Divas who are musicians?

[DeeSki]

@Jenny destoning an avocado, like a complete noob, as my kids would say. I had been chopping something else with a big knife and clearly it was too big and I stabbed myself right into the base of my ring finger. It’s a really small cut but it’s deep. I think it will be fine and it’s just the location of the cut that makes it so sore.

It’s annoying though. I just managed to build up some decent calluses, which is quite an achievement with all the handwashing. I probably overdid it at the beginning both because I was enjoying it but also because I went about practicing it like I practice the flute, which I’ve been playing since I was 12! At some point the app told me I should be working up to 30 minutes a day. I was already topping 45. Clearly i take things way too seriously!

 

[RachelV]

I've been playing around with guitar for a few years now, after playing music all through school (flute and alto sax from 3rd grade through college). I kind of dropped music after I graduated, because it's hard to play a woodwind alone in your apartment. I got more serious about guitar maybe a year ago and it's really nice to have music back in my life.

I've been getting into bluegrass specifically because (at least during normal times) it's by FAR the easiest, lowest stress way to play with other people, especially in Colorado where there's a huge bluegrass scene. Bluegrass jams are really welcoming, super fun, and the barrier to entry is shockingly low.

As for online lessons, I can't recommend these highly enough: https://artistworks.com/guitar-lessons-bryan-sutton

I've only done the flatpick guitar course, but if the rest of the courses on ArtistWorks are even half as good they'd still be worth it.

Love hearing how musical everyone is!!

 

[DeeSki]

Thanks for the tip @RachelV, I’ll check out that website. I know what you mean about playing woodwind in an apartment! I live in a tiny house and I can hear the neighbors laughing through the walls. I play piano too and it’s digital so theoretically I could play with headphones but in practice I don’t like it. Also, the piano is in the living room so there’s constant interruptions. Guitar is not too loud, I can hide in the bedroom with it and it’s a bit more interesting on your own than flute.

 

[VickiK]

Bluegrass is so infectious--good toe-tapping music. I've done contra dancing, that's fun too--this is contra dancing and this.

 

[RachelV]

Well - I didn't play too much for the first year of the pandemic because we got a new puppy and I was depressed (related? partially ), but I've been back at it for a while now and have been especially loving getting back to playing with other people.

I'm really lucky to have a group of friends who are also into learning bluegrass and right around my level, and we all went to what I've been affectionately calling band camp last week down in Flagstaff (we left the forest literally hours before this last round of fires started, thankfully).

The camp was amazing, and really, meeting up with strangers to do hobbies has to be the best way to restore your faith in humanity. Similar vibe to skiing with people from ski forums for sure.

This was the camp:

Flagstaff Roots and Boots Music Camp - Roots and Boots Music Camp | Flagstaff, AZ

A 4 day immersion camp for the study and enjoyment of Folk, Bluegrass, Old Time & Blues styles for serious adult students in Flagstaff, AZ.

rootsandbootsmusiccamp.com

Some pics:

Band Camp 2022

16 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

I was a professional clogger so YAY to Blue Grass! Also have played guitar, piano & harpsichord.

 

[MissySki]

Well - I didn't play too much for the first year of the pandemic because we got a new puppy and I was depressed (related? partially ), but I've been back at it for a while now and have been especially loving getting back to playing with other people.

I'm really lucky to have a group of friends who are also into learning bluegrass and right around my level, and we all went to what I've been affectionately calling band camp last week down in Flagstaff (we left the forest literally hours before this last round of fires started, thankfully).

The camp was amazing, and really, meeting up with strangers to do hobbies has to be the best way to restore your faith in humanity. Similar vibe to skiing with people from ski forums for sure.

This was the camp:

Flagstaff Roots and Boots Music Camp - Roots and Boots Music Camp | Flagstaff, AZ

A 4 day immersion camp for the study and enjoyment of Folk, Bluegrass, Old Time & Blues styles for serious adult students in Flagstaff, AZ.

rootsandbootsmusiccamp.com

Some pics:

Band Camp 2022

16 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

That's so awesome, especially that you have a group of friends doing it with you and around the same level.
I've sadly not played my Ukulele in forever, keep saying I want to get back to it.. so maybe I actually will one of these days!

 

[RachelV]

I went to another bluegrass camp last week down in Abiquiu, NM and it was AMAZING. If anyone else is interested in this kind of thing and is an intermediate-ish player who's looking to get experience playing and performing with other people, I can't recommend the bluegrass camp at the Ghost Ranch highly enough. Great instructors, gorgeous location, well organized - just a great experience all around. The friends I went with are going to do our best to make this a yearly thing.

Programs - Ghost Ranch

Programs - Our workshops and retreats teach by creating a space where participants explore in a supportive and hands-on learning environment.

www.ghostranch.org

Big jam with most of the group:


Small performance with two friends:


Our performance at the show on the last night. We were sorted into bands randomly and had to pick 2 songs to do. Crazy experience! Very intense, very good.


Ghost Ranch view. The whole camp was really just like walking around in a Georgia O'Keeffe landscape. Such a beautiful spot.