Week 1: Setting Sails! 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the first week of the "Music YOU Love" practice challenge!
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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La Maja de Goya was a learning adventure for me during our Covid lockdown. Martin reminded me this morning that I don't want to lose it. Because strings 5 & 6 are tuned to G and D, I have not kept it in my practice rotation. I've spent the rest of today bringing it back. I'm making progress, but this video is from 2020. I am pleased that my fingers and ears seem to remember somewhat what to do.
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Steve Pederson Thanks Steve! Great justification for multiple guitars! And the really nice ones can be considered investments
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Marilyn Blodget Oh, totally! And, if guitar is your business, they can also be tax write-offs!
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Marilyn Blodget That is a wonderful piece and your performance sounds really nice. We are lucky you are re-working it, thank you for sharing!
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Moyses Lopes Thanks so much Moyses!
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There's not much classical history in my current hometown of Dayton, Ohio, US. Musically, it's actually mostly known as being a key center of the funk movement in the 70's with The Ohio Players, Zapp, and Heatwave among others coming out of here. It's also the birthplace of jazz guitarist John Scofield who arranged a chorus of "Georgia on My Mind" in a very loose, rubato style for classical guitar. It's a famous ballad in the US written by Hoagy Carmichael. but mainly associated with the performer Ray Charles. I've always wanted to learn it so here's the first a section.
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Steve Price Very cool, Steve! I used to own a couple Scofield albums, but I do not know this. Great choice!
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Steve Price Very nice, Steve. I've always loved Georgia. I have 2 finger style arrangements, 1 by Rick Ruskin ( an adaptation of Ray Charles recording) and 1 by Bill Pilburn. Both are very good. I haven't played them in several years.
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Steve Price Beautiful Steve! I love John Scofield, and I love this song! I think this is a great project. Can't wait to hear it complete.
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Jack Stewart Thanks Jack. I found a YouTube tutorial by Ruskin on his version. Very cool. It's interesting to hear all the different takes.
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Steve Price Nice, Steve! Great idea you had! Looking forward to hearing the entire piece. Thanks for sharing!
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Down by the Salley Gardens
Hello fellow music-of-the-world lovers! I reached out to my college professor from over 30 years ago for some music, as I know he has written several arrangements as well as several original pieces. I thought it would be interesting to introduce you to some of his work. His name is James (Jim) McGuire, and he taught and the University of Minnesota where I went to college.
Yesterday he sent me an arrangement that he made for a classic Irish song called Down by the Salley Gardens, which is based off of this poem by William Butler Yeats of the same title. I thought that was appropriate, as it fits both the "world music" challenge in addition to the time of year.
Jim is a jazz guitarist as well as a classical one. It shows in this arrangement. The song has an AABA form, which I describe - amongst other details - in this video. This is sort of an introduction video of the song, which I explain as I am familiarizing myself with it. Enjoy!
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Steve Pederson Really interesting Steve, thanks for showing this. It reminds me of some singing lessons I had many years ago, my daughter was having lessons so I booked myself a few lessons with her teacher, mainly to try to improve my aural work for the guitar and to try to improve my speaking voice, (I think she was on a loser from the start!) but this was one of the songs she attempted to teach me.
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Steve Pederson That's going to be a beautiful piece. I love coming across those gnarly chords where you have to check half a dozen times to be sure you're playing it right, but then they sound right up to speed in context, lol.
How cool to study with Jim McGuire. I used to play parts the easier ones, from one of his Suites in Popular Style back in the day.
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Steve Pederson Very interesting, Steve. I like your approach to begin working on the piece. I should take note. I tend to just jump in, and the ask "Wait. What am I doing?"
I thought I knew this from Pentangle or Fairport Convention (way back in the day) but I couldn't find a version of it. I was probably thinking of Sally Go Round the Roses.
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Steve Pederson love the melody, harmony also sounds very cool. Can’t wait to hear it atempo.
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Steve Pederson great to see your process Steve, can't wait to hear it flowing in your hands.
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Steve Pederson Wow! This is so inspiring, Steve! Thank you for sharing your whole process with us, it's really cool to know paths and insights! I checked the poem too, it's a gem! Bravíssimo, ragazzo!
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Here's the initial take on my first piece. I've just acquired a matched pair of Rode M5 microphones and a Volt 2 audio interface so it's my first try of those. It's audio only so you don't have the dubious pleasure of seeing me in action. Cavatina by Stanley Myers. I relearnt this the other week to perform at my local guitar club. I'll try to work on it as the challenge progresses.
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Derek Very nice, Derek. I think this is the first time I have actually heard this piece, though I am certainly aware of it. You've got a great start.
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Derek great job on this Derek! And those Rode M5 mics are sounding real good too!
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Derek Lovely, Derek! Does your hands hurt when you play it? Mine did when I tried playing through the first few bars alone.
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Jack Stewart Thanks Jack - you've probably heard it before - just not the way that I play it :-)
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Steve Pederson Thanks Steve
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric. No, they don't hurt (or at least I don't notice it) but I've been playing it off and on for a long time. I left it alone for a few years and recently came back to playing it.
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Derek Great Derek, I think it's the best sound you got to date. Did you used the Vintage Preamp Mode for the take?
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
