HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: egras@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Re: hoof-flex for humans(acrylic)
Date: 27 Jan 93 14:14:13 EST
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Physics

>>   - Acrylic nail surfacing.  This is done either by a manicurist
>> (better, but more expensive) or by yourself with a home kit.  Basically
>> it consists of coating the entire surface of the nail with an acrylic
>> solution which hardens and is nearly indestructible.  since the entire
>> nail is coated, it grows out with the nail itself and need be redone
>> only periodically.  Although this will definitely solve your wear
>> problems, many have found the playing characteristics of this to be
>> unsatisfactory, both from the "cumbersome" feeling of the increased nail
>> thickness and the "clacky" tone that is produced by the *very* hard
>> acrylic surface.
>> 
> 
> I use this regularly. It has to be re-done about every 4-6 weeks, but I
> find it absolutely WONDERFUL. Until I started this, my nails would
> constantly crack and be generally worthless. I have been able to stop
> focusing on my hands, and start focusing on playing and music. It's
> a lot more fun that way.



	I have nail problems due to my participation in sports.  I am now using
the Vaseline hand-nail lotion.  I think that has strengthened my nails.  I 
would love to try this acrylic surfacing.  I was wondering how noticable it
was once applied.  I really don't want to look like I'm wearing nail polish.
If the Vaseline doesn't work though, I'll resort to anything.

BrianE
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: bhunt@crow.csrv.uidaho.edu (Brett Hunt)
Subject: Re: hoof-flex for humans
Organization: University Of Idaho.
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 22:13:53 GMT
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

Stuart LeBlanc (leblanc@knuth.mtsu.edu) wrote:
: >A while back somebody mentioned the possible use of the product "Hoof
: >Flex", apparently intending to protect horse's hoofs from cracking,
: >as a nail strengthener.  I've come across this product and am
: >trying it.  Has anybody else tried this or heard of anybody trying it?
: >Mainly I don't want to try anything that might turn out to be harmful.
: >I'm thinking I'll put it in my left hand or maybe even my toenails
: >first for a week or so before risking my right hand nails.

I personally have used "Hoof Alive" which I got from a vet as a free sample
It's effect was to strengthen the nail (i.e. less brittle) after a period 
of about two weeks of daily use. I used it for about 6 months with no
side effects but have stopped using for about a year now and for some 
reason my nails hardly ever break. I think it's because I've learned to
be more careful with them, since the "Hoof Alive" effect has certainly
grown out.

Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Larry Broda)
Subject: Re: hoof-flex for humans
Organization: UIUC Department of Psychology
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:40:08 GMT
Keywords: nails

leblanc@knuth.mtsu.edu (Stuart LeBlanc) writes:


(on hooflex...)

>I believe this is what Adam Holzman uses, and he has *major* nail wear
>problems.  Other products I've heard recommended:...

Do you mean he uses it and still has major problems despite it, or
that he uses it *because* he has major wear problems (and thus finds
it helpful)?

Thanks for the other suggestions, though I think I'll steer clear of
formaldehyde.


>Stuart LeBlanc
>Guitar Instructor
>MTSU Dept. of Music
>leblanc@knuth.mtsu.edu


P.S. on HOOFLEX:

Do not consider this product if you are married to a person with a
sense of humor.

Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Larry Broda)
Subject: Re: String Recommendations? (No Augustines, please...)
Organization: UIUC Department of Psychology
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:29:06 GMT

mpaul@unl.edu (marxhausen paul) writes:

>I already went through this over on r.m.m.guitar, not thinking to post
>it here where it would do me more good, but to open a huge can of worms:

>What do you like for strings on your classical guitar?  For some unfathomable
>reason, what used to be a fair selection of classical strings in the music
>stores here in Lincoln has dwindled to Augustines or nothing.

>My opinion: I've used a lot of Augustines.  When they're good, they're great.
>When they're not, they are WRETCHED. 

