Guitarmania

F. Tárrega; Integral de las obras para guitarra

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:30:00 +0000

200 pages of Integaral guitar work of Tarrega in Spanish.

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Bach's Suite - Air On G String

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:26:00 +0000

The famous "Air on a G-string" from Bach's Suite for Orcherstra no. 3. I like this arrangement very much.

Canon in D

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:28:00 +0000

I found this video when I browse around youtube. This piece is arranged and played by Per-Olov Kindgren. Enjoy

Free Online Ear Training

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Sun, 10 May 2009 08:15:00 +0000

It's been a while I haven't updated the blog. I was extremely busy for the past 6 months. Change in working position, moving to a new house......... And importantly, I found quite many people visit my blog, and download the material from sendspace. However, I received only few compliment and most of the mail were sent to me asking for material, and tell me the files are unavailable anymore in my Sendspace account. I make no income from this site, and thus cannot afford to pay for permanent Sendspace account. Please tolerate!

Anyway, I found some good site that help training a musician's ear. Pretty good!!!

http://www.trainear.com/

This program is unique because it helps associate intervals to common songs, which is the fastest way to learn.

http://www.good-ear.com/

http://www.solfege.org/

There is a free program that you can download called GNU Solfege
Features

Recognise melodic and harmonic intervals
Compare interval sizes
Sing the intervals the computer asks for
Identify chords
Sing chords
Scales
Dictation
Remembering rhythmic patterns
and more..

Olcott-Bickford, Vahdah (1885-1980)

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 05:20:00 +0000

Ethel Lucretia Olcott (Bickford Revere) was born on October 17, 1885 in Norwalk, Ohio, twenty miles south of Lake Erie. At the age of two she moved with her parents to Socorro, New Mexico. When she was three, the family moved to Los Angeles, California.

Olcott-Bickford began the study of guitar at the age of eight with a woman whom she described as having violet eyes and blonde hair. When nine years old, she met George Lindsey (1855-1943), a vendor of guitars and accessories, who was looking for a carriage house to rent for his springwagon and horse. A conversation over the fence ensued and eventually little Lucretia played the guitar for him. A student-teacher friendship developed, which lasted until George Lindsey died in 1943. Mr. Lindsey was responsible for her meeting with Manuel Ferrer (1828-1904). Upon hearing her play, Ferrer invited her in 1903 to stay with his family in Berkeley, California, to receive tutoring every day. This episode in her life lasted for only a year but was a memorable one, as Ferrer was one of the most distinguished resident guitarists in America, having established a world-wide reputation through concerts and publications.

Olcott-Bickford, now eighteen, returned to her parents' home in Los Angeles, where she published her first opus, "Theme for Variations on 'Nel cor piu non mi sento,''' a duo aria from L'Amor contrastato, better known as La Molinara, by Paisello, with Carl Fischer in 1905. She eventually went to New York in 1914, where she became involved in the musical and intellectual life and times of the period.

In New York she became known through her concerts and teaching of the guitar. She lived for a time with the famous Vanderbilt family at Biltmore, and tutored both Mrs. Vanderbilt and her daughter, Cornelia. At this time she also became involved with astrology, from which she derived her new name, Vahdah. She was Evangeline Adams's only assistant for nine years, until 1922. During this period she performed the Giuliani Concerto No. 3, op. 20 for terz guitar and orchestra. She also met Myron Bickford, organist, conductor, composer-musician and instrumentalist par excellence, and whom she married in 1915. In 1923 Vahdah and Zarh (Myron's astrological name) moved to Los Angeles and established residence at 2031 Holly Hill Terrace, after a brief stay on West Adams near downtown Los Angeles. In Zarh's words:

