Attending: Victor, Chris, Rick, Scott, Dev, Brad
The meeting opens with some necessary discussion about the status of the project, and where everyone stands on it. Good comments all around. This leads into a list-making session to decide what the primary list of repertoire will be, so that we can move on to some new food.
Asturias, Where is the Nurse?, and Calliope are the next trio to get the bump.
Moving into guitarizing. . . Victor leads calisthenics. About 10 minutes of "group looping".
Working on Nurse. A lot with this piece really stems from relating to the beat and time. Some disagreement on certain small but important points in the bass, but clarification is made. Lots of looping parts.
A break while Chris takes his leave for the night.
Back in the circle: Calliope. It needs work, certainly, but it *is* rusty. Victor makes some points about accent picking.
Some work with Asturias.
A couple of quiet circulations to close the night.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Mid-week at Dev's
2013/11/06
2100-2230
In attendance: Chris, Dev, RM, Scott
Arriving at Dev's for 1830 for a pre-meeting dinner I find that I am the first to arrive. Scott arrives a little before 1900 but Chris is nearly a full hour late! The group takes this in stride as he travels from two states away to attend meetings. Conversation and catching up while waiting on Chris.
Dinner at a local Indian fine dining establishment from 2000-2045. It was Victor's suggestion that the group meet for dinner and at this particular restaurant.
Circling up and beginning at 2100 with Scott running calisthenics. Scott proclaims first primary work and sets the metronome at a "slow" tempo. Working in eight notes changing from alternate picking in one position, then all release in the next position, then all return in the next and then the pattern repeats. Some observations are made regarding rushing during certain picking approaches. The next exercise is to play a first primary variation where a pattern (1-2-3-4) is played on one string while counting out loud in 5 and once the fingering/counting pattern resolves, moving to the next string. As an added challenge on the way down the neck from 1st string to 6th, the open string is added as the first note and the counting is in 4. Some comments are made regarding the challenge of staying with the count and the not rushing ahead of the click.
Work then proceeds to VOAC. Comments after the first run through include "That was much better than the first run through at last meeting" and "The dynamics seem more pronounced". A question is asked about dynamics in the "pulse" part and RM noticing the difference in playing the "claw" alone with two "pulses." The tempo is referenced with the metronome, it is played again and immediately afterward the tempo is verified with the metronome. A comment is made that the tempo slowed slightly but that this was "not too bad."
EOTN is next. The initial run through is met with a comment of "yikes" immediately afterward. Lotsa mistakes and misses and a bit of discussion follows as to what was experienced during these misses. Also a brief discussion is made as to the bass players giving their notes their full value as well as request to RM from Dev: "Can you please play it perfectly at next meeting?" RM agrees to comply. Another run through followed by a request by Scott to improv. Dev suggests that Scott begin by playing a motif and we would all join in. Afterward some discussion on difficulty trying to find tone centers through some of the shifting that the improv presented (Scott's initial motif also had a non-diatonic chromatic element that I can best describe as outlining a progression similar to "White Room" by Cream). Dev recollected some work that the 'Circle did about 3 years ago with recognizing tone centers and hinted at revisiting this.
At 2210 Chris announces that he needs to leave and after a some discussion and a brief pause the meeting is completed at 2230. Before he does leave we engage is a bit of chat centered around Chris' movie watching project and his request for future movie suggestions are plentiful. After Chris leaves Dev and Scott introduce RM to an episode of Metalocalypse which rounds out an evening of work sandwiched between some socializing and camaraderie building.
2100-2230
In attendance: Chris, Dev, RM, Scott
Arriving at Dev's for 1830 for a pre-meeting dinner I find that I am the first to arrive. Scott arrives a little before 1900 but Chris is nearly a full hour late! The group takes this in stride as he travels from two states away to attend meetings. Conversation and catching up while waiting on Chris.
Dinner at a local Indian fine dining establishment from 2000-2045. It was Victor's suggestion that the group meet for dinner and at this particular restaurant.
