Week 2: Deep Dive into Dynamics!
Get the Scores for the Carcassi Etudes op.60 Challenge
HOW TO BEGIN 
Ready to join the "Carcassi Etudes op.60 Challenge"? Here’s your starting line:
- Pick Your Etude: Dive into the evocative world of Carcassi by selecting an etude from op.60. Whether it's a piece that tests your technical limits or one that you've longed to perfect, the choice is yours.
- Commit to Practice: Embark on a disciplined practice routine, aiming for consistency. Share your journey with at least two video updates each week on our platform. This commitment will not only enhance your skills but also enable us to experience your progress, fostering a supportive atmosphere in our tonebase community.
- Share Your Practice: Submit a recording that you feel best captures your connection with Carcassi's music. This will inspire and contribute to a rich collection of performances for our community to enjoy and learn from.
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Fingering by Sabrina V: https://app.tonebase.co/guitar/courses/player/sabrina-vlaskalic-teaches-carcassi-study?moduleSlug=sabrina-vlaskalic-teaches-carcassi-study-no-7-op-60
I skipped the repeat of part B.
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Spare Machine Good start with this, Mark! Like you, I generally hold the guitar 'folk' style - and I make no apologies for this! Maybe it's because I began my 'musical life' playing folk, but it just seems like a more comfortable way to hold the instrument!. (Apparently this guy agrees, and he's no slouch!!) I do occasionally assume the traditional playing posture (I did in fact learn to play that way) but I have difficulty now maintaining it for longer periods. As you noted, the way we hold the guitar influences the manner in which our fingers attack the strings, but what's important is having a hand free of stress that produces a sound we like. And there's surely more than one way to achieve that!
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Spare Machine Great start, Mark. You have solid technique for this piece and good sense of phrasing. Looking forward to hearing your progress.
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A run through the ending of Study 2, Opus 60: Bar 17 to the end.
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Neil Macmillan great job Neil. That’s beginning to flow nicely.
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This etude no. 12 is a nice one to practice on crescendo-decrescendo. And it has a charming chord progression. This is a first reading. I’m not sure about the tempo. The arpeggio is quite simple and not much variation, but I don’t like to play too fast.
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joosje This sounds very good already, Joosje. (And impressive for a first reading!) Nice use of dynamics and rubato, and great tone throughout! I think it works well at this tempo, but it might be worth experimenting with something a little faster, just to see how you like it. I agree, btw, that the harmonic movement, with all its chromaticism, is very appealing - and quite unusual for Carcassi, it seems to me. (It reminds me a little of Regondi, who I imagine grew up with these studies.)
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David Krupka thanks David. To be honest, first reading was not correct. Of course I analysed the harmonic structure and played it through a few times, to identify the trickier moves. But overall a fresh recording I should actually practice for more control.
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joosje Very nice and impressive Joosje. Bravo
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joosje Another great performance, Joosje. I agree with David that it might be interesting to try a faster tempo, however, this was a very comfortable tempo for this piece and you performed it beautifully.
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A second take of etude no. 16. I listened to your wise comments, and now take it more intuitively, not too much accentuation of details. Also a bit faster. I think this is a better tempo. I recorded with 2mics, which is cleaner than simple iPad or phone recording.
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joosje I think both versions you've posted are very good, Joosje. For me, the slower tempo of your first take better suits the mood of this piece. (Or perhaps something just a touch faster, but not quite as brisk as the second take.) I think a relaxed tempo allows for a more expressive treatment of the melody, which to my ear has a strongly vocal character. I particularly like the way you handled the accented 'ritenuto' (measure 12) in your first take. (That alone (as we say) was worth the 'price of admission'!) Listening to your first take again, I notice that you do not maintain the initial tempo throughout, and perhaps what I like best is the tempo you establish in the 'B' section which is, I think, just a little slower than the tempo of the second take.) Well, this is just a personal preference, of course - your second take is very good too!
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joosje This piece is coming along nicely. Well done.
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joosje Very beautiful Joosje. You have now a great control of the piece.
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joosje These are really nice takes on 12 and 16. I love the ebb and the flow of the time and dynamics. It really turns these studies into really lovely pieces of music.
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joosje This was really nice, Joosje. You play with such wonderful tone and musicality. I am not participating in this challenge as I don't particularly care for Carcassi but listening to your performance has given me new appreciation of his music.
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Here is a slow play of Carcassi’s Allegretto in C from Op. 59, which I have just recently starting working on. I appreciate that this really doesn’t fit this challenge in that it is not from Op. 60, but a least it was written by Carcassi! When I looked at the pieces in Op. 60, I didn’t feel that my abilities were up for the challenge. So, I looked at some material from Op. 59. I plan on continuing to work on this piece and will provide an update later in the challenge.
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Jim King Very nice Jim. Great progress in such a short time.
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Jim King You've made a good start on this, Jim. I think it makes good sense to have chosen something from opus 59 for this challenge: as I see it, the opus 60 studies function as a sort of appendix to his 'Methode Complete'. (The studies are more difficult, to be sure, but they are (I think) part of the same pedagogical 'vision'.)
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Andre Bernier Thank you Andre. This is definitely the fastest that I have learned a piece to date which makes me feel like I am moving the right direction.
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David Krupka Thank you for your comments David. I always like the way that you view these types of matters and share that view with me. It helps me better understand how all of this fits together.
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Jim King That's a really nice piece and well-played. Well done, Jim.
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Steve Price Thank you Steve for listening. Much appreciated.
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Jim King Well done, Jim. I noticed that your technique has become much more consistent and confident. You have great start on this piece. And I wouldn't worry about working on a piece not from op. 60. Besides you are only one op.# off.
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Jack Stewart So true Jack. By being off by only one opus does that mean that I am so close but no cigar! Thank you for the comments.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
