Matthew Hutchinson - A New Voice in Classical Guitar

Mazurka

Last Monday went well. My arpeggios are steadily improving. I've been trying to improvise exercise #23 by putting an emphasis on the third note, though I've accidently wound up consistently emphasizing the second and third notes in a manner that creates something you could almost dance to (grin). I'm working to correct that.

I also discovered that I've been playing an F# instead of an F on the latest exercise he gave me, which explains why the first measure of the last line sounds so strange. That's another nasty habit I get to break now. hehehe...

This week, I've been given two new pieces to begin studying. Mazurka - a Polish dance - and a piece titled Seis Caprichos.

He offered to get me started on a few Beatles tunes, as he was rumaging through his vast collection of music to find something new for us to start working on. Never having been a Beatles fan, I hastily declined. I suggested returning to Christopher Parkening Guitar Method Book 1, to which he replied, "Oh, you're beyond that." Shocked, I said, "I'm what?"

We'd only touched on a few lessons from near the middle of the book before he got me interested in the collection of Spanish arpeggio studies that I've been practicing for the last few months. He repeated himself, and then we discussed the progress I've made since I began taking lessons. Apparently, the Christopher Parkening book I bought earlier this year is considered pre-College level 1 material. The pieces I've been studying are something that would likely be found in a College level 1 class. By learning more challenging pieces instead of going through the lessons outlined in Parkening's book, I've effectively boosted my skill level. Such is one of the benefits of private instruction.

Suffice it to say, we were both impressed with my progress. Now all I have to do is keep myself in check, keep practicing, and not let this little revelation go to my head. lol

I'd like to end this entry with a bit of advice for anyone considering taking up guitar. If you can learn to play, then you can do anything you set your mind to. Guitar is one of - if not the most - disciplined things I have ever comitted myself to learning. It's also the most difficult instrument I've ever played, yet it possesses so much beauty , both in its form and the music you can create with one. Whether you're interested in Jazz, Rock, Blues, Country, Metal, or anything in between, I highly recommend learning how to play.

Posted by nyghtfall at December 11, 2004 03:48 AM | TrackBack