|
Post by fretter on Oct 13, 2023 14:57:39 GMT
Really sad news.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Apr 20, 2023 9:31:40 GMT
The Fox and Pelican in Grayshott, Surrey, will be holding their first acoustic music evening from 8.00pm until -10.00pm on Tuesday 11th April. This will be very informal, with no amplification or 'time solts'. If you know the song or tune, just join in! Or not, as the fancy takes you! Audience also welcome! If you would like any further details, feel free to contact me. Do let us know how it goes! I'm only a few miles up the A3 and would love to come along. Tuesdays are a bit difficult right now, but I'll definitely come down when things settle down a bit. This turned out to be a lovely evening. There was a decent audience and great contributions from four different sets of performers. We will be holding further sessions on Tuesday May 16th, and a provisional date has been set for June 20th. if anyone is interested in performing, or even attending, please get in touch. A wide variety of genres were played, with a very attentive audience.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Apr 10, 2023 16:50:14 GMT
Interesting thoughts. I have been giving this quite a bit of thought lately.
If I learn a new song - or even one I kind of know a bit already - I find it very hard to 'wean' myself off having the lyrics in front of me. I learn it more quickly if I try to visualise the music and lyrics, without making reference to prompts. Easier said than done.
There is a big gulf in being able to play a song accurately with prompts, and doing it without. THere is an even bigger gulf in being able to do it without in a performing situation.
As an example, I have recently learned 'Fire Adn Rain' by James Taylor. In practice (as part of a duo - me on guitar plus singer) I have been pretty confident. We did a small performance recently and decided to give it a go. I minimised prompt sheets, for nearly all of our material, including' Fire and Raim'.
When I came to play it, I simply could not remember the very distinctive introduction - which I took a long time to learn. Could not remember as in totally forgot it. Well, on to the next song, and only my singer noticed. Even if I had the prompt sheet in front of me, it wouldn't have helpes, as I simply couldn't remember how the intro went.
There are many songs I know absolutely inside out, and can play them in any situation confidently and accurately - likewise instrumentals. I have found some songs fairly easy to learn, as they tell a story eg 'Beeswing' by Richard Thompson. Others, which don't tell a story are far more difficult eg 'Don't Think Twice'and 'Love Minus Zero' by Dylan. They don't really have a plot, as such, and I find it really easy to forget, or mix verses up.
I guess we all learn in different ways, and what works for one, may not work for others. During our recent wet, miserable winter, I have being playing / practising, shorter, but more frequent bursts. I think this has helped a little.
For me, another indicastion of how well I know something is whether I can pick it up part of the way through, rather than having to return to the start, in the very likely event of making a mistake!
Very regular and structured practice is obviously important, but unless you are performing regularly, motivation can be a issue to 'doing the hard yards' Much as I love playing, there are many other draws on my time!
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Mar 30, 2023 22:45:56 GMT
The Fox and Pelican in Grayshott, Surrey, will be holding their first acoustic music evening from 8.00pm until -10.00pm on Tuesday 11th April. This will be very informal, with no amplification or 'time solts'. If you know the song or tune, just join in! Or not, as the fancy takes you! Audience also welcome! If you would like any further details, feel free to contact me.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Jan 27, 2023 13:05:03 GMT
My 'go to' guitar is a 1991 Nigel Thornbory 12 fret cutaway. Very easy action and the cutaway is handy on occasional forays to the dusty end!
I must admit though that I do prefer the aesthetic of a non cutaway. Can't really explain why of course.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Jan 26, 2023 16:34:16 GMT
I saw him sing with Graham Nash at The Royal Albert Hall - at a David Gilmour concert. Amazing - and most of Pink Floyd playing too - Richard Wright and Nick Mason.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Jan 26, 2023 16:24:39 GMT
Yes, Grayshott Folk Club is very much alive and kicking. I recently saw Steve Wickham (Waterboys) plaqy there. It is a great venue in a lovely village. It is run by Des O'Byrne. It tends to be concerts rather than open mikes. www.grayshottfolkclub.co.uk/
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Jan 19, 2023 22:37:33 GMT
Oh dear, David Crosby of The Byrds and Crosby, Still, Nash and Young has died.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Jan 12, 2023 0:45:35 GMT
If I initially learn something from eg TAB, I always struggle subsequently to play it without the support of having the source in front of me.
On the other hand, if I learn a piece by ear and do my own arrangement, it 'sticks' very quickly and I can play it from memory.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Jan 11, 2023 22:17:39 GMT
Really sad to hear that Jeff Beck has died at the age of 78.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Mar 23, 2022 17:57:50 GMT
My band 'Thimblerigger' is playing at The Fox And Pelican' which is in Headley Rd, Grayshott, Hindhead GU26 6LG, on April 4th. Tickets are £10.00 in advance / £12.00 on the night and includes a meal - vegetarian or meat chilli. Food will be served at 7.00pm and we will play two sets of around 45 minutes from 8.00pm. We play Americana, folk songs and original material. If you would like to hear some samples, I will happily send you some recorded material. Thimblerigger A4 04.04.22 006.pdf (1.99 MB)
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Feb 9, 2022 19:19:02 GMT
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Dec 30, 2021 20:30:26 GMT
I agree with Martin - the smell comes a long way behind tone and response. However, I have a guitar with ziricote back and sides which is getting on for ten years old, and it still smells lovely!
Slightly off thread, I have an old wooden mantlepiece clock that stood over the open fireplace at my gran's house until 1989. When the back is oepened, the smell of the room - always a little smoky! - is still there. Evocative.
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Dec 24, 2021 12:53:14 GMT
I randomly swithched on Radio 4 in the car yesterday and this programme came on. It is Matthew Syed -the former table tennis player, turned journalist - presenting a programme called 'Sweet Harmony'. Not directly 'guitar' related, but it has detailed analysis of some very well known harmony singing passages. It also looks at the benefits of co-operatively making music. It really perked up a routine drive for 30 minutes! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0012q30
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Dec 24, 2021 12:44:45 GMT
This has been a really interesting discussion. Like many others, no doubt, I have bought and moved on many guitars over the years. I admit that some of them were bought on reputation. An advantage in this is that you will struggle to lose money on a decent used guitar with a good reputation, so 'chopping and changing' needn't cost a fortune!
Whilst I liked them well enough, none became keepers, and, come selling time I was happy enough to let them go. I have a friend who is a luthier. It is not his full time job. As Dreadnought 28 says, few people can make a sensible living at it. Consequently, he is able to take as much time as he needs to get every build absolutely right. I am lucky enough to have three of his guitars - all were built for me. All three are excellent, and I have enjoyed playing them as much as any guitar I have ever owned.
The most recent one he built me - in 2014 - has qualities that I have never experienced before. It has huge resonance , and is easy to play - being very forgiving of my less than stellar ability! It has features that usually come on far more expensive guitars (bevel arm rest/full bindings on fretboard and body/carbon fibre rods linking top to neck joint) which help to make it a very satisfying guitar to own, if not directly adding to its tone.
I love it, and could never imagine selling it. However, I would be really interested to play it back to back with other custom made instruments! Is it as good as I perceive it to be? Does the fact that it was built specifically for me alter my perception of it? Is there a guitar out there costing a lot more that would make me change my mind on the 'ceiling' amount I would ever spend on a guitar. Quite possibly not, but I would love to find out- hypothetically speaking of course!
|
|