Week 3: Music is Music! 🎉

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martin.3
updated 3 yrs ago
294replies

Welcome to the Main Thread for the last week of the transcription challenge! This is the place for the Week 3 Submissions!

Make sure you've read the guidelines before replying (<- click)
Watch the kickoff livestream for help with the first section!

If you want to describe your process (optional), feel free to use the following template.

Things you found easy:
Things you found difficult:
(Optional): a video of you performing it!
(Optional:) questions

↓ Reply below with your Progress Update and Questions! ↓

- Barney
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Here is Granada by Albeniz Trans. by Segovia. If anyone (including Nora) is working on this piece, please be careful of Left hand pain. It is rough on that hand and requires some attention and rest to prevent injury. ( I later saw a Masterclass of David Russell online, and interestingly enough, he mentioned that to his student at the end of his session).
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  joosje Thanks so much Joosje for your kind words. The recording quality is largely due to the training and equipment suggestions from Martin. This is low cost equipment of decent quality (the CM4's and Focusrite interface), which seems work okay for now. I believe you mentioned you recently got these as well. Hope you like them. The room I'm recording in has bare wood floors, so it may also help with the sound.
- Nora_TorresNagel
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Barney soooooo nice your music Barney..I have just find you in the middle of so many contributions... It is a beautifull and very personal interpretation. I really enjoy hearing it... I will be carefully yes , with my hands I mean....!!!! Unfortunately I am not so far to also send a video of the complete piece, I am still strugling with several passages!!!! But I think I can continue in the practice diary. Thanks for sharing your very touching interpretation.
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Nora Torres-Nagel Thank you very much Nora!!!
- BLaflamme
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Barney bravo Barney! beautiful interpretation... that's great to hear you again 👍
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Blaise Laflamme Thanks Blaise!!
- Engineer
  
  Luciano
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Barney Hi Barney, would you able to share more about your recording setup? The sound is astonishing, and perfectly played!
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Luciano Salvatore Thanks Luciano! I'm using a pair of low cost Mics (Line Audio CM4's) and Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Interface. The DAW is Reaper and syncing with video using DaVinci. (Both free). Camera is an old Canon 80d. Microphones are placed in ORTF position. The room has bare wood floors. I'm a novice at this recording stuff, but Martin helped a lot with his Recording Academy and personal guidance. I just wanted to play guitar and not make a big investment in recording gear, since this is just a hobby of mine.
- Retired
- Jack_Stewart
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Chopin Valse op. 69.2 2nd recording

This is , hopefully, an improvement over the last recording. I presented this in Mircea's masterclass and have tried to incorporate his suggestions. I still need much more refinement but Mircea helped provide good direction.
- Eric
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart That was wonderful, Jack! It was good before, but now it's just outstanding. I didn't get to see what Mircea said, but clearly it was very helpful.
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Jack Stewart You have great taste in your music choices. I love Chopin, (and wish I had the chops to play his music on piano. ). Chopin's music is generally difficult to bring out well ( we need a sustain pedal to use tastefully, haha)on guitar, but you are doing an excellent job ! Thanks for sharing this one with us!!
- joosje
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Jack Stewart great, Jack, I can really hear te difference. Its much more secure and convincing. Well done.
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  Jack_Stewart
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Eric Phillips Thanks Eric. He helped a lot with phrasing and also clarifying the bass/accompaniment. (Roni Glaser had pointed that out on my first recording.) I would like to record any future masterclasses as it is a bit difficult for me to fully concentrate after performing - nerves.
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  Jack_Stewart
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  joosje Thanks Joosje.
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  Jack_Stewart
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Barney Thanks Barney. From your wonderful Albeniz Granada you have chops to spare. That was remarkable!
  
  I have come to really like Chopin. I have become a convert (kicking and screaming as it were.) I have tried to maintain a distance to Romantic music but I am becoming more and more immersed, especially the shorter character pieces.
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Jack Stewart Thanks Jack. I grew up in a home, where my father listened to orchestral classical music from the great masters, but also piano, violin, and cello works, including many romantic and Spanish composers. I seem to gravitate more to the romantic stuff and it’s melodic content.
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Jack Stewart If you haven’t already, take a listen to the complete Chopin Nocturnes played by Arthur Rubenstein. Such genius—-how did Chopin think of these melodies? I am always moved by this music and how it sounds on a grand piano. It gives me “chills “.
- Retired
- Jack_Stewart
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Schubert / Mertz Standchen 2nd recording

Still a bit rough but this is better. I had to repeat the B section but that did come out better. As always, needs much more work.
- Eric
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart Another mammoth of a piece played so well! You'll have those trouble spots worked out in no time, I'm sure.
- Barney
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart This is one of my favorite Mertz transcriptions of Schubert's beautiful, haunting, melody. I can tell you love it also, as you are playing it so well with such feeling. Keep up the good work on this great piece. I really enjoyed listening!!!.
- joosje
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart I agree with Barney and Eric Phillips you play this piece so well. And with the emotion that lies hidden in its harmonic and polyfonic variations . It’s all there already. You did great. I enjoyed it a lot, Jack
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  Jack_Stewart
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Eric Phillips Thanks Eric. 'in no time' - like never? Actually I do believe I will get it to a pretty solid level. Can I record it? That's a different story.
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  Jack_Stewart
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  Barney Thanks Barney. I agree that it is one of my favorite Mertz/Schubert transcriptions (arrangement actually - the echo section in the repeat are all Mertz.)
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  Jack_Stewart
  
  3 yrs ago
  
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  joosje Thanks Joosje. Hopefully I'll get one more recording by the end of this challenge.
- Retired
- Jack_Stewart
- 3 yrs ago
- Reported - view
Lutoslawski Folk Melody #4

This is second Folk Melody I have recorded. It is not difficult though I have some difficulties getting the fingering right
- Eric
  
  3 yrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Jack Stewart Great job! The fingering does look quite tricky.