Vahdah Olcott-Bickford's arrival in Los Angeles marked the beginning of activities which led to the formation of what was first called the "Los Angeles Guitar Society." This was the first guitar society to appear in the United States. Inspired by the presence of such a well-known guitarist, teacher and writer as Vahdah Olcott-Bickford, Mr. J. A. Larralde, a local guitar enthusiast, invited -- one day in September, 1923 -- a group of guitarists, teachers, students, etc., to come together at his office in the Los Angeles Stock Exchange Building to meet this new, vital personality. This gathering of 30 or 35 people, intended as an informal social function, evolved finally as the inauguration meeting of the Society. Vahdah Olcott Bickford quickly vetoed the rather arbitrary plans -- first presented -- of meeting weekly, playing and talking shop by saying she wouldn't be interested in such an aimless group. Her ambitious dynamism fired them all with the desire to take part in her plans for a definite educational program to promote interest in the classic guitar. She wanted to actively sponsor concerts, encourage composers to enrich the literature of the guitar and urge the sale of such literature in all music publications. The group unanimously and immediately appointed her Musical Director of the Society. Other officials elected on that occasion were George C. Lindsey (one of Vahdah's childhood teachers) as President and Zarh Bickford as Vice-President. In an effort to widen the scope of interest in the classic guitar, the name of the Society was changed to the "American Guitar Society" at Vahdah Bickford's suggestion. To help their promotion, Vahdah donated the proceeds from several of her concerts to establish a "Publication Fund" for the purpose of publishing superior works for the guitar. (Guitar Review, No. 23, June, 1959)

Olcott-Bickford's contributions to the guitar have been acknowledged since 1901. Many of her articles were published in Cadenza, Crescendo, Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar, Die Guitarre (Munich), Guitar News (London), and many other magazines and journals. She was written about in The Guitar and Mandolin (Philip Bone, 1914), where she was given credit for her "enthusiasm, encouragement and practical assistance" in the first edition of this work. Along with William Foden and George Krick, she is noted in Die Guitarre und ihre Meister (1926, 4th ed.) by Fritz Buek as the first woman guitarist to give a performance in Town Hall, and to play Giuliani's Third Concerto in New York (c.1915). A. P. Sharpe, editor of Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar, in his Story of the Spanish Guitar (London: Clifford Essex Music, 1954) mentions her two-volume Guitar Method at about the time Julian Bream stated that he had already "devoured them" in order to further his own serious study of the guitar. Many other articles and books indicate Olcott-Bickford's contribution to elevating classic guitar to an instrument of serious study. Her work in North America's is equivalent to that which Andrés Segovia did for more than fifty years. However, her work was recognized in the United States thirty years earlier.

Among musicians, she was known as a musician's musician. She developed a reputation from the 1930s through the 1950s as one of the few classic guitarists who could sight-read anything placed before her. She promoted ensemble music for guitarists by always placing her students in duos, trios and quartets with other guitarists and other instrumentalists. She pointed out the charm of the chamber music experience. She made sure that her students were exposed to music other than guitar compositions by means of transcriptions. This demonstrates her concern for broadening the students' knowledge of musical literature.

Vahdah, the Grand Lady of the Guitar, produced more than 160 opera (works), much of it published by Oliver Ditson and Carl Fischer. Her transcriptions and facsimile editions were published solely through the American Guitar Society (AGS). The majority of her publications are now out of print, while many, still in manuscript form, remain unpublished, numbering nearly 500 works. Her spirit, however, always filled with song, enthusiasm and encouragement, lives on through those students and friends who were fortunate to have known one of the pioneers of the American classic guitar.

Download the Complete Olcott-Birckford, Vahdah Method for Classical Guitar

The Guitar in Pedagogy - Practice - Performance

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:27:00 +0000

by Richard Pick, School of Guitar

Preface

A Word from the Publisher

Introduction

Book I

The Nature of the Guitar
The Right Hand
The Left Hand
Practice Routine
Chromatic Calisthenics

Book II -- The Sharp Keys

C Major - A minor
G Major - E minor
D Major - B minor
A Major - F&num; minor
E Major - C&num; minor
B Major - G&num; minor
F&num; Major - D&num; minor
C&num; Major - A&num; minor

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing the Guitar

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:53:00 +0000

By: Noad, Frederick

Learn to play the guitar using this quick and easy guide. Whether you dream of playing classical guitar, a B.B. King lick, or just the opening bars to "Stairway to Heaven," this book can get you there. This easy-to-use guide introduces the beginning guitarist to all styles of playing, from classical to jazz and pop. Using basic exercises and a selection of popular tunes, it shows how to do everything from reading tablature and chord diagrams to performing simple accompaniment. This book is designed for the child or adult beginner who wants a "user-friendly" introduction to the most popular musical instrument. It contains numerous sidebars and illustrations, making learning the guitar fun and easy. Features exercises in all styles from classical to rock and jazz. Includes checklists of popular books, videos and instrument dealers, and tips on purchasing and maintaining your instrument. Frederick Noad is an expert guitar teacher and author of dozens of guitar methods, including The Virtual Guitarist, Solo Guitar Playing and Playing the Guitar, all from Schirmer Books. He is the inventor of Speed Score, the computer notation software and is universally known as a master teacher of the instument.

