Waltzes

Jazzaferri · September 2012

It may be just vanity pn my part

as I am just getting up to speed on Indifference. Admittedly, its a Little more work to have the rhythm, the solo guotar lines and then getting it on sax. But I really think Indifference i not really an intermediate level waltz as some of the shits are challenging.

My first waltz was MstG and it took me two years to be able to play it at a good tempo cleanly. I still work on it a bit most days. I now have to figure out an arrangement for sax.

I think someone said that waltzes were really good for learning gj phrasing. I certainly have found it so. Once I have it grooved I start looking at different fingerings, which sometimes work better sometimes are not as easy.

Jim Kaznosky · January 2014

I'm resurrecting this post just to reiterate how good learning waltzes are for techniques. I'm at four complete waltzes and the goal is to have at least seven total by the end of the year. My reasoning is that many of the waltzes offer such challenges that they are perfect for a warm-up and it would be nice to work on one a day, both harmony and single lines. Currently I have MSG, Dolores (Tchan Tchou version), Chez Jacquet, and Valse de Rosenthal. Likely will add Bamboula and something very difficult to work on, as well as something a little more modern.
Even with the "easier" waltzes, there are still passages that require some technical work, either with exacting picking patterns or speed, that allow for some work to be done.

That being said, none of mine are up to speed yet. It will get close hopefully.

kevingcox · January 2014

Valse à Dora isn't terribly hard. I think it borrows pretty heavily from Chez Jacquet in the B.

I personally find La Gitane easier than Montagne Ste. Geneviève simply because the B section of MSG is so hard to play cleanly while the A section is easy to rip through (thereby setting yourself up for disaster when the B comes around).

Jim Kaznosky · January 2014

I set myself up for disaster anytime I leave the practice room, Kevin.

kevingcox · January 2014

I remember Denis saying pretty clearly that if you wanted to improve technique there was nothing better than waltzes.

Jim Kaznosky · January 2014

It certainly has helped me.

MacKeagan · January 2014

Ah, now I have some more waltzes to work on! First one I learned was Sous Le Ciel de Paris(Under Paris Skies), which for some reason works easily for me in G-minor. The second one is La Partida, which I got the dots in B-minor from thesession.org.