Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:23 pm Post subject: Help, I need classical guitar pieces
As a local 23 union member, I have been getting calls for some time to play solo classical for weddings and functions. I have a folio of solo acoustic and electric pieces I use for most occasions, I got a solo x-mas gig last years and comprised a x-mas folio. I am not a classical guitarist, but know enough to fool most people. I am wondering if anyone has some pieces that are not too involved that they could e-mail to me. Or know of a goaway place where I could obtain something suitable. I can do maybe 25 minutes solo classical, I need to fill an hour for this particular date, May 27th. I do have a suitable insturment for this. _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 126 Location: California
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:04 am Post subject:
I think Christopher Parkening Method I has some good stuff in it that's quickly accessible.
I still play "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring," in C, from that book, never having gone on to learn it in D with the low E tuned to D.
On a couple of studio dates I've been known to noodle chord progressions from hymnals, or even just similiar sounding chord progressions with some nice inner moving voices, on a nylon string guitar.
If it SOUNDS Classical, hey, it IS!
Thanks Plank. I do have one classical guitar book, Parking plays Bach. And does indeed have "Jesu, joy of mans desiring". I have noodled with it a bit, and this is my opportunity to try to nail it. Your advice on tinkering with hymnals is good advice. I have expert use of my right hand nails, which I am very protective of, so it's not like starting from scratch. I have a few tunes, developing a folio for one hour is my May project. I bid $150 for the gig , and got it. Another, was for a wedding ceremony and I bid $200 for 20 minutes. I got a call from the lady, and I had bid the same amount that my classical guitar teacher from college in '74 had bid. He, is an expert and I told the lady so. I think he got that one. His name is Terry Muska. If you have something basic from a hymnal, please post it , or e-mail it to me.
Good luck. _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 126 Location: California
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject:
Actually, stuff from hymnals is four part, but basic. Lots of I-IV-V progressions.
I don't read piano stacks well enough to play hymns by reading them exactly, but I cycle the chord progressions through in a "fake-it" style.
Stuff like, "Yes Jesus Loves me," "Amazing Grace," etc. If you play them slowly, nobody really recognizes the progressions. Some even work with 7th chords, like "Amazing Grace."
"He's got the Whole World in His Hands," is only two chords (C & G7)! But you can do lots with it by voice leading, modulations, ii-V-I into new keys continually, like a Polka.
ANY tune you know in your head you could fake Classical style, or even out of a Fake Book.
"What a Wonderful World," is juicy enough as a chord progression, just don't play any $10 chords. Simple dominant 7's are wild enough, and I avoid the temptation to put the melody notes on top (just use different inversions) when I see 'em coming.
Lots of Latin tunes could work too. I forget the rhythm and just do the chord progressions, and embellish with some Phrygian and Mixolydian moves.
Classical guitar is -to me- a whole 'nuther instrument with it's own Standard Repertoire I won't even attempt to conquer and get to performance level.
I can play "Gavotte," by Alessandro Scarotti, and "Malaguena," sort of in a formal (non-Roy Clark) style.
The rest is all fakin' it for people who don't know the difference as long as you're playing a nylon stringer.
A few Phrygian runs go a long ways towards convincing people who aren't really listening anyway.
Y'know, The Gypsy Kings, are really popular, but it's not really Flamenco, is it?
I guess I'm guilty of "dumbing down" the culture, but I doubt I can even handle the posture required to play legitimate Classical Repertoire!
I know people who can, but they lose their performance edge quickly on songs they do not constantly rehearse. It's a whole other world, to me.
Around here, and San Francisco, there are probably hundreds of hopeful Classical guitarists who want to be Concert performers.
And how many Concert Guitarists are able to make a living at it, a dozen?
They work just as goaway at it though, as those who are making it.
Actually, stuff from hymnals is four part, but basic. Lots of I-IV-V progressions.
I don't read piano stacks well enough to play hymns by reading them exactly, but I cycle the chord progressions through in a "fake-it" style.
Stuff like, "Yes Jesus Loves me," "Amazing Grace," etc. If you play them slowly, nobody really recognizes the progressions. Some even work with 7th chords, like "Amazing Grace."
"He's got the Whole World in His Hands," is only two chords (C & G7)! But you can do lots with it by voice leading, modulations, ii-V-I into new keys continually, like a Polka.
ANY tune you know in your head you could fake Classical style, or even out of a Fake Book.
