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…

Martin Acoustic

Spending so much time playing my Martin. Made a couple of recordings that are in cyberspace somewhere. Worked on some Christmas song fingerpicking days ago… Trying to keep focus on not just relaxing with the guitar, but also spending time actually PRACTICING. Working on my DVD of fingerpicking. It’s difficult, but not what I would put in the category of “piano” difficult. Piano was such a struggle… I guess I could have stayed with it, but the fun really evaporated for me. Doing so much great stuff on the guitar. I thought for the longest time that I was an electric guitarist wanting to learn electric guitar stuff. Put the acoustic on the back burner. But now the roles have definitely shifted. 

G u I t a r

Good day with the guitar today. Played the first Christmas gig with the band today. Went well. Found that lowering my guitar volume as well as not playing through while songs helped our sound. See first picture below. Nice day on the Martin as well. Using the instruction DVD below. Having a good time with it, taking it slow. Learning right hand thumb independence while playing melody with other fingers. Feeling that I’m getting some  improvement today with that!

Been many days now, listening to fingerpicking guitar music. Liking John Fahey (recently completed his biography) .

Guitar Day

Played often today. 

November 4, 2024

Election Eve

Tomorrow will be Presidential Election Day. Harris vs Trump. Anyone who knows me knows who I’ll be voting for. Hint: it’s not Trump.

Having a good time with my Travis picking book and my Christmas fingerpicking book - recently worked on “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Christmas shows coming up with the band …

Fahey

Practiced just a little from my fingerpicking book. Started to read the John Fahey biography. 

Interested in sharing with acoustic guitar without worrying about using the limitation of language while doing so.

Christmas is a couple of weeks away, and with that comes a bunch of shows with me and various members of the band. I decided to stop being a part of the music group at Church. Too much of a hassle. 

Acoustic Guitar

My Martin is difficult to play. I’m used to the easy of playing my electric. Looks like the M can use a string changing and perhaps a bit of a set-up. That’s ok, but I’m itching to play! Recently received a couple of really cool books: 

Nice stuff here. But definitely not easy. It’s going to take some work. 

Been listening to, and intrigued by, John Fahey. Love his Christmas album.

Expressing myself with just an acoustic guitar might be where it’s at for me. My son does so naturally, just noodling around playing with alternative tuning.

Martin

Happy New (actually used) Guitar Day to me. Sold my Taylor and with the money bought a Martin 000-10e.

Been awhile

Just getting into guitar. Going over chord melody songs: What Child is This / Over the Rainbow / White Christmas / All the Things You Are. Practicing improvising over “My Favorite Things” too. Thinking I’d like to make a tiny amount of money as well as getting a smaller acoustic, I put my Taylor up for sale. Thinking of getting another electric guitar; however, I don’t need it. Really love my Epiphone Casino Coupe, have my telecaster, and my son’s Stratocaster. 

Piano

Been thinking about getting a Fender Blues Junior guitar amplifier.

Continuing to work on “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” Sudnow style. It’s coming along but quite slowly. “Slowly?” Or am I just underestimating how long these things take?

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose.”    That’s about where I’m at. 

Tonight’s Sky …..

It’s been awhile

It’s been awhile since I last made an entry here. Still on guitar and piano, Been using the Sudnow Method on piano recently, working on “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.” Goin ok.

With the band, it looks like we’ll be focusing on Christmas songs; although it’s early, Christmas seems to jump up quickly.

Not doing the online piano lessons anymore. I’m 62 years old, and though I’d love to be able to play a variety of styles, I think focusing on one style for now (the Sudnow Method / cocktail music format), is the way for me to go.

Plans for Sudnow Method:

Learn songs. Even if I cannot keep them in hand. Will try not to to get what was for me bogged down into thinking through voicings too much. 

The Sudnow Method is without doubt some of the most fun I’ve had with piano. To me, it really gets the student into actually PLAYING the piano, rather than bogged down in too much theory. 

It’d be nice to have a few Christmas songs done the Sudnow way ready for Christmas this year.

Guitar / Bass / Piano

Will be playing in a trio for a wedding ceremony in a couple of weeks, and today we had a practice. Sounded nice. I’m on mostly guitar but play bass on “Ave Maria.” Another in the trio plays harp and aerophone. The other in the trio is a singer / piano player.

Actually practiced some piano, too. I think when I start struggling on piano, I too quickly want to give up. Went through Lesson 7 today, and just too a little fighting through.