Week 1 - Harmonics and the Main Theme
¡Hola tonebuddies! 🎸
The Capricho árabe Track is live, and for the next four weeks we're all learning Tárrega's most beloved piece together, in the same place, at the same time. The tonebase team is going in with you, posting our own progress, questions and stumbles right next to yours.
Open the Track here: Capricho árabe Track
This week's suggested focus: Sections 1 and 2 (bars 1–18), the opening harmonics, the slur passage, and the main theme. Go at your own pace, the weekly threads are here to keep us together, not to rush you.
Start by telling us where you're coming from: brand new to the piece, halfway there, or coming back to it? Then post whatever your practice throws up, a clip, a question, a small win, a barre that won't cooperate. No clip required.
You're among the very first players through this Track, so one question for the week: where did something click for you, and where did it trip you up? We're listening 👂
Live check-in: on Monday September 14, 5pm CEST, we're going live to walk through the piece and answer your questions about the Track and your practice. Details and reminder here: Capricho Árabe: Inside Tárrega's Timeless Serenade
Dates: September 4 – October 2. The Watch Party on October 2 will feature recorded submissions from this challenge, a single section or the whole piece. 🎥
34 replies
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Capricho Arabe initial rough draft mm 1 - 24
This is not a piece I would have chosen on my own. noting my constitutional aversion to Romantic music (to be fair, I have made significant strides on that count). However it is very beautiful and Martin's Track program is so detailed and well done I thought it would be good for me to try it. Besides it is the only piece I have worked on that my wife commented "That's beautiful"🤗.
I certainly have a long way to go - especially in trying to craft a convincing melodic line. Sorry about the odd trimming at the end. I actually played the repeat but it wasn't worth including.
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I have some thoughts regarding the main theme. Martin emphasises the second beat a (1st) string, but I feel this a as a continuation of the melodic line and tend to play it without accent. I think the note that needs accentuating is the f in the base line. This f is the interesting note in this measure. The motive d_f_e_A, is continuing as it was introduced in the opening bars of the A section. It keeps turning up in other sections as well (D_Bb_Eb_A and in the major C section D_f#_e_A).
Any ideas on this in the forum?
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Hi,
I love this tune. And working my way through, though I hit a wall with the trill; in bar 15, my timing is not right, and my fingers will not work- tense, yes, relax, trying. I'm looking for a good practice for ornaments specifically for trills. Any suggestions?
Regards Graeme