More info: rmClassicalGuitar.com This is a lesson in understanding this simple study of Sor's, which might help you play the piece with more confidence.
This is a fantastic video. So much musical theory into a relatively "easy piece" and it helps us get into the mind of Sor. Thank you so much for this, Rob.
I actually do have a couple questions. I'm using this video to really dive into music theory because I don't have a background in it. You mentioned at the beginning of the video (when mentioning the principle chords of the piece) that the Dm chord is the submediant. I had to look up what submediant meant, and it seems you were mistaken? Dm seems to be the supertonic. Could you clarify what you meant by Dm being a principle chord? Is it the Dm that's important or the submediant of a key that's important?
You are right, Jess! A slip of the tongue, which I apologise for. At least it got you searching for further understanding, which is a good thing :-) It's the Dm that is important. The chord sequence ii/V/I is very important to the classical era, and, by the way, to jazz. So, Dm (usually in 1st inversion, with F in the bass, either on the 4th or 6th string) then G or G7, and finally C. In jazz, that could become Dm7, G7, C Maj 7. Any more questions, ask away. Apologies again for being careless!
Also, the part at the end when you're talking about the dangers of bar lines and the phrasing you use in the piece to break them up a bit was incredibly insightful and eye opening. I loved it!
Good to know, Jess. I'm impressed by your eagerness to learn. If you ever want a Skype lesson, let me know. Check out my classical guitar website: rmClassicalGuitar.com
Hey Rob. Great video as usual. On a side note, just wanted to say thank you. I played classical guitar for many years in the past, but when I became a nurse, I had to cut my right hand nails. I couldn't conceive of playing classical guitar without nails. I knew how looked-down-upon it it. I felt my playing was empty. Therefore with a heavy heart I simply stopped playing for a few years. I always missed it, but thought it wasn't worth playing without the nails. How misguided I was. I stumbled upon one of your older videos regarding your nail-less technique a year or so ago and a light went off. It made me realize what a dumb move it was to stop playing for such a reason. Your video(es) inspired me to pick it up again and I can honestly say I'm playing with more vigor and beauty now than ever before thanks to you. To know I'm not the only classical player without nails makes me feel much better about it. I was even surprised to learn many of the actual classical players from centuries ago didn't use nails either. Anyway, as I said before, your technique videos (and frankly, all of them) are nothing but the hugest of inspiration to me, so thank you again for everything . -Bryan
Thanks, Bryan. I appreciate everything you say, and have had similar comments from people who were told early on that they should give up playing classical guitar if the couldn't play with nails. It's such a tragedy. Well, you have lost time to make up, so work hard! Best of luck!
@tonygonzales948 I didn't sacrifice guitar forever (and even if i did, i need to eat). I picked it up again thanks to Rob (as well as a magnificent video of Ana Vidovic playing Bach's BWV 998 Allegro!). And it's funny, this comment of mine was from 7 years ago. I've kept up my playing this whole time and honestly wouldn't go back to playing with nails. It feels, and sounds so much more natural and raw and beautiful to play without nails for me now.I currently work in a job now where I could grow my nails again if I wanted to, but I wouldn't. And the few times I do accidentally let my nails grow out, I don't really care for the nail sound in my playing that much anymore. I can change tones and play with dynamics just as easily as I could when I played with nails. I like listening to other players, with or without nails, but for me now, I'm kinda hooked to the flesh sound. It's all beautiful, though. But I implore anyone reading this to understand, playing classical guitar without nails is not a sacrifice. Don't ever let anything stop you from playing :)
@@RobMacKillop1 Rob, how do you select the repertoire to your beginner classical guitar students? I watched your videos that you use the Sangreras method and another one that I don't remember now; but what about the repertoire? Do you have any tips? Thank you for your attention, and continue with your beautiful work
@@educaaulasdemusica4112 I mainly use Frederick Noad’s Solo Guitar Playing, which has lots of repertoire in it. I used that book to teach myself, though I developed my own technique.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video and share it with us! I was wondering if you were going to improvise a harmony part to this etude when you started showing us the underlying chords. Is this how you would approach an improvised/embellished version? I have watched your 19th century improv videos but am still working on fundamentals, and trying to figure out just how much improv was normal for 19th century guitarists, as compared to say Baroque lute/theorbo players. Sorry for a long message! Dean.
