DianeB

Teacher, teach thyself. It’s ten years to the day I opened the Learn and Master box and the possibilities spilled out. I’ve made it about half way through the course. Let’s look at my ten-year report card. For lack of a better rubric, I’ll steal from Tom Heany’s book First Learn to Practice, and use his “Seven Good Habits”. 1. Be Comfortable: A+. The spare bedroom steadily transformed from a straight chair with a music stand in 2012 into my dream practice space in 2019. It invites me, it comforts me, it schools me. 2. Be Honest: A. The recordings don’t lie, and now I can trust my ear rather well in real time. I feel the misfingerings, sense the rhythmic hiccups, and hear the buzzes: just the right amount of self-awareness without tipping into self-recrimination. 3. Be Optimistic: C–. Ouch. This one has been slipping for the past few years. Some errors seem intractable. My social and musical circle has significantly diminished, and justifiably or not, I have a growing sense that time is not on my side. Without the gatherings and retreats, this grade would be worse. 4. Be Persistent. A–. I can be implacable. In practicing, that’s an asset. 5. Be Consistent. A. My iPad has the receipts: 6,239 hours of time on task; averaging 1 hour, 54 minutes per day for precisely ten years. On the rare days I didn’t practice or study — about 15 a year — I was usually either sick, traveling, or tending to the family. There were only a handful when I just needed a break. 6. Go Slow. B–. I need to tap the brakes more often. Small. Simple. Short. Slow. Easier said than done. 7. Make Music. B+. I still attend my monthly acoustic jam; I’ve been to 84 since 2013. For two years, I had the neighborhood band; we played five gigs. And I’ve performed a song at each of the gatherings, so, opportunities taken. There’s still a lot of room to grow in my musicality. What have I learned? Much, I suppose, and yet not nearly enough. I can get as exasperated today as I did in 2012. Back then, it was over “Aura Lee”. Now, my nemesis is “Josie”. Our horizon always recedes as we approach it. Once in a while, it’s good to turn around to look back at one’s wake. We could add an eighth Good Habit to Tom’s list, the one that makes all the others possible: Be Grateful. Making music — yes, even with fumbled chords and riffs — is a choice. Not everyone who would like to hold an instrument has the chance. I’m grateful for the modest things I can do, and especially for all my music friends who have kept me on the endless path and brought me joy. Some of you will read this. In a quiet moment, I recently confessed to my teacher of the past decade, “I always seem to be one fret away from total despair. But you never let me get there.” He nodded reassuringly. “It’s a journey.”

This film is a raw, poetic, fascinating glimpse of a young artist at his peak giving voice to a generation coming of age. We see the songs of Harvest take their final forms in the barn on Neil’s ranch, in Quadraphonic Sound Studios in Nashville, with the London Symphony Orchestra at Barking Assembly Hall, and in a New York studio where Stills and Nash add backing vocals. It seems to be shot in 8 and/or 16mm. The quality of the print is surprisingly good for film from 1971, although it apparently did not get the full digital scrubbing that Peter Jackson could provide the Beatles’ “Get Back”. Of course, it’s the sound that matters, and here it’s gorgeous, in all its imperfections. With the barn sessions, it is like sitting on the milk can next to Neil: the immediacy and intimacy is palpable. It opens with an introduction by Neil today, noting the 50 years that have passed. We ride in the blue jeep with him and the Stray Gators around the farm. There are glimpses of girlfriend Carrie Snodgress and Louis Avila, of whom he wrote “Old Man”. Mercifully, there is no narration; the story tells itself with the help of discreet name titles to identify the principals. In a sense, this is a soundtrack with the movie fit around it. As entertainment, it could benefit from some cuts. But as a documentary, it begs for more. It would have been revealing to hear more of the songs in their earlier forms, but we do experience a few early takes. I think we see everybody on the album except James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. There are some bizarre splices that leave a few seconds of white screen; almost any other kind of cut would have been better. There are surprises, which I will not spoil, and several laugh-out-loud moments. Prodigious volumes of beer are consumed, and in one sequence, a more potent substance. But the musicians we see at work are totally absorbed in their craft. Considering the dark tone of several songs of the Gold Rush-Harvest era, Neil’s mood throughout the film is thoroughly upbeat. An optimistic, hopeful Neil smiles at the camera, confessing that he doesn’t know where the songs come from. “He’s a hellacious talent.” Go see him work. The 50th Anniversary box set of Harvest will be available tomorrow (December 2, 2022), and this documentary is included. Running time: 2 hours.

This is short notice, but tomorrow (December 1, 2022) and on a few later dates, there will be screenings of the documentary footage “Harvest Time — A Film from 1971”, filmed in part on Neil Young’s Broken Arrow ranch during the sessions for Harvest. Check the web site for availability near you.

In anticipation of the overdue return of Greg Voros to Live Lessons, herewith the link to his new coffee blend from the Acoustic Coffee Company. Proceeds support the Voros Innovation and Impact Fund at the Vanderbilt University MS Center. Even if coffee isn't your brew, you can still help here.

