HI EVERYONE!
First and foremost, some admin matters to clarify for next week.
J1s, there would not be any practice next week (24/3 and 26/3) as the J2s are having the SA exams.
J2s, practice resumes on 26/3, 1045am in the guitar room. Remember to be in full-u on that day. J1 main ensemble, please report to the guitar room to collect your guitars immediately after you're dismissed. The bus will leave college at 130pm. Please check your CIP groupings on tpjc.net, any further instructions will be disseminated via the online messaging system, so please do check. Attendance is compulsory unless you're having exam in the afternoon. Also, I emphasized on the use of guitar supports, or else, you'll have to rent it from the QMs. For those who do not own a personal guitar support, please inform the QMs asap so that they can assign you one permanently. I would encourage you all to bring your personal tuners as well, as your guitars would probably go out of tune constantly.
------------- Admin matters aside.
J1s, I hope you have enjoyed the games, and got to know your ensemble mates better. :) Remember that you guys will be working together as ONE COLLECTIVE ensemble once the J2s step down, so yeah start building ties with each other NOW.
J2s, I know and I have observed that more of you as individuals, are putting in more effort in your playing and you try your best to respond to your SLs' feedback, so that's good, do keep it up. I hope that you will constantly seek to improve yourself every practice as an individual, and together, as a section, help each other (well as the saying goes, more hands light work,=more hands playing the guitar, more volume=don't have to over-stress yourself when it comes to FF parts).
On the whole, as a section, I see more sections are stepping up on their pace, so yes do continue to progress.
Okay after all the positive comments, here comes the flip side now.
Though we've improved as an individual, as a section, but as an ensemble however, i feel that we need to do way way better (x10) in order to identify our winning edge (I haven't found one for our ensemble, have you identified one?). We are still not neat, we are not playing in time (our tempo is VERY erratic like a heartbeat, it goes out of control sometimes). Not forgetting, we buzz almost every beat (it's like when you talk, and you hear hiccups in between, it's irritating right? So similarly, I'm sure the audience wants to hear a smooth piece and not one that buzzes). The buzzing thing, please, when you practise yourself, please also take note not to buzz okay? Remember where to position your fingers so as to avoid the buzz.
2nd, whenever you practise, sing the melody in your head. SING, and make sure the sound you produce when you play also feels like it's SINGING (legato, and not disjointed). I realized some of you apply tooooooo much force in every single note (I know you're trying to play loud but it's too much). Please listen out to your tone again, and hear if it's too harsh. Is it pleasant to hear? Also, keep reasonably long nails on the right hand and short nails on the left hand if you're trying to establish a nice tone.
3rd, please position the guitar support on the left leg. You need to get used to it. Also, we'll be rehearsing our movements and all very soon, and especially people seated at the side, you have to be VERY ALERT, so please take all rehearsals or simulations seriously. Stage presentation is very important.
4th, it's 3 weeks to competition! And gasps, we haven't started on expression. Okay, I'm not sure how much I have to do in this ensemble, but like what I've told Guitar 2s yesterday, when you listen to a piece of music, the singer sings with varying tone and there are just certain songs out there, which you can feel the emotions conveyed (it's like your whole heart is into the music right esp those love songs?), yes we need to play like how they sing too, the emotions... Of course, our 3 pieces have different emotions (so we'll work on it soon, not good to reveal too much on the cyberworld :)
With that, I shall sum up. The 2 days of practice during the holiday is just 1/15 of our intensive training. Study hard for your SA, and when you come back next Friday, just embrace yourself for head-on intensive training for 3 solid weeks! We can do it! You've got past 3 months, another 3 weeks should be fine. :)
Lets go people, and dash for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALL THE BEST FOR SA! :)
'ANGELYNNN.