Fernando Sor, Opus 60, No.1

I have been working on this piece with my teacher for about a month. I am studying with a guy who is working on his master's degree in classical guitar. I filmed it twice because I wanted to compare sound quality between an indoor performance and an outdoor performance. I was not sure how much "ambient sound" the camera would pick up outdoors. Turns out it picked up a lot. You can hear a car going past pretty clearly. I like the outdoor scenery but it does mess up the sound. The second rendition is indoors with some improvement in the sound. I am playing this piece a bit slower than perhaps others have. I am trying to make it more of a lullaby than a dance. Let me know what you think.

Nice playing. I like the outdoor setting visually, but the sound was better indoors. The indoor setting seemed more lullaby-like, kind of cozy, but the background was a bit busy. There are different kinds of microphones, and some of them are directional, which helps in limiting the ambient background noise. Outdoors is a problem most places, because of cars and planes and sirens and helicopters....

Thanks for posting!
–Lori

Lori said:

Nice playing. I like the outdoor setting visually, but the sound was better indoors. The indoor setting seemed more lullaby-like, kind of cozy, but the background was a bit busy. There are different kinds of microphones, and some of them are directional, which helps in limiting the ambient background noise. Outdoors is a problem most places, because of cars and planes and sirens and helicopters....

Thanks for posting!
–Lori

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Thanks, Lori. I need to invest in some video and recording equipment - or go over to DeG's house and use his! Lord knows, he makes some serious videos. Yeah, I am using a cheapo camera with a built-in mic and it is never going to get any better unless I spend some money.

Thanks for the kind words about the playing. This was a simple piece. I am working on Vivaldi's Largo from the Concerto in D, and then I will start on the Gaspar Sanz material that has been transcribed by Rob McKillop.

Nice to hear some Classical Uke.
I used to play a lot of Sor on Classical Guitar - haven't touched that type of instrument in years.
More recently I've played a little Sanz on baroque Guitar. Much of the Sanz seems to work really well on the Uke. McKillop's version of Zarabanda Francesa is absolutely delightful. Obviously Tsani has heard it. If you haven't, then just Youtube it! I'm looking forward to when I can play the stuff on my Renaissance Uke.

Wow, Michael! You make some fabulous instruments! I would like to see what your "Renaissance Uke" will look like. Someday I would like to own a 4 course baroque guitar so that I could play some of these pieces on the instrument that they are written for. Thanks for your feedback and encouragement.

Thanks tsani. Actually the 4 course Baroque Guitar didn't exist (at least not that I know of). The 4 Course Renaissance Guitar did and is the same tuning as the Uke, except that it has doubled strings like the Taropatch.
My Renaissance Uke is a little experimental. I'm going to try both types of stringing i.e. doubled and as single Baritone type. I've no doubt that it will work as a Renaissance Guitar, just unsure how it will work as a Uke with single strings.
The thread is here:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?52864-Renaissance-Uke.

Because the build is for myself, other instruments have to take priority. I hope to make progress later this week and will update the thread as and when.

I've also just received a book from the French lute society of 108 pieces for Renaissance Guitar. Original pieces from Germany, France, Spain, Italy and England. It's in French Tablature- which uses letters to indicate which fret, rather than using numbers.
There's just so much stuff for 4 strings, not to mention all of the modern stuff!

Nice job, that was one of the first tunes I learned when I took up Guitar, and now my wife is playing it.

Very cool, Michael! I am looking forward to seeing the finished version of your Renaissance Uke.