I use D'Addario Pro Artes.  I switched to them from Augustines.  I
found them to be brighter and longer lived than the Augustines, and
they don't take as long to stretch out and stay in tune.   However, I
have gotten one or two bum strings in D'addario sets that wouldn`t
tune right.  
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: kent@netcom.com (Kent Crispin)
Subject: Re: Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Was Re: Yepes)
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 00:41:08 GMT

In article <basinski-200193173022@lully.biosci.arizona.edu> basinski@biosci.arizona.edu (Mark Basinski) writes:
>In article <1jhtngINNm4m@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>, mewilson@convex.cl.msu.edu
>(Margaret Wilson) wrote:
>> Of course I'm serious.  Have you read other responses to this?  Apparently
>> I'm not the only one to have heard/read this.  But even if you disagree, you
>> don't have to be insulting.  Why don't you provide us with some evidence to
>> the contrary rather than simply cutting down my "sense of music," and calling
>> me "misguided."  When you insult me, you've also insulted a number of other
>> people who are carrying on a conversation with the intention of learning
>> something.
>> 
>> Oh, and my tremelo is just fine.  Studying under Joe and playing for about
>> 22 years has seen to that.  Go back in your box.  I don't need your approval
>> to know I'm a damned good guitarist.
>> 
>  well, sorry, but I'm a performer and teacher and I have no qualms at all
>about telling you "You're wrong" - If you (or anyone else) think the bass 
>line is more  melodically interesting than the top line, well fine, but
>that 
>is not what tremolo is about. 
>
>  I'm glad you're a damned good guitarist. How about becoming a musician? 
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Mark Basinski      Internet: basinski@biosci.arizona.edu

If there is anything worse than being an insulting asshole, it's being an 
insulting asshole who is also right.  Don't you agree?

Kent

-- 
Kent Crispin			"No reason to get excited",
kent@netcom.netcom.com		the thief he kindly spoke...
From: basinski@biosci.arizona.edu (Mark Basinski)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Re: Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Was Re: Yepes)
Date: 21 Jan 93 20:26:32 GMT
Followup-To: rec.music.classical.guitar
Organization: Univ. of Arizona

In article <leblanc.727606669@knuth.mtsu.edu>, leblanc@knuth.mtsu.edu
(Stuart LeBlanc) wrote:
> Although Mark Basinski could perhaps make his point somewhat more
> tactfully, and in fact if you look at the coda of Recuerdos there are
> those phrases where the upper voice repeats a note while the
> accompaniment takes a more melodic character, he is nonetheless correct:
> the upper voice is the melody, and the basic musical intent of the tremolo
> is to approximate the sustained quality of the singing voice.  There are
> probably a few hundred songs by Schubert which are of precisely the same
> texture as Recuerdos, and although most musicians would say the piano
> accompaniments are very fine, there are probably very few who would
> characterize the piano part as melody and the voice part as
> accompaniment.
> 
> This intuitive perception is borne out compositionally as well, because
> there is a plainly apparent technique of motivic development in the
> melody of Recuerdos, which a competent interpreter will avail themself
> of to good musical effect.
> 
  It was not my intention to hurt anybody's feelings, but as Professor
LeBlanc points out, if you are giving your attention to what is the 
musical point of Recuerdos, it's *very* hard to see any musical sense
in treating the lower voice as the principal melody. Recuerdos is a
romantic piece that is an evocation of a song, and in typically Romantic
texture, there is a clear division between *melody* and *accompaniment*.
This doesn't mean that the accompaniment should not be clear not carry
it's own musicality, but the upper voice is *clearly* the singing melody.

  If you can't really see that, try this experiment, either as a "thought
experiment" or actually try performing this: Play the lower part and
sing the top part (or have someone assist you), THEN play the
top part and SING the lower part. Which one sounds like a convincing
performance of a romantic piece?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Basinski      Internet: basinski@biosci.arizona.edu
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: olavt@ulrik.uio.no (Olav Torvund)
Subject: Re: Tablature (was Re: Tab to Vivaldi's Concerti)
Organization: University of Oslo, Norway
	<1993Jan12.194857.20873@news.columbia.edu>
	<basinski-120193161716@lully.biosci.arizona.edu>
	<1993Jan13.051817.16394@news.columbia.edu>
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 12:19:53 GMT

First of all, I will recommend reading music and not tabulature. The
reason for that is that music staff describes music, tabulature
describes technique.

