Week 4: Resurrected Rhythms: Celebrating Revived Pieces!
Welcome to the Main Thread for the last week of "Unfinished Business" practice challenge!
- Choose an piece that you have started to practice but never fully commited to finish. It could be a an iconic masterpiece, a technical challenge, a sweet little miniature or a piece that you played a long time ago and always wanted to refresh! You're encouraged to experiment with pieces from composers you're not accustomed to or push your boundaries with a technically demanding work.
- Commit to regular practice and share your journey with the community. Aim to practice daily and upload at least two videos per week to showcase your progress. This will not only aid in keeping you dedicated and motivated but also enables you to share your musical journey with our tonebase family.
- Share your favorite piece or recording that you always wanted to learnm but is still "unfinished business". Your submission will serve as inspiration for others and construct a vibrant repertoire of potential pieces for fellow members to explore.
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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Bach - Air - Full version
I'm pretty happy with the arrangement. Next step is to memorize it and tweak some of the articulation and dynamics.
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Jack Stewart Thanks Jack! No, the bass line certainly doesn't get boring. I've seen most guitar players play the bass line as repeated notes instead of octave jumps - as is written in the original score, and even that doesn't get boring. Obviously, with the guitar, it's not always possible to do the octave jumps, unless of course you have a 7- or 8-string guitar (or more) with lower bass notes. I think the octave jumps in the bass, though, really adds a lot of movement and drive to the piece.
Also, just an FYI, I certainly did not create my transcription from scratch. I took a very complicated arrangement that I found and essentially just took a lot of notes away and made the bass line more true to the original - with octave leaps wherever I could.
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Steve Pederson Sounds great Steve! I really enjoyed your version. Keep going with your terrific progress on it.
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Steve Pederson Very Nice, Steve, ala Whiter Shade Pale. Excellent playing and beautiful tone.
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Steve Pederson Very lovely! The melody is really singing in this performance!
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Steve Pederson wow! This is awesome! Great job, really love it. Look forward to the finish version. Please do share it then!
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Steve Pederson Really nice arrangement and performance too, Steve!! I am a simple man. Whenever I see Bach, I click like.
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JPS Etude #1 Hommage a Stravinsky
This Is better. There are still some rough edges and glitches but I think it holds together much better than the previous version. I still have a tendency of trying to play it faster than I am capable of. This is mostly due to the fact that I can play the first section comfortably a a pretty good clip and I don't realize until I am I the second part that I am in over my head.
This will be last post for this challenge as My wife and I are going vamping ('camping' in a van). She has always wanted to try that so we have rented a van for the next 3 days. Tomorrow is her birthday so she deserves it.
In response to Barney's comment I realized I should add this note:
I should mention that my nails have returned and seem to holding up. I am applying 2 layers of silk wrap over the tips of each nail for extra support. We will see if they last.
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Jack Stewart What an incredible achievement, Jack! I think you’ve earned a ”vamping” trip as well. I’m glad you explained what that is. I’ve only heard that word in the context of jazz music (where it means something quite different).
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Jack Stewart Very nice. This piece is growing on me.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric.
I guess vamping could also be what vampires do.
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Jack Stewart Blah, blah, blah
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Jack Stewart This is getting better and better Jack. Enjoy your vamping trip and Happy birthday to the misus!
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don Thanks Don. Van camping will be a new experience for us.
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Jack Stewart This is definitely better than the earlier one. It is not an easy arrangement, and you are doing a great job with it! Wondering if it is even more difficult without nails...
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Barney Thanks Barney. It is certainly above my technical abilities.
I should have mentioned that my nails have returned and seem to holding up. I am applying 2 layers of silk wrap over the tips of each nail for extra support. we will see if they last. I will add this note to the description.
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Jack Stewart Happy to hear about the nails! A few times I split a nail and asked a nail salon technician to do the silk wrap; instead, she did an acrylic "gel" wrap. It was very strong and created a pretty good tone ( better than the silk). I just worry about how these chemicals weaken the underlying nail bed, so I use it only in emergencies.
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Jack Stewart bravo Jack, what a piece and performance! I definitely should take a closer look at the score and try it!
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Blaise Laflamme Thanks Blaise. I would be honored if you do get around to it. Your playing is always so superb.
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Jack Stewart thank you Jack... your study seems quite difficult!
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Here is the complete version of Carlevaro's "Capricho" from his "Introduccion y Capricho." Still needs a little work but it is close. Also, I need to add the "Introduccion" which I will do in August and post the complete piece in the Carlevaro Discussion Forum later in the month. "Introduccion y Capricho" was published in 1983 by Chanterelle and is to be played "espressivo y rubato."
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Dale Needles That is spectacular, Dale. You have amazing control of this piece. I really like your use of colors and dynamics. Bravo!
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Dale Needles Your performance is like a textbook demonstration to me, thanks for sharing! I'm taking a break from Microestudios and grappling with a challenging Bach piece., I think this Bach piece will remain unfinished by the end of the challenge.
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Dale Needles Wow!! This is beautiful Dale. Great control, color and dynamics. Any possible future improvements (IMHO) would be very subtle. Thanks for sharing this with us!!
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Jack Stewart Thanks, Jack. And Happy Birthday to Nu. Hope to see you both when you get back from vamping.
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Wai Thanks, Wai. Makes sense to take a break from the Microestudios. I look forward to hearing some Bach.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
