WEEK TWO: The Musical Voyage!
Welcome to the Main Thread for the second week of the Sergio Assad Community Challenge!
- Make sure you've read the guidelines before replying (← click)
- Watch the Kick-Off-Livestream on July 16th to get an overview!
- Download the scores for Assad's Etudes here (← click)
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 the etude!
- (Optional:) questions
↓ Reply below with your assignments and questions! ↓
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Hey guys, here is my first take on Sketch VI, a commented Read-Through after approx. 10-20min of practicing it, I hope you can draw at least some value from that!
- Things you found easy: The rhythm guided me through the piece! Funny enough, the mixed shapes worked better for me as they were (mostly) diatonic, something that my hand is just used to play in repertoire! the 4ths and, minor 7ths worked fine as well, as I only needed to look at one of the notes, the second one easily fell into place!
- Things you found difficult: It is super annoying to already know the rhythm of the piece but not the associated notes with that rhythm, usually it's the other way around! It makes this Sketch so frustrating to learn, because in every bar there might be something you miss because we tend to play it a little bit too fast in the beginning since we already know the rhythm. I realized in the first bars already, that this Sketch would need a careful eye for the details, possibly will change some fingerings!
I will do a deep dive into the second half of the Sketches on Saturday (←click), I hope to see some of you there!
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Martin I will be honest...I didn't make it through the whole video.
Mostly because this piece seems really intimidating to me. I will watch when I get there. 
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Sketch VII (sort of). I explain what I'm up to here in the video.
I call it Monkfish because that's a kind of fish that tastes a little like lobster, but is much less expensive (it's known as "poor man's lobster"). Sergio Assad's music is like lobster (i.e. the best). This is a little like Assad, but not as good. The score is attached below in a PDF.
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Eric Phillips Love the chord progression - great idea to do it that way. So I'm wondering what's next on the menu - maybe a Seabream Shanty or a Bass Barcarolle ...?
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Ron There something fishy about your comments, Ron!
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Eric Phillips You wrote your own Sketch
You know, according to our Progress Track this is the original intention of Assad's "10 Sketches", to help student's craft their first compositions, so right on point on adapting the idea to your own chord progression (which sounds fantastic btw). I am happy to see that you're also struggling with 4:3 as I did, I 'll show some approaches on Saturday that'll help a bit hopefully!
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Martin Looking forward to it! I will have to watch that one later, unfortunately, but I will definitely watch it.
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Eric Phillips what a great idea to make it yours that way to better understand the parts you're struggling with, creativity in action again... bravo!
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Eric Phillips wow Eric! You have a very creative mind! I really like your chord progression! The use of minor second through out the piece brings out a special nice feeling to me, just like standing in front of a big sea.
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Blaise Laflamme Thank you, Blaise.
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Khiem Nguyen Thank you, Khiem. I love how something as simple as an interval can invoke emotions and images!
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Hello everyone! Hope you're all doing good. Here I post a video update on sketch V, I really enjoyed it! But I think I played it too fast
- One thing you found easy: Mostly enjoy playing this etude and the phrasing of the melodic lines.
- One thing you found difficult: Perhaps not pressing on the right place some notes with my left hand sometimes, and in some occasions I also miss some notes with my right hand. If you have some suggestions or tricks Martin on how to improve accuracy in both hands, I would kindly appreciate if you tell them to us
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Oh, and by the way, I'm trying to play currently without the pull bouy (the cushion I had in my earlier videos) and it's going pretty well I think. My back used to hurt a lot only with the footstool but now it's almost gone.
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Daniel Beltrán That was really great, Daniel! I think the tempo is good. I played it slower, but I think it gets tedious toward the end at my tempo. That's such a great piece of music!
I have a lot of back problems today, and I think some of them have been caused by my use of a footstool for years (I also used to ride my bicycle on very long rides). So I strongly suggest taking care of your back now, not just with a guitar support (which is great) but also with stretching and exercises. I wish I had taken better care of my back earlier in life.
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Eric Phillips Thanks a lot, Eric! And thanks as well for sharing with me that story and your suggestions. Since I started with the classical guitar, while practicing I've had a lot of back pain. I was always using a footstool, but this year I began to add the pull bouy and it gave me a lot of relief. Now, thanks to an observation by my mom (she told me I didn't have my spine pararell) I'm feeling much better once I corrected it, perhaps I'll keep on testing that for a longer time, and I will try as well adding later the pull bouy
. But yeah, ideally I'd like to have a Guitarlift or an Ergoplay support. -
Daniel Beltrán great take on this one! looks like you have affinities with faster tempo
. While I haven't got any pain because of my position and footstool, my chiropractor had to replace my pelvis at some point and I started using the Ergoplay, that changed my life a lot regarding my position while playing. OTOH the Ergoplay doesn't play well with some varnish/polish, that was my case, and I moved over the Sagework guitar support that uses magnets. It works like a charm and once installed it's easy to plug/unplug and it also position itself perfectly at the right place each time. -
Daniel Beltrán Hi Daniel - great job and I love the tempo. I stopped using a footstool years ago for the same reason and now use the Ergoplay which I find helps a lot. I still get back problems but they're always a result of lifting heavy stuff in the garden! (I have a very good chiropractor luckily - I'm off to see him tomorrow!)
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Daniel Beltrán Hi made a little video with hopefully helpful advice concerning the accuracy of your right hand! Thanks to Eric Phillips and Blaise Laflamme for their comments on a healthy back, it's never too early to take good care of your back!
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Daniel Beltrán nicely played Daniel! :)
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Blaise Laflamme Thanks! I'm going to play it slower to achieve a better stability with Martin's recommendations
Ok. Nice to know that detail of the Ergoplay, Blaise. Thanks! -
Ron Thanks, Ron! I'll keep on testing between the foostool only and adding the pull bouy. Hope your visit to the chiropractor went well!
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Martin Thanks a lot!
I'm going to practice the etude with those nicely detailed advices! 
I've been strugling with that aspect of my playing for quite a while now Normally, my teachers tell me not to plant with the right hand fingers (they almost refuse it), but in my experience in the virtuosity challenge it made my life a lot easier! Huge thanks, Martin! Gonna go practice in front of a mirror! -
Khiem Nguyen Thanks, Khiem!
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Daniel Beltrán FYI I always had a mirror in my studio near where I practice to have an overview of what I'm doing, get one ASAP!
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Daniel Beltrán I liked the tempo, and I think you did a good job with it. At that tempo it kind of reminded me of The Entertainer by Scot Joplin.
My experience with a foot stool didn't end well. I had a sciatic nerve issue develop after playing a gig for several hours. Since then I have been using a Dynarette cushion with great results. -
Daniel Beltrán Beautiful work Daniel that really flowed, I'm surprised your getting back pains your posture looks really good to me, and you seem very relaxed. Im inspired by the way you memorise all your music.
I have found guitar lifts ergo play etc are real game changers. My tension goes to my neck and shoulders and as Eric mentioned exercises - (stretching, core strength and breathing) are important.
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Daniel Beltrán Bravo!!!
