A Modern Method for Guitar Vol 1 Pages 20 to 22

[Marty W]

So here's my attempt at Etude No. 1. Gutar 1 panned left, Guitar 2 panned right. 72 bpm.

My observations: I had at least two distinct flubs on the Guitar 1 part. On the other hand, I seem to be getting better at creating a more consistent pick attack that leads to more even volume and better tone. Also, I have found that if I start to push the tempo faster than 72 bpm I find myself making a significantly larger amount of errors. I am not too worried since I am a newbie at guitar, but I wish speed would come more easily.

Very smooth Irwin, especially if you haven't been playing long. And recording makes it even harder to be smooth.

[Marty W]

My Attempt

Very nice. I like the energy and feel you put into it.

[Marty W]

My attempt...

I played around with panning and I settled on 65% to opposing sides for each guitar. Adds to the clarity I think. The hardest part for me was muting the low E at mm.11 & 15.

Feels good! For me the low E is muted with the pick hand thumb as I play the 5th string. I always mute open strings that way when going from a low to high string.

[ronjazz]

Thanks fep. I've been playing Ron's exercise as part of my daily warmup, but I understood it differently from you in two ways. First, after playing 1,2,3,4 on a string, I lift all my fingers and move them. Second, you play from strings 6 to 1 and back to 6 before moving down a fret, but I play from 6 to1, move down a fret, play from 2 to 6, move down a fret, play from 5 to 1 etc.

I do not know if I am correct, and I do not know enough about teaching guitar to know if it matters. But TLT mentioned that economy of motion is important for pianists, and it is important for reed players too. So one way or the other, it must be good that we are having this discussion.

Perhaps Ron will be kind enough to weigh in.


HighSpeed

Sounds exactly right, and once you're comfortable with it, try 1243, 1324, 1342, 1432 and 1423. In these, it is essential to keep the first finger on the string until done with the string. For fingerstylists, you can adapt right-hand patterns to the left-hand ones. For instance 1234 = imim; 1324 = imia, 1423 = iama; 1243 = mama, 1342 = imam, 1432 = iaia

[oldhead]

Page 20, Etude No. 1.
Page 20, Etude No. 1 .mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

[oldhead]

No effects. I don't hear anything when I play it. Oh, well. Hesitations, yes. Could be from arthritis kicking up in first finger on left hand, which is making it next to impossible to play at times; thus I'm behind this week. Thanks for listening.

[oldhead]

Good progress. I do hear a couple of hiccups in the timing, but no big deal. Overall your time was good... And that metronome is still going in my headphones... still going... ah it stopped

Wow, I didn't realize I left that track when I made the MP3. I think I had it set up for 100 measures. Sorry about that - I know you listen to the end.

[HighSpeedSpoon]

Sounds exactly right, and once you're comfortable with it, try 1243, 1324, 1342, 1432 and 1423. In these, it is essential to keep the first finger on the string until done with the string. For fingerstylists, you can adapt right-hand patterns to the left-hand ones. For instance 1234 = imim; 1324 = imia, 1423 = iama; 1243 = mama, 1342 = imam, 1432 = iaia

Thanks very much Ron. I'm glad I understood you.



HighSpeed

[fep]

It's really something how far this material has progressed and we have progressed in about a month.

How many pages should we go after for next week?

I'm leaning towards 2 pages or maybe 3. That first solo seems to be another step forward in difficulty and new chords are introduced on the Rhythm Accompaniment page.

I'm thinking we don't want to drop anyone and the folks that get thru the material more quickly can find other things to work on.

What do you think?

[Marty W]

2 pages is fine with me. Whatever everyone else wants to do.

1st solo is an exercise in muting. 2nd solo lets the chords ring more while playing single notes. Both are a challenge and we would benefit in the long run by taking it slow.

[jsepguitar]

I've tried 1st solo and it's a challenge for me, so I'm good with 2 pages, but I don't want to hold anyone back.

[HighSpeedSpoon]

I could be happy with two pages. If it turns out I can do three, then I'll will do three and simply be up for more work on the following week. I'm willing to try for three though if that's what the group wants.



HighSpeed

[va3ux]

Thanks for posting, Irwin! Sounds good and steady.

Frank - I tried the exercise as you demonstrated. It does feel like a challenge to command the fingers as strictly and independently as this, as I'm sure that is a good thing. The trouble I have is with the lower strings, when I reach up to say the 6th string, yet I'm picking the 5th, my fretting fingers mute the string. Trying to get them not to mute is a job in itself, and feels quite awkward and creates tension. Of course, if I work only from 1st-6th, then I don't have that problem. Do you reckon it's worth persisting?

The most obvious thing here is to not leave any fingers on the 6th string when you go to play the first note on the 5th string with your index finger. Instead, reposition all the fingers right over the frets they're about to play on the 5th string. This is actually even more efficient than what has been shown so far.

