Villa-Lobos Prelude No.1!

Ariel Elijovich I do have this interesting trasncription to share. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrVD1eegvEU

I think it is much closer to my idea of how it should sound than any guitar versions...

Ariel Elijovich regarding noises... If Goran Krivokapic, Marcin Dylla, Sanel Redzic, Petra Poláčková et all don't mind them... then there must not be much to possibly do there. I'll try my best but untill we guitarist don't develop (We should have asked for this a long time ago!!!!) a different kind of strings more alike to the cello and violin ones, I won't sacrifice legato to the skreeches.

Ariel Elijovich Thanks Ariel!  Yes, the left hand continues getting better, but I need to treat it with extra care and wear the brace when playing.  At least I can start playing some less challenging pieces now.

I too enjoy VL Prelude No. 5 the most of the set. 

I watched your post of a Pianist playing #1.  Interesting (obviously, I'm  jealous of the range and sustain possible).  However, I know you don't really like guitar "transcriptions" from other instruments, etc.  In this case it's the reverse, which is a bit strange for me (although I like the sound and interpretation).

btw, does my right hand /wrist look a little straighter, better aligned ergonomically, (as you previous noticed and questioned in an earlier post)?

Barney Don't over exercise! Slow, easy and steady do the trick when recovering. 

yes... I know what you mean. It sounds strange to me too, but I can really relate to the interpretation much more. There are many Villa-Lobos Studies transcripted to piano and they also sound very weird. But, sadly to say, many times pianist have better ideas about what to do interpretatively with guitar pieces than guitar players themselves. 

In the range of transcriptions from guitar, I think the Darwin Award goes to Recuerdos de la Alhambra transcripted for violín, though. That one is as silly as there may ever come. 

Ariel Elijovich Perhaps it is because pianists and and other orchestral instruments are trained in musicianship early while learning technique;  whereas many guitar teachers often wait until technique is well established before they work on musicianship, interpretation, etc. with students.

I think I'll pass on the violin transcription you mentioned; it is too weird, haha.

Ariel Elijovich It is a very thin line to walk regarding noise and legato.  As guitarists we accept and acclimate to the squeaks but on many occasions attending guitar recitals and even listening to recordings with non guitarists friends, the string noises are almost always noted and the subject of comments.  

Mark yes,... I feel you. I have non guitarist musician parents so it was everyday comment at home. I feel we have acclimated more to the status quo of string production than to the squeaks. Surely, there must be something to be done. I bet if we started complaining "en mass", they'd rapidly come up with a solution. I'd even pay more. Hannabach PSP, for example are good in that sence but they last 3 days in good conditions and afterwards it's impossible to play. 

Ariel Elijovich I agree that string tech has to change.  I worked in Materials Research for 40 years and, while polymers were not my area of expertise, I did have many polymer scientists colleagues and I asked if it would be possible to design a polymer with the density and properties to make a bass guitar string without the metal windings.  The answer was usually that anything is possible if industry motivated.  My feeling is that won't happen but they could address better winding materials and technology.

Ariel Elijovich I was referring to my "Ulnar Deviation" of my right hand position (like Segovia).  You suggested I try to have a more "Straight" position  for healthier motion.  I was wondering if you can still see that issue.  Thanks!

Barney I have not seen you play before but I don't see a right hand alignment that is a problem in this video; certainly straighter than Segovia or Williams and others of that era.  I see a slight tendency to rotate the wrist in that direction when you want to play more ponticello rather than  the whole forearm back from the elbow but it is very slight.  I enjoyed your take on this piece.

Mark Thanks Mark!  Previous to this video, I would always allow my right hand  & wrist fall limp and relaxed and this created the deviation to the right side.  I've been trying to pay more attention to it since I spoke with  Ariel.  

However, when I play rapid apoyando scales, I would still switch back to that postion for a stronger attack ( like flamencos).  Interesting, I noticed recently that Manuel Barreuco does that also ( not easily noticeable, but it is there).

Barney I think your video shows your wrist straight. And as I said, the tone produced is well rounded and full. That's my most important tell. I'll search for my comment, but it looks good to me too. 

Barney It is normal for a lot of players to rotate that way in scales when they reach the base strings for a more perpendicular crossing of the windings with the nail.

Ariel Elijovich Thanks Ariel!  It's not habit yet, and I have to look in the mirror sometimes to check if it looks straight.  I guess it will take some time...

Mark Yes, that is true.

Mark Barney every possible natural movement or body position is appliccable to playing guitar. There are specific more efficient ways to approach the general situation but every note is a musical challange and what must be done should be done. Antinatural weird positions to be avoided unless desired antinatural weird effect required. Bending the wrist in any direction produces a lot of different tone production effects that can be used expressively in many situations and also to prevent noises against the bass strings in scales or arpeggios, as Mark says. Straight is generally considered the good starting point nowadays. 

Ariel Elijovich Mark "every possible natural movement or body position is appliccable to playing".  Yes, and I suppose the challenge is to make the position shifts as fluid as possible.  I'm okay with the changes between free and rest strokes during phrases  but not well trained in tonal color changes while remaining in the same position-- that is, I still need to "move" hand towards the bridge (Ponticello) or soundhole (tasto).  More skilled players can do it simply by changes finger "angle" seamlessly.  (i.e. Marco Tamayo).

Barney I've been thinking about tonal changes myself recently. Your point about changing tonal colours or timbre applies to me as well. I too have been trying to find ways to use angles of wrists and fingers rather than hand shifts to get better variations of tone.

Perhaps it's common and obvious knowledge among the more experienced and knowledgeable guitarists, but I've noticed (after very careful listening) many professional guitarists changing tone colour/ timbre effortlessly and very subtly on melody lines to create different emotions or to signal anticipation/arrival/ending of phrases.