Ah, I’ll have to watch your other songs again to understand fully. Of course, it’s a bit difficult to go all across the fretboard playing a melody!
Me, I only started to play some melody not so long ago.
At first a bit while doing something like Travis picking and playing a little melody meanwhile (like “freight train” for example )and then some soloing in the minor pentatonic scale like in Blues or Rock music.
(I avoided it as long as possible, I think because I was scared it would be too difficult! ) LIke I mostly avoided classical pieces, but plan to try some more one day when I’ll be more brave.
Listening again to “Ti amo”… it would be easier to sing those italian words than the songs I chose because it’s slower.
I think I’ll look at some of Angelo Branduardi’s songs and check them for feasability.
Just want to say again that it’s pretty inspiring to see you make your own chord melodies arrangements. It must be really useful training for your ear. Specially since Justin does not go in depth about that in the grade course so it must not be easy to start that journey.
Finally, the latest video “Can’t help falling in love” was really well played. It was a pleasure to listen
Now I was looking for some doable song by him (they seem to be too difficult). The live videos are often with other musicians and you don’t see well how Mr. Branduardi plays his guitar, but I found a really nice cover of a song that I like… Oh, I would love to play and sing like this man: https://youtu.be/RUxhY6aGcS8?feature=shared
Hi Math and thanks for your so very kind words of appreciation
To be honest it just takes a lot of practice to play chord melodies…I guess this apply for most things on guitar.
What I believe, but most of people wouldn’t agree, is that it’s way way easier to play an arrangement that you’ve worked out by yourself than learning one from a tab. Especially for beginners, with easy enough materials.
I’ve honestly found in Justin’s teachings all the input and inspiration to start this journey of mine. I seem to “function” better when I’m not told exactly what I have to do; experimenting and “see what you can do” works better with me. But I need coordinates for my exploring and those he gives are really good ones.
It needs time and dedication and patience, no need to say.
It’s also true that I do a lot of fingerpicking exercises with the metronome and that being able to target the strings and notes that I need when I need them helps.
Domi the only song I know by Branduardi is Alla fiera dell’est which was a must when I was a child The video you shared…that seems quite advanced playing, very beautiful too.
…and you already know this is going to be a different update to my Log than my usual writing down how the month went with guitar, what I did, learnt, felt, thought, played etc.
One usually is expected to do a recap in December and work out “good resolutions” to start working on in January. I have no good resolutions here, only needs and real awareness which has been gradually pushing in the past few months, giving my practice a natural direction and making me take action already - what I need to do is just following this wave and find my balance through it
OBJECTIVITIES
My Classical Guitar Method Book is laying in the drawer, untouched , since the end of February.
My Classical Guitar is in the closet since June when a string broke and it’s still like that.
I listen almost everyday day to Classical Guitar Music, I love Ana Vidovic concerts especially…it’s a real treat in the day to contribute to my mental health.
I feel I need to put a lot of work to develop my ear, both as regards only chords and also melody notes.
During the summer I found great fulfillment in trying to arrange chord melodies and that feels like a 360 degrees excercise to develop my skills and my overall musicianship.
I feel a bit frustrated by the limited number of songs I can play confidently, apart from the 2/3 chords children’s tunes…it’s like my ear is not trained enough to be there when I play and I’m working really consistently on this one aspect…there are so many songs I’d like to play and sing! The way I’m practicing, I feel it’s going to work out fine.
Conclusion: I don’t know when, maybe really soon, maybe in a couple of years, but I do know I will get back to my Classical Guitar studies, they gave me really solid fundations in so many respects! And I do know that when it will happen I will be stronger and more mature. At the moment I feel the acoustic fingerstyle to better respond to my needs of development, to train myself and be able to connect what is in my musical immagination to the guitar and create music; I will feel when the time will be right for Classical Guitar again.