Circling up and beginning at 2100 with Scott running calisthenics. Scott proclaims first primary work and sets the metronome at a "slow" tempo. Working in eight notes changing from alternate picking in one position, then all release in the next position, then all return in the next and then the pattern repeats. Some observations are made regarding rushing during certain picking approaches. The next exercise is to play a first primary variation where a pattern (1-2-3-4) is played on one string while counting out loud in 5 and once the fingering/counting pattern resolves, moving to the next string. As an added challenge on the way down the neck from 1st string to 6th, the open string is added as the first note and the counting is in 4. Some comments are made regarding the challenge of staying with the count and the not rushing ahead of the click.
Work then proceeds to VOAC. Comments after the first run through include "That was much better than the first run through at last meeting" and "The dynamics seem more pronounced". A question is asked about dynamics in the "pulse" part and RM noticing the difference in playing the "claw" alone with two "pulses." The tempo is referenced with the metronome, it is played again and immediately afterward the tempo is verified with the metronome. A comment is made that the tempo slowed slightly but that this was "not too bad."
EOTN is next. The initial run through is met with a comment of "yikes" immediately afterward. Lotsa mistakes and misses and a bit of discussion follows as to what was experienced during these misses. Also a brief discussion is made as to the bass players giving their notes their full value as well as request to RM from Dev: "Can you please play it perfectly at next meeting?" RM agrees to comply. Another run through followed by a request by Scott to improv. Dev suggests that Scott begin by playing a motif and we would all join in. Afterward some discussion on difficulty trying to find tone centers through some of the shifting that the improv presented (Scott's initial motif also had a non-diatonic chromatic element that I can best describe as outlining a progression similar to "White Room" by Cream). Dev recollected some work that the 'Circle did about 3 years ago with recognizing tone centers and hinted at revisiting this.
At 2210 Chris announces that he needs to leave and after a some discussion and a brief pause the meeting is completed at 2230. Before he does leave we engage is a bit of chat centered around Chris' movie watching project and his request for future movie suggestions are plentiful. After Chris leaves Dev and Scott introduce RM to an episode of Metalocalypse which rounds out an evening of work sandwiched between some socializing and camaraderie building.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Thacher Music Room, 11-4-2013
Minutes by Dev
We began with Victor leading calisthenics. Relaxing the left hand, going through each part of the hand. Victor set the metronome and we played on beat 1 of a 4-beat click. Over time, we added more notes, but always with the idea of burying the click and playing with full tone. We would periodically be reminded of relaxation. We progressed through some variations, eventually playing one note on each string while tapping our heads, moving around, etc. Some work on the Burbles and getting them to sit right in the "mix".
This led into work on Eye of the Needle. We played it through once, and then broke it down into sections. Various people played parts together, to more clearly hear what was going on. Scott was shown the idea of picking through the string and resting the pick on the adjacent string. Lots of work here on subtle but important musical ideas.
Victor discussed the idea of not "knowing", but "seeing".
Break
Work on Voices of Ancient Children was next. A run-through, and then smaller groups. We spent some time on dynamics and also on when the "claw" part should re-enter after the "free melody" line of the lead.
It was almost time for Chris to leave, but we worked on Flying Home. Work with the basses on accenting the open D. The idea of letting the piece do the work. Victor discussed other traditions and practicing.
Completion
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Sunday Meeting at Thacher
2013/10/27
1930-2235
In attendance: Victor, Scott, Dev, Brad, Chris, RM
The room is tidied and the team is seated by 2000. Opening circulation leads way to improv. RM leads calisthenics with work on the 1st primary in semiquavers up and down the neck in true ascending and true descending patterns. Tempos range from 76 to 92. For the second half of calisthenics the team does a syncopation exercise with semiquaver picking and introducing a single semiquaver rest that moves around in 2-bar patterns.