Having said that: You can make tabulature with Finale, I have done it
myself. You can specify as many lines as you want, and you must set
the open sting pitch in a dialog box (I think it is some MIDI value,
but I do not remember). By doing that, you can make tabs for alternate
tunings, etc.

Every line is treated as one staff line, and Finale can of course not
know on which string you want to play the note. What you do is to mark
the notes in the music staff that you want to play on one particular
string, and copy them to the actual string tab. Then Finale will do
the rest of the job. (There is a little bug, if it has not been fixed
in the latest release: I had some problems with triplets).

Finale comes with a musical font called Petrucci, and a font for chord
diagrams called Seville. FOnts come in Adobe type 1 format (postscript
and for Adobe Type Manager) and HP LaserJet. I have just received
information about an upgrade, and I would expect True Type fonts with
that upgrade, but I do not know.

Olav Torvund
University of Oslo
NOrway
Olavt@jus.uio.no



Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Larry Broda)
Subject: Re: GFA membership
Organization: UIUC Department of Psychology
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 06:37:43 GMT

Jim McGehee writes:
 >information, contacts with teachers, and leads on workshops or other events? 
>Or are we all just laboring in solitude...?

I don't know if I had mentioned it in my first posting, but yes,
getting leads on workshops and guitar events is one of the things GFA
is best for... not so much in Soundboard, since it is often so late,
but in that they give out their mailing list to a lot of the
organizers of guitar festivals, etc, so that you get direct mailings.
Only yesterday a brochure arrived for Oberlin's guitar festival this
summer.
From: leblanc@knuth.mtsu.edu (Stuart LeBlanc)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Re: Banned from the repertoire (Was Re: Recuerdos de la Alhambra)
Date: 23 Jan 1993 02:30:50 -0600
Organization: Dept of Comp Science, Middle Tenn State Univ, Murfreesboro, TN
NNTP-Posting-Host: knuth.mtsu.edu

>He said, for instance,
>that everybody is sick of hearing Beethoven's 5th and they don't want
>to hear it anymore. Why? because it is not played right or well enough.
>He thinks that any piece played well, with intelligence, musicality,
>knowledge of historical context and significance and style, will be
>well received always - even if the piece has been played billions of
>times.

How true.  The problem however, is apparent when the piece in question
has such a salutary effect (even when poorly played) that everyone and 
their extended family want to hear those one or two pieces played many 
billions of more times, to the exclusion of the rest of the repertoire 
(which actually contains other pieces which are much more deserving of
being played billions of times).

By the way, please forgive my indulgence in observing out loud that if 
my previous post had been read to its conclusion, this point would
already have been clear.

Stuart LeBlanc
Guitar Instructor
MTSU Dept. of Music
leblanc@knuth.mtsu.edu



Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: farber@mailhost.aa.cad.slb.com (Phillip Farber)
Subject: Re: Correct r.h. positioning (was Re: Barrueco's teaching)
Organization: Schlumberger CAD/CAM; Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA)
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 17:59:41 GMT


What do Shearer/Barrueco have to say about _muscular alignment_ and
positioning with respect to the _left_ hand position?  Do their
recommendations have any bearing on the amount of force applied
between the thumb and first finger in partial and full bar positions?
How might they describe the use of "gravity" or "hanging on the
fingerboard" to reduce the need for squeezing the neck between these
two l.h. fingers?

Phil.




-- 
===========================================================================
Phillip Farber                            farber@ann-arbor.applicon.slb.com
Applicon Schlumberger                     farber@aaaca1.sinet.slb.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-0986 (USA)
From: Jim McGehee
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Re: GFA membership
Date: 22 Jan 93 23:17:30 GMT
Reply-To: James_mcgehee@Kodak.com
Organization: Eastman Chem. Co. Process Eng.

