Week 2: Ballads and Barcarolles 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the second week of "Song and Dance" practice challenge!
Choose a piece that is inspired or transcribed from a song or a dance. It could be a lively south-american danza, a passionate tango, a serene romantic lied, or a poignant aria transcribed for the guitar. You're welcome to explore pieces from unfamiliar composers or challenge yourself with a complex work.
Commit to daily practice and share your journey with the community. Aim to practice every day and upload at least two videos each week to illustrate your progress. This will not only help you stay committed and encouraged but will also allow you to share your musical voyage with our tonebase family.
Share your favorite piece or recording that embodies the theme of "Song and Dance." Your submission will serve as an inspiration to others and create a vibrant pool of potential pieces for other members to delve into.
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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Rameau Allemande II 1706 Finally
I almost got this in the first week>
This is a piece that I started during the Transcription Challenge but couldn't get a passable recording of it. I feel this is pretty decent (requisite blunders not withstanding). I even think my tone is starting to settle in. Learning to play nailless has been a humbling (re: discouraging) experience. It is still not where I want it to be or, even where it was when I was using nails, but at least I am not completely embarrassed by it. (I know, you are probably thinking; 'Really? What would it take to make you feel embarrassed?')
Most of the places where I stumbled are generally playable for me so I am not as critical of them. However, I still have difficulty in the higher range, though there is definite improvement.
Oh yes. I'd like to give credit to my wife for her percussion performance.
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David Krupka Oh yeah, Great, David. Thanks for blowing my cover!
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joosje Thanks, Joosje. It is finally coming together..... sort of.
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David Krupka very impressive what she can do without nails
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Jack Stewart Sounding great, Jack! You really are developing the no-nail technique. I have heard from some that it can take 6-12 months, so this is truly astounding. The parts up high on the neck look SO difficult, and you came close to completely nailing them.
I do like the percussion in the background!
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric. My technique is coming back, slowly. I still miss playing with nails, however not the hassle they always seem to present. Playing in the upper registers has always been a challenge for me. It is even more so w/o because I have trouble with volume. But this is certainly better than previous recordings, so it is moving in the right direction.
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Jack Stewart Geez Jack, you'd think without nails you'd attempt a very simple piece, but no. You have to take on a beast of song like this, and yet make it sound so fun! And, yes, though we might need to work on her rhythm, I think your wife's percussion was a nice touch. I also enjoy your humorous posts. It's good to not take ourselves too seriously.
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Steve Pederson Thanks Steve. Perhaps when I grow up I will do things that make sense.
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Gran Vals
I’ve split them into 2 sections so less pressure to work on them.
Section A and B
I’m having challenge on bar 44 and somehow couldn’t get it to flow. Have to do more spot and slow practice on it.
Section C and D
A lot problems but mostly having challenge with bar 63-64, 72-74.
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don Great start on this Don. You play with such ease. The a section is very waltzable! As with every new piece we learn, the challenging parts just require isolation and slow practice. Sometimes I like to start at the end of a piece and practice backwards, often in 4 measure chunks.
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Marilyn Blodget That's how I read The New Yorker. I start at the back.
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Marilyn Blodget thanks! That's a good tip. Will try that.
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don Nice job Don! You got the birds to sing along with you! I'm happy to hear someone bringing this piece to the challenge.
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Lob Der Tranen
I’ve managed to work on section 2.
Again splitting them into 2 sections to work on.
Section A,
Some minor mistakes here and there but generally have the fingerings down and should be better with practice.
Section B,
Cannot memorize the music yet and keep mixing up the right hand fingerings. Need more spot practice.
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don Great work, Don, on two iconic and difficult pieces!
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don These are not easy pieces and you're already doing well Don! As you said, you already know the solution to the challenging parts (apart the fingerings), by doing slow practice. If I speak for myself, there are so many pieces where I can read and learn fast and then a few spots bring me back to slow practice for weeks or months before the whole music flows well
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don You are doing really well on these pieces, Don. They are so challenging but you have a very good grasp of them already. Can't wait to hear your complete performance.
I also like the bird accompaniments (though I suspect they think you are the accompaniment
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don Great job, Don! As Jack said, I also like the lovely bird sounds in the background and the lush green scenery behind you. It creates a very soothing atmosphere.
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Blaise Laflamme thanks! Indeed this feel like are one of those pieces that I'll get stuck on one two spot. Hopefully weeks rather than months.
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Wai Eric Phillips Jack Stewart thanks!
Funny story about the birds, they weren't there before. I recently bought an Apple homepod and it has a function to play some birds chirping sound as alarm. So I had it set as an alarm each morning and after a week or so these birds started coming almost like answering a call.
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don
Very nice work Don. Thanks a lot for sharing
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don Interesting! We watched a nature program this week where researchers played sounds of very elusive monkeys in Madagascar in order to lure them to their cameras.
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don You should be thankful you didn't use a roaring lion as an alarm.
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don sure, looks like you'r progressing very well and fast... could be days
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Jack Stewart haha. lucky there are no lion nearby
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don beautiful piece and great playing so far. Nice accompaniment from the birds
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
