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OT: What have you learned during the pandemic?


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I. I have learned that I can make cappuccinos for a week for the price of 1 at Starbucks. And sitting in our back yard watching our dogs play is much more fun than Starbucks. Savings 100×2 dollars a month.

2. Some store brand products are just as good as name brand products.

3. Toilet paper and paper towels are toilet paper and paper towels, doesn't matter what brand it is.

Jenny S.
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I wil stay on topic for the guitar forum. I learned that I should have installed K&K Pro Mini pickups in my Rainsong a long time ago. Removing the under saddle transducer and putting in a sold saddle seated on the bottom of the saddle slot was a revelation, I had no idea this guitar could sound that amazing. The pickups are very even and sound beautiful, even plugged straight in.

 

I learned that I could put a figure 8 microphone (ribbon mic) in a position to record an acoustic guitar that barely picks up any vocals at all. Still figuring out how to keep guitar out of the vocal mic, making progress but that's a different animal.

 

I learned that if I don't play my guitar at least a little bit every day, I don't play as well. Gotta rip around for a bit today, we are gigging outdoors Friday evening.

 

Your list is good and true Surfergirl - I've made my own coffee at home for a LONG time. I lke to buy the beans, grind them just for the small pot I make. Just a dab of half and half and I'm good.

Another great way to save money on groceries is to check if your store has an area for markdowns - items that are near or at the "expiration date". I do very well shopping those areas here. Yogurt in sealed containers, bacon, there are all sorts of items that really don't go bad that fast and are perfectly good. I don't buy reduced for quick sale pork and only chicken if it still looks good. Beef is pretty safe. Our produce section puts "cosmetically challenged" produce in red net bags and those are a dollar. Last week I got 3 huge organic Honeycrisp apples with small bruises on them for a dollar. So goooooood!!!!!!! Cheers, Kuru

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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"What have you learned during the pandemic?"

 

I learned to accept things as they unfold. I have my jaw set to endure whatever it is that comes down the pike, keeping in mind to stay as careful as possible, wear a mask in public, bring hand sanitizer with me to stores. And stay the heck home as much as possible. Plus I have been pickin and a grinnin a lot more than usual.

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I"ve learned a few new techniques and recipes in the kitchen.

 

I"ve learned a lot more about the limits of my patience...and expanding those limits.

 

I"m learning about the difficulties of teaching old Border Collies new tricks.

Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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I have learned that I need to get either a wife or a live-in girlfriend. My house is a mess, and I am just not cut out for living alone. I also learned that I should be running a hedge fund. Since the market hit bottom in late March, my E Trade account has almost quintupled. $19,000 to $94,000 in three months. That's actually pretty good. I learned how to make beef braciola that is excellent, instead of just good. I learned that I hardly touch any of my guitars unless I have somebody to inspire or motivate me, which is another reason why I need a wife or live-in girlfriend.
I rock; therefore, I am.
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I've learned to appreciate my family even more. I missed seeing the kids and the grandkids during the lockdown for about the last 4 months or so. We've only been able to see each other a few times lately while keeping our social distancing. Did get to go fishing on the bay with my son for Father's Day and had some halibut last night that was pretty tasty! Played a tune at my Grand daughter's violin recital with her for a live audience. She learned Jambalaya just for me. We went over very well. I sang and played guitar for the 1st verse and chorus then she took the lead on the violin for a verse and chorus then I ended the tune...we had lots of fun doing our 1st duo! She just turned 9 years old. :cool:
Take care, Larryz
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All awesome stuff above!!!

I also learned that friends and family are the best thing ever.

We have a small social group that is careful and trusted, we meet in friend's backyard or on another friend's large deck and socialize from a distance. The duo plays, one evening we both played all the morbid, miserable country tunes we knew which turned out to be quite a few.

 

This is not so awesome but I learned that even outdoor gigs can be to frightening so you need to choose well. This Friday we have one, we've played there often - it's a wine bar and a bit spendy so mostly older, wiser, calmer people go there. We'll be out on the deck and I don't expect it to be too insane, like the last one (which was the last time we'll play another place until things are better - which might be a long time).

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I've learned to appreciate my family even more. I missed seeing the kids and the grandkids during the lockdown for about the last 4 months or so. We've only been able to see each other a few times lately while keeping our social distancing. Did get to go fishing on the bay with my son for Father's Day and had some halibut last night that was pretty tasty! Played a tune at my Grand daughter's violin recital with her for a live audience. She learned Jambalaya just for me. We went over very well. I sang and played guitar for the 1st verse and chorus then she took the lead on the violin for a verse and chorus then I ended the tune...we had lots of fun doing our 1st duo! She just turned 9 years old. :cool:

 

That is so awesome, she will remember that moment forever. Great song choice, I posted a version of Jambalaya by Reina Del Cid a while back. Playing with my Grandpa is always fun, especially at my mom's/his daughter's wedding last year

 

Another thing I learned was to play slow and absorb the notes in the Chord.