In article <19837@mindlink.bc.ca> a111@mindlink.bc.ca (Anthony J. Lynn) writes:
>> Jim McGehee writes:
>>
>> I have been trying for some time to contact someone at the Guitar
>> Foundation
>> of America.
>
>What are the benefits of joining?
>
>--
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Anthony Lynn - (a111@mindlink.bc.ca)

Thanks for the new address, it had changed since I tried to write them:	
New address:	
c/o Gunnar Eisel
P. O. Box 578 
Claremont, CA
91711

Please, anyone, could you comment on what, if anything, this organization
provides to players or teachers?  I posted this note a week ago and had hoped
for some insight.  Let me broaden the question:  Is there, in the US or Canada,
an active organization for classical guitarists which would provide news,
information, contacts with teachers, and leads on workshops or other events? 
Or are we all just laboring in solitude...?
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: jdalin@devildog.att.com (Jimmy Dalin)
Subject: Re: hoof-flex for humans
Keywords: nails
Organization: AT&T IMS - Piscataway, NJ (USA)
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 13:44:04 GMT

In article <leblanc.727902627@knuth.mtsu.edu> leblanc@knuth.mtsu.edu (Stuart LeBlanc) writes:
>>A while back somebody mentioned the possible use of the product "Hoof
>>Flex", apparently intending to protect horse's hoofs from cracking,
>>as a nail strengthener.  I've come across this product and am
>>trying it.  Has anybody else tried this or heard of anybody trying it?
>>Mainly I don't want to try anything that might turn out to be harmful.
>>I'm thinking I'll put it in my left hand or maybe even my toenails
>>first for a week or so before risking my right hand nails.
>
>I believe this is what Adam Holzman uses, and he has *major* nail wear
>problems.  Other products I've heard recommended:
>
>  - Formaldeyde.  Swab it on once a week and it supposedly hardens your
>nails.  One of my students does this, but the increased hardness is
>apparently accompanied by increased brittleness, so although day-to-day
>wear is reduced, the nail chips more easily.

This is a really bad idea.  While it will probably work, formaldehyde is
poisonous and carcinogenic.  Better to take up the flute.
-- 
Jim Dalin            "No Salga Afuera"  
AT&T                    N.Y.C.T.A.
ATTMail id: !jdalin            
Compuserve: 72260,1573
From: lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Larry Broda)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Re: Barrueco's teaching
Date: 21 Jan 93 15:54:28 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: UIUC Department of Psychology

radams@cerritos.edu writes:

>In article <C15sDw.Hn3@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Larry Broda) writes:
>> radams@cerritos.edu writes:

>This is very interesting. Pepe Romero often modifies his right hand position
>on passages also. The bottom line is that the wrist may vary its position
>but that the unbended wrist is the basic starting point. I would be highly
>interested in anything else you gained from master class or private instruction
>from Barrueco (I forget which you said you did).

It was a master class, about thirteen years ago.  I don't remember
much else, except his emphasis on having the technical aspects of a
piece all worked out when you perform a piece, so that you can
visualize any section of the piece and know exactly what fingerings
(on both hands) you are going to use.  It must work for him, since the
guy doesn't make mistakes (at least not in the concert I saw).  For
one guy with poor tone he mentioned that you need to sand the nails to
a glass-smooth edge.

In rereading what I wrote before about him criticizing players for
their right-hand position, I should add that he did this when he
thought it was crearting problems.  He didn't bring it up for one
player who had that position but was obviously not hindered by it.
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Larry Broda)
Subject: Re: hoof-flex for humans
Organization: UIUC Department of Psychology
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 17:04:18 GMT

bhunt@crow.csrv.uidaho.edu (Brett Hunt) writes:

>I personally have used "Hoof Alive" which I got from a vet as a free sample
>It's effect was to strengthen the nail (i.e. less brittle) after a period 
>of about two weeks of daily use. I used it for about 6 months with no
>side effects but have stopped using for about a year now and for some 
>reason my nails hardly ever break. I think it's because I've learned to
>be more careful with them, since the "Hoof Alive" effect has certainly
>grown out.

I've noticed that the more I'm playing, the less frequently my nails
break.  I don't know if this is because I'm more careful, or because
playing actually strengthen them, or both.

I mention the latter because I recall reading something by Jane Brody
where she said that nail health can be improved by tapping the nails
on a hard surface to encourage circulation or whatever.  Playing
guitar would have a similar effect, and Brody actually went on to say
in the article that that's why guitarists have such strong nails.

