Quick Update

On the DVD, up to Volume 2. But will take a break for now on it.

Started a little of an Alternate Tuning book.Might do more with that.

Also getting into Hawaiian Slack Key guitar! Ordered a book about learning it. 

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. I feel an affinity with that. Been attending and joined a different Catholic parish in my area. A beautiful Church. Been reading some Catholic literature, too. There’s a lot there. Learning. 

Why I’m back in the faith is because of two factors:

1) I’m getting older. To be 63 in May. I want to get into heaven. 

2) The Catholic Faith is a faith that I simply believe in. So it would be amiss if I don’t rejoin.

If anyone reading this feels a draw to the Catholic faith, or if you are a lapsed Catholic, please look into it more. Make an appointment to talk to a local priest. 

Guitar and Faith Update

Working on the last song of Volume 1 my “Fingerpicking Guitar Techniques” DVD set: “Make Me a Pallet in Your Floor.” Difficult, but workable. Been working on this DVD since this past November, and I feel accomplished! Feeling accomplished in that I’m actually sticking to it and with ONE method! Really liking the sound of my Martin 000-10e. Still saving for another acoustic guitar.

Still in the Jazz trio, and that’s going well too. Using the stuff that I learned in my guitar improvisation course. Feeling really good about not trying to learn yet another method of improvisation.

Want to get back into my Catholic faith. Went to the sacrament of Penance yesterday, and then Mass today.

2025 - Philadelphia Eagles

SUPERBOWL CHAMPS

Congrats

Philly

EAGLES !!

Ancestors

Continuing with Stefan Grossman DVD

Haven’t posted here in about a month, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been playing. Really diving into Stefan Grossman’s “Fingerpicking Guitar Techniques” DVD. Up to song four: “Nobody’s Dirty Business.” 

Interesting - seems like starting to figure out a new tune seems monumental when I start it - then I take my time and it gradually (VERY “gradually!”) comes together. 

Like when he answered a forum post of mine - the order of the songs was put together purposefully to gradually build on each other. 

Having a really good time with it. 

Still need to finish reading the Fahey book, “How Bluegrass Music Ruined My Life.” To me, it reminds me of an older version of J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield in “Catcher in the Rye.”

Watched some videos of John Renbourn and Bert Jansch; trying to explore some other fingerpickers out there. They really did not really impress me - not to say they were not talented, - just “not my cup of tea.”

Started watching my next video, after those two, of John Fahey. Still have to finish watching it. His playing is more “ my cup of tea.”

On line, I’ve also been a fan of James Rigby stuff as well as a YouTube player named bernard vdd (Bernard Vandendriessche). I really like bernard’s playing.

I also played electric guitar with the jazz trio. Dissatisfied with my improvising there - 

Saving $ for a higher end acoustic (probably Martin) guitar. 

Oliver & Millie:

New Year’s Eve Eve

Working on fingerpicking. Up to song three in the first fingerpicking DVD. The honeymoon stage of my relationship with fingerpicking/ acoustic guitar is waning. Now it’s time to work. Seeing a fingerpicker in concert in Feb, with my best friend. One of the performers is El McMeen. I have his Christmas album. Just received a copy of his book with a coauthor: “ The Glory of CGDGAD Guitar Tuning.”

Christmas Time is Here

Guitar. Played at a Fire Hall Museum today and it went well! 

Working with my fingerpicking acoustic stuff tonight and that’s going well too.

🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼🎅🏼

Tomorrow playing with a slight variation of the band at another Fire Hall show. Really is Christmasy at the Hall. Have incredible toy train displays!

Here is a picture of an old train transformer there. It is a direct likeness of the train transformer we had as a kid. The green light in the middle was so cool:

At the museum, my guitar is taking a break:

Guitar Day

Played a lot of guitar today. Worked and worked on “Oh Papa,” did some very very minor stuff in the Travis picking guitar book, etc… 

There was a mistake in my order for DVD’s so I let Stefan Grossman’s place know what happened; felt honored that he actually phoned me back.

acoustic guitar

Still working on getting my tooth fixed. Procedure #2 was today. Still will be some months until the new (false) front tooth will be replaced. 

Good day with guitar today. 

As a rest of today and yesterday, I ordered a total of five materials from Stefan Grossman’s site: 

Recorded a version of “Norwegian Wood” today, but it served to, I think, divert me in practicing new stuff. Probably ok, though, because it was fun.

Worked on “Oh Papa,” and making good progress. While watching some of a football game tonight, I practiced some thumb independence stuff; over and over. Progress made.

Martin

Martin acoustic night. Played some Christmas songs (rusty!). Also moving along in the Fingerpicking DVD; up to “Oh Papa.” Tomorrow morning should be fun; practicing for Christmas with the band. The other day started reading, “How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life” by John Fahey. 

Emphasis on Two?

Texted this tonight to my best friend:

Took a little leap today… in addition to my acoustic stuff, I ordered 80 chord melody arrangements. Was thinking, got (a band member’s) thoughts, and took the plunge. Comes with video, PDF’s. Figured doing these things with the jazz band. But oh no! Started working on MISTY tonight and it is HARD! Thought it would be easier! Thought wrong. Thinking maybe o bit off more than I can chew focusing on acoustic stuff and this chord melody stuff…