Jenny S.
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The most honest answer, off the top of my head, would be, "I'm not sure?"

 

In the Music world, one thing I'd been working on, even before lockdown, was a picking technique based on the moto perpetuo (Perpetual Motion) approach that Robert Fripp often uses. It's both exhausting and nerve-wracking, as if your picking hand were being driven by a Drum Machine or Sequencer, while your left hand tried to keep up, but a little while ago, it seemed like I'd finally locked into machine mode, where I could move all over the neck, while maintaining that same picking pattern. I'm using it for a piece of Music I've had in mind for a while now.

 

Beyond that, well, I've learned that I can manage life in relative isolation so long as I have a garden for outdoor projects and a Music room for indoor projects. I've seen my bandmate once, briefly, outdoors, and that's it for my social life, at least out in the real world. I've sent out some sound banks to friends who are using some of the same gear that I have, and sent copies of the SFX 101 docs to a friend who looking at a new FX rig. One EM buddy wanted us to go into the studio not long ago, but I'm not ready to go into an enclosed space with anyone yet, much less with Brass and Wind Instruments involved. No offense, but really, tubes that you blow through, in the middle of an airborne pandemic? Gabriel's horn section . . .

 

My wife is working on Zoom cooking classes, which might be her next career move, and doing some food experiments here at home. She also has a large immediate family, and talks with at least some of them every day. They also have a regular Family Zoom, usually on Sunday afternoons.

 

Ah well, time for me to go pick Raspberries, and clear out the next section of my back yard.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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@ Surfer Girl, Thanks for the comments and +1 Jambalaya is a great tune to pick on and sing as there are only two chords. I usually play it in C but since my grand daughter has to play from sheet music, I had to play it and sing it in D. That's a whole step up for this old guy LOL! I actually like doing it in D now. It's a great beginning guitar player tune as well as a great tune for us old guys. Hank Sr. definitely had a hit on his hands that has stood the test of time. Even though I have played the tune forever, I too will remember playing it with my grand daughter forever. I have enjoyed reading your posts over the last year or two about playing with your grandpa too! :thu:
Take care, Larryz
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In the Music world, one thing I'd been working on, even before lockdown, was a picking technique based on the moto perpetuo (Perpetual Motion) approach that Robert Fripp often uses.

I've been applying a similar technique to my piano playing during the lockdown, but it came from Rickson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. They call it something like "animalistic perpetual motion". It's the focus of my daily pool exercises. Afterwards, I continue applying the technique during piano practice. It does a very good job of getting me "into the zone".

-- -- --

One thing I haven't learned is to remember my mask before walking down two flights of steps to the garage. :crazy:

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In the Music world, one thing I'd been working on, even before lockdown, was a picking technique based on the moto perpetuo (Perpetual Motion) approach that Robert Fripp often uses.

I've been applying a similar technique to my piano playing during the lockdown, but it came from Rickson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. They call it something like "animalistic perpetual motion". It's the focus of my daily pool exercises. Afterwards, I continue applying the technique during piano practice. It does a very good job of getting me "into the zone".

 

@Groove On - I'd very much like to see that technique executed!

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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I've learned that I have a certain affinity for playing in open G tuning.

 

 

Like Keef? Open G is a great tuning.

 

I've always wanted to try it. I do play a bit of 5 string banjo, which has the tuning as the 4 higher strings on the guitar but that way high drone string instead. So I am partway there at least.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I've learned that I have a certain affinity for playing in open G tuning.

 

 

Like Keef?

 

But with the low D kept on.

 

Open G is a great tuning.

 

I spent a lot of time last year with open D, which has the advantage of a more useful fundamental on the bottom, yet I'm liking the way open G lays out on the fingerboard. So I'm torn for preference, & really don't see devoting enough of my limited mental bandwidth to standard tuning plus 2 open tunings. I think I need to limit my brain to just one open tuning. Then there's DADGAD too.

 

I've always wanted to try it. I do play a bit of 5 string banjo, which has the tuning as the 4 higher strings on the guitar but that way high drone string instead. So I am partway there at least.

 

What pitch does the drone double? Then D, G, B, E above that? (Physically above, not pitch above.)

Scott Fraser
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