I often stray off the JG courses, usually because I need to understand a particular concept in more depth. Musically this could be the difference between a 7th chord and a Major 7th chord, and why they are named etc.
Other times I wander around after seeing something about instruments, people or just about anything.
The latest is that reinforcing bit at the junction of the neck and the head of the guitar - the Volute.
So what is it? I knew about Involutes, they’re one of the shapes used to create the teeth on a mechanical gear.
What’s the relationship? There must be one.
So I wombled around the web til I found that it likely just means a curve or spiral. The involute can’t exist without a volute (or ‘evolute’) but the volute itself can be any form of curve, and the maths to go with it melt my brain
I was interested to see if a specific curve shape would be the strongest, and though it is obvious that there is a mathematically describe perfect volute somewhere, it isn’t likely to appear on the guitar.
That satisfied my curiosity on that point. Ben Crowe at Crimson Guitars has a lot to answer for - making all those guitars on Youtube
A fav rabbit hole of mine is a particular musician. I’m a bit fan of Damien Rice and he used to perform with Lisa Hannigan. Every now and then I follow the rabbit hole of Lisa Hannigan songs on youtube which is an exquisite delight.
My favourite rabbit hole is Leo Moracchioli and Fog leap studios, he takes any song and creates a Metal version of it; one of my favourites is his version with Rabea and Hannah of Toto’s Africa, it’s absolutely brilliant!
This is the live version, love it!
Lately my rabbit hole has been trying to find good information on composing songs both the music and the lyrics. It’s just fascinating to me how songs are brought into existence and how they evolve. I kinda get curious too about what stories bands share onstage because they can be entertaining. Hence “Plastic Jesus”
I would like to spend long enough on one thing to go down the rabbit hole. I think I suffer from new and shiny syndrome. Especially with songs. I start learning one and then see something else that I want to learn and move on to that one. So have recently found out I don’t know anything the whole way through
That is so easy to do Emma, but you do need to follow what your heart is telling you.
I now don’t look at music that I have any desire to play, most of the stuff that I watch now is way beyond my abilities, I now am into playing ‘ambience music’ noodling around a few chords loop, it’s relaxing and not stress inducing!
My advice to you is to get to the stage where you are relatively happy with your abilities and just learn for pleasure, nothing stressful or putting pressure on yourself and see what transpires. Making your own music is way more satisfying than copying other peoples work but copying other peoples work is the easiest way to learn to play and learn composition, use it as a tool to make progress down the path of becoming a musician.
Just love that. I am starting to experiment a little. I know all the chords in Grade 1 and 2, with the sus chords and 7th chords needing more practice. But getting there.
Just love that. I am starting to experiment a little. I know all the chords in Grade 1 and 2, with the sus chords and 7th chords needing more practice. But getting there.