Video of the month in a few days, I need new fresh sounding strings
…
Can I also have a free pass this year? I’ve never done any New Year’s resolutions that I know of…I’m glad you don’t do that in January either… Today I resolve to be as sweet as a little kitten or puppy and of course as always
Keep busy and doing what you do and keep having fun Silvia
So, after what Brian said, now another useful one in my memory bank
Well Silvia … don’t start there … long or short mmmmm short it will be
As a very small child, searching this in the woods with my father and since I was 7 years old, I have been playing/running sports in the woods every Saturday morning in the winter with the athletics club… full of sweet chestnut trees… good food raw in the forest and roasted in two friends’ garden …
Fly fly fly through time… for 2 years now I have been able to get to the center of my village alone with the wheelchair (and together)… But near the end, the last 20 meters, there is a huge chestnut tree that overhangs the entire road… really beautiful… but those GR$%#@# spines on those bolsters with spines mean that I have to take a really long detour for weeks (Edit: Nooooo, don’t take a detour for weeks to get to the center … but you have to take a detour every time I go to the center for a few weeks…) but I love trees so I do it with appropriate reluctance…
I just got an autumn photo of our Horthensia from behind my computer, you don’t often see those sparrows here, so a special photo for me… pity about the reflection in the windows…
Dear Rogier, Chestnuts and childhood memories to cherish, we could collect stories and write a book on the subject! Thanks for sharing yours , I also have memories I’m very fond of. It’s very hilly here and in the village there was this very steep downhill which leaded to the woods and we used to run down so crazy fast that there was always someone shouting we were going to break our necks like that We were allowed to roast the chestnuts by ourselves behind the church square on Sunday afternoons, as there was always someone around to watch out that we didn’t get in trouble…and we used to sell the roasted chestnuts to tourists @sairfingers Gordon I had to Google “conkers”, we didn’t play that game…or maybe the boys did and I don’t remember.
Thank you Rogier for your beautiful picture…all those sweeties in a row looking at the flowers are really cute
I’m really happy to read you can get to your village by yourself with the wheelchair, there are some lovely autumn sunny days and being outdoors in the fresh air is very healthy! Never mind those nasty spines!
I’m reading your story to my girl while she is practicing at the piano (joy to the world… that becomes a bit less joyful after 40+times at a saterday morning ) and we both enjoyed it
Ooooo That wasn’t the case with me and my friends…I had the fire brigade called out twice for a "chestnut fire "that had gotten out of hand…the damage: 1 large wooden play structure on a schoolyard behind our house was completely destroyed… Not caught …
The 2nd time it was in someone’s backyard where the fire spread between bushes and tall grasses … I was grounded for a long time and as a punishment I and my friend had to make everything tidy in that garden again for days (which was not a real punishment)
Also some small things like an incredible number of burn holes and spots in clothing (now I was a pyromaniac so I can’t blame the chestnuts for that) many burns from those hot glowing things
Ooo I’ll stop now…but really great memories…except falling out of the trees, ouch
I don’t have puncture-resistant tires, so I will have to pay attention , I sometimes had to wait ( the longest more than 3 hours ) in the winter before someone from the care shop came to help me so I could continue…but these are often fun stories because of the extra things that happen, such as strange people who offer help and conversations you have when you stop in a strange place
Storm Amy is coming in here now don`t like that, but it is a lot heavier in England and Ireland
Edit:
"Bijnaudi " is my wife playing now and that is sweet …I have no idea if that song is an exercise by the piano teacher, but it sounds nice with the orchestra …
For The dutch reading allong COR BAKKER voor piano lessen
Have a great weekend …Tomorrow we will have a pasta dinner at the Italian here with my girl and a friend… so I will think extra of my Italian friend then . I ate pizza there on Thursday …Oooo too often too often
The bad news is that we didn’t go to the Italian, my girl got sunday morning sick a cold/flu ?.. But the nice thing about that is that she has been at home for 2 days now.
Although she does make a lot of noise with all that coughing and sniffling when I play guitar …luckily my amplifier can go very loud …nooo no no ,i really don`t do that and I sometimes lose/give here my laptop to her, hers is still in her office … and making tea say dear dear and sometimes throw some tissues in that direction with fruit and more ofcourse
I have to be careful what else I say, first check limitation period in criminal cases in the Netherlands … I have (or actually my actions) been in the newspapers a little too often
I have now (and then also) given back a lot in and to my neighborhood environment
Hi Sylvia, hope you’re enjoying your new role in the community. Catching up here.Good you’re finding your personal way to progress with the guitar and some dots are connecting and the eureka moments multiplying. Keep having fun and wishing that any hardship you’ve been through is now in the rearview mirror or close to be.
) LIke I mostly avoided classical pieces, but plan to try some more one day when I’ll be more brave.
The video you shared…that seems quite advanced playing, very beautiful too.
…
and keep having fun Silvia
… don’t start there 
… long or short mmmmm short it will be 
(and together)… But near the end, the last 20 meters, there is a huge chestnut tree that overhangs the entire road… really beautiful… but those GR$%#@# spines on those bolsters with spines mean that I have to take a really long detour for weeks (Edit: Nooooo, don’t take a detour for weeks to get to the center 
, I also have memories I’m very fond of. It’s very hilly here and in the village there was this very steep downhill which leaded to the woods and we used to run down so crazy fast that there was always someone shouting we were going to break our necks like that 
the piano notes 
and I sometimes lose/give here my laptop to her, hers is still in her office … and making tea say dear dear and sometimes throw some tissues in that direction with fruit and more ofcourse 
