Group 2
Mastering the art of subtle timing flexibility is crucial for delivering performances that are as expressive and speech-like as possible, captivating your audience's attention. Have you ever marveled at how the fluid manipulation of timing by your favorite performers adds depth and expressiveness to their music? If you aspire to imbue your musical expressions with similar vitality, or if you aim to perfect and evolve your ability to produce seamless legato, this course is tailored for you. We will introduce techniques designed to equip you with the skills necessary for integrating these practices into your own rehearsal routines with pieces beyond the scope of this course.
Course Highlights:
Dynamic Timing Flexibility: Delve into the nuances of timing flexibility to achieve a more expressive and speech-like performance. Discover the secrets behind the captivating, ever-changing stretch of time that adds color and expression to music, drawing listeners into your sonic world.
Legato Mastery: Explore the techniques to perfect your legato playing, ensuring seamless transitions and a fluid, singing quality in your music. This segment focuses on cultivating the ability to convey your musical ideas with the same vitality and expressiveness as your favorite performers.
Technique Enhancement: Engage in specialized exercises designed to improve your timing flexibility and legato execution. These practices are crafted to help you integrate these skills into your personal practice routine, allowing for continual growth and refinement.
Customized Feedback: Benefit from personalized feedback tailored to your unique musical journey. This course offers the opportunity to receive direct guidance and strategies from an expert, enabling you to overcome challenges and achieve your musical goals.
Collaborative Learning Community: Join a network of like-minded musicians and enthusiasts. This course fosters a nurturing environment for sharing insights, experiences, and encouragement, building a community of learners dedicated to musical excellence.
Enroll now and unlock the potential of your guitar playing like never before!
Timeline:
- Sign-Up : NOW until March 17th
- Course Period: March 18th until March 28th
- Optional check-In via Zoom: March 23rd, 10 am PST
Assignments Week 1
Note:
- Try to experiment with different tempos (bigger, smaller, etc.).
- Always listen to yourself. If what you were playing was gradually becoming clear or audible, keep at it.
- For exercises 4-7, it is important that you emphasize the melody and make the accompaniment quieter.
- In exercises 6-7, you can use appoyando to bring out the melody.
- Please send me videos of exercises 1, 2, and 3, and choose only one from 4-5 and one from 6-7.
Videos
Exercise one: https://youtu.be/GDYyqiyhuws
Exercise two: https://youtu.be/hgux2nOkEaM
Exercise three: https://youtu.be/SFDvk4CHsaI
Exercise four: https://youtu.be/gbNV-ZEJv5c
Exercise five: https://youtu.be/h9Kfdnhmm54
Exercise six: https://youtu.be/-yHXgqAruYs
Exercise seven: https://youtu.be/OShYqOe6fyo
Scores
Improve_your_time_flexibility_and_legato
Assignments Week Two
First exercise: https://youtu.be/B53r9aRax44
Second exercise: https://youtu.be/CIWz9DZQFQ4
Third exercise: https://youtu.be/CGEyEbwx6UQ
Fourth exercise: https://youtu.be/XAdOVEPx5Lc
Fifth exercise: https://youtu.be/dm9dW9WTXLU
Scores
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Thank you Borbola, for these exercises. I did not know what to expect. This will be a challenging and interesting journey. I am surprised to see how much you modified Carcassi Op 60 No3. Although we can recognize the piece, i wonder why you chose to modify it that way. There must be a good reason. I believe i will select exercise 5 instead which is closer to the original score starting in measure 9 where you converted the sixteenth notes to eight notes and got rid of the repeating notes.. I will carefully practice and update with videos later this week.
thanks
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Michel Giroux hi Michel, yes it was intentional, after the experience of the last two weeks intensive where I had also very beginners I wanted to make the exercises easier since I did not know what is the level of the people who will sign up for my two weeks intensive. I wanted you all to be able to focus on the musical tasks and not to make it too complex with that more complicated pattern of the study number three.
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Hi Borbála Seres just a quick note to let you know there's a small typo in the score, in Exercise #5 mesure #7, the # should be on D. Thanks for sharing them!
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Blaise Laflamme Hi Blaise, you are absolutely right. It seems, that this silly sharp got lost somehow...
Thank you!
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Blaise Laflamme It's funny I played it as written and I kind of like the half-step dissonance there, lol. What would that be? An F6#5? Brouwer might approve but probably not Carcassi.
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Borbála Seres no worries, it's just an harmonic shock in this context!
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Steve Price haha... well... did you played it with the written fingering?!
I would say DmM7/F for the re-written chord 
but still a weird voicing!
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There as been a typo in the scores, here's the new version:
Improve_your_time_flexibility_and_legato -
Hello Barbara. These are very good practice exercises. I enjoy working on them. Since I’m traveling I won’t be able to record and send any results, for now. I hope to be make up for that in the second week.
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joosje hi joose,
No problem you can send me later when you are back from your trip.
Best,
Borbála
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Hi Borbala, I've watched the exercises even though I haven't enrolled into the course. Been busy with other stuff.
But I have a question for you, and I'd love if fellow members offer their views. How do I use rubato and legato while being in rhythm? All pieces have time signatures, but how and when do we use some freedom to experiment within certain technical parameters.
For example, I'm enamored with pieces like Julia Florida and Villa Lobos Prelude no 1. And I've heard them in so many different versions.
There are two things, that really scare me in classical guitar. First, being out of rhythm. Second, not being faithful to the composer.
