One year ago today: July 21, 2016, give only approved answers.
Five years ago today: July 21, 2012, old-fashioned and indecisive.
Nine years ago today: July 21, 2008, the same volume of material.
Random years ago today: July 21, 2007, looking for work 10 years ago.
A freak rainstorm kept me inside, and I mean it was something not seen in Florida so far. The rain clouds were not only nearly black at noon, they were maybe 120 feet off the ground. It was way thicker than fog and when the downpour started even the old-timers were looking out the window. I stayed inside and made fried chicken and played through my music set. I’m not ready but that’s rarely stopped me before. I have intentions of playing at that hayseed joint out in Winter Haven.
The picture here is to demo how wet the past week has been. This monster arrow-head plant sprung up in less tha five days.
I’ll also try to hit a couple of jam sessions and coffee shops, if only to find out which ones are truly amateur and which ones cater to professionals showcasing on their days off. Don’t tar me with that brush for two good reasons. One, I do not (yet) play guitar officially in a band, therefore in that category I still rate an amateur. Two, when I am playing in a band, I very rarely do coffee houses, but I will for the correct ulterior motives.
It could be said that I am still no amateur, but I say hold on. I’ve never been stage-shy, music or not, so I would have no qualms about getting on stage and reading poetry or quoting Shakespeare, meaning that has little to do with music. What I’m against is professional guitarists getting on stage just to show off. There was one numbskull kept doing that at the bicycle shop but Las Olas is upscale and everybody was on to his little millennial mind game.
Mexican bus.
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Hmmm, have I shot myself in the foot again? You see, I know from experience once I get comfortable, I loose the sense of urgency around the house. It’s been a week since I moved into the bedroom and I’m spoiled already. I don’t get up as early and I’ll lull myself right back to sleep. The room is silent (for the most part) and the A/C keeps it wonderfully cool at the third lowest setting. This means I’m lucky to get twenty minutes of work done on the rest of the house and I’ve done this to myself before. I’ll get around to it but meanwhile, let me bask in my nice cozy Fortress of Solitude.
I’m not even worried that I lost my bass tuner, Agt. R’s sunglasses, my tack hammer, and q week of productivity. While this place is solidly built, it is not a big structure. I can jump on the floor and get parts of the room to wiggle, reminding me this was a summer cabin, not Buckingham Palace. And that reminds me, what’s this in the news about some Rothschild type snubbing the Queen mother for asking questions? I missed the newcast.
I caught the part about the questions, it seems she wanted to know why none of the Bank of England’s experts had foreseen the 2008 downturn. When they gave a shifty answer, it was her or the Prince that asked if it was going to happen again. Uncomfortable quizzes for the so-called economists. Something did offend the Queen, so let’s see where that goes. Back to this place, it is no mansion, but the structure will tighten up once I glue and nail in the floor. Right now, it is just plywood over the joists until I level that bathroom.
“You can’t just let Nature run wild.”
~ Wally Hickel
During an evening lull in the rain, I rode the scooter over to Agt. R’s place where we put in an hour and a half on guitar chording. He’s still shaky but he’s got the aptitude and motivation. I guided him through eight tunes that he can already play with the three chords he’s working on. If he carries this off, it will be an incredible teaching and learning feat. He’ll be coming from out of nowhere, because he can’t even boom-chick, he keeps doing the chick-boom. But the elements are present and I showed him some tricks of the trade—because we don’t have time for him to learn the trade.
The circle of fifths is so important I drew up a chart for him. Too many guitarists ignore the chart and it generally makes those people difficult to work with down the line. They can’t transpose well and have to guess chords on stage, it isn’t worth it most of the time. Other than the simplest tunes, they can’t follow a thing, but expect you to play everything they do. Bunch of bozos.
Agt. R can play just the three chords, sort of, but he’s able to spot how they fit into the structure. That’s more important right now than learning specific songs, so let’s allow him time to get mileage on it. He’s learning about as fast as I did, though I would point out I got absolutely not help at all and he’s getting world-class coaching. Remember, I’ve taught complete beginners to get on stage in six weeks before. Remember the Hialeah Five-Oh?
Trivia. The circle of fifths was first developed by Pythagorus. The same guy with the triangle formula.
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