Christmas in June

[kestrell]

Yesterday Alexx and his dad took me to the Music Emporium in Arlington to pick out a guitar, and the second one I tried turned out to be the most perfect guitar, for me, which I have ever held. It's a smaller scale folk and blues Seagull guitar (the brand did not influence my decision, but it did seem like a sign), and it even has a matte finish, instead of the highly varnished finish which I never liked. I've already forgotten which woods it is made from, but it has the bell-like tone I like. Alexx even found a blue guitar strap which has golden Wicker Man suns on it. I love my new guitar so much that last night I slept with it. Actually, it's that I need to find a space for it in the Closet of Mysteries (which stays somewhat cooler than the aerye). Anyway, I am short enough that I can have the guitar in its case at the foot of my bed and still have plenty of room for sleeping.

Then E. came to visit, and brought more Christmas presents: a nifty little lantern that burns tea light candles, a book titled _The Lady and Her Monsters: A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and Mary Shelley's Masterpiece_, and, my favorite, blue and gold socks embroidered with the word "bookworm."

Last, but not least, Alexx bought me a Kindle ebook:
_Selections from the Carmina Burana: A New Verse Translation (Penguin Classics)_.

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

A guitar is so lovely! Nylon, hybrid, or steel strings? I just cruised the Seagull website and they are very beautiful. Matte finish is such a wonderful idea for a guitar. I've heard violin makers say that the varnish is crucial to the tone -- and I can believe it -- but guitars have much more surface to resonate. And violinists' fingers don't sweep around as vigorously as guitarists' do.

Are you a learn-by-ear player or do you like formal lessons?

Begin pedantry
There are three ways to use a guitar strap. In two methods, the slit hole goes on the pin at the very bottom. The other end can be tied right under the nut where the pegboard joins the neck. Or it can slip onto a pin installed at the heel where the neck joins the body. Finally, attach nothing to guitar and hang strap on the wall to beautify your aerie. Now sit with the guitar resting on your knee. It's worth trying all three. This public service announcement brought to you by my cranky shoulder and neck
Pedantry ends

(In a previous life I played guitar for joy, social justice, and money. I had four guitars in succession: a parlor Gibson silk/steel; a huge Guild dreadnaught bluegrass which filled the room (even medium strings sounded thin on it); when that got too heavy to use, a small Gurian that never enchanted; finally a Guild concert with the same matte finish as yours.)

Getting playing callouses is double-plus unfun, but it only takes around a month to go from "ow" to "huh, I'm no longer noticing the pain."

[kestrell]

I haven't played for a couple of decades, but I had classical guitar training with sheet music. I never learned what one needs to know to improvise but, with sight-reading out of the question now, I am anticipating learning in an entirely different way. There is at least one teacher out there who produces audio format guitar lessons for blind people to learn to play by ear, so I may try that out. I am not really musically talented, so I do not foresee playing for other people.

I may skip the strap and try to play like Jeff Healey--what a hottie he was!

I am also looking forward to regaining my calluses. I used to play so long sometimes that I would wear off a layer of skin, like when your skin peels after a sunburn. I had amazing callusses though.