Jenny

Cheers Donna. Many thanks. I have only made it as far as PR 8 at the moment but will look ahead!

Jenny

Hi – sorry meant to type – Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring!

Jenny

Hi Donna,

I have exactly the same problem with my little finger and have been trying to work out how best to strengthen it and improve finger independence. Thank you so much for drawing my attention to the fabulous exercise Niki showed in the coaching call with Brian otherwise I would have missed it altogether.

I think in your note you were…[Read more]

Hi Donna,

Thank you so much for doing this. I am staying with in-laws just now and couldn’t join in. This is really helpful and I’ll catch up with the replay when I get back. I found I couldn’t speed up as much as I hoped as I was starting to get some pain in the hands but I still gained a huge amount from the exercise.

Jenny

25 November 2019

Here is my Week 3 video. I had a go at 110 bpm in the end rather than 100bpm to challenge myself a bit more but was restricted in the practise time I could do as my left wrist started to hurt after a few minutes so I stopped before an injury could develop.

This is now twice the speed I need for my grade 3 exam in Spring. I’m…[Read more]

Hi both – brilliant fun. Thank you for giving us a good smile over Sunday breakfast! Here in the U.K. we don’t have Thanksgiving so the run up to Christmas is already in full swing. The shops are already decked up with holly, glitter and Christmas trees and where I live the outdoor Christmas market is up and running. So your carol isn’t too…[Read more]

18 November 2019

Here is my Week 2 video:

The decision to reduce my ambition was a good one. I have found that using the relatively unfamiliar a finger as much as I have is starting to cause a little discomfort so I have only practised the scale for the Speed Challenge for short period every other day this week.…[Read more]

Ian,

I’m really sorry to hear of your injury and hope that with rest you’ll be back playing soon.

I totally agree with you about the risk of injury increasing as one ages and the problem is also that healing takes longer too. One point resonated for me from the recent Laura Snowden interview on Simon’s podcast. Laura says at one point that…[Read more]

11 November 19

Here is my Week 1 video. I must admit I have had a bit of a struggle with this this week and need to change my goals!

The baseline video at 70 bpm was already a big step up from the 55bpm set for Grade 3 but I felt I could go faster than this and I optimistically set myself a 70bpm baseline. The 70 bpm wasn’t too uncomfortable…[Read more]

I’m coming too this time. Really looking forward to meeting everyone and my first go at playing in an ensemble!

That 2 of us from the U.K. Lynda so we might be able to co-ordinate flights perhaps. Any others I wonder?

Jenny

Hi Ahmed – thank you for sharing your review and congratulations on a wonderful submission. Great job! Hearing the feedback was very helpful to me as I’ll be submitting my Grade 3 in Spring. Cheers, Jenny

Hi Ken,

Many thanks for the update. Really pleased to hear that you are getting on so well with the Guitarlift. I hear nothing but good reports about it ….except the price! I have been in touch with Felix the designer in Germany and he couldn’t have been more helpful. He asked for a photo of my guitar and then of my playing position and has…[Read more]

Hi Donna,

The technique to revive the Humidipacks Brian comments on in his post works really well for me. I have used it several times now and each time the packs come back to their original condition. But then I live in a temperate climate and the packs take a while to dry out in the case so don’t have to do it too often (but more frequently in…[Read more]

Wonderful! Thank you. That really made me smile – I love Celtic traditional music too!

Jenny

Hi Beat,

Many thanks. Do you have to order these separately or do they come with the guitarlift? I can’t see any mention of this on the guitarlift website or in the online shop as a separate item to purchase.

Jenny

Thanks for the update Ken. Do you think it would work with a guitar which has an arched back or does the back have to be absolutely flat for it to work?

Jenny

Hi Ian,

I’m in the same boat and decided not to submit my grade 3 this time. Like your wife my husband, although hugely supportive of my efforts, is getting a little tired of the Sor Estudio bar 21 in particular! I just can’t get the slurs right every time so on I slog. His solution is to retreat to his “man den” aka study on the top floor…[Read more]

Hi Rick,

Sounds a wonderful programme. Just tried the link from here in the U.K. but sadly it doesn’t work due to “rights restrictions in your region”. Hope others elsewhere have more luck! Thanks for posting anyway.

Love the idea of a trip to Madrid. You know a number of us outside the US are keeping our fingers crossed that we can have a…[Read more]

Hi Dave – I’d like to join please. Thanks. Jenny