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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Just for fun, I thought I'd try something different. I played Lagrima twice. The first time, I played it the way I typically play. The second time, I tried to exaggerate contrasts in dynamics, tone color, and tempo. Let me know which one you think is better.
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Eric Phillips Bravo Eric, very well played, I like the second one more and I find it more personalized
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Eric Phillips I prefer the second, to me it is more musical. Beautiful
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Eric Phillips beautiful! I think I prefer the second performance as well!
I'd be a little careful about the abrupt tempo changes, I'd like to imagine the underlying tempo map as a rubber band! If you stretch it too quickly to extreme, it might break! -
Martin Good analogy, thanks! Like I said, I was intentionally exaggerating things in an somewhat improvisatory way. As always, what seemed extreme to me while playing wasn't quite as extreme when I listened back. I'll blame the low quality of my recording equipment (aka iPhone 7)! (When in doubt, always blame the equipment.
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Eric Phillips you're doing great and you're so right, we always think we are doing a lot while in fact it's not that much. We shouldn't be shy to exaggerate until we find our own sweet spot were what we produce is close to what we hear inside.
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Eric Phillips I like your second video because it is more musically interesting, Eric!
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I'm going to give Adelita a shot for this challenge. I've been wanting to play this piece for a long time but it keeps getting pushed off. This is a good external motivator to get it into my repertoire! I put in about 1/2 hour yesterday and another 1/2 hour today. Hopefully I'll get a video of my progress this weekend for my 2nd post.
One thing I found easy: The first half.
One thing I found hard: The second half if MUCH harder than the first. :D
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matt I agree about that second half being much harder!
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matt Great, a wonderful moody piece with a beautiful major B-Part. I always dived pieces like the second half in Positions, so that my hand always has a feeling of "this is my happy place, I can relax now for a couple of micro seconds"! Excited for your update!
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric, I'm glad it's not just me!
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Martin Thanks for the tip about positions for the b part I will keep this in mind.
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Hi, I decided to start with Lagrima believing it would a fairly easy piece to start with. Oh boy, was I wrong. It was quite challenging.
- One thing you found easy: Finding the notes wasn't so hard.
- One thing you found difficult: I found it quite difficult to decide on dynamics. I probably overdid it and also eliminating string noises whilst shifting was difficult! Very obvious will listening back to the recordings. Doh!
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
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Olalla very beautiful!!!! It is very clean, I can not hear so many noises
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Emma thanks Emma for your lovely feedback. I actually recorded multiple times in order to try and eliminate noise.
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Olalla That was wonderful! Your sound is just how I imagine Tarrega to sound.
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Eric Phillips Wow! Thank you!
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Olalla Awesome! I have to agree with Emma , you did a good job avoiding the squeaks! And you have a beautiful full and round tone, I think this is what is carrying over the underlying dynamics! I don't think that you overdid it, a very soft, yet full and round note will have the emotional impact of the pianissimo but still remains clear and perceivable. Like an actor who speaks very softly on stage but you can still here it until the last row!
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Martin thanks Martin! I really appreciate your feedback.
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Olalla thanks for sharing, your intentions and voicing are clear, you feel very comfortable.
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Olalla You played it very well, very good
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Olalla Another one of my favorites. You inspired me to play through this a couple of times even though my piece is Prelude no. 5. Very nicely done.
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Olalla very beautiful Olalla
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Olalla Lovely sound Olalla. I love this piece and play it all the time. You made it sound very sweet and did a great job!
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Olalla Congratulations! Really beautiful sound! keep that nice work.
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Olalla I can really hear your nice changing of tone color from playing ponticello to playing on the sound hole. Beautiful and clean sound!
End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