Dev then asks for EOTN. After a few go throughs the comment is made "It needs a bit more work in places." Another noticing is that while we need to play it "at the drop of a hat" with musicality, we aren't doing this. A suggestion for marching is met with indifference so a bit of section work for the benefit of the basses is addressed. In this, Victor sees a few points with the leads that need addressing and they run through a few section with the basses listening. Comments are made that there is vast improvement. The full team get's back at it with counting added for the basses in the Dm section.
Work then on VOAC with half the team playing, half listening. Then the other half gives it a go. Tempo is addressed and adopted as 90 being the target. A comment is made that it isn't sounding very musical and the suggestion is give: "play it as though your life depended upon it." A few more go 'rounds with attention on musicality and the team notices that there is slight improvement.
As Flying Home is called Chris announces that he is on a tight curfew and has to leave at 2100 and since it was 2100, he leaves. The 5 piece team begins work on Flying Home and after playing though twice Dev fills Victor in on the Flying Home work that was done and the noticings at the previous meeting.
Victor calls for the basses to play and has some comments and suggestions for them centering around how to play more together. Then the leads-only play through the Dm section as RM tries to project while Victor runs the harmony and back again. RM comments that he noticed an additional fingering correction at the last meeting and that his practice on this has been helping, but still a good way to go yet. Though, it does seem to be getting a bit easier to play. Victor then pushes the tempo up and the team plays the piece through. Comments include "old habits creep back in" and "so hard."
A closing circulation turned improv and the meeting is adjourned at 2235.
1930-2235
In attendance: Victor, Scott, Dev, Brad, Chris, RM
The room is tidied and the team is seated by 2000. Opening circulation leads way to improv. RM leads calisthenics with work on the 1st primary in semiquavers up and down the neck in true ascending and true descending patterns. Tempos range from 76 to 92. For the second half of calisthenics the team does a syncopation exercise with semiquaver picking and introducing a single semiquaver rest that moves around in 2-bar patterns.
Dev then asks for EOTN. After a few go throughs the comment is made "It needs a bit more work in places." Another noticing is that while we need to play it "at the drop of a hat" with musicality, we aren't doing this. A suggestion for marching is met with indifference so a bit of section work for the benefit of the basses is addressed. In this, Victor sees a few points with the leads that need addressing and they run through a few section with the basses listening. Comments are made that there is vast improvement. The full team get's back at it with counting added for the basses in the Dm section.
Work then on VOAC with half the team playing, half listening. Then the other half gives it a go. Tempo is addressed and adopted as 90 being the target. A comment is made that it isn't sounding very musical and the suggestion is give: "play it as though your life depended upon it." A few more go 'rounds with attention on musicality and the team notices that there is slight improvement.
As Flying Home is called Chris announces that he is on a tight curfew and has to leave at 2100 and since it was 2100, he leaves. The 5 piece team begins work on Flying Home and after playing though twice Dev fills Victor in on the Flying Home work that was done and the noticings at the previous meeting.
Victor calls for the basses to play and has some comments and suggestions for them centering around how to play more together. Then the leads-only play through the Dm section as RM tries to project while Victor runs the harmony and back again. RM comments that he noticed an additional fingering correction at the last meeting and that his practice on this has been helping, but still a good way to go yet. Though, it does seem to be getting a bit easier to play. Victor then pushes the tempo up and the team plays the piece through. Comments include "old habits creep back in" and "so hard."
A closing circulation turned improv and the meeting is adjourned at 2235.
Mid-week at RM's
2013/10/23
2100-2300
In attendance: Chris, Dev, Brad, RM
Chris arrives at 2100 and after some casual chatting he and RM get to work on sections of Flying Home. Dev and Brad arrive at 2145 and once tuned join in, forgoing calisthenics. Flying Home is worked section by section as a team and in various pairs. Points that the group note:
It is noted that the chief reason for this seems to be in the understanding of where the top of the beat is and the apparent desire to push, in some cases. There is some noticing while playing in pairs that one's part feels very different when going from playing with one person to another.
Playing suggestions are repeated from a previous meeting and there is a question of whether those suggestion might have been targeted at addressing a specific problem and possibly not to be taken as a general rule therefore, not necessarily applicable at this meeting. Flying Home work is wrapped up with several tries at a faster tempo with the instruction given "hold on best you can."
