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February 2009 Student Newsletter Andy: You're progressing well. Your biggest challenge is rhythm and you need to be ever-aware of it as you play, not just in difficult passages. Alberto: If you can put a little more time in, perhaps at an additional time in the day, you're going to see progress more quickly. You're playing difficult music so you need a little more time to spend with it. Blair: You have gotten a good grip on your focus - you are much less distracted and that is profitting you. I like that you have a plan for what you'd like to tackle. I think the list will morph as you learn more and your taste and desires will shape your plans in a more enlightened way. Keep up the great work. Danielle: I love the results of your dilligent practice. You are becoming less reluctant to work on challenging music. That's a very great leap forward for you. Dylan: You're very musical. Your challenges are getting back into a regular practice routine -- it hasn't been as good since the Christmas break. You also have to take care that your fingers are hitting the fingerboard perpendicularly and not interfering with other strings. A few of your chords sound muddy, and that will be eliminated with a more vertical attack. Over all, you're doing well. Gary: I think our "rhythm bootcamp" is working to your benefit. Once rhythm doesn't seem like an addition to your music, but rather part of it, you'll be more relaxed and rhythm will feel natural and will be more logical for you. Jason: You're coming along, Jason. You have to find a way to increase your practice time. I don't think you can get enough done before school, but it's admirable that you play in the morning. Keep your June goal in mind. Melissa: I know you dislike doing things by ear. That's exactly why we're doing them. The more you work on this valuable musical skill, the more you will cultivate the ability to do it with ease. You will begin to play with musical understanding and intuition as well as knowledge. Keep up the practice. I know it's hard when you don't feel well. Merav: Terrific. I love that you have a list of questions every time we meet. I know your playing means a lot to you. Olivia: You are making great progress. Your writing is great, your ear training is great and your playing is great. That's why you are working on difficult things. Keep up the excellent work. Omer: The key that will set your guitar playing free, is practicing in a profitable way. Just because you sit with the guitar for a period of time, doesn't mean it is effective. We have discussed this and I hope you have taken what I have told you, to heart. You can become the guitarist you'd like to be, but in order to do that, you will have to work on hard things that take time to master. Otherwise, you will plateau - and that's a frustrating place to be, musically. Sam: Your schedule is our enemy. It isn't often that you are able to practice. I hope you haven't forgotten the suggestion to play a little between homework subjects. You'll get a little more playing in each week and you'll be refreshed when you start your next assignment. Don't forget the Mozart Effect. Your school work will probably even be better if you practice as suggested. Shifra: You're on probation from guitar because you haven't been putting in enough time. I hope you'll return to my schedule in the near future. Sibi: Great work! You have given your playing great effort and you are reaping the benefit. Keep up the excellent work. Talia: What happened to your practice time??? You haven't been practicing so regularly over the past couple months. I hope you'll practice more. If you do, I'm sure there's a new guitar in store for your birthday. :-)
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