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary hi Nijwm,
I can understand your problem.
I will very soon upload a video about this rubato playing, I hope it will help you with your question being faithful to the composer.
And about this rhythmic and metre matter. You should always have a kind of inner matter which is actually our heartbeat. You can also try to walk gradually in a nice slow tempo to get this matter feeling. And we were walking you can also try to sing the melody of the peace because then you will never be flip out from it.
The rubato is actually nothing else but rit, acc, or tenuto. If you learn to play them gradually with very simple exercises focusing on this musical factors you can build up your rubato also better for the pieces.
If you don't know what you can do or what not musically you can still choose a version of professional musician who you like the most. And you can try to follow her or his flexibility and musical ideas. But try to experiment with it by yourself as well. And of course it's crucial first to have the pieces technically good in your hands to be able to handle the musical issues.
I hope I could help you a bit good luck!
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Borbála Seres Thank you so much Borbala. I've watched your YouTube on rubato. It's really insightful and gave me a lot of ideas about how to proceed ahead with my musicality.
You've been very gracious and kind with comments and suggestions throughout this course.
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Hello Borbola! Thank you for this intensive program. These are the fine details that make such a difference... and they are a challenge to execute consistently. I've read through the exercises and here is a playlist of my videos.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy1W4cBgg4p2XIvegUld3lSky8vYV64Se&si=Qzl869GNvijhje-9
Best regards,
Michael
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Michael Neverisky hi Michael,
Thank you for your videos!
Exercise 1
Well done it was really good! From each version I found the second one a bit better because you tried to took the extremity as you said more dramatic which I liked a bit more. If you imagine it always before the execution it can help you to achieve the way right for the first time which you wish for.
Thank you
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Michael Neverisky exercise 2
Your legato is really perfect. And I've found your thumb already the first time really nice.
I was very happy to see that you are listening yourself during the playing since you decided to make another one because you were not satisfied with the first one. It means you have a self reflected behavior which is great and really necessary to achieve progress in our playing. And it was extra nice that second time you made it also musically beautiful.Thank you
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Michael Neverisky exercise 3
It was even nicer than the second exercise. I don't think that you would need these legato exercises because yours is really perfect. And I was very glad that you took care of the musical execution again.
I could hear the enter of each voice on the top line very clear which is not easy. So it was also musically very smart and nice flexible thank you! Great job
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Michael Neverisky Exercise 4
It was very nice musically.
If you would like to make it even nicer a bit I would recommend to take a bit slower tempo where you can handel the timing more flexible, listen to yourself as you always do and try to build up the tension bit more. The feeling has to be like you would " Stretch the time ". The end could be a bit more released. You could hold back the tempo a bit more let's say make a bigger rit. to calm down the musical material.
Thank you
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Michael Neverisky exercise 6
Very nice, everything what you were doing is great! In my opinion you could exaggerate everything what you are doing to be even more impressive. We are just like theater actors we have to show musically everything at least three times more what we think would be enough. Because for the listener we have to make it very clear since they don't know our musical ideas. Try to take a bit slower tempo and enjoy this nice calm beautiful Melody , the musical flow. Just try to experiment with more extremities, come out from your comfort zone.
Very nice job thank you
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Hi Borbala Seres I'm glad to participate in this TWI with you and I apologize for being late with my submission. Here's a quick «montage» of the requested exercises (that need more practice
), I did 3 takes of each and took the one that seemed the more valuable (or less terrible!). I'm also testing out a different setup than usual to ease sharing this kind of videos (the microphone needs a better position), and it looks like I got a buzz on the third fret due to extreme temperature changes we have here 
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Blaise Laflamme hi Blaise,
Thank you for your video.
You are not late at all don't worry!
I think that you are too hard with yourself! I'm in your comment on your video execution. But it means that you are also maximalistic like me which is good because that will take us to better performance and to a great progress. But try not to be too negative with yourself. Be aware of the good things what you are doing and then of course you should also realize what you have to work on more.
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Borbála Seres exercise 1
I find your setup quite okay your mic is good.
The first exercise was actually excellent . You took quite fast tempo basically for the whole story but it's okay. you can also experiment with different level of speed . It seems to me that it was not so difficult for you so you could also try with a different pattern for the right hand or some harmonic changes for left hand if you want to make it more challenging for you.
Perfect job
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Borbála Seres exercise 2
I find your exercise two really beautiful. You have no problem with legato in my opinion,
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Borbála Seres sorry, I didn't want to send it yet it was just a mistake...
So back to exercise 2 the bass line was also very nice musically formulated.
I liked it very much.
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Blaise Laflamme exercise 3
As I said your legato is perfect . I am not sure if these exercises were challenging for you at all... But I hope you could enjoy them still a bit.
It's always difficult when we work with people with such a different level, I tried to find some pieces , some exercises which could be played by any level but of course it's impossible.
If you would be interested in my opinion about your musical formulation, which is always very subjective as you know, I would recommend to you to build up a bit bigger phrases I mean try not to put tenuto for each first note of each four groups. That can cut easily a very nice musical motive because you are stopping with them all the time the musical flow. If you want to pull the listener with you then you have to guide them from point a to point b. And you can achieve it with building up more tention but therefore is necessary to "stretch the time" and not to cut it into two small parts. But This is only my opinion!
By the way your release at the end of the second exercise was so beautiful thank you!
Excellent job
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