Played C Maj Sonata and tried Prelude 1. I actually still sort of have that in my fingers.

Finale did a surprisingly good job of recognizing the Bortniansky, although scanning it and saving as a .tif worked better than scanning it directly in as that didn't work at all.

Now to see if it will transpose it to anything recognizable in C♭.

Wore myself out being OUTSIDE. Finally, summer seems to be here. Short practice of Sonata in C Maj.

Need to:
-analyze it
-figure out how to play f and f♯ at the same time. Transpose it down 1/2 step? That would be B♯/C♭ major. Oy. Actually, C♭ would be just fine - I think that's what Salzedo did with Chaconne by Durand. Except that part is in C minor. Oy again. C♭ minor? What key signature would that even be? Need to analyze it, definitely.

ETA -and scan it in to Finale and clean it up because it looks like it was engraved on a sandy beach during an earthquake.

Getting my fingers in shape. Again. I'm tired of these interruptions. And my brain used to practicing/learning again.

Tried to play some Satie to see if my pedals are still creaking, and they are. Not sure if this means a trip to the harp repair person or just sucking it up and figuring out a different recording set-up.

And one more thing, er... two more things.

While researching Sonatas and looking for inspiration, I found these that I'm completely addicted to:



Then, in trying to track down some sheet music for these, I got a book through ILL (gotta love your local library) called Russian Old Music for Piano, and discovered I like a lot of Russian Classical music. Some of its appropriately minor and bleak, but then the pieces in major keys are fantastic, as witnessed above.

Uuuurrggghh...

I think I'm done with school. I mean, as in, I think I've turned in everything I'm supposed to turn in, or will soon.

I basically had to stop playing while I was in school as this term was a much heavier workload, despite dropping a class. But... but... BUT...

I now have many of the music theory skills I was hoping to have! I can identify Renaissance chorales and fantasias, Baroque Fugues, and Classical Rondos and Sonatas. I can (sort of) hear a tune and replicate it on my harp. I can tell when something modulates, and I know what a Napoleon 6th is, even though those were not on my list of things to learn.

This is exciting, people!

Been snowed under by homework, but today played a bunch of Clementi Sonatinas to study the chord changes and modulations. It's all I - V7 - I!!! (With some variations, of course.) And I love me some intervals of a 4th. Case in point: I keep trying to write in CMaj and end up in FMaj.

Was inspired to do my music hw instead of practicing so thought I should take advantage. But I did the hw on my harp, so I did play. Lots of lovely I - viiº / V - V⁷ 's.

Just played exercises today. Trying to pay close attention to the sound I'm getting.

Seeing how adding audio to my blog works...

I added an enclosure link, but I'm not seeing where it is in the blog post. Apparently, it only shows up in feeds?

Short practice today. Recorded more stuff. Have audacity book on the way that will hopefully help me get songs in postable condition.

Recorded page 1 of Prelude 1, hoping to put it online, but mostly to help me hear what I sound like.

My fingernail is almost completely grown out; there's just a tiny divot in it. Since I keep such informative notes, I know it's been 4 weeks since I sliced it.

ETA: Didn't really feel like practicing a whole lot today, but did go through all the Srebotnjaks.

Still catching up on studying, so just took a short break and played some sonatinas.

Whew! I can stop now and don't have to work so hard anymore!

Childhood music lessons may provide lifelong boost in brain functioning.

ScienceDaily (2011-04-20) -- Those childhood music lessons could pay off decades later -- even for those who no longer play an instrument -- by keeping the mind sharper as people age, according to a preliminary study.

PS See what I did with the tag there? heh.

My microphone arrived! I played around with it today and actually got something that might be decent.

And yay, researchers may have found the cause of tinnitus!

Postcards from Heaven for 1-20 harps by John Cage apparently uses an EBow, which is the tiny DustBuster thingy I saw Daniel Ash using on his guitar so many years ago, and finally, TODAY, found out what it was.

Prelude 1: played around with speed. Even though it's memorized, I still hesitate at the beginning of measures. Is there a way to ... ? lost my train of thought. Thanks, tinnitus.

Prelude 2: worked again on ending. Crossing over to play higher with left hand is throwing me.

Prelude 3: got a few more measures up to ♪=200. How am I going to speed it up in 5/8?

Donkeys: Worked the next line and finally had to give up because my tinnitus + rain made it impossible to concentrate. My playing sounded like a badly tuned radio.

Prelude 1: I have it memorized. Booyah.

Prelude 2: It is done for all intents and purposes.

Prelude 3: Another piece I'm going to have to learn measure by measure, I think. Did a little bit of that today.

Grey Donkeys: I would really like to be able to play this. A lot is memorized, but memorized sloppily. Worked on a line/section, working up to ♪ =168. Did a good job learning it quickly and figuring out the musicality. Execution is another story.

Build up stamina. Ignore brain tricks telling you to stop.

My fingernail is slowly growing back, but it hurts to play.

Any my tinnitus is back.