Week 4: Serenade Showcase

Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary Very nicely played.  Your playing of this Estudio has really progressed throughout this Challenge.  I like your tempo and arpeggios are sounding smooth and even. On one point, I slightly differ with your interpretation. I actually think the repeats of the diminished chords are an integral part of the study.

Here is what Carlevaro wrote about this study: "The composer himself insisted that the execution of this study should never be unruly, affirming that its beauty lies in the clarity of each note and in the different sonorities presented in each bar with its repetition. In his (HVL) opinion, each arpeggio should be played Forte the first time through and an echo effect on the arpeggio's repetition."

Dale Needles Thank you Dale. My performance is far away from what I aspire to. With the descending arpeggios, it's more a mixture of my lack of confidence, stamina and skill to execute repeats rather than interpretation. But I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and perspective on  what the composer and Carlevaro had in mind with this piece. Hopefully, I'll get better on this piece as I keep working on it.

Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary This is sounding great, Nijwm. Your playing is very relaxed and gentle which works well. We usually hear this piece at a breakneck speed but this tempo opens this etude up emotionally. Great work! Your harmonics are also very well done.

Just a note; be sure to let the last note have its due. 

Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary You've made wonderful progress on this Etude, Nijwm!  The arpeggios are nice and even.  Great job so far.

I think the next step would be to use more dynamics and color tastefully.  Fro example, for each arpeggio you can you crescendo as you move up from bass to treble, and then decrescendo on the way back down.  I also agree with Dale about the repeats.

Thank you for the valuable feedback, Jack

Barney Thank you, Barney. Yeah, I really need to work on my dynamics. I've noticed that in my playing generally in other pieces as well.

Raul Guzman Vidal Great work, Raul. Your playing is very relaxed. 

Some of the phrases seem a bit stilted and not quite in rhythm. I would suggest continue to work with a metronome until it is very comfortable and then focus on the feel of the music. Overall you are getting very close. This piece appears to be quite challenging but you have a very solid gasp of it technically. Great job!

Jack Stewart Thank you for the feedback.

Raul Guzman Vidal That’s coming along nicely.  You might want to check put Ali Arango’s Tonebase course on Choros 1.  It’s a lot of fun - very playful.  

Barney Bravo, Barney. Looks like you have been busy working on this difficult Etude. Well, you say it is a work in progress, which in some sense, all pieces are, it looks to me like you have it nearly mastered. Very impressive how you transition from scale passages to arpeggios and block chords. Congrats!

Barney Barney, this is amazing for a first take on this monumental Etude! Your playing of it is already very musical with a solid technical foundation. Really impressive (as always)!

As to developing scale speed, the techniques that I have seen here on TB are speed bursts, dotted rhythm, different meters. (These suggestions fall into the "Do what I say not what I can't do' category). Vladimir Gorbach has a good course on scales.

Dale Needles Thanks Dale!  After I play this Etude, my left hand is sore.  I'm using Rafael Aguirre's suggested  alternative  for playing the Trills section, since he warns in his lesson that they almost "destroyed' his LH  3rd finger if played as written.  I'm also using Carlevaro's fingerings for most of the Etude.

Jack Stewart Dale Needles Thanks Jack!  I agree about the suggestions provided by TB on scale speed.

These approaches probably work, as long as we have the patience to follow the routines consistently.

I think also that Flamenco players have mastered the speed  partly due to the movements with Rasqueados strengthening their extensor muscles, etc.  It seems that I can go up to a certain speed, and then it falls apart after that.  Not sure if the angle of attack during the string changes has to be adjusted so the flow continues properly.   Someday, maybe a master teacher can study my hand movements closeup.  (wishful thinking...haha).

Hey Dale-  Has Mr. Carlevaro provided helpful guidance on developing scale speed?

Barney Carlevaro has some good exercises (eje 198 - 202) in his Cuaderno #2 that helps with elasticity and developing speed. 

Barney Wow!!! Very well played Barney!  You’re well on your way with this extremely difficult study.  

Barney Wow! what an amazing first-time performance of a challenging piece.