I think behavior is important, however.  I've tried to identify
situations where my nails get damaged and to change those actions or
get in the habit of performing them with the left hand (though I'm
right-handed).  Examples of this are: Reaching for a door knob, prying
open a box, picking up a heavy book or stack of papers, where if I
don't get a good hold on them my fingers will sometimes slip, snapping
the nail against the edge of the books.  Also, I never, never, wash
dishes without rubber gloves, and I try to apply hand lotion
frequently throughout the day, especially after washing my hands.
Soap and water are very hard on nails.  I also avoid playing guitar
for an hour or so after showering, when the nails are still soft from
the water (though for some reason I think the tone is exeptionally
good if I do play right after a shower).

--
Larry Broda
Dept. of Psychology
Univ. of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu

Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
From: rcass@kean.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: Re: Recuerdos de la Alhambra -- another view
Organization: Memorial University. St.John's Nfld, Canada
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 00:37:52 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.000013.29063@iconix.oz.au>, ajm@iconix.oz.au (Andrew Mack) writes:
> I'm a rock guitarist trying to play Recuerdos de la Alhambra.
> I got turned on to it after hearing versions by Segovia and some
> flamenco guitarist (can't remember who -- not one of the big names).
> Segovia's version I love.
> The other one -- the thumb part is very staccato. It doesn't sing the
> way Segovia's does. There's no doubt Segovia was a beautiful musician.
> For myself, I'm still trying to get the tremolo down. It's a new
> technique for me.
> 
> Anyway ... all this talk about accompaniment vs. melody and so on I
> think is a furphy. I think each part is equally important and
> highlights the other. Neither part stands on its own -- each needs the
> other part to bring out its own beauty.
> I don't even think of either one as being "melody" or "accompaniment".
> Nor do I think either one should be "highlighted" over the other. At
> various times in the piece, the thumb part is more melodic than the
> tremolo part, and vice versa.
> 
> Take the long view. Does it really matter which part you emphasise?
> Remember, you're not trying to be dogmatic -- you're trying to make
> music. If it sounds good, it is good.
	
	I couldn't agree more. Having bashed away at both parts for two 
years seperately and together,I find there is a great deal of movement and 
beauty in both. My feeling is that those tremolo=melody people should try 
to play the bass as melody and vice versa. In the end it can only help your 
interpretive skills. As Mick Goodrick puts it quite rightly: "When my 
students ask me should I do A or B. I recomend do both." (this is closely 
paraphrased from /The advancing Guitarist/. Get off your high 
horses and try to relate to the other viewpoint. Music is about 
communication not alienation. How insecure can you get?

				Just my two cents.
					  Rob
From: kint@rio.engr.washington.edu (Rick Kint)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Re: David Russell
Date: 22 Jan 1993 00:11:47 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: rio.engr.washington.edu

lbroda@s.psych.uiuc.edu (Larry Broda) wrote:
|> > I'm auditing a master class by David Russell next week.  Though I've
|> > read a lot of good stuff about him, I've never heard him live or on
|> > recordings.  Unfortunately, he is only giving the class, no
|> > performance.  

	Too bad.  He's really good live, although he can have off days like
anyone else.  He has an *awesome* album on GHA (126.006, distributed by
Qualiton [I think]), doing his own arrangements of Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti.  
Everyone to whom I have loaned this CD has bought it.

basinski@biosci.arizona.edu (Mark Basinski) writes
|> David is without question one of the finest musicians around. He is ...
|> just about the best at doing a master class...His performances are a joy to
|> experience. And he's a hell of a nice guy.

	I'd echo all these sentiments.  I played in a master class he did
here last year, and it was one of the most intense musical experiences of
my life.  I learned a lot, both as performer and auditor.  He is intensely musical, extremely perceptive, and very nice.  He has a knack for finding
answers to technical and interpretive questions that seem self-evident in
retrospect.  If I ever dig up my notes, I'll post some of the best gems
(also some from a Hopkinson Smith master class I audited).

-- 
Rick Kint				UNIX Geek, College of Engineering
kint@engr.washington.edu		University of Washington, Seattle
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar