The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    I will guarantee you if you want to impress the girls or the goofballs hanging out at GC learn Classical Gas. Number one nylon string show-off song ever. One of the first I learned to play. There is a nice transcription by Mario Abril that's probably available somewhere.

    The second best show-off song is Steve Howe's Mood for a Day.

    The third is of course Bach's Bouree.

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  3. #27

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    I played both The Clap and Mood for a Day back in the day. When I could still impress young women. I think The Clap is superior composition wise. Bach's Bouree (the syncopated one) I once played to a very cool critic - a young dark eyed girl of around sixteen or so by the name of Sharon Isbin.

    I was in Pedelsen's music store near Carnegie Hall around 1973 or so on a late wintery afternoon. I was just playing the Bouree on a classical guitar when the staff got all excited about something. Into my zone waltzes Sharon, her black hair cascading onto her winter coat clad shoulders, and listened to my rendition. At the end she fixed me with a penetrating gaze and remarked that I had deviated from the Bream edition fingering in the last few measures when at one point I played using an open ringing string versus a modestly more difficult to finger closed passage. "You played it the easier way". I simply replied that I preferred the ringing of the open string. (Very un-Bach-like surely.)

    Given that at that time she was jail bait, that was the extent of our relationship. Far too brief...but a cool memory to share. As I suspect you know, lest I am in error Sharon Isbin is the head of the Classical Guitar department at Julliard and of course a multiple Grammy winner. I get a modest kick out of wondering if I remember the encounter so clearly, does she?
    Last edited by targuit; 11-04-2015 at 12:50 PM.

  4. #28

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    Doubt it...

  5. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by targuit
    I played both The Clap and Mood for a Day back in the day. When I could still impress young women. I think The Clap is superior composition wise. Bach's Bouree (the syncopated one) I once played to a very cool critic - a young dark eyed girl of around sixteen or so by the name of Sharon Isbin.

    I was in Pedelsen's music store near Carnegie Hall around 1973 or so on a late wintery afternoon. I was just playing the Bouree on a classical guitar when the staff got all excited about something. Into my zone waltzes Sharon, her black hair cascading onto her winter coat clad shoulders, and listened to my rendition. At the end she fixed me with a penetrating gaze and remarked that I had deviated from the Bream edition fingering in the last few measures when at one point I played using an open ringing string versus a modestly more difficult to finger closed passage. "You played it the easier way". I simply replied that I preferred the ringing of the open string. (Very un-Bach-like surely.)

    Given that at that time she was jail bait, that was the extent of our relationship. Far too brief...but a cool memory to share. As I suspect you know, lest I am in error Sharon Isbin is the head of the Classical Guitar department at Julliard and of course a multiple Grammy winner. I get a modest kick out of wondering if I remember the encounter so clearly, does she?
    i think that your affections are misplaced.

  6. #30

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    Affections? Well, certainly at the time I was more interested in young women a bit older, if you mean sexually. And in truth, I did not know who Sharon Isbin would become at the age of sixteen or so. I was in my very early twenties at the time. I did not hear her play on that occasion either. But I was joking about "jailbait". It is amusing the role chance plays in our lives.

    Perhaps you are implying something about her sexual orientation. Or maybe you are speaking about her prowess on classical guitar? I do think a multi- Grammy winner can be considered reasonably good on their instrument.
    Last edited by targuit; 11-05-2015 at 03:10 AM.

  7. #31

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    i detected some romantic interest on your part, yep. she swings the other way and I think you know that so found that kind of odd. the jail bait part was a little creepy, but honestly, that's ok too.

    so yeah, i think she's very overrated for sure, and awards can be popularity contests. the bottom line is the playing. i think you have to see her play and compare it to others.

