Week 1: Going North! 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the first week of the Landslög Challenge
Share your progress updates here and help each other out by commenting on other member's submissions!
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- Watch the kickoff livestream! (<- click)
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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Landslog I-III
I didn't discover the community challenges until just after this one was done the first time, so I am looking forward to trying these pieces. I recorded the first three last week (while my Christmas decorations were still up).
The first one is not too hard, but there are a few tricky fingerings. I also find it hard to repeat the arpeggios the correct number of times (I think I messed up on one toward the end, in fact).
The second one is very sparse, and I find it difficult to keep a sense of pulse throughout.
The third one is very cool! Listening back, I don't think the melody in the bass stands out enough. I'd like it to be more expressive, and have more weight.
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Eric Phillips This must be a new personal record, exactly 30min after opening the thread you are there with three videos
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Eric Phillips wow... you were fast!
and you render them very well... the second one looks a bit harder to make something out of it but those three played as a block works pretty well, bravo! 
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Eric Phillips
This is great... For a beginner like me It sounded fantastic
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Eric Phillips I very much enjoyed your rendition of Landslög II. which I am working on now. The chord shifts are made to seem so effortless in your hands. Any suggestions? Thanks
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David Thanks, David. I'm not really sure what suggestions to make. Maybe later today (when I get home from work), I could make a short video walking through what I do when shifting the chords.
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David Here's a video I just made walking through the piece. Please know that I am just a fellow learner like you, and certainly no expert. If you find my thoughts helpful, great. If not, feel free to ignore this.
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Eric Phillips Thank you for the suggestion to remember to prepare BOTH hands. That helped a lot. The small gap in the sound for the preparation of both hands for the A min is a great help for me there, and it sounds better, too. The ringing of the open tones during changes as an illusion for legato is something that helps me relax during the shift, and to give myself more time to avoid the shift noises.
Talking through the differences between LH fingerings (and RH stroke) is something I will do for myself going forward.
Keeping track of which fingers can be kept down during the arpeggio section is something I will pay more attention to.
I noticed how your use the whole hand to assist in the repositioning of LH fingers to off-load some of the effort into the larger muscles.
I'm going to rewatch as I work through it today. Thank you very much for taking the time to create such an informative video!
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Eric Phillips Hi!! Glad to hear you! As usual, you had a great performance, I loved all, especially the number III. Thank you for sharing!
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Landslog IV - VI
I found number four to be a large leap up in difficulty, and I think it is more difficult than the two that follow it. The higher tempo and the somewhat quirky left and right hand fingerings were very challenging. Musically, I think it's one of the best in the series. The syncopated rhythm is so fun!
Number five is even more sparse than number two, and it is very difficult for me to give it a pulse. Maybe I just don't understand it, but I do not find it to be a very interesting piece of music.
Number six is great! It sounds so sad, but not in a gushy or sappy way at all. Technically, I think the biggest challenge is keeping the string squeak to a minimum (which I failed to do a few times in this recording).
I'm not sure how much further I can go, as the leap up in number seven is very large. I'll see how it goes in practice, but I'm skeptical of my ability. Of the five remaining pieces, in fact, I think perhaps only number ten looks doable for me.
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Eric Phillips Beutifully played Eric. I read through VI myself today - it's probably my favourite at the moment!
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Eric Phillips Beautiful Eric ... Thanks for posting
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Eric Phillips beautiful Eric. I think when continuing to play these 6 pieces you might learn to appreciate also nr five more, though I admit it’s really challenging to keep the pulse … you’re well ahead of most of us. Inspiring job.
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Eric Phillips Your playing was so beautiful and soothing, thanks for sharing, Eric. My cat is very sick, I don't have mood to touch my guitar now, but your playing really warmed my heart, thank you.
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Eric Phillips really really fantastic work Eric! I'm so impressed with how quickly you can pick this stuff up, and you've done a wonderful job with each of them.
As for number 5, I loved your performance of it! I had the opportunity a while back to see the movie Aquarela, which is a movie about water. There is no plot. There is no narration or dialogue. It's just shots of water set to music by a band called Apocalyptica - a Finnish group that specializes in Cello Metal. When I think of these pieces I think of that kind of thing.
To me, that's what all these pieces are about - a soundscape, and you really brought it home.
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Eric Phillips These number six is really beautiful, and you recorded it with great expression. The V is great too, maybe a bit difficult to play with fluidity because is very slow and freely, but your recorded was impecable. Bravo!
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Great to reconnect with this challenge. I sight read though Landslag VI today which I found surprisingly easy given the key signature! Looking forward to spending more time working on it.
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Ron #6 is a beautiful one, probably one of the more tonal / traditional piece we're used to listen to.
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From what I've seen and heard thus far, this seems like a great challenge with wonderful pieces! I'm in!
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Steve Pederson great, can't wait to hear what you'll do!
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I worked on these a good year or so ago and put together a video of the first three preceded by Prelude Op. 6 No. 14 by Alexander Scriabin. I love the way Scriabin's prelude set the mood for Landslög 1 - 3 and ended up performing this set on a few occasions last year. I look forward to exploring a few more of these exquisite compositions and sharing in the community challenge.
Eric Phillips , you continue to inspire us all with the breadth of music you can learn so fast!
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Rick Lord just incredibly beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. Great insight in the musical quality of these pieces.
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Rick Lord wow, that is an incredible combination of pieces that work really together, beautiful!
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Rick Lord beautifully played RIck, I'm always amazed by the quality of your playing and production, bravo!
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Rick Lord Wonderful performance, Rick! It's hard to imagine these played any differently. The contemplative quality you give to the second Landslog (especially) is brilliant. And what dynamic and rhythmic control in the third! Very impressive production as well - not just the sound, the filming too. I love the attention you give to small details - the choreography of your hands is beautiful to behold.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
