tango'. It took a long while to choose but I've discovered many future projects in the process.
One thing I found easy was getting the tune in my head (my Dad plays this one)
Once I got going I found several things hard but:
One thing I found hard was the tuning 6th string to D -AND 5th string to G. It taxed my brain a bit! I liked it!
Im uploading my first performance. Filming this has already been super educational. I am exited to hear any feedback from any of you crazy talented amazing friends.
My Dad always says its my Mums favourite the Tango - so Im determined to get this one absolutely Banging!!
One Love Jaime
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Jaime Zaldua Thanks for joining in, Jaime! I’ve always shied away from this because of the tuning, but I may have to give it a try.
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Jaime Zaldua that is a very lovely Tango. I really enjoyed your performance! Another piece I definitely want to learn.
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Jaime Zaldua Thanks for picking this piece. I've not heard this one before. After hearing your performance I want to learn it too!! Thanks for the inspiration and introducing me to some new music.
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Jaime Zaldua Very good, thanks for proposing it
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Jaime Zaldua Well played Jaime - I enjoyed this performance but looking forward to a later version. I'm thinking of doing this one but I may leave it until last so that i can work my way down the tuning - start with pieces in standard tuning then pieces with the 6th to D followed by this one!
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Jaime Zaldua Great to see you here! And absolutely beautifully done, thank you for sharing your personal connection with this piece as well!
Different tunings can be always quite challenging to wrap your hand around, definitely! I have a similar problem with changing back and forth with a capo, always messes with my point of reference!
I did a workshop recently on Chord Balance for the Right hand, I think your performance of this piece can benefit from some of the exercises given in the live stream!
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Jaime Zaldua Very lovely Jaime! Well played and sounds like a tango so mission accomplished!
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Jaime Zaldua great to see you in Jaime! I'm looking forward to hear more submissions from you
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Hey guys,
Only had time to do one take of this Capricho Arabe, so please excuse my mistakes, and hope you enjoy it! I had an problem with the mordent in the major section--during the Bar at III, which was sloppy and needs to be fixed. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
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Barney This is great, Barney! Very musical, and intense! A few mistakes (far fewer than me), but I'd much rather listen to music with a few mistakes but is musical and moving, than a "perfect" performance that has no musicality. This was a joy to listen to!
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Barney Very good, a very demanding piece
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Giuseppe Gasparini Thanks Giuseppe! Hearing and watching ourselves play the pieces really helps identify problem areas. Sometimes when we are playing we think we know what it sounds like, but we are wrong when we listen back. Recording is a great diagnostic tool, and I have to thank Martin for teaching and encouraging us to record ourselves.
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Barney Barney - any mistakes that were noticed were certainly excused and I did enjoy it - very much. Well played.
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Derek Thanks Derek!!
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Barney Wow, thank you! So cool to see you perform at such a high level and such a demanding piece, and moreover I really enjoyed the quality of your audio and video!!! You have a nice rembrandt-ian lighting situation going on, great!
I made a video with a few suggestions for this passage, it's a tough one, but I think you make your life a little bit harder than you need to by keeping the second finger ont the g , 4th string for two beats!
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Martin Thank you very much for your kind words. I really appreciate your advice to play this passage better. You identified the problem perfectly, and I will play it that way from now on.
I owe the recording quality to your wonderful training and guidance along the way. As far as the "rembrandt-ian lighting" goes, I just got lucky. I'm not using any additional lightning equipment. There is only one overhead ceiling dome light in that room, and that's it. Hope it's repeatable..HaHa.
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Barney oh Barney that's great! I was almost giving up the piece after watching your performance. Recording quality is also really good, well done!
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Barney Very beautiful Barney! Your slurs are very nice and clear. I'm impressed you've been able to learn it in one week! I'm only on the first page and still have far to go!
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Gokce Turkmendag Thank you Gokce!! Never give up. You are a wonderful guitarist! This piece requires some extra time and attention. I learned this piece many years ago, but have not played it in a long time, so this challenge is great to revisit some old gems. I find that memorizing the piece and solving the technical problems first (sometimes with the help from you guys , and of course Martin and Mircea) is most important for me; then listen to the music as you play and try to make it musical and sound beautiful (and not worry about technique). I've found this works best for me so far. There is always plenty of room for improvement -- we keep learning.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
