Quote:
Originally Posted by Nailpicker
For example: I'm currently working on Recuerdos de la Alhambra as published in a book by a fairly well known classical guitarist and teacher. The fingering is not what I would intuitively do by just reading the music and playing what I saw. There seems to be a different approach that ultimately I see makes sense, and I can see the flow, but is not intuitively how I'd play it as a non classical player. But as I'M working through it it sure makes sense. I think that's where a good teacher could help speed things along.
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Hmmm....
I regret not having climbed Mt. Everest too as a kid....
Seriously though, I apologize in advance if it's not the case, but there doesn't seem to be anything in your background description that would suggest you have had the opportunity in your life to master that technique. So, I'll go out on a limb and speculate that this piece may be at the root cause of your current state of mind.
That's a very difficult piece of music to pull off, and it has nothing to do with fretboard fingering. The tremolo technique, unless it's mastered, will always be a roadblock to advancing any further whenever it's required. It's one of those things, unfortunately, that looks a lot easier than it is when it's done well. Conversely, when it's not, it sounds awful, and nothing like Tarrega's intent. I'm guessing that, even if you had the best teacher sitting in front of you in your remote location, he or she wouldn't even be looking at your left hand. They would be focusing on right hand dexterity and evenness of tone production needed for that technique. And give you technical exercises to work on to develop it. Only when it starts to work would/should you be allowed to advance.
In the meantime, there is so much beautiful music to be played and worked on to keep you challenged and rewarded, and that is a lot more accessible technically. In Tarrega's catalog alone, if you're into romantic style classical.
So, if I were your teacher I would give you right hand tremolo technique exercises to work on slowly every day for 15 to 30 minutes. At the most. Steady as she goes.
And have you working on other material of your choosing that is in accordance with your current skill set.
Again, it's not my intent to disparage your abilities. Just the opposite. I'm trying to get you kick started the right way, given your current circumstances out in the backwoods of WI. (Not a bad place to be, as far as I'm concerned.)
In this day and age, there is so much more you can do on your own to develop, and so much free instruction (some of it really good) available on the internet. Your connection can't be bad all the time. (For tremolo, check out Pepe Romero, for example, or get hold of Scott Tennant's Pumping Nylon DVD, for non-internet guidance.) You won't be working on RDLA right away, but eventually you will be.
So, it's fine to have regrets. We all have them. I fully understand your position. But, you can really do something about it. it just takes time, discipline, and going about it the right way.