    IMO, Ana Vidovic and Irina Kulikova far exceed her from what I've witnessed - up close and in recordings. That's just two ladies of guitar and I believe that I could name at least one other off the top of my head but i'll hold. I find Sharon to be quite pretentious and self-indulgent too. She does this little meditation thing with her head tilted up, eyes closed, and a peaceful little smile before every friggin' piece. then she does this little forehead wiping motion. i kid you not. it looks like something that she learned from a west coast ashram or something. it goes on for far too long and is distracting to the audience.

    she plays the Asturias more slowly than any other big name guitarist, and she blows it too. I watched her do a false start then stop and pretend like she needed to tune her guitar. it may have fooled some of the little blue haired ladies in the audience, but probably not. i watched half a concert of this stuff, and left at intermission.

    on the other hand i saw Marcin Dylla totally forget his place mid-piece a couple of times. but then his prowess exceeds hers by about 3 times, and he was playing "Music of Memory" which is a long, super busy, frenetic, atonal? piece that would be the last thing a person could memorize (ironically).

    but i'm glad that Sharon is at Julliard. she is most certainly qualified to teach there, and it's a win win. and i'm glad for you that you're a fan. if you like ladies who play at the highest levels, and are not overly impressed with celebrity, i highly recommend both Ana and Irina.

    ciao.

  8. #32

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    Fumblefingers -

    I was simply recounting a true story triggered by the mention of Bach's Bouree. I was not looking to shag the young lady, though she was not unattractive at sixteen and her prettiest feature that I could see was her dark hair - she was wearing a winter coat. In fact I was most impressed by the fact that she initiated the conversation with an older (5 years) guy. Apparently the staff at the music store were quite familiar with her and treated her with a certain deference and respect. I had not the slightest idea who she was at that time. Only in retrospect, but my memory of the encounter is like it was last week. And sadly, neither her nor I look as good now as we did then. Our encounter was as brief as I described, but it is not everyday you cross the path of a future department head at Julliard and multiple Grammy winner, now do you?

    I tend to agree with your assessment of her playing, though I have to respect the fact that she did win some prestigious competitions and win a Grammy or two. I, too, am impressed with Ana Vidovic, who happens to be a lovely woman. To deny her sexual attractiveness as well as her guitar prowess would be silly. I'll have to listen to Irina Kulikova. As for who swings which way, well that is not up to me, is it?

    The jailbait comment was a joke, but sorry if it 'creeped you out'. When I was eighteen at college, I met a precocious young woman of sixteen who pushed the limits, and honestly I did not even know at the time that an intimate relationship would constitute something that I could have been held criminally responsible for. Hormones are strong motivators. But at the time I was naïve to the letter of the law. Fortunately, my sixth sense told me not to consummate the relationship in the shower together.

    But that is just another story in the Big City....

  9. #33

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    I must say that Largo from Vivaldi's Winter is very nice to play. I only started it yesterday but have most of the song down already. Appearently it is a grade 5 piece but seems somewhat easier to learn than some grade 3 pieces (probably because I love it and can't stop playing it over. It flows to beautifully).

    Bach's Bouree in Em is a grade 6 piece appearently (ABRSM) so I think that I could be a grade 5/6-ish player. I'll learn a few more pieces in these grades before attempting a grade 7 piece.

    Thanks Fumblefingers for suggesting Time Pieces.

  10. #34

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    Yeah these levels are not perfect. I found some level 3 things challenging yet played some level 6 things well.

    but on balance the levels are pretty solid.

    i would typically practice 9 pieces per level, 3 from each period.

  11. #35

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    I like the sound of the baroque period the best.

    Like I said Largo from Vivaldi's Winter is just beautiful. J.S Bach of course.

    Actually I had to laugh this morning as I started on Mozart's Allegro K.3

    The piece is from 1762 yet Mozart's birth year is 1756 suggesting that he was just 6 when he wrote this piece.

    My wife and I saw the movie 'Amadeus' in a church earlier this week and I recognise the piece from the movie though I can't remember which scene.

    Thanks again fumblefingers. I'm having a lot of fun with Time Pieces.

  12. #36

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    great. i like all periods, although the common practice period and modern periods speak more to me.

    the modern pieces are frequently not as strong, with some exceptions of course. those classical composers were really something.

  13. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by Liarspoker

    Actually I had to laugh this morning as I started on Mozart's Allegro K.3

    The piece is from 1762 yet Mozart's birth year is 1756 suggesting that he was just 6 when he wrote this piece.
    He was, that's why he was called a child prodigy

  14. #38

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    You should be using the RCM Guitar Series (now called "Bridges").

    Worth the small investment. Get the syllabus (contains additional repertoire suggestions) and Scales and Arpeggios books, too.

    Start working on Leo Brouwer, Villa-Lobos, and some Bach and Weiss.