4 ms·

I've been passionate about learning classical guitar for a few years, but that's really ramped up since COVID lockdowns. I'm working through a standardized exam

I've been passionate about learning classical guitar for a few years, but that's really ramped up since COVID lockdowns. I'm working through a standardized exam system, and completed my grades 5, 6, 7 and recently, 8. During part of the process I realized that I wanted to get feedback on my raw practice sessions - think 30 minutes warming up with C major scales, followed by an hour working on one line of a piece - so I started streaming on Twitch and posting incremental progress videos to YouTube and TikTok (@jcpractices everywhere). That's been an incredible experiment - the "hobbyist classical music practice streamer" space is a niche^5, but my small growing community is so encouraging to keep going. According to my new teacher (who also streams!), I'm playing at the senior recital level at an average university, or at the 1st year level of a student at conservatory. It feels like such a huge accomplishment as someone who started in the evenings after work at 25. I'll never be a "great player" or make meaningful money from it, but it's one of those hobbies that I plan to pursue for the rest of my life for the sheer enjoyment. I'm looking forward to seeing how far I can get.

motohagiography 4y ago
Congrats on this! I'm told it's one of the most difficult instruments to learn. While I also took lessons over the pandemic and play every day I am not that far yet, as I just wanted to be able to play a few Bach preludes without requiring the trappings of civilization, and so have what I call "campfire Bach" in my rep. These are the true original pieces (some transposed for the guitar arrangement), but other musicians typically say, "I'm used to hearing that piece played by people at a much higher level." :) I will likely never be invited to perform, but in the woods around a bonfire among friends with heads full of fungi under the stars, that's how I wanted to appreciate the beauty of his work. While I can't play this guy's yet, my winter project is to take a shot at one of Alan Mearns' new arrangements. (https://www.alanmearns.com/ https://www.alanmearns.com/) Highly recommend, and godspeed!
- _jcrossley 4y ago
  So happy to hear you’re giving CG a shot as well! That attitude and image of “Campfire Bach” is excellent, are you practicing BWV 999 Prelude in Dm yet? That was my first intro to Bach - such a wonderful tune, and a little easier than other Bach pieces for guitar. I’ve heard really great things about Mearns’ arrangement of the Chaconne (which I’m tackling now, against my better judgment). I gave it a very brief read and thought it was interesting with campanella fingerings, but thought the change to E minor is a little too out there for me right now. I might take another look now, though! Thank you for the reminder :)
  - motohagiography 4y ago
    BWV 999 was my first, it's such a pleasure, then 846 (wtc 1), and this year's project was 1007 and have it down as well, but after hearing Mearns' version with a whole bunch of the implied counterpoint filled in, it's almost embarrassing to play the original now. I'm thinking my next project is his bwv 847, and I have been warming up to it by slightly rearranging bwv 846 by adding an alberti bass note via a sort of travis picking technique, akin to what Mearns did with his bwv 1007 arrangement. Skill wise, the Chaconne is probably a decade away for me right now, but this winter I may get his wtc c minor prelude down, then go back to foundations with instruction again so I can tackle more serious pieces. To play CG well takes everything, and its been a long time since I gave that to something. Glad to see someone else take it up a bit later as well. Happy trails! :)
    - _jcrossley 4y ago
      Excellent!! I'll have to look into that Mearns arrangement of BWV 1007. I worked on that one for my RCM 8 exam - shameless plug, but a "final" recording from this time period is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpTm_J8p9eU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpTm_J8p9eU It's far from perfect, but I'm proud of where I got it Would love to connect over YT / Twitch / whatever and follow your journey! Happy trails to you too
      - motohagiography 4y ago
        That's fantastic. I don't do anything recorded and this HN account is the extent of my social media presence. Is that the RCM arrangement by McFadden? It has some additional cool ornamentation I didn't have in the version I got from the Wener edition. Yours has a few additional bars near the crescendo and the addition of some bass counterpoint on the low D that I am missing in my version. Mearns takes it to a totally different place to where it's a very different piece. I also really liked your glissando as it sustains and reveals the symmetry of the whole piece really well. Humbling and intriguing! Thank you for sharing it!

motohagiography 4y ago

Congrats on this! I'm told it's one of the most difficult instruments to learn. While I also took lessons over the pandemic and play every day I am not that far yet, as I just wanted to be able to play a few Bach preludes without requiring the trappings of civilization, and so have what I call "campfire Bach" in my rep. These are the true original pieces (some transposed for the guitar arrangement), but other musicians typically say, "I'm used to hearing that piece played by people at a much higher level." :) I will likely never be invited to perform, but in the woods around a bonfire among friends with heads full of fungi under the stars, that's how I wanted to appreciate the beauty of his work. While I can't play this guy's yet, my winter project is to take a shot at one of Alan Mearns' new arrangements. (https://www.alanmearns.com/ https://www.alanmearns.com/) Highly recommend, and godspeed!

_jcrossley 4y ago
So happy to hear you’re giving CG a shot as well! That attitude and image of “Campfire Bach” is excellent, are you practicing BWV 999 Prelude in Dm yet? That was my first intro to Bach - such a wonderful tune, and a little easier than other Bach pieces for guitar. I’ve heard really great things about Mearns’ arrangement of the Chaconne (which I’m tackling now, against my better judgment). I gave it a very brief read and thought it was interesting with campanella fingerings, but thought the change to E minor is a little too out there for me right now. I might take another look now, though! Thank you for the reminder :)
- motohagiography 4y ago
  BWV 999 was my first, it's such a pleasure, then 846 (wtc 1), and this year's project was 1007 and have it down as well, but after hearing Mearns' version with a whole bunch of the implied counterpoint filled in, it's almost embarrassing to play the original now. I'm thinking my next project is his bwv 847, and I have been warming up to it by slightly rearranging bwv 846 by adding an alberti bass note via a sort of travis picking technique, akin to what Mearns did with his bwv 1007 arrangement. Skill wise, the Chaconne is probably a decade away for me right now, but this winter I may get his wtc c minor prelude down, then go back to foundations with instruction again so I can tackle more serious pieces. To play CG well takes everything, and its been a long time since I gave that to something. Glad to see someone else take it up a bit later as well. Happy trails! :)
  - _jcrossley 4y ago
    Excellent!! I'll have to look into that Mearns arrangement of BWV 1007. I worked on that one for my RCM 8 exam - shameless plug, but a "final" recording from this time period is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpTm_J8p9eU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpTm_J8p9eU It's far from perfect, but I'm proud of where I got it Would love to connect over YT / Twitch / whatever and follow your journey! Happy trails to you too
    - motohagiography 4y ago
      That's fantastic. I don't do anything recorded and this HN account is the extent of my social media presence. Is that the RCM arrangement by McFadden? It has some additional cool ornamentation I didn't have in the version I got from the Wener edition. Yours has a few additional bars near the crescendo and the addition of some bass counterpoint on the low D that I am missing in my version. Mearns takes it to a totally different place to where it's a very different piece. I also really liked your glissando as it sustains and reveals the symmetry of the whole piece really well. Humbling and intriguing! Thank you for sharing it!