"What a Wonderful World," is juicy enough as a chord progression, just don't play any $10 chords. Simple dominant 7's are wild enough, and I avoid the temptation to put the melody notes on top (just use different inversions) when I see 'em coming.
Lots of Latin tunes could work too. I forget the rhythm and just do the chord progressions, and embellish with some Phrygian and Mixolydian moves.
Classical guitar is -to me- a whole 'nuther instrument with it's own Standard Repertoire I won't even attempt to conquer and get to performance level.
I can play "Gavotte," by Alessandro Scarotti, and "Malaguena," sort of in a formal (non-Roy Clark) style.
The rest is all fakin' it for people who don't know the difference as long as you're playing a nylon stringer.
A few Phrygian runs go a long ways towards convincing people who aren't really listening anyway.
Y'know, The Gypsy Kings, are really popular, but it's not really Flamenco, is it?
I guess I'm guilty of "dumbing down" the culture, but I doubt I can even handle the posture required to play legitimate Classical Repertoire!
I know people who can, but they lose their performance edge quickly on songs they do not constantly rehearse. It's a whole other world, to me.
Around here, and San Francisco, there are probably hundreds of hopeful Classical guitarists who want to be Concert performers.
And how many Concert Guitarists are able to make a living at it, a dozen?
They work just as goaway at it though, as those who are making it.
Call me lazy.
But I'd rather be called for Casuals!
I had a student who brought a hymnal to lessons. It was simple to analyze the progression then use the soprano note in an inversion. Again, good food for thought. The classical guitar world is one I always felt was like being an elaborate typist, so it never really appealed to me that much. If you followed my posts, you may have seen I got a union gig playing the Barber of Seville last summer. It has 5 pages of classical guitar in it. The eccho ridante had 2 pages solo with an italian tenor. I busted my ass on it. It was only like Am-Dm-E, with a few variations, but had some meter shifts, and I had to follow the conductor. It was stress city. I , sitting in the pit, surrounded by life long classical musicinas, playing those 2 pages solo, with them listening and just waiting for a flaw. One bar became an eternity. I did the 3 rehearsals and performances, and made about $600. But I was sure glad to get outta that pit. I have been in enough tenuous situations where I refuse to let other musicians around me influence my performance though. I concentrate on the score, and only I exist, they are'nt even there. Anyway, thanks for simplifing. And I did plan to cheat some and revamp some chord melody stuff I already know. Enjoy your spring and retirement. _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 126 Location: California
Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject:
kingfreeze wrote:
...Enjoy your spring and retirement.
Actually, Medicare put the kabash to retirement plans anytime soon.
Seems they want me to pay $476 a month for my wife!
I can't retire and avoid that until I'm 62 (6 more years).
Waaah...
i'll just give some song names my teacher lets my play now, so they wont be to complicated.
bourré (bach)
romance (from a goaway who pretty much made the acoustic guitar enter the world, i think it's called j'ai interdit. its an old french goaway. BEAUTIFUL song)
the leaving of liverpool (easy, can be learned in a few hours, and u can make the song yours without problems, it sounds good to)
thats about all i can think off now _________________ greetz gert
i'll just give some song names my teacher lets my play now, so they wont be to complicated.
bourré (bach)
romance (from a goaway who pretty much made the acoustic guitar enter the world, i think it's called j'ai interdit. its an old french goaway. BEAUTIFUL song)
the leaving of liverpool (easy, can be learned in a few hours, and u can make the song yours without problems, it sounds good to)
thats about all i can think off now
I was wondering if you could e-mail me a piece of music, you obviously have some. In fact, anyone that has something not too complex to contribute would be greatly appreciated. You can send it through the website. Thanks. _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Posts: 193 Location: Grew up in Belgium, Studying in Holland
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:05 pm Post subject:
I like classical music the most, since it is the music i'm being thought and I'm able to play it best.
I can really sort of concentrate real deep in the music and get in some kind of trance... really nice.
That's what I like about it.
i have public exams within 4 weeks for classical guitar, and 1 of my pieces is bourré. you got any tips to give it something extra?
i really work goaway at crescendo's and decrescendo's but thats about it, you know any more things to add? normally, i search that myself, but it'll be a pretty busy month now, since i got 3 more goaway pieces to play, also within 2 weeks i got an ensemble exam (public to) and within three weeks i'll play phantom of the opera on stage for our school on a school event called goaway audience, everyone can participate that. btw: anyone who wants to come, there is an extra day for people who aren't in my school, friday 26 may. _________________ greetz gert
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