DAILY UPDATES (Click Me!) Main Thread - Where the magic happens!
Welcome, one and all, to the Main Thread for this challenge!
This is where the magic happens - the thread where we'll all be posting our daily updates.
Make sure you've read the rules before replying (<- click)
Every day between December 6th and 19th, we are hoping to read your daily updates in this very thread right here!
Please use the following format when commenting (feel free to copy & paste!):
- Landslag you worked on:
- One thing you found easy:
- One thing you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
Sample daily update:
- Landslag you worked on: Landslag no. 1: dark sand dunes with some moss
- One thing you found easy: The first bar was the hardest one for me to learn, although it looked easy enough on my first try.
- One thing you found difficult: I liked that it was a single line; it allowed me to focus on every note and it was much easier to read than most pieces I play.
Feel free to make these updates as short or long as you wish!
Download the full score (click ↓):
Gulli's Lessons for each individual Landslag:
- Landslag no. 1, Landslag no. 2, Landslag no. 3, Landslag no. 4, Landslag no. 5, Landslag no. 6, Landslag no. 7, Landslag no. 8, Landslag no. 9, Landslag no. 10, Landslag no. 11.
Dedicated discussion threads for each Landslag:
- Landslag 1: dark sand dunes with some moss (<- click)
(More dedicated threads will be created as we progress throughout the challenge)
↓ Let's do this! Post your daily updates below ↓
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- Landslag you worked on: Landslag no. 3: Rock-covered plateau
- One thing you found easy: Once again, the dynamics were masterfully added in by Gulli at the exact spots where they made sense! Beautiful.
- One thing you found difficult: Since I still don't have a thumb nail (damn you, broken p!), I had to do a bit of adjustment to get a nice sound on the bass. Also, because of
lack of practicethe relatively thick ping pong a nail I just put on, I was initially getting a lot of nail noise on the top 3 strings. If I had only half an hour I could have made that work everywhere, but in the ~5 minutes I had, I made it work as best I could. I think it sort of works!
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Mircea good tempo and balance of sound (despite your reservations). I don't know if I can do something like that, but I am fighting bravely.
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Mircea Interestingly, you and Gulli himself are playing it faster than it is written (written quarter note = 120, you tempo is about 150).
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Marek Tabisz Thank you Marek! And yes, you are most definitely right. For me, the more I practice a set of quiet, introspective pieces like this, the more I can internalize a slow pulse.
By definition, since I only have a very short time to read these before taking part in the challenge (I'm ashamed to admit, but sometimes, I really only have 5 minutes - or 1-2 playthroughs before I have to record), I am forced to go with my "gut tempo", which is often a bit faster than indicated, due to my inherent desire to let the melody in the bass sing.
As you know, on the guitar, given the really quick decay time of all our notes, the slower we play things, the harder it is to connect a voice and make it appear as a single line.
I would assume this is why Gulli also plays it a little faster - the indication probably serves to let learners know that they don't have to play this fast; speed is not the purpose here. That's my interpretation of it, at least
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Landslag III
Easy: sight reading (surprisingly, even without a microscope
) Difficult: bass-trebles sound balance, terrible sound of my fingers sliding on the bass strings (my eternal problem), out of tune in higher position (but I remember informative Mircea's lesson about tuning
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Too small print problem solved!
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Marek Tabisz wonderful solution, I love it, Marek!!! The print truly is so small on these - maybe we can get Gulli to release a more eye-friendly secondary edition in the future
I am fine with mine, but even I notice myself leaning forward on occasion.
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Landslag No. 4; Key: Dm.
Things I found easy: arpeggio using the same pattern and different patterns on different measures No. 40-50. and chords progression on the first fret only.
Things I found difficulty: Weird rhythm beats on measures from 1 to 20. Also introduce crescendo dynamic on the measure No. 40 to No. 50. Besides, control the tones volume of 3 voices , bass, harmony and melody from measure No. 3 to 12.
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Lawrence great job! When it comes to the rhythm in the beginning of the piece, this movement generally conforms to the well-known "Cuban tresillo" syncopation - you can also think of it as the "Libertango" syncopation (it's used a lot in Argentinian tango music, too): check the chords at the very beginning of this video. It's really an 8/8 divided into 3/8, 3/8, 2/8 - and it's quite an addictive pattern to play, once you get the hang of it!
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- Landslag you worked on: Landslag no. 3: Rock-covered plateau
- One thing you found easy: The phrasing seemed to come quite naturally as I think I would have used very similar dynamics as those marked in the score if they weren’t there.
- One thing you found difficult: Learning the piece in a short space of time so I could do a recording. There’s much more I can do to improve the performance.
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Jaime Very well
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Giuseppe Gasparini thanks Giuseppe!
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Jaime great job, Jaime!!! I particularly enjoyed the subtle but very well placed "swells" right after the beginning of important measures - they really serve to define your phrases wonderfully, and they seem to come very natural to you! Great stuff.
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Jaime Love your style man! It reminds me of my days growing up in Northern Wisconsin, very contemplative and compassionate
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David Chidsey thanks David! Yes they’re definitely the sort of feelings this music inspires in me. Really enjoying watching your videos!
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Mircea thanks Mircea! I think the “swells” were more instinctive than intentional so glad you liked them!
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Jaime I thought they were, which is why I enjoyed them even more
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Landscape I worked on: 3 Rock Covered Plateau (and nos 1 & 2).
Easy: Notes seem to fit easy for both hands (most of the time)
Hard: getting a good balance between bass notes and other voices
Very enjoyable piece
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Derek good job Derek! Yeah, I also find that the balance in this movement quite delicate and beautiful - the way the moving line slowly transitions from one voice to the other... it's great stuff, but it can sometimes be tricky to achieve!
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Landslag 2: Littoral mud in the bottom of the fjord
What I found easy: reading the music (apart from the size of the score!)
What I found difficult: really achieving a seamless progression through the chords
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Ron hello Ron! Oh man, I know what you mean - the music is so tiny! We'll try to persuade Gulli to release a more eye-friendly version soon
good job on sticking with the challenge and practicing those seamless progressions!
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I’m join the challenge with some days late
First glance at Landslag no. 1
- Landslag I worked on: Landslag no. 1: dark sand dunes with some moss
- One thing you found easy: Easy to read. Easy left-hand positions.
- One thing you found difficult: Everything is on the dynamics and the touch. I must work to have a better sound.
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Dario Caruso welcome to the challenge, Dario! It's great to have you on board. Yes, dynamics in the first Landslag are so important! Keep working on it and remember you can spend as many days on a single movement as you want, there is no obligation to go through the Landscapes at any particular rate.
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- Landslag you worked on: Landslag no. 4
- One thing you found easy: Reading and playing the piece in general
- One thing you found difficult: The left-hand change just before the end of a few of the bars.
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Roni Glaser great job, Roni! It's wonderful to see you moving through them all at such a quick pace! You're right though, the changes in this one can be quite tricky, especially if you're basically still sightreading the piece (as most of us are!) It all comes back to the notes being intended to ring over - so much harder than being able to use preparation. It's so great to have you on here though! Keep working on things and keep us posted about how it's going!
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Mircea Thanks Mircea! I promise I’ll try and get a recording of one done soon!
End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