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The First Noel

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:56:00 +0000

The First Noel (arr.Gallagher) in standard guitar notation and tablature (PDF file)

Greensleeves - Intstruction Video

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:22:00 +0000

One of the most famous traditional british tune.

Download Score and Tab:

Download Full Instruction Video:

Silent Night

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:17:00 +0000

A classic Christmas carol adapted for beginners.

Download Score and Tab here

Download Full Instruction Video:

Variations on Deck the Halls

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:03:00 +0000

Variations on Deck the Halls (arr. Gallagher) in standard notation and tablature (PDF file)

Silent Night - A Christmas Carol

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:30:00 +0000

Silent Night in standard notation and tablature (PDF file)

Fernando Sor - Complete Works (Integrale)

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:40:00 +0000

Op. 1: Six Divertimentos.
Op. 2: Six Divertimentos.
Op. 3: Theme and Variations.
Op. 4: Fantasia.
Op. 5: Six petites pièces.
Op. 6: Twelve Studies.
Op. 7: Fantasia.
Op. 8: Six Divertimentos.
Op. 9: Variations on a Theme of Mozart.
Op. 10: Troisième Fantaisie.
Op. 11: Deux thèmes variés et douze menuets.
Op. 12: Quatrième Fantaisie.
Op. 13: Six Divertimentos.
Op. 14: Sonata ("Grand Solo").
Op. 15(a): Folies d'Espagne & minuet.
Op. 15(b): Sonata.
Op. 15(c): Thème varié.
Op. 16: Variations on "Nel cor più non mi sento".
Op. 17: Six Waltzes.
Op. 18: Six Waltzes.
Op. 19: Six airs from The Magic Flute.
Op. 20: Theme and Variations.

Op. 21: Les Adieux.
Op. 22: Grand Sonata.
Op. 23: Fifth Divertissement.
Op. 24: Huit petites pièces.
Op. 25: Second grand sonata.
Op. 26: Variations on "Que ne suis-je la fougère".
Op. 27: Variations on "Gentil housard".
Op. 28: Variations on "Malbroug".
Op. 29: Twelve Studies.
Op. 30: Fantaisie.
Op. 31: 24 Leçons progressives.
Op. 32: Six petites pièces.
Op. 33: Trois pièces de société.
Op. 34: L’Encouragement.
Op. 35: 24 Exercices très utiles.
Op. 36: Trois pièces de société.
Op. 37: Serenade.
Op. 38: Divertissement.
Op. 39: Six Valses.
Op. 40: Variations
Op. 41: Les deux amis.
Op. 42: Six petites pièces.
Op. 43: Mes ennuis, six bagatelles.
Op. 44: 24 petites pièces.
Op. 44 bis: Six Valses.
Op. 45: Voyons si c'est ça.
Op. 46: Souvenir d'amitié.
Op. 47: Six petites pièces progressives.
Op. 48: Est-ce bien ça?
Op. 49: Divertissement militaire.
Op. 50: Le calme.
Op. 51: A la bonne heure.
Op. 52: Fantaisie villageoise.
Op. 53: Le premier pas vers moi.
Op. 54: Morceau de concert.
Op. 54 bis: Fantaisie.
Op. 55: Trois duos.
Op. 56: Souvenirs d'une soirée à Berlin.
Op. 57: Six valses et un galop.
Op. 58: Fantaisie.
Op. 59: Fantaisie élégiaque.
Op. 60: Introduction à l'étude de la guitare.
Op. 61: Trois petits divertissements.
Op. 62: Divertissement.
Op. 63: Souvenir de Russie.

FERNANDO SOR (1778-1839)

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 03:18:00 +0000

Introduction.

There was a time, (25-30 year’s ago) that a Classical Guitar recital would seem incomplete without the inclusion of a work by Fernando Sor. Today it is rare for him to be included in a concert programme.

It must be said that his other works , Operas, Ballets, etc., have been silent since his death, and today his reputation rests solely as a composer of guitar music. It cannot be that today’s new generation of young guitarists find his pieces unworthy, as his contribution to the literature of the guitar is undeniable, (the critic Fetis adorned Sor with the title “The Beethoven of the Guitar”). He is acknowledged in the development of technique for the instrument and his collaboration with makers improved guitar construction. In the history of the guitar his name is assured. So why is it that today’s modern players neglect his music in the concert hall?

