Week 3: Waltzes and Whirls 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the third 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
This is the probably the final version of this piece for this challenge. It still needs refinement but it is mostly pretty good. The tone and phrasing are where I really need to focus now, but I will be devoting the next 2 weeks to other pieces.
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Steve Price Thanks Steve.
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Jack Stewart you're right and at some point there is stuff that needs to mature that only time permits.
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Jack Stewart That’s a lovely piece Jack. It’s coming along really well. Thanks for sharing the transcription. I have found a key to phrasing is having room to grow- which usually means a softer, more relaxed overall dynamic.
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Marilyn Blodget Thanks Marilyn. You make a good point. I have had a lot of difficulty adjusting to no nails and volume was a major issue. I have gotten better with volume so maybe it is time to learn to dial it back.
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Blaise Laflamme I am really looking forward to the time that I mature.
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Jack Stewart haha... the music will mature by itself, you can stay as you are!
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Jack Stewart I know how hard it is to project without nails. I tried reading through this. It’s hard! My hat’s off to you.
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Jack Stewart beautiful Jack. And thank you for sharing the score. Your ornamentation is so elaborate. I enjoy listening to this performance.
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Marilyn Blodget If where you're at on the central coast is as chilly as it is where I am right now (Guernville,Ca) you might want to keep your hat on.
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joosje Thanks, Joosje. I am pretty close to being able to play it, just not that close to being able to perform / record it.
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Jack Stewart Yes—most unseasonably cold! Sweater, jacket and gloves on my walk today. Maybe I should have worn my hat! I don’t think you’d want it anyway.
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Mompou Canción y Danza #10
This is my little song and dance. I recorded Mompou's Cancan y Danza #10 in one take (well, after about 30 attempts). The Cancion came out fairly well excepting a few spots. The Danza is not too bad as a rough draft except it kinda fell apart at the end. So close!. You can also see what a challenge trying to get those bass pedal leaps are. A few worked reasonably well. It all needs a lot of work, but I feel I have a pretty solid grasp of it.
This may be my last post for this challenge. We will see.
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Jack Stewart Well done Jack! I know how's hard to do in one take! Looks like you were about to do another one at the end
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Blaise Laflamme Thanks Blaise. Yeah I thought about trying another but then I realized I was too exhausted from trying to get what I got. Reason prevailed.
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Jack Stewart Nicely played Jack for this difficult piece, especially without nails. I intended to mention this to your sooner, as I also had problems with my nails splitting breaking, etc. I asked one of the guest artists (Rafael Aguirre) teaching on Tonebase what product he uses. Answer: "Repavar Nail Hardener". It comes from Spain, and since I've used it, no nail issues. I also take Biotin daily.Not sure if you are still interested in trying to solve the nails problem but there you go. The product does have a strong odor while applying, but it has worked for me.
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Barney Thanks, Barney.
I am still pursuing how to revive my nails, so I appreciate the suggestion. I have been taking Biotin for years now (no noticeable improvement). I have been using 'Healthy Hoof' cream (Ibid). I will look into your suggestion. However, if I get to a point where I am very comfortable playing w/o nails it would eliminate all the hassle of maintaining them.
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Jack Stewart Understood Jack. I'm just thinking about the limitations of no nails -- reduced variety of tone colors, power, intensity, and clarity.
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Jack Stewart well done Jack. I love those pieces a lot. You made a good start with the dance. It’s actually very difficult. The cancion was so beautiful. (Not really a cancan - autocorrect issue
). Your no nail sound doesn’t disturb me. It’s clear and full. Thanks for sharing. -
joosje Thanks Joosje. I didn't notice the Cancan mis-identification (yes, autocorrect) but it is so fun I will leave it as stated.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
