The Big G

The first classical guitar piece I learned was Minuet in G by Johann Sebastian Bach.

The sheet I used covered the basic melody of the piece, sans the bass notes (rhythm). I worked from the 5th fret onward. Very easy to memorize and great for practice: the notes span up to 5 frets, so the pinkie and all the left fingers are stretched. All six strings are also covered, so the PIMA right hand can be practiced.

Minuet in G is my stretching slash warm-up piece. I play it every day, every time I pick up my guitar. I like speeding it up for better flexibility and accuracy. I used to play it non-stop, and until now I haven't tired of listening to it.

I moved on to the more complicated melody + rhythm version about a month after burning the first version. I immediately fell in love with the sound of the bass notes along with the melody. This version takes up til the 9th fret, so I can practice moving through the fingerboard. The addition of the bass notes complicates the left hand positions, but they're manageable. The sheet I linked does not have a notation for 1234 and PAMI (except the 0s there), but I use all of them... figure it out :)

My crux is always on the 19th bar. My index finger tends to look sooo out of place and awkwardly apart, and the rest of my fingers (2 and 4 especially) go crazy when I press the strings. I tend to slow down at this portion. I can swing it when I position my left hand closer to the fingerboard, but that index just shoots up sometimes I couldn't control it! Oh well, time and practice.

This piece was also my (re)introduction to sheet reading. The two sheets don't have tabs, so I was really forced to read notes. Both versions are very basic though.

I eat Big G for breakfast, lunch, merienda and dinner. Lemme know how this piece figures in your repertoire. If you use other warm-up pieces, feel free to share.

Mar 11, 2013. Just uploaded this video. Sorry for the poor audio -- I didn't use a mic when I recorded. Didn't have one. Anyway, my messy fingering clearly says this rendition sucks. As usual, I had a difficult time through the crux. My left hand fingers are also still awkwardly apart. Wild vibrato action there too. Hmmm, when in doubt record your practice sessions. Any specific pointers on improvement?

Happy Decade!

According to my Virtual Library, I have been playing the guitar for approximately 10 years today.

10 years, my gah!

And what have I to show for it?

Shaky fingers, stringy sounds, long gaps, cringe-inducing phrasing and furrowed brows. Still.

But! I have moved on from pop songs to classical pieces. I started last year. I was amazed to find out how tremendously tenacious Grade 7 music class could be. Every Good Boy Does Fine. E-G-B-D-F corresponding to the lines on the staff. F-A-C-E to the spaces. #hashtags for sharps. A particularly snobbish "b" for the flats. Thanks, Ms. Apilado (Yes, I remember her name. As well as the length of her hair and the way she twirled the loose strands, one hand reaching way across her back while with the other conducted the class on a number of church hymns). These four basic tenets got me through reading the sheet music for Bach's Minuet in G.

And all I thought then was just to get passing marks on tests and how unfair it was that I had to sit through class while some classmates merely played the piano and sang under direct tutelage in their separate music sessions.

Oh well.

Five months after the life-changing switch to classical and I'm still playing Minuet. I've been playing this piece so much my brother can cue in the rougher parts and Mama can point out my recurring mistakes. Heck, even if I drop playing it now I think it'll stick well.

Anyway, Happy 10 Years my lovely calloused fingers! My pumped up veins and tired wrist! I'm still having trouble with bars and hammers, but my left pinkie is happily robust and growing more confident every day!