Present day critics may be responsible for the decline of Sor's exposure to the concert-going public by accusing him of being lightweight, of trying to inject a depth in his music that in the end only made it sound ludicrous, that he was guilty of clichés, (more eminent composers than Sor were guilty of that) and that he was unable to produce extended compositions of distinction. It may be this that dissuades the young guitarists of today from performing his work, so as not to invite negative critical reviews, but, nevertheless, I have always found Fernando Sor`s music (lightweight, clichés and all) pleasing, satisfying and always a delight.

Allegro non troppo

JOSEPH FERNANDO MACARI SORS was born in Barcelona, the actual date is in dispute, but he was baptized on the 14th February 1778. The son of a merchant, he was presumably in a better position than most to obtain a good education. As it was, his musical training took place in the Monastery of Montserrat Choir School. He also studied violin, piano and harmony, but not guitar. I do not know whether Fernando studied any other areas of basic education than music at the Monastery but his time there certainly set him in good stead for his musical career.

It is known that Senoir Sor Snr. owned a guitar so Fernando was familiar with its sound. On leaving the Monastery, he received the customary token of a gold coin from one of the monks with which he bought a guitar which was to become the passion of his life. (The gold coin was supposed to benefit the family of the graduating student).

It is at the age of eighteen that we next really hear of Fernando Sor. A production of his opera "Telemachus on the Calypso's Isle" performed in Barcelona in 1797 was very successful and led to a patronage in the service of the Duchess of Alba who apparently doted on the young composer. It is also at this time that Fernando was enlisted in the Spanish army, making the rank of captain in the Cordovan volunteers. It is also from this period that his first important guitar compositions can be charted. The premature death of the Duchess of Alba in1802 left Fernando without a patron, but luckily he found employment with the Duke of Medinaceli. His luck was not to last long: the French, under Napoleon Bonaparte invaded and occupied Spain.

Napoleon placed his brother, Joseph, on the throne of Spain and some more forward-thinking Spaniards thought that his puppet government would put into motion much needed political reforms. Fernando Sor was one of these French sympathisers (Afrancesados) and sided against the deposed Spanish King ,Charles IVth. So it was, when the French were defeated by Wellingtons army and had to withdraw, Fernando was obliged to leave with them. (This is a controversial issue; some scholars maintain that Sor was a Spanish patriot, and while I do think he believed that his association with the French was in the best interests of his own country, the fact remains he left Spain never to return. This implies that Sor must have regarded his actions as being perceived by his fellow countrymen as fraternising with the enemy and therefore treasonable).

Sor took residence in Paris and continued his musical career, encouraged by other prominent composers such as Cherubini and Berton. This was a productive time for Sor which saw him composing Operas, Ballets, Symphonies and Songs as well as guitar pieces.

In 1815 Sor went to England and with his virtuoso playing captivated the English guitar fraternity. On March 24th 1817 he performed his “Concertante for guitar, violin, viola and cello” at the Philharmonic Society to great acclaim. (This work is not included in Sor`s Opus listing and may be lost). By 1822 he became an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, which is a tribute to his personality and his musicianship.

Sor`s musical ambitions then took him to Russia, arriving in Moscow in November of 1823. His talents were soon appreciated and before long he was mixing with the highest level of Russian society, playing for the mother of Tsar Alexander 1st and the Royal family. When the Tsar died in 1825, Sor wrote a funeral march which was played at the funeral in St Petersburg. Returning to Moscow he produced the premiere of his ballet “Cendrillon”.

By 1827 Sor was once again living in Paris. The instrument was enjoying an revival of popularity and other famous guitarist/composers such as Dionisio Aguado (1784-1849) and Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841) were in the French capital at this time. Sor struck up a friendship with Aguado that prompted many of Sor`s duet pieces, which they frequently performed together. As well as giving concerts he also had guitar pupils, many of them ladies of high society. This is probably also his most productive period of compositions for the guitar. They were now also available to buy, being published by Antoine Meissonnier in sixteen volumes. (Sor would later use the publisher Pacini). Sor eventually published his works himself which included ,in 1830, his “ Methode Pour la Guitare”. This is a fascinating insight into the foundation of Sor`s view of the technique and thought process of guitar playing, acquired over a life times experience. All aspects are examined in detail, starting with his preferred make of instrument, sitting posture, the bodies relationship to the instrument, left and right hand positions, logical use of the fingers of both hands and the manner in which the right hand finger tips strike the strings. (Sor never advocated the use of the nails which was preferred by Aguado. This must have made an interesting, if not entirely compatible sound in their duet ensemble). Presumably Sor`s own technique was more than adequate to play all of his own compositions which indicates that even by today’s standards he must have been a formidable guitarist.

