Week 4: "Samba Strings Showcase"
Welcome to the Main Thread for the last week of "Villa-Lobos Voyage" practice challenge!
Select a mesmerizing piece from Villa-Lobos or a composer connected to his Brazilian heritage. Whether it's a soulful Villa-Lobos composition, a rhythmic Brazilian-inspired work, or a piece by another artist inspired by the Brazilian musical tradition, the choice is yours!
Commit to regular practice and share your progress with the community. Strive to practice daily and upload at least two videos per week to showcase your musical voyage. This not only keeps you motivated but also allows you to share your artistic journey with our tonebase family.
Share your favorite performance or recording that captures the spirit of the "Villa-Lobos-Voyage Challenge." Your submission will inspire others and create a vibrant collection of potential pieces for fellow members to explore.
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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HVL Choros No. 1 - Final Submission
I will say that I'm proud of myself for taking on a piece that I've always wanted to play, but never thought I could. I have managed to learn this very difficult piece of music in its entirety, though I know I still have a long way to go! (Previously I had learned part of the C section, and it think perhaps it shows a bit in this performance - at least it was where I felt the most comfortable).
I will also say that, until this recording, I don't know if I've ever played the piece all together in one shot with all the repeats.
I like what Marilyn Blodget said about not working your left hand too hard. I have to work on that. My left hand got very fatigued while playing this song.
I will be happy to take a break from this piece - but not for too long.
I can see this as a valuable part of my repertoire. It's a fun song for sure. -
Marilyn Blodget Thanks Marilyn! That's good advice about the B section, and it's a shame about only playing it once. I really like that one the best I think! Although, I'm sure if I'm playing this for a cocktail hour at a party or something nobody will mind if I play the B section more than once!
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Steve Pederson Great Job, Steve. That is a monster of a piece at 7 minutes! and
memorized! It will take time to really master it but what a start. Bravo!!
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Steve Pederson Great work, Steve! It sounds so good. And you’re right, the C section is particularly strong.
I hear you about taking a break. I didn’t play my HVL piece for about five or six days, and coming back to it, I can play it much better and more consistently now.
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Steve Pederson really well done! It is already sounding very good. Fluidity is just a matter of time. It is very long and crazy hard piece and to get it to this in matter of weeks is amazing.
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Steve Pederson Bravo, Steve. Very nice tone and rhythm.
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Jack Stewart Thanks Jack! Although I can play the entire piece from memory, I did have my score in front of me for this recording. In fact, I had to do a second take, because I don't normally follow the score, and because of that...I actually got lost trying to follow the score!
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric, yeah, that's what I was hoping - that somehow I would magically get better at it by not playing it, which has happened before!
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don Thanks Don! Yes, I'm looking forward to this piece "settling in" as I continue to work on it. Every day I work on it I notice more improvement.
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Dale Needles Thanks Dale! I appreciate it.
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Steve Pederson great achievement. I witnessed your voyage from the first posting to this and I’m impressed. It sounds so good.
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HVL Etude #5 - Final submission - probably
This is a pretty good version except for an extended stumble right after one of the high points and then another stumble at the end. I have spent the last 3 days practicing and recording this over and over. Trying to figure out which take to use was always weighing 1 botched segment against another. I really should learn how to digitally splice. The takes between recordings were always the best. The fish that got away were always the biggest. So it goes.
I am leaving for a month Spain, Portugal and France on Monday. I should be able to follow whatever is going on but I won't be able to submit anything.
So Martin - don't come up with any enticing Challenges or Livestreams over the next month. A couple of suggestions - The role of the Classical guitar in detergent commercials Livestream, The Ice Cream Truck Transcription Challenge.
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Jack Stewart It sounds great, Jack, and shows the fluency that only comes with a lot of hard work.
Great ideas for while you’re away! I would add the 4’33” Challenge. It would be interesting to see what different people come up with. We could have a mid-challenge check-in on Zoom.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric.
Your sight reading prowess would certainly come in handy on that challenge.
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Jack Stewart I love the commercial challenge. Think there are a couple, Gran Vals comes to mind with Nokia and some Romanian fried chicken.
Anyhow this is really sounding very good and you have it memorized. Just need some slow spot practices to get over the tough parts.
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Jack Stewart Excellent, Jack. You really made great progress with this piece and capture well its polyphonic character. Have a great trip!
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Dale Needles Thanks Dale. I was hoping for a better recording but at least some of the problem areas came out well - I just traded some stumbles in areas where I usually don't have problems. Maybe at some point I can get everything to align (like that is going to happen!)
I can't believe we are leaving in 3 days! My first visit to Europe.
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Jack Stewart Great work Jack, you wrap it up and everything is under your fingers... what a piece!
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Jack Stewart Buen viaje, Jack!
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Blaise Laflamme Thanks Blaise
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Dale Needles Thanks and you as well. (I guess to be consistent I should say Have a good trip.)
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Jack Stewart Sounds great Jack! I learned this piece many years ago and know it's not easy. Thanks for reminding me what an amazing study this is by your beautiful performance.
Your planned trip sounds awesome. Enjoy it and fly well!!
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Jack Stewart Okay, first of all, Spain, Portugal and France? I'm so jealous!!! I'm actually thinking it would be really cool if all of us Tonebuddies met up for a live in-person concert/recital/hang time in Spain.
Now, as for the deep breath/sigh at the beginning of the piece before playing, that pretty much says it all..."Here we go!"
Maybe I just don't know the piece that well, but I didn't notice any mess-ups. I think it sounded great, and you continue to develop a great articulation between the voices.
Bravo!
Enjoy your travels! Buen Viaje! Bon Voyage!
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Barney Thanks Barney. Will do.
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Steve Pederson Thanks Steve. I suppose I am my own worse critic (or. perhaps, at least in the top 10).
I suspect that for all of us to meet up somewhere would be comparable to herding cats, but it would be fun (meeting up - not herding cats).
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Jack Stewart excellent performance Jack. It souds really great, like the way you play this wonderful piece. You learned it in no time.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