doublestandardduo - Hi Dean. Yes, I often improvise an accompaniment when a student plays this piece. It's a fun thing to do, but it also helps them understand what is happening. As Sor himself said, "A guitarist who is a harmonist has advantage over one who is not." Quite a few published methods mention improvising preludes, and some newspaper concert reviews mention it as well. Plus, all the performers were expected to perform their own music, and I dare say a lot of that was born of improvisation. Best wishes for your studies! Rob
Rob MacKillop thanks for replying. I am resuming my classical guitar studies after decades away playing rock and jazz. The improv aspect of 19th century guitar music is very interesting to me. I am also starting on theorbo so have started working on figured bass/continuo playing too. I have cut off the fingernails a few months ago and gradually getting used to the new RH position. I think I see a similar hand thechnique for theorbo (planted pinky, mainly p,i &m) and Sor's basic approach. at least to my uninformed mind. I think a skype session with you in the near future would be a good idea, I have a great teacher in Sydney but would be very interested in talking to you as well. A final question, what are your thoughts on historically informed practice and modern instruments? Are they by definition mutually exclusive? I have both a modern guitar and a replica/Lacote inspired instrument and have been going between them. Thanks again for your time. Dean
doublestandardduo - Hello again, Dean. I suggest you look at the page devoted to the 19thC guitar on my website rmclassicalguitar.com/19th-century/ where I have videos of me improvising preludes, and give some help as to how to it. I'd be happy to Skype with you, your teacher also. It might only require one lesson. As for doing this on a modern guitar, why not? The harmony of Barrios and Lauro is only a few chromatic notes away from that of Sor, and I'd love to see players improvising preludes to Brouwer or other more modern composers.
This is a fantastic video. So much musical theory into a relatively "easy piece" and it helps us get into the mind of Sor. Thank you so much for this, Rob.
Glad you think so, Jess! Any questions, just ask.
I actually do have a couple questions. I'm using this video to really dive into music theory because I don't have a background in it. You mentioned at the beginning of the video (when mentioning the principle chords of the piece) that the Dm chord is the submediant. I had to look up what submediant meant, and it seems you were mistaken? Dm seems to be the supertonic. Could you clarify what you meant by Dm being a principle chord? Is it the Dm that's important or the submediant of a key that's important?
You are right, Jess! A slip of the tongue, which I apologise for. At least it got you searching for further understanding, which is a good thing :-) It's the Dm that is important. The chord sequence ii/V/I is very important to the classical era, and, by the way, to jazz. So, Dm (usually in 1st inversion, with F in the bass, either on the 4th or 6th string) then G or G7, and finally C. In jazz, that could become Dm7, G7, C Maj 7. Any more questions, ask away. Apologies again for being careless!
Thank you for that clarification! That explains so much.
Also, the part at the end when you're talking about the dangers of bar lines and the phrasing you use in the piece to break them up a bit was incredibly insightful and eye opening. I loved it!
Good to know, Jess. I'm impressed by your eagerness to learn. If you ever want a Skype lesson, let me know. Check out my classical guitar website: rmClassicalGuitar.com
Greatly appreciated Rob.
I have finally worked my way back to to this piece. (Using the correct fingers!)
Hey Rob. Great video as usual. On a side note, just wanted to say thank you. I played classical guitar for many years in the past, but when I became a nurse, I had to cut my right hand nails. I couldn't conceive of playing classical guitar without nails. I knew how looked-down-upon it it. I felt my playing was empty. Therefore with a heavy heart I simply stopped playing for a few years. I always missed it, but thought it wasn't worth playing without the nails. How misguided I was. I stumbled upon one of your older videos regarding your nail-less technique a year or so ago and a light went off. It made me realize what a dumb move it was to stop playing for such a reason. Your video(es) inspired me to pick it up again and I can honestly say I'm playing with more vigor and beauty now than ever before thanks to you. To know I'm not the only classical player without nails makes me feel much better about it. I was even surprised to learn many of the actual classical players from centuries ago didn't use nails either. Anyway, as I said before, your technique videos (and frankly, all of them) are nothing but the hugest of inspiration to me, so thank you again for everything .
-Bryan
Thanks, Bryan. I appreciate everything you say, and have had similar comments from people who were told early on that they should give up playing classical guitar if the couldn't play with nails. It's such a tragedy. Well, you have lost time to make up, so work hard! Best of luck!