I think the real point of this exercise is to develop finger independence by fretting just the current note and not 'pre-fretting' a note or leaving any previous notes fretted - AND - not having any unused fingers flying around in the air as Frank demonstrated. With that in mind, it is not necessary to leave fingers 2-3-4 still touching the 6th string while finger 1 frets the 5th string. Instead, try to have fingers 2-3-4 hovering right over top of the frets they're about to play on the 5th string as soon as the 6th string is all finished. Again, this is a modification of the way Frank has demonstrated, in order to accommodate your hand size and guitar neck specifically and it still accomplishes the goal of the exercise.

[ten left thumbs]

Here is my recording for this week, pg 20:

Etude 1 pg 20.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

As for next week, I would suggest only two pages. The first solo is quite a challenge, the second solo more so, from what I remember, so perhaps best to spread them out. Pg 24 is rhythm, to balance things out. If anyone wants more, I would suggest (dare I?) skipping ahead to pg27, preparation - the first two lines only. These are not terribly difficult, they sound wonderful and it would be good to get them down some time before tackling the rest of the page.

For myself, I am venturing into part two of the book, finding some of it quite doable and other parts horrendously difficult. I have booked myself a single lesson with a local teacher (this is they guy that got me onto the book), just to check over what I'm doing. Quite excited about the lesson!

[HighSpeedSpoon]

Here is my recording for this week, pg 20:

Etude 1 pg 20.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

As for next week, I would suggest only two pages. The first solo is quite a challenge, the second solo more so, from what I remember, so perhaps best to spread them out. Pg 24 is rhythm, to balance things out. If anyone wants more, I would suggest (dare I?) skipping ahead to pg27, preparation - the first two lines only. These are not terribly difficult, they sound wonderful and it would be good to get them down some time before tackling the rest of the page.

For myself, I am venturing into part two of the book, finding some of it quite doable and other parts horrendously difficult. I have booked myself a single lesson with a local teacher (this is they guy that got me onto the book), just to check over what I'm doing. Quite excited about the lesson!

Very nice upload TLT. Your lesson sounds exciting, and you have enough music background to approach it with very focused goals. Please let us know how it turns out and what insights etc you took away from it.



HighSpeed

[fep]

Here is my recording for this week, pg 20:

Etude 1 pg 20.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

As for next week, I would suggest only two pages. The first solo is quite a challenge, the second solo more so, from what I remember, so perhaps best to spread them out. Pg 24 is rhythm, to balance things out. If anyone wants more, I would suggest (dare I?) skipping ahead to pg27, preparation - the first two lines only. These are not terribly difficult, they sound wonderful and it would be good to get them down some time before tackling the rest of the page.

For myself, I am venturing into part two of the book, finding some of it quite doable and other parts horrendously difficult. I have booked myself a single lesson with a local teacher (this is they guy that got me onto the book), just to check over what I'm doing. Quite excited about the lesson!

Nice job on the Etude. You are far along in the book, but I bet it's still a really good exercise to do these recordings. Thanks for posting this.

I'll be interested in hearing of your lesson. I wonder if he'll bring up muting at all. It's interesting in that sometimes it's very clear to me what he meant to be muted. For instance, page 23 I believe is to be played exactly as written. If not he would have made the chords in the upper voice half notes or dotted half notes etc.. On the other hand on page 27, I believe the pedal notes should be allowed to continue to ring, for that matter both voices should continue to ring at most places on that page. So here we do not play it exactly as written. At least that's my opinion but I admit I could be wrong.

[oldhead]

Page 22, Etude No. 2 .mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

A couple bloopers, hesitations. DI isn't working, so recording lacks quality.

[HighSpeedSpoon]

Very pretty oldhead. I'm not absolutely sure, but I think you were rushing the eight notes sometimes - for examle at m.9b4 on the top and m.12 b3 on the bottom. Even so, very nice.

[oldhead]

Thanks for listening, HSS. Yeah, I have trouble with rushing, and I'm trying to work on it. Playing with a metronome feels inhibiting to me, so I usually don't use one. Maybe I should.

[HighSpeedSpoon]

Mr M is your friend!

... and he works for free ... METRONOME ONLINE - free!

[ten left thumbs]

Sounds good oldhead. I have no idea how you managed to coordinate both parts with a metronome. I think we all find them inhibiting, but it's good to use them sometimes. It brings to light our little inaccuracies.

[oldhead]

Mr M is your friend!

... and he works for free ... METRONOME ONLINE - free!

Thanks, HSS. Now I have 3.


TLT,
I find using them on the exercises is easier than the duets. Usually I'll just put a click track in and turn down so it's in the background, then do the MP3 without it. I actually didn't use one on that Duet No. 2. Going back and listening with a met, I find I actually slowed in some places. TFL

[Will Glen]

Sure is challenging to get those eighth notes to line up. Flubbed a note on the end and sped up a little I think during the second to last measure. Sorry for the quality of the recording. I'm working on improving this along with my playing for sure.

Etude No 2 pg 22 take 2.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

On to the First Solo and review, review, review. I've added Melodic Rhythms to my practice schedule as well. Good stuff it is.

[ten left thumbs]

Will, good work. You will enjoy the solo. How are you finding the melodic rhythms?

[oldhead]

+1. Nice job on that one, Will.