Fernando Sor`s last years were not happy ones. Both his wife and daughter died suddenly, one very shortly before the other. He himself suffered from cancer of the tongue and died in great pain on July 8th 1839. Buried in the cemetery of Montmartre, Paris, in the tomb of a friend, with no inscription, the last resting place of the greatest guitar composer of the nineteenth century was not identified until1934.

Theme and Variations.

The legacy that is Fernando Sor`s guitar works are listed in 63 opus numbers. These range in style and forms such as Divertissements, Theme and Variations, Fantasies, Waltzes, Sonata’s and groups of Studies etc., plus Duets. (Recently a number of lost pieces have been rediscovered, for example “Fantasie pour guitar seule” in D, which as yet carry no opus numbers).

The Studies, written periodically throughout his life, number almost one hundred, involve techniques of playing in thirds, arpeggios, rapidly repeated notes (tremolo), staccato chords, in fact all aspects of guitar playing is thoroughly covered. A compilation of 20 of the Studies from Op. 6, 29, 31, and 35 were compiled by Andre Segovia (1893-1987) who frequently performed a selection of them in his recitals. Make no mistake these Studies are not just exercises but valid pieces of music in their own right, albeit in miniature. Probably the most famous of Sor's works is his Op. 9. (1821) “Variations on a Theme of Mozart” the theme being “O Cara Armonia” from the 2nd act of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. In the hands of a virtuoso this becomes a dazzling tour de force that displays the skills of the guitarist and the imagination of the composer. When writing extended works like Sonatas, Sor never tried to emulate the piano or violin works of the same genre. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of the instrument and wrote for it accordingly. A good example of this is his “Sonata in C” Op. 25. (1827). It is unusual in as much that normally the first movement of a Sonata uses the Sonata Form, but Sor's Op. 25, opens with a long Introduction in C minor and the Sonata Form appears in the second movement, an Allegro non troppo, which moves to the tonic of C major. There then follows a Theme and Variations and it ends with a quick Minuet and Trio instead of the usual Rondo.

The duets ,which occupy 12 of the opus numbers, vary in scale from short pieces like his set of “Six valses faciles” Op. 44 bis. (1831) to longer works like “Les deux amis” Op. 41. (1829-30) with the parts labelled “Sor” and “Aguado” and the well known “L`Encouragement” Op. 34. (1828). (This has the dedication “une de ses élève”). The parts of this are labelled “L’élèves” and “Le Maître” indicating that the pupil play the more difficult melody line while the teacher has the accompaniment. (A pupil of Sor, Napoleon Coste (1806-1883), would later rearrange this work, sharing the parts in a more democratic way). A less well known duet is “Divertissement” Op. 62. (c1837-38) where the movements are Andantino Cantabile followed by a Polonaise (the Polonaise is rare in Sor`s music) and is a wonderful example of duet writing. It is a shame that it is not performed more often, perhaps because a prodigious technique is required by both guitarist.

Finale.

Performing any composers work requires thoughtful consideration. Julian Bream (b. 1933) gave an insight to his thoughts and approach to playing Sor when in conversation with the late Peter Sensier on BBC Radio 3`s programme “The Classical Guitar” in the early 1970`s
Here are some extracts.

“An important factor in his (Sor`s) music is its charm. It has its use in music, and I for one, am quite prepared to be charmed, not twenty four hours a day, but I think on occasion”.

“I think Fernando Sor does have to be played with respect but for a certain type of innocence in his music. I think to over apply romanticism to the music is a great mistake. There is a classicism for example not unlike Mozart in his style which to my mind is a style of beautiful understatement. But if you give understatement space and time, it has a positive element that transcends the simplicity or the innocence of the material. Sor needs immense care and affection, and if one invests his music with that, I can’t see how anybody can object to it”.

