Mastering Tricky Passages with Martin
Welcome everyone - Martin is back to help you! Do you have questions about your playing, fingering, challenging passages, or musical hurdles you’re trying to overcome? Whether it’s a simple query or a complex issue, every question matters, and every solution makes a difference! Join us live today for real-time advice and solutions from Martin Zimny—your guide to mastering music, one finger at a time!
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We’re moving this stream one hour earlier than originally planned. The new time is 8am PT / 5pm CEST.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
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Martin I'll reset my coffee maker
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Thanks for joining in!
This format is designed to help YOU — so if there’s a tricky passage you’re working on, feel free to drop a screenshot or photo of the score here. I’ll take a look and share feedback or ideas that can help you move forward.
Whether it’s a fingering puzzle, awkward shift, or something that just doesn’t feel quite right, post it below — we’d love to make this kind of support a regular part of the forum!
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What a wonderful idea, and it would be great if this becomes a regular part of the forum.
I was just working on Ponce's Prelude 1, and I wonder what you would do with measures 25-29 below. There is some (not all) fingering shown, but I'm not sure I would use this. I assume it comes from the editor, Miguel Alcazar.
I have also attached the full score, if that is helpful.
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I just started working on Thomas Fellow's Medusa, and every bar is tricky.
But for a more manageable thing ... In measures 11 and 12 of Brouwer's Estudio No. 9, there is this little riff that I am having trouble making sound nice. Especially that F#/G dyad. Brouwer recommends p/i in this, but Bradford Werner likes i/m.
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This is a great idea Martin. Unfortunately I'm away that day so I won't be able to join in, but hopefully it's something you'll repeat
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this is great and I am very sad, that I am working all the time and cant join....hope that goes on!
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I am not sure if this falls under the purview of this Livestream. I have just developed a rather persistent tendonitis in my right forearm. It showed up on Sunday (slight and sporadic indications prior). I have tried to limit any use and have a pressure sleeve for tennis elbow but it still persists. if anyone has experience with this I would appreciate any information.
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Jack Stewart
Hey Jack, I am not sure if this will help but this Tai Chi exercise helped me a lot to remove pain in all parts of arms.
Here is a short video depicting the exercise. You start slowly and progressively increase the speed. Arms at or close to 90 degree, hands open. The key is not the speed but to turn full 180 degree with slight pressure.
Hope this will help
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Andre Bernier Thanks Andre. I just tried it and I can feel it addressing the pain. I'll try it more and see if it helps.
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Andre Bernier Thank You. I just tried that. I'll try to return to it
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Ah, there are so many, Martin. Let me start with the B section of Un Dia de Noviembre. I'm trying to get it technically correct, but I'm not sure about the shift from measure 33 to 34 where you have a half barre on C9 and ths slurs on it. Basically, I'm trying to make the shift smooth and the slurs sound clearer and more resonant in the B section.
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary @martin, Also, can you give some advice on how to play the B section of prelude in C minor by Barrios. My fingers really tire by the time I finish the A section due to the repeated barres and I can barely play the barred sections in the last few measures that end the piece.
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As Nijwm has noted - " ...there are so many."
This is a specific technical issue I have in the BWV 996 Courante, mm 19. I have included the Isbib / Koonce version (they are the same for this measure) and my 'solution' (LH fingering only). The technical issue is the several leaps, especially position vii to ii.
The fragment starts at the last half of m. 18 thru 19.
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I suppose you're going to address the specific issues posed by the members. I have a general question that might be applicable to many guitarists, or at least to myself- how much of being able to be consistent, or being able to play through a piece consistently a result of proper practice versus technical development. Personally, I feel like I've reached a level where I should be able to play through a few pieces very consistently and make them 'concert ready' (although I'd never dare to play in public). However, there are always glitches in technical aspects where I have to muddle through a piece, while missing notes or certain musical and harmonic aspects I should be paying attention to.
Perhaps it's slow practice, hyper-awareness of physical movements of the hands, fingers and the body, theoretical and historical knowledge, analysis of the piece and many other things. I would like to hear your thoughts.
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I would also like to add the general issue of determining RH fingering in general. I will (can) establish specific passages for RH fingering, but in general I always seem to 'wing i't w/ my RH. It always seems like 'pulling teeth' to force myself to focus on the right fingering, and then it is another issue altogether to force myself to abide by the 'pulled teeth' I just made.
I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.
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Tomorrow’s Song, a composition for piano by Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds, is gaining popularity in the guitar community. A video from Guitar Salon International (GSI), which is where I first heard the piece, features James Meade performing it.
I found the music very absorbing and subsequently found audio recordings by Uros Baric and Matthew Cochran. I follow the Cochran arrangement.
The tricky section is from Bar 15 to 20, and again in Bars 29 to 40.
Bar 15 needs a B whole note in the bass. In Bar 17, a low G whole note is needed in the bass while the melody line reaches a high D.
After some preliminary looks at these bars, it seemed that tuning 5 = G and 6 = C would make the music fall more easily under the fingers. In a brief Instagram chat with Matthew Cochrane he said he uses Drop D.
Below, there is a clean score of these bars as well as my pencilled-in fingering.
There is also a video of my current best version of these Bars.
End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
