For those of you who've heard me plink this one out casually for years, well I finally hammered out a lot of the impossible parts of this piece. I mean its still impossibly hard, but wow it took me a long time. This one just has to be fast because its just a folk song that was transcribed for guitar, so I mean you can learn the notes and play it slow but its just not the same. Its loaded with ridiculous barre chords and slurs and varying tempos per the goddamn Adam Holzman recording I've listened to for 10 years...more than that wow 15 years.
Also it was a major hurdle just keeping the hands independent yet interdependent! What a guitar paradox?? Your hands influence each other, so if your right hand wants to play fast, your left hand will tend to squeeze harder which means slower movement and less accuracy - which then makes your right hand want to go faster to compensate which then makes your LH squeeze harder aaaaand it just gets worse and worse. So you have to keep your RH light and loose while keeping your LH firm (but not tense) but also ready to completely empty when it comes to the fast parts.
I'm still not happy with some of the buzzed notes, but of 5 sections consisting of 2 repeats there were only 3 noticeable ones that I've smoothed out from a 90% chance of buzz to maybe 30 or 40%.... anyway. I played the other 3 walz in college but this mother fucker was always the most ridiculous and impossible one and ironically its the most fun / light / gay sounding (as in gaiety) of the bunch. So even though its supposed to be a fun dance - its actually a brutal dictator that will turn your hands against each other!!
Ishida
This time I followed the John Williams version and really tried to eliminate the finger feedback - lifting up, rubbing, and nail clicking.
Ishida
Imported to shitty garageband and messed with adding 2 other tracks so one is in the center, one is on the right, and one is on the left. Also had each track be one of the stupid "voice effects". Sounds weird as though some kind of autotuning thing is happening but I turned off all the knobs other than some reverb and eq, but ... maybe because stupid garageband.
Singing is going well and I'm just naturally discovering greater depths to the songs I know and naturally forming judgments about the quality of certain songs and voices over others. Maybe down the road I'll need to put more effort into discover - more investment into uncovering a new target goal. Right now I'm putting much more effort into the classical guitar. My consistency is impoved, my motivation, my commitment - but also the sensitivity of my critical ear has become heightened (again?). Yes of course I've been here before and this is where (in the past) I decide to stop or that its not worth it or that it requires much much too much time and focus to yield such a small return. But this time I think I've decided that there is a tremendous return - I just don't know how to achieve it, or its just so far out of reach that it seems impossible to even get anywhere close.
I've bought two new CDs and am again playing in the classical stance, which I traditionally hate, but now embrace that it does create the best tone for your fingers attacking the strings. Now again though I have the familiar feeling of procrastinating... why do I do this? Because I might actually get somewhere that requires commitment after making a discovery?
I know a great great song when I hear it. I also know a great great recording when I hear it too, but this is of lesser importance of the two. A great song needs a solid and confident voice and likewise for accompaniment (if necessary). Confidence that what you're singing is true - or at least the truth to you. I think most great recording artists were first great singers and then attracted the "talents" of satellite officers to help with marketability and ....yeah basically marketability sums it up.
I've been listening to other people too long. I even soften my phrasing by saying "most people don't know greatness when they hear it." There are the few I've met over the years, but no one currently I'm actively engaged with is on the same wavelength as me, so the truth is No one knows music the way I know it.
I know great work when I hear it, and I've been trying to explain it for years, but I think I just have to trust myself and embrace that performing it is the best and most effective way to share. The problem is uncovering an effective rehearsal practice that is: enjoyable, concise, and sustainable. And I want to figure it out like right now.
I've passed the level where I can impress the average listener. I want to achieve the next stage of expertise. I want to get to that individual level where you have a full command of a work. Of a style. Of a piece. Mastery takes forever, but a fundamental command is within reach. I think. Where I can throw down a satisfying work anytime every time. No more futzing around with the same works. I want a practice. I want command of a practice.
Most people don't k ow anything about music and that's fine. There's so much mystery swirling around it that even I have no idea if this is going anywhere, and I've been at this for 15 years. Although seriously for about a year and a half. They say "just play for for people," or "you should put it on the internet," or "write a song." I want those things but without a good base it's all just jerking off.
I naturally thought diversifying is a good thing. A good strategy. I thought I'd be interested in satellite topics like recording or lyrics or theory, but those are all secondary to my true interest. Which is voice and guitar. Those are the engine and transmission of song. Everything else is just frosting. You can argue they're not, but to me they are. And what interests me has become my primary concern.
Voice and guitar. Separate or together - they are the drivers that fascinate people.
Elton John was a great performer and icon but even he can be mediocre vocally. Jeff Buckley is a great package. The format. Jerry reed. These are the mentors I've been following. Great voices and great players. I want to unlock if I can even achieve a higher level within a reasonable amount of time.
In the end your learning how to trust yourself. Advice is useful if the problem is broad enough and the advice giver has specific experience in a very similar situation. Otherwise trusting your own guts is just as good.
I know about songs and voice and guitar playing. More than anyone else I know. Now I gotta put my back into it.
Most people don't k ow anything about music and that's fine. There's so much mystery swirling around it that even I have no idea if this is going anywhere, and I've been at this for 15 years. Although seriously for about a year and a half. They say "just play for for people," or "you should put it on the internet," or "write a song." I want those things but without a good base it's all just jerking off.
I naturally thought diversifying is a good thing. A good strategy. I thought I'd be interested in satellite topics like recording or lyrics or theory, but those are all secondary to my true interest. Which is voice and guitar. Those are the engine and transmission of song. Everything else is just frosting. You can argue they're not, but to me they are. And what interests me has become my primary concern.
Voice and guitar. Separate or together - they are the drivers that fascinate people.
Elton John was a great performer and icon but even he can be mediocre vocally. Jeff Buckley is a great package. The format. Jerry reed. These are the mentors I've been following. Great voices and great players. I want to unlock if I can even achieve a higher level within a reasonable amount of time.
In the end your learning how to trust yourself. Advice is useful if the problem is broad enough and the advice giver has specific experience in a very similar situation. Otherwise trusting your own guts is just as good.
I know about songs and voice and guitar playing. More than anyone else I know. Now I gotta put my back into it.