Christmas music for classic guitar

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:40:00 +0000

Here is my collection of Christmas music Scores

Angels We Have Heard On High
Blue Christmas
Deck the Halls
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
It Come Upon the Midnight Clear
Jingle Bell
Joy to the World
Little Drummer Boy
O Christmas Tree
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Holy Night
Silnet Night
The First Nowell
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
White Christmas
Away In a Manger
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
Ding Dong! Merrily on High
Good King, Wenceslas
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Once in Royal David's City
Rocking
See Amid The Winter's Snow
The Holy and The Ivy
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

PLUS MORE.....................

Downlaod

Marcin Dylla plays Rossiniana no.1 at Wawel Royal Castle for the first time in history!!

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:41:00 +0000

The piece he plays is "Rossiniane"no.1 by Giuliani.He plays guitar by Boguslaw Teryks.The guitar has a "sandwich top" and is extremely powerful.

School of Guitar: Exposition of Instrument Theory by Abel Carlevaro

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:30:00 +0000

Abel Carlevaro, an exceptional virtuoso, composer and teacher born in Montevideo, Uruguay is not only one of the most important guitarists of our time but the creator of a new school of instrumental technique as well. He has been recognised as an exceptional performer worldwide and has gained the admiration and esteem of musicians such as Heitor Villa Lobos and Andr�s Segovia. His performances in the most important music centres in Europe, Latin America and the United States have been acclaimed with high praise by the public and the critics alike.

Carlevaro is a devoted composer. His musical production ranges from his "Preludios Americanos" which already form part of the repertoire of renowned guitarists in America and Europe, to his "Concierto No 3 para Guitarra y Orquesta" composed by request of and played for the first time by The Chamber Symphony of San Francisco. Other contemporary I ensembles of renown such as The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and The Kronos Quartet have also performed some of Carlevaro's works for the first time. His "Concierto del Plata" for guitar and orchestra has been interpreted by important European and American symphony orchestras.

A profound and dedicated teacher, Carlevaro is the creator of a new school of instrumental technique, a fundamental milestone in the evolution of the guitar expounded in his book "Escuela de la Guitarra Exposici�n de la Teor�a Instrumental" (School of Guitar Exposition of Instrumental Theory), in the didactic series the "Cuadernos" as well as in the "Carlevaro Masterclass" series. These pedagogical works as well as his compositions and transcriptions are edited by Boosey and Hawkes of New York, Chanterelle Verlag of Heidelberg, Barry Editorial of Buenos Aires and Henri Lemoine of Paris.

An indefatigable researcher, Carlevaro has also invented a new guitar, the conception and design of which break away totally from traditional guitar making.

Every year Maestro Carlevaro offers Masterclasses in Europe and America and is often invited to take part in juries at international competitions for interpretation and composition. To acknowledge his exceptional merits and his relevant work in music, on March 18, 1985 the Organisation of American States granted Abel Carlevaro its highest honour, the prestigious Diploma de Honour, and in 1987 the Government of Venezuela, in public ceremony, honoured him with the Order of "Andr's Bello".

The book is the English language version of Escuela De La Guitarra.

School of guitar is a must for students of classical guitar. These techniques are vital to any guitarist. The concentration of arm movements and isolation of each hand are essential to improving technique. This is a great book to learn the modern techniques for the modern classical guitar.

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Sightreading made easy for guitar

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:08:00 +0000

This book will guide you through a very attractive way to learn sightreading in a remarkably very short time.

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The Art of Rasgueado

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:55:00 +0000

The rasgeuado technique is without a doubt the most impressive and characteristic element of the flamenco guitar. Author Ioannis Anastassakis has studied and researched the rasgueado technique of every significant flamenco guitarist in the world, and has compiled his work in this book in an easy and understandable notation form, with excellent explanations of each rasgueado technique. From this book, every flamenco and non-flamenco guitarist, from aficionado to professional, can learn everything about the rasgueado technique and its interpretation. Rumba rhythms and the golpe technique are also discussed. Notation and tablature.

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Complete Transcription of Baden Powell

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:10:00 +0000

Brazilian music inspires the most beautiful and expressive feelings from a composer's heart. Such is the case with this gorgeous Choro by the Brasilian guitarist Baden Powell. Powell definitely made his guitar sing and he added to both Bossa Nova and Brazilian music in general, a unique flavor, one that most guitar players can only attain to achieve. He died in 2001 in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 63... booze and tobacco shortened this talented musician's life.....