Personally if I have to cut my nails for a job then I’m not doing that job. Guitar is too important to sacrifice for a paycheck.
@tonygonzales948 I didn't sacrifice guitar forever (and even if i did, i need to eat). I picked it up again thanks to Rob (as well as a magnificent video of Ana Vidovic playing Bach's BWV 998 Allegro!). And it's funny, this comment of mine was from 7 years ago. I've kept up my playing this whole time and honestly wouldn't go back to playing with nails. It feels, and sounds so much more natural and raw and beautiful to play without nails for me now.I currently work in a job now where I could grow my nails again if I wanted to, but I wouldn't. And the few times I do accidentally let my nails grow out, I don't really care for the nail sound in my playing that much anymore. I can change tones and play with dynamics just as easily as I could when I played with nails. I like listening to other players, with or without nails, but for me now, I'm kinda hooked to the flesh sound. It's all beautiful, though. But I implore anyone reading this to understand, playing classical guitar without nails is not a sacrifice. Don't ever let anything stop you from playing :)
Excellent lesson in harmony and phrasing! Hope to see more of these in the future.
You never know ;-)
Wonderful as always, please more videos like these!
Cheers, Adam. Glad it is of use. More at rmclassicalguitar.com/19th-century/
Definitely a lot of information here, you explain it well. I'll definitely be coming back to this video. Thanks.
David Talarico - Good to know, David. Any questions, just ask.
Thank you for demonstrating this.
Thanks, KB!
What a wonderful resource you have given us. Thank you. Sor Opus 60 No 1 is a "baby" piece, or so I thought until I watched this. Thank you!
Ha. No such think as a baby piece. Not from Sor, at least. :-)
thank you Rob
Cheers, Adrian.
Very Helpfull! Tks for Brazil!
Good to know. Cheers.
@@RobMacKillop1 Rob, how do you select the repertoire to your beginner classical guitar students? I watched your videos that you use the Sangreras method and another one that I don't remember now; but what about the repertoire? Do you have any tips? Thank you for your attention, and continue with your beautiful work
@@educaaulasdemusica4112 I mainly use Frederick Noad’s Solo Guitar Playing, which has lots of repertoire in it. I used that book to teach myself, though I developed my own technique.
@@RobMacKillop1 tks!
Thanks for taking the time to make this video and share it with us! I was wondering if you were going to improvise a harmony part to this etude when you started showing us the underlying chords. Is this how you would approach an improvised/embellished version? I have watched your 19th century improv videos but am still working on fundamentals, and trying to figure out just how much improv was normal for 19th century guitarists, as compared to say Baroque lute/theorbo players. Sorry for a long message! Dean.
doublestandardduo - Hi Dean. Yes, I often improvise an accompaniment when a student plays this piece. It's a fun thing to do, but it also helps them understand what is happening. As Sor himself said, "A guitarist who is a harmonist has advantage over one who is not." Quite a few published methods mention improvising preludes, and some newspaper concert reviews mention it as well. Plus, all the performers were expected to perform their own music, and I dare say a lot of that was born of improvisation. Best wishes for your studies! Rob
Rob MacKillop thanks for replying. I am resuming my classical guitar studies after decades away playing rock and jazz. The improv aspect of 19th century guitar music is very interesting to me. I am also starting on theorbo so have started working on figured bass/continuo playing too. I have cut off the fingernails a few months ago and gradually getting used to the new RH position. I think I see a similar hand thechnique for theorbo (planted pinky, mainly p,i &m) and Sor's basic approach. at least to my uninformed mind.
I think a skype session with you in the near future would be a good idea, I have a great teacher in Sydney but would be very interested in talking to you as well.
A final question, what are your thoughts on historically informed practice and modern instruments? Are they by definition mutually exclusive? I have both a modern guitar and a replica/Lacote inspired instrument and have been going between them. Thanks again for your time. Dean
doublestandardduo - Hello again, Dean. I suggest you look at the page devoted to the 19thC guitar on my website rmclassicalguitar.com/19th-century/ where I have videos of me improvising preludes, and give some help as to how to it. I'd be happy to Skype with you, your teacher also. It might only require one lesson. As for doing this on a modern guitar, why not? The harmony of Barrios and Lauro is only a few chromatic notes away from that of Sor, and I'd love to see players improvising preludes to Brouwer or other more modern composers.