What acoustic are you playing today?

[jeffcoop]

Continued this morning to practice with the Washburn, as the shoulder is still painful. Might also try a dreadnought later just to see, but I think the Guild jumbo is just too big to play comfortably right now.
As an aside, "Blackbird" is sounding better, although McCartney needn't worry just yet.
RBSinTo

Are you using Macca's odd picking/strumming pattern? I never could get that down.

 

[RBSinTo]

Are you using Macca's odd picking/strumming pattern? I never could get that down.

Jeff,
I don't know who or what "Macca" is.
I'm using a tab chart that my music teacher wrote. It is a modified version of the song compared to a complete chart that I purchased years ago at a music store. However, it has enough of the tune for me to become reasonably adept at fingerpicking it.
There is no strumming in it.
I suspect I will "graduate" to the more complicated and complete score once he's happy with my progress on the current version.
RBSinTo

 

[walrus]

Jeff,
I don't know who or what "Macca" is.
I'm using a tab chart that my music teacher wrote. It is a modified version of the song compared to a complete chart that I purchased years ago at a music store. However, it has enough of the tune for me to become reasonably adept at fingerpicking it.
There is no strumming in it.
I suspect I will "graduate" to the more complicated and complete score once he's happy with my progress on the current version.
RBSinTo

FYI, "Macca" is Paul McCartney. And kudos for tackling this song. As I am mainly flat picker, I find it pretty much impossible to attempt to fingerpick this song. As I approach retirement, guitar lessons are on my list of things to do.

 

[RBSinTo]

FYI, "Macca" is Paul McCartney. And kudos for tackling this song. As I am mainly flat picker, I find it pretty much impossible to attempt to fingerpick this song. As I approach retirement, guitar lessons are on my list of things to do.

walrus,
Ahhhh. "Macca" is part of the new English, like "cele" for "celebration", and "vacay" for "vacation".
By using these short forms, I'd imagine one could, over the course of a normal day save tens of precious seconds that could instead be better wasted on computer games or posting "selfies".
I weep for Mankind.
My fingerpicking is crude at best, but is getting noticably better (now it's merely pretty bad instead of just really bad), and now that I take lessons, there is incentive to improve that was less strong before I started them. Likely the best musical decision I've ever msde.
RBSinTo

 

[jeffcoop]

FWIW, Macca has long ben a common nickname for Liverpudlians whose last names begin with "Mc." Steve McManaman, the great Liverpool football player, was also Macca. But Paul has been known as Macca for decades. Sorry for the confusion.

And good for you for the lessons. I'm hoping to follow in your steps once I've retired, which is imminent. Not that I have great hope for improvement, given how fumble fingered I generally am. But it should help to keep things fresh and give me direction.

 

[Boneman]

I decided to learn how to play fingerstyle about a year or so ago, if for nothing else, if someone handed me a guitar when I didn’t have a pick on me I could still play something without looking flummoxed.

I started with just these two videos and away I went. Now ffwd to these days, and I can play Solsbury Hill reasonably well, and even wrote a little lullaby song instrumental, and really just having a blast with it. Today the M120e is getting “fingered“

 

[Bill Ashton]

Shortly, Guild D55, to practice Beppe Gambetta's Sit And Play With You

Its on YouTube...

 

[Cougar]

I'm using a tab chart that my music teacher wrote. It is a modified version of the song compared to a complete chart that I purchased years ago at a music store. However, it has enough of the tune for me to become reasonably adept at fingerpicking it.

There's a couple long stretches in there. I don't know if it's called a four- or five-fret stretch, but it's a long one for the index-to-baby finger. An amazing composition, though!

 

[Cougar]

I had out the F412 earlier and just now pulled out the JF30-12. Both spectacular of course. The JF30-12 surprised me, though, with that big booming bass! Wow! I haven't really A/B'd them. Don't care! Love 'em both!

 

[BradHK]

Today is the 1979 F30. I put new strings on it a couple days ago (DR Sunbeam 12s) and it sounds amazing. This was my least expensive Guild acoustic ($750) and it definitely holds its own with the more expensive models!

 

[Cougar]

Then went downstairs and played the monster Kawai US-75 52" upright. This baby will fill a room! Tried (the start of) Les McCann's Beau J. Poo Boo. In C, love the walkdown Ebmaj-Bbmaj-Fmaj-Cmaj. Then tackled (the start of) Brubeck's Blue Rondo. Tricky fingering that one! Surprised I made the transition from the C set up to the Em set and back at speed without a slip. That's about as far as I go, lol.

The Kawai

 

[The Hawk]

Please forgive me not posting my acoustic. I'm playing my Hohner Steinberger copy at in the hospice room where my dear wife is dying. My Guild acoustic is in a case nearby, but I can't play it right now. Kelly is dying after many years living with breast cancer. She's terribly agitated. So we're keeping stimulation to a bare minimum. She needs quiet, but I need to play. Playing guitar is a grounding act for me, it's a way to stay sane and keep my mental health. That's true any day. Today I need to form a few chords, find some harmony, sustain my notes and definitely bend a great deal. So I brought the smallest electric guitar I have. It's not as loud, and it doesn't rouse her agitation. We've been together about 12 years and all of them have included cancer. But she's given me so much joy and we've shared so many good feelings together. Her death is near. We've talked about it much over the years, planned for it as best we could, made all the arrangements years ago and now we are learning how death will happen for her. Peacefully, I hope. If she needs quiet, so be it. I'm strumming my Hohner today, not plugged in, so I guess it's making acoustic sounds. Soft ones. Blue. In the background is Long's Peak of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It's beautiful here.

 

[Stuball48]

Hawk:
Words cannot express one's feelings for a time like this and I have no idea or pretend to say, "I know how you feel" because I nor does anyone else. Lots of couples have gone through similar circumstances but all are different.
I pray you both will find some peace. Soo sad.

 

[GGJaguar]

Sending you strength, courage and positive energy, Hawk!

 

[HeyMikey]

Hawk, I’m so very sorry to be reading this. I hope your music brings both you and Kelly a little comfort. Smoke and prayers headed your way.

 

[Rob Reilly]

I've been through that dark tunnel you are in.
Jeanine and I were married 43 years. In 2018 she suddenly developed a form of dementia called Lewy Body, where the brain gradually deteriorates. For 2 years I visited her every single day in the nursing home, often bringing my guitar. Then for the last 6 months there was no admittance to the nursing home, because of the Covid, just window visits once every 2 weeks for 5 minutes. When they knew it would be just a few days they let me in with a mask, sterile gown & gloves. By then she could no longer speak, but I think she knew me. Then she was called to heaven.
For me, Jesus Christ was the light through and at the end of the tunnel.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12
Jesus said (to Martha), "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." John 11:25
Jesus said (to Thomas), "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

We're musicians here, so two songs that have helped me are Praise You in the Storm and Scars in Heaven, both by Casting Crowns and on Youtube.

Admin - do you think these messages should be transferred to a new topic, such as Note from Hawk or something?

 

[Boneman]

Sad to hear the news Hawk, stay strong!

 

[davismanLV]

Oh Hawk, so very sorry to hear this. I'm at a loss for words right now. Sending strength and love your way.

 

[walrus]

Thinking of you and your wife, Hawk. Be strong.

 

[Cougar]

In the background is Long's Peak of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It's beautiful here.

So sorry, Hawk.

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept the memory

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forests and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky Mountain high (high in Colorado)
Rocky Mountain high (high in Colorado)