A closing circulation turned improv and the meeting is adjourned at 2300.
2100-2300
In attendance: Chris, Dev, Brad, RM
Chris arrives at 2100 and after some casual chatting he and RM get to work on sections of Flying Home. Dev and Brad arrive at 2145 and once tuned join in, forgoing calisthenics. Flying Home is worked section by section as a team and in various pairs. Points that the group note:
- Dev and Brad have a different approach to playing the bass line
- When they put some attention on this they seem to play more "together"
- Chris and RM have a different approach to playing the lead line
- When they put some attention on this they seem to play more "together"
It is noted that the chief reason for this seems to be in the understanding of where the top of the beat is and the apparent desire to push, in some cases. There is some noticing while playing in pairs that one's part feels very different when going from playing with one person to another.
Playing suggestions are repeated from a previous meeting and there is a question of whether those suggestion might have been targeted at addressing a specific problem and possibly not to be taken as a general rule therefore, not necessarily applicable at this meeting. Flying Home work is wrapped up with several tries at a faster tempo with the instruction given "hold on best you can."
A closing circulation turned improv and the meeting is adjourned at 2300.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Thacher Gym, 10-20-2013
Minutes: Scott
Brad led calisthenics this day. He started us off with the 16 bar exercise. Once we had finished, he had us repeat this with the addition of counting the bars out loud. Then the same thing, only counting 3/4 over the 16 bar exercise. This concluded calisthenics for the evening.
After calisthenics, Dev had us go through 'Eye of the Needle', but only playing the first and the last note of the piece to a metronome. This was to see if we would all end in the same place. After this, we played through all of 'Eye of the Needle' a few times. Then we moved on to 'Flying Home'. Each section worked on playing precisely on the beat. At this point, we had an audience of two earwigs scurrying around our feet, so we played 'Voices of Ancient Children' for them. We played it twice without a metronome and once with the metronome at the suggested tempo.
After calisthenics, Dev had us go through 'Eye of the Needle', but only playing the first and the last note of the piece to a metronome. This was to see if we would all end in the same place. After this, we played through all of 'Eye of the Needle' a few times. Then we moved on to 'Flying Home'. Each section worked on playing precisely on the beat. At this point, we had an audience of two earwigs scurrying around our feet, so we played 'Voices of Ancient Children' for them. We played it twice without a metronome and once with the metronome at the suggested tempo.
Catching up: 9-29-2013
Minutes: Scott
Victor led calisthenics. He started by taking us through the first primary, focusing on the amount of pressure we put on the strings. He then introduced an exercise to work on our familiarity with the fretboard. He would call out a finger, string and fret number; everyone would have to locate the fret on the correct string with the finger indicated without looking.
Then we worked on repertoire. Eye of the Needle was the first song worked on. After playing through the song as a whole group a couple times, Dev suggested just the basses play to the metronome. When this was done, we took a break.
During the break we discussed if it would be appropriate to perform in the near future.
Voices of Ancient Children was the next song we worked on. The rhythm sections worked on counting and keeping track of each change in the song, while the lead section discussed alternate ways of playing their section.
We concluded the night by playing Flying Home a few times.
Victor led calisthenics. He started by taking us through the first primary, focusing on the amount of pressure we put on the strings. He then introduced an exercise to work on our familiarity with the fretboard. He would call out a finger, string and fret number; everyone would have to locate the fret on the correct string with the finger indicated without looking.
Then we worked on repertoire. Eye of the Needle was the first song worked on. After playing through the song as a whole group a couple times, Dev suggested just the basses play to the metronome. When this was done, we took a break.
During the break we discussed if it would be appropriate to perform in the near future.
Voices of Ancient Children was the next song we worked on. The rhythm sections worked on counting and keeping track of each change in the song, while the lead section discussed alternate ways of playing their section.
We concluded the night by playing Flying Home a few times.
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