His last concert was only days before his death in Belo Horizonte.

Baden Powell was born on August 6, 1937, in Varre-Sai, a little town in 220 miles from Rio de Janeiro. His father, a shoemaker, boy scout leader and tuba player in his free time, named the son after Sir Baden-Powell, the British soldier who in 1908 founded de Boy Scouts.

He started to play jazz in Rio's nightclubs. He would soon meet and become friends with such bossa nova icons as Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes. His first hit came in 1956 with "Samba Triste".

Brasilian portrait is a jewel of Universal proportions. A special appoggiato effect is used in the right hand to bring out the amazing depth of the melody.....

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A Complete Mel Bay Method of Classical Guitar

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:24:00 +0000

This is a good book for Classical Guitar. However, I only have Volume 2. Anyone has volume 1, please contact me if you want to share.

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Why Transcribe? We look at a Bach Cello Suite.

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Bach's First Cello Suite in D

One of the best exercises for the guitarist is to transcribe pieces penned for other instruments into guitar renditions. Why is this so beneficial? Well, we often play music specifically composed for our instrument and these pieces are written guitaristically. The composer knows the limits of the instrument -- or at least what he or she feels are the limits -- and then crafts a melody that fits these preconceived notions. Limits and constraint are the result.

Taking a piece written for the piano (like Albeniz' material) or the piece we will be exploring -- Bach's First Suite for unaccompanied cello -- means we are forced to think outside the parameters we expect and get used to with guitar-specific pieces. Wit the Bach piece, we are forced to put ourselves into Bach's mind and determine what harmonies he was implying with double stops on the cello -- very few complete chords, but much implied, subtle and sublime harmonies can be heard. Whenever you are attempting a transcription, it is necessary that you not only have a benchmark edition of the piece specifically for the original instrument, but it is also a blessing to have a resource that shows the composer's original edition -- like the Bach Gesellschaft. In the case of the Bach, numerous editions as well as Gesellschaft facsimiles are available. What I've done here is reproduced my transcription of the Sarabande of the First Cello Suite. You will note that there are harmonies that could not be played on the cello -- just try a six-note chord.

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Carulli and a few new Karma Sutra positions - Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:58:00 +0000

Last time we looked at Carulli's neat exercise in fifth position. Here is his concept of sixth position

As I stated last time, many good players think of the fifth position (fifth fret) as a clean and neat place to play in the keys of A and D major and minor. This is not bad thinking. Carulli gives us F Major in fifth position! It works, it is logical, it is a useful tool to know.

Much the same, when Carulli takes it up a notch to the sixth fret, he winds up NOT in B flat and E flat, but in F sharp! -- like you didn't see that coming.

But wait, there is more to come....

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Carulli and a few new Karma Sutra positions - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:46:00 +0000

Last time we looked at Carulli's neat exercise in fourth position. Here is his concept of fifth position

Many good players think of the fifth position (fifth fret) as a clean and neat place to play in the keys of A and D major and minor. This is not bad thinking. Carulli gives us F Major! It works, it is logical, it is a useful tool to know.

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Carulli and a few new Karma Sutra positions, well actually one new position on the guitar.

noreply@blogger.com (Addy Ho) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:07:00 +0000

As discussed earlier, violinists learn the fingerboard (and sight-reading) in position. Guitarists learn the notes in the open position, then learn the barré chords and pentatonic box and consider themselves as having arrived. Few can sight-read well above the third fret. That is why so many 'serious' instrumentalists consider us guitar players to be sub-par morons. We is. Carulli's Method (penned way back in the early 1800's -- probably in Linear-A and on stone tablets -- was a more traditional pedagogical approach. He taught left-hand positions. While this is not necessarily going to render you an awesome sight reader for modern music, or even guitaristically composed pieces of any time period, his approach will yield a superior sight-reader than most of our contemporary brethren will ever aspire to be.

In the following exercise that was edited from the Carulli Method, we see a scale-arpeggio study in E Major that is played entirely with stopped strings utilizing notes found on the fourth through seventh frets. Please DO NOT read through this and use any open strings or open position notes that you learned in Mel Bay volume One. Please follow the fingerings that I have added after, gosh, minutes of careful thought.

You'll be surprised how many times you'll reach for the open position. I know I was and did.

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