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Enver's
Classical Guitar Page. |
I've been playing guitar for five years now, (1998).During this time I've learned that everything is relative, and that the notion of virtuosos and vituorsism is completely false.Please feel free to link from here, as well as read my comments about guitar.Also, I'd like to describe my favorites guitarists of all times, and my favorites pieces.
Peace, Enver López.
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I am not a virtuos , have never been , and will probably never be.I
started in 1993 , forced by my father , which I will be forever thankful.Never
really take any formal lessons, just went to a summer school, with the
peruvian teacher Oscar Zamora, back in the Library of San Isidro, in Lima
, Peru.This went on for two months, and I started reading TAB , as almost
anyone else.Later on I moved to music reading, also learning by my own
, so it would take time to learn small pieces.Next summer I would attend
ths guitar summer scholl again with Zamora, and could play the infamous
"Romance d'Amour" , which was my favorite (and only) piece.Moved
to Sweden the 28th february 1994, and kept on practising , without any
teacher.sometimes I regret not having formal lessons , but at the same
time , that encouraged me to play own versions of difficult pieces , or
at least what I considered being difficult pieces at the time.
On august 1995 I started at Oscarsgymnasiet , and got (finally) lessons from Fredik Hast , a local guitar teacher.Then I moved to Linköping, after being accepted at Lunnevads Music Schoo, where I attend lessons to Mr.Kenneth Frejd, a real master of the guitar, and sincerely an inspiring person too. |
Let me share some ideas about the guitar :
About Practising :
Yamashita , the great japanese guitarist , will sit and play his ass off like 8 hours.I would recommend that.You see the more you practise the better you'll get.Just let me point: practise in intervals of half an hour- one hour.Be sure you get to rest your shoulders,and your back.I would first check the whole thing , see the forest, search for difficulties, and ideas(what is this song about? what was the composer thinking , when was it written?).Try to listen to different versions of the piece,listen to recordings, I always find that inspirating.
Practise small pieces of music at the time, specially when it comes to difficult parts that claims for extra attention.It may damage you to walk around the whole music sheet so stick to the parts you are insecure.This is no secret , but I wish I had known this for some years ago.When you are ready with the parts you know, then get the security and musicality that is requierd, first the thecnical problems (you must be able to play the piece) and then the musicality (give it life, make it sing).
When talking to other guitarists, I've heard the importance of practising technique, and how long you should do it in a daily basis.Most of them would play two to threee hours every day, just concentrating on technical questions, and then keep on moving to the music.That´s alright and fine, I recomend 1 1/2 to 2 hours each day just checking your technique, making sure everything is in place.Also, practising scales several hours a day won't take you so long if you want o play classical music, where you will encounter other important questions, as poliphony, tone, etc.Most great classical guitarists are not that fast when it comes to scales, that is not where you should be aiming: As Göran Söllscher says, it is about music, not fingergymnastics.
Be sure to pause , when you are practising.Some say pause every hour, or every half an hour.Be sure to pause, because you risk to get stuck with some music without even know what you are playing.Get water, whatever, but samll p
auses are neccesary.
Playin' in Public:
Again, breath deeply.Try to have fun:a concert is supposed to be a gift you give another person, not a test to prove how good you are.It doesn't really matter how technical you are if somebody else is not enjoying it.You can be the fastest or have the most beautiful tone , but if you can not give this a life in concert, the you will spned the rest of your life playing in your living room.Listen to the greatest guitarists, they make the guitar sing.That is a big step.
I recomend not eating just before a concert.This will make you unconcentrated, and maybe even tired.Also, with water, you don't want to drink that much.But be sure that your hands are clean and dry, otherwise you can slide over the strings when playing.
The Life and Times of a Guitarist.
When it comes to life...I don't know.I've heard of people practising 14 hours a day, just to get to a security niche,where they can just play effortless.You see, a girl told me life is made of choices, and that won't be a bad idea.I guess we all have lost girls, friends, parties, events, etc, to keep those fingers alive.I use to ask myself if it is really worth it.John Williams says he has always practised 1/2 hour a day, only that, but he's gotta be kidding.When you are tired, bored, and still you take that guitar to play Brouwer or Rodrigo or whatever, you are not alone.But make sure of some stuff:
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*Keep it fun.I know it sounds stupid, and at some points, impossible, but remember that you are making what you wnat to make, maybe not as much , and not in the dreamed way, but everything will come at its time. *Train your body.Almost any musician will reccomend this:a trained body means a relaxed one.Don't strain so much so you won't be able to play, but enough to feel mobil and alert. *Sleep, eat , and live well.Getting a good sleep will high you level of concentration.Eating good (vegetarian, , see my vegetarian page here) is also important.No drinking, look to what happened to great guitarist Juliam Bream.Drinking will destroy your playing. *Get together with other guitarist/musicians.Talk to other people that plays your instrument, share ideas, techniques, play with them.Listen and try to get to know the best or greatest guitarist, you´ll leran a lot just by talking to them.I'll share my experience with Göran Söllscher. |
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Here comes a list of my favorite ones:
Carlos Barbosa-Lima There is so much I can tell about him.I´ve never met him, but everyone who has think he is a nice and polite person.I can tell because of his transcriptions, and recordings.Silly enough, they say he never plays this live.His performances of Jobim,Debussy,Faure.Villalobos,Joplin, and so on shows he is the greatest transcriber of our time.
Göran Söllscher He is really kind of shy, or at least he wants us to believe it.I get the idea that he knows he is good , but won't tell.I love that, because his work with Bach has really changed my view of barock music.His talent is to make every line sound ,giving it its own touch, voice and volume.That´s musicality, not just chops.He is kind of a legend here in Sweden.And everywhere else.
David Russell. He is like every guitar teacher favorite guitarists.I´ve just got to like him, because of his tone, and performance looks.He plays "Reverie" better than anyone, and has a great tremolo.
Narciso Yepes. Now talk to me about tremolo.When I heard him playing the "Concierto de Aranjuez", I was the first time I´ve heard it, I remember it well, that changed something in me.He sound so old, so classical.Inspiring really devotion and admiration.I respect this man, very much, and I´m sorry he died.He played "Asturias" better than no one else, better than Barrueco and Segovia.
Eduardo Fernandez.The firat I´ve heard of him was his playing of Sebastian Bach, the lute suites, classic stuff for everyone.But then I´ve heard Villalobos, Orbon, and so much more.I love his Bach playing, there is a little Segovia in there.They say that Segovia was a very influential person in all his students.I like Fernando.
Yamashita. Maybe the most interesting player around, but a lot of people has everything against this man.
Elliot Fisk.The music I like most with him are the Paganini caprices.I think he plays with gerat accuracy and style.
There are plenty of guitarists around, and most of them has its own opinion, so this is my personal view.Mail me if you think I'm missing someone.
| *Clair de Lune (C.Debussy), transcription of
Carlos Barbosa-Lima
*Amparo(C.A.Jobim), trans. Barbosa-Lima *Partita N.6-BMW 830,(J.S.Bach), trans. Hubert Käppel *Here , There and Everywhere (Lennon, McCartney),trans. Toru Takemitsu |
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Well, that is it by now.I´ll get some links and adresses to the guitarists here, as well as publish my whole guitar catalogue, as soon as I can.Please mail me if I forget someone.Peace,Enver López.
http://come.to/envernet Copyright 1998 for Hardest Communications and Haster.Enver López.
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