Let There Be Music!

I have invited the dulcet tone of the nylon string back into my life. A while ago I found a used "parlour sized" guitar in a pawn shop. Cosmetically, it's been roughed up some; but it's small & light, perfect for travel. I offered them $100.00 less than the asking price - Sold! Best of all, it puts that nylon sound that I love so much in my hands again! A few days ago I took the guitar into a local luthier (it needs some adjustments) after his assessment, it was revealed that a couple of braces inside the body are cracked. Though not a structural issue (at least not yet) these cracks can produce an annoying "buzzing." So in a week's time that guitar will be going in for a little TLC and after labour costs, I suppose it will run close to the cost of a new one. However, set up properly and its structural integrity restored and some new strings - it will be better than new. It's got character and I will have resurrected a perfectly good instrument allowing for it to add another chapter to it's life.

The other additions to my nylon stringed posse are: a ukulele and most recently, (today) a beautiful classical guitar.

I hummed and hawed about the ukulele for a long time. I love the sound of them. Oh, but I don't know how to play one! (except for 4 chords  that I don't even know the names of - I just remember the positions from grade 7 music class). Ah, so what! I have an ear for music and the rest of my life to learn.

I got a couple of instructional books (which I haven't used much yet - I don't want to jump into the box too soon). So far  I can play most of two songs: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" &  "Here Comes the Sun." I trust that if Brother Iz is offended by my rendition, he and George Harrison can get together and haunt me!

The classical guitar is hand-made by a builder on one of the local islands (Saltspring); he's out of the country at present (Ireland, I learned to today when I was picking up my guitar); consequently I haven't had an opportunity to communicate much with him (except for a brief exchange on Facebook). I look forward to connecting with him when he returns . Maybe I could tour his shop and we could talk guitars and Ireland - he may never get rid of me given that prospect.

Until recently the only nylon generated music I had access to, was my considerable collection of tracks now stored on my computer; which stem from a period of life when I obsessively collected classical guitar cd's.

I studied classical guitar  for five years. I hung on to some of my music books from those days. I kept thinking, I may well play this repertoire again someday (even though I look at the sheets now and I can hardly believe I used to play them).

So, today is "someday."

Obviously some practice will be required to "wake the sleeping giant." However, I'm happy to have given myself the renewed opportunity for this retroactive, renewed, expansive gift of music. I see flamenco guitar in my future. Heaven knows when "seeing" will be "doing," making hearing possible.

I am grateful to be at a place where I can resume, pursue and ultimately I hope share, my passions once again. I am grateful to the universal vibrations of Source energy that manifest as music. I am grateful to all those that make music, create music, play music, connect through music, and love music, love through music and have left and contributed to the ever expanding legacy that is, music.

I deeply wish for each that you be blessed as you have been a blessing.

Now I must go, this writing is getting in the way, of making the music happen!

Postscript: Article written yesterday (September 18th, 2016) transcribed & posted today.