You want a relaxed hand position and good timing. Doesn’t hurt to bring along a sandbagger, either 😆

Just a few more: mural at Gruhn’s nearing completion; Doug at the Gibson Garage; Kevin, Gregg, and Steve; chow time; Dom and Steve; on hot chick row with Roxanne and Barb 😉

As we slept, the drizzle drifted in, and we awakened early to a cloudy, cool, and damp morning. The kitchen filled with the aroma of pancakes, coffee, and bacon. No one is late to the table here, even at 7:30 am. We made certain everyone who needed transportation to the airport was matched with a ride, then it was one last round of student performances. Steve brought Sean McGowan back for the morning masterclass on how to practice. Finally, time for the guitars to return to their cases, and their owners to their routines. We packed our suitcases, tidied our rooms, and traded hugs. A few more sentiments for Steve’s memory book, a few more sips of coffee, a few more m&ms to go. As I hauled my bags up the slope to the car, the acorns once again crunched beneath my feet — a peculiar sound to come from someone walking on air. These are my friends, my guitar family, my consolation, my inspiration. Go in peace, and play with passion.

Just another day in guitar paradise. In the morning some exercises with Steve, and a few people demonstrated the results of their drop D homework. Our masterclass with Richard Smith generated more notes in my notebook than I can here summarize, beyond: “Have a goal, however small, and play it perfectly.” After lunch Steve discussed gear: cases, DIs, straps, pedals, and nail care. Here’s to Revlon nail buffs. John Knowles returned to the retreat for a seminar on arranging songs. During recess the first Fingerstyle Retreat Cornhole Tournament was dominated by team “Drop D’s” (Dunk-‘Em Dave White and Doug Benson) who snatched the trophy from team Capos and team Tritones, who go home with Honorable Mentions. The Carpetball matches were equally spirited. Wagering results are not available. Bring on dinner: roast pork, mac and cheese, corn on the cob, salad, and apple pie. More student performances followed, then Steve and Paulette held the drawing for the door prizes: subscriptions to Acoustic Guitar, Fishman acoustic preamps, and a grand prize of a Fishman Loudbox Mini. Our evening concert was a jazzy, mellifluous performance by Sean McGowan. Ice cream Coke floats polished off our final night. Early start tomorrow, and we have to ship out by 11:00 am. The Cloud is acting quirky. I have photos that are not yet available to post right now, so I’ll have more for you in a few days.

Another brilliant day began with a full breakfast and Steve’s practice advice on posture, hand position, breathing, and mindset. Gareth Pearson returned for a masterclass on the open chord A, E, and D families (which use an open root, a key to fingerstyle). At lunch, he invited me to join him, and our table got to know him better over delightful conversation with a man from Wales who doesn’t speak Welsh. We’re not using the upstairs meeting room this time, so the whole clan piled back into the fireplace room for Steve’s class on creating a fingerstyle arrangement. Improvement = Exploration, he stressed. Our homework was to explore drop D to see what we could find. Finishing out the instruction, he taught us the first measures of the intro to “Fire and Rain”. Then it was time to relax. I strolled the grounds, tested the rocking chair on the porch, noodled a bit in drop D, then stretched out for a nap. After dinner, a few more student performances, then two hours of Richard Smith’s fingerstyle fireworks. Wow, wow, wow. Milk and cookies and guitar stories around the fire pit, then lights out and the lodge fell quiet.

It’s been three years, but we are back at Deer Run once again. We arrived under a cloudless blue sky on a crisp fall afternoon with the Franklin countryside in full fall glory. This morning I collected Doug at the airport and we made a run to Carter Vintage Guitars. After lunch at M. L. Rose and a pilgrimage to the Gibson Garage downtown, the reunion was on. It’s a full house, with 25 attending, counting Steve and Paulette. Most of the attendees are first timers at the retreat. We assembled in the living room for Steve’s welcome and a group lesson. After dinner, we enjoyed a few student performances. These were followed by some tunes from Collin Hill, and finally our special concert by Gareth Pearson. Finally we adjourned to the outdoor fire pit for s’mores and commiseration. It’s good to be back. Forgive my brevity, but it’s been a long and happy day. Guitars and friends all around. For now, good night to all who are with us in spirit.

Ohh, I get it. Thanks for the clarification. That seems to be a thing on late night now, with Steven Colbert having St. Vincent, James Taylor, and Joe Walsh do the same. Just a marketing hook to bring in more eyeballs. 🤨

Are you sure? Must be an old rerun in your area. Not according to the schedule, and Joe is not listed as having appeared on Jimmy Kimmel this year. My local listings match the show's web site.

If you have been contemplating taking the plunge into full-featured notation software, good news: Finale is now priced at $299, a full 50% drop from its previous list price of $599. The learning curve is a bit steep (think Photoshop) but the help system is voluminous and there are many online tutorials to get the beginner up and running. Finale has been a huge boost to my music education. The ability to write music and hear it played back is priceless. The principal competitors to Finale are probably Avid's Sibelius and the open source, free MuseScore. I believe Steve uses Finale. Their capabilities are essentially equivalent; in my case the choice was a matter of compatibility with my theory instructor. Here's a sample of mine from a couple of years ago, created six weeks from the starting line.