Laura Bruno Lilly

The road ends, but the journey continues...

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Marching to the Studio: Gearing Up – Strings

April 18, 2016 /

The first recording session for Swimming with Swans: the music is scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 27th.


Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog post:
When prepping for actual recording, timing is everything.  Not just in the realm of musical readiness, but also in gear readiness. Booking this session date gave me approximately two weeks to break in fresh strings. So of course that meant changing out strings ASAP; which I did.

The Prisloe - ready for string change

All set and ready to go!


 
Changing out strings on the Prisloe is pretty routine.  Basic procedure for me involves laying down a blanket on the living room floor, arranging all the necessary tools on it (tuner, peg turner, string pack, dust rag, jewelers’ sandpaper, string clipper) and then sitting down with the instrument to my right. All set and ready to go.
 
The body as a natural luthier's bench

The body as a natural luthier’s bench


This is how I’ve done it for decades on both the classical and the 12-string, so even if I had access to a cool luthier’s repair bench, I’m not sure I’d use it for this task.
Gently sanding out burrs in the guitar nut

gently sanding out burrs in the nut


Doing related guitar maintenance is often easier done during string changes. Unfortunately the ‘new’ dead spot on the 4th fret 4th string is way beyond my mending capabilities. It will have to wait until I find someone in the area qualified to do repairs on my custom Prisloe.
First string shortened before winding on peg

1st string shortened before winding on peg


Until then, I also trick-out the 1st string to accommodate an oddly unbalanced string winding on the peg.
odd but workable 1st string winding

odd but workable 1st string winding


 
 
 
Squashed Palmetto Bug

Interrupted by a local intruder


 
 
Last week’s string changing routine was spooked up a bit by the need to crush a curious Palmetto Bug* (he looks tiny, but he shrank after being smashed, believe me!). Ugh – how I hate anything roach related.

Now, please excuse me as I continue to dig my fingers into these fresh strings…Gotta break ’em in. My three solo selections are ready and just itching to be recorded.

*nicknamed ‘the unofficial state bird of South Carolina’, here are some funny conversations about the local critter.

April 8, 2016 /

Today is 22/23/24.

Isn’t it a great Mathematical day?

What an exciting time to be alive.

(I’m always looking for cool date/number relationships; this is the absolute best. In fiddling with today’s date during an unproductive morning journaling, this phenom revealed itself to me. Hubby thought my discovery was so cool, he e-mailed a bunch of people. His enthusiasm inspired me to share the announcement with you, my blog readers)

Coffee Question

April 6, 2016 /

inigo montoya coffee photoSo, is coffee really coffee if it’s Decaf?
That’s the question I pose to you, my readers, especially those of the coffee-persuasion.
I tend to lean towards the NO side of this debate. Afterall, one does not find decaf beans growing on coffee bushes, waiting to be harvested.
Just sayin’…

(read my ‘Goat-Joe Love & Laura’s Sumatra’ posts, part 1 & part 2, for fun info on this subject)
 

New Book Release: Home to Cedar Branch by Brenda Bevan Remmes

March 29, 2016 /
                                 Waiting for Brenda
Home-to-Cedar-Branch-Novel-by-Brenda-Remmes
Of course wouldn’t you know, the day’s dark grey skies decided to pour forth a drenching rain the moment I stepped out of the car. Brenda and I were meeting that morning at the FloTown Starbucks on Palmetto for a quasi-interview, so I wanted to get there a bit before the appointed time.
After my mad dash into the tiny building, I quickly scanned the area for an available table. As a veteran of numerous coffee shops, I know that claiming one’s territory is best done first.  I planted my book bag atop my find as evidence of ownership then proceeded to redeem my empty bean bag* for a free cup of coffee.
Returning to ‘our’ table with java in hand, I settled in to read a few pages of ‘Home to Cedar Branch’ while waiting for Brenda’s arrival…

Home to Cedar Branch is Brenda’s second novel in the ‘Quaker Café’ series.  While not intended to be a part of an actual series, this stand-alone book clamors to be part of something larger than itself. Writing has a way of making demands on its author and Brenda is accommodating those demands by crafting yet a third book in the ‘Quaker Café’ series as of this posting.
Both novels, along with an in-progress third, are centered around the fictional community of Cedar Branch.  I asked Brenda if she would like to live in Cedar Branch.  Surprisingly, she told me that she Continue reading

Holy Week 2016

March 21, 2016 /

Yesterday’s Palm Sunday marked the start of Holy Week – the last week of Lent and the week preceding Easter. It is a time for reflection and commemoration of the Passion of Christ for those of us who are followers of the Prince of Peace.palm sunday quote

palmetto fronds

palmetto fronds


saw-palmetto-leaf-2

saw-palmetto leaf: the artistry of His Creation


 
This year, I realized the connection between Sunday’s palm fronds to the area where we are currently living: the Palmetto State of South Carolina. Not a spiritual connection, but one that helps me to see some inter-connectedness in my personal life and this place – well, at least its flora.
 
That said, I thought I’d use this liturgical timeline as a means to express some thoughts I believe reflect the heart of Christ’s message.  I’ll be sticky-noting some quotes/images from this blog’s archives that reflect those thoughts* and maybe come up with a new post when all is said and done.
 
 
*just scroll down to view them as I (re)post them over the course of this week.
(click here & here for the two I selected)

Swimming with Swans – March(ing) to the Studio

March 2, 2016 /

Southern Harmony Recording StudioLast Thursday marked the beginning of forward movement towards the recording of Swimming with Swans: the music.  I met with Ken*, the sound engineer and owner of Southern Harmony recording studio here in FloTown**.  I had a fantastic time sharing my project, discussing needs, working through technical details and listening to his expertise as applied to contexts unique to solo & ensemble classical guitar.
I am so glad I went with my gut on using this studio for my solo pieces.  The selection of quality recording studios nearby is limited.  I vetted several this past year covering a 3 hour driving radius and came up with a scattering of possibilities all over the state, but really, the best for my needs are located in Raleigh/Durham, NC.  Hubby being my #1 patron and supporter of my art is keeping those options open for me to use if I decide to go that route, regardless.

Original musical monkey in journal

A page from my journal…


I have to admit that until moving to and living in Florence, SC I took basic musician needs for granted.  This scarcity of a vibrant, well-rounded arts-scene will no doubt be a foreign concept/truth to grasp for many of my colleagues.  It certainly was for me, but – it is what it is and I’m thrilled to have cracked the code to a satisfying solution; enabling me to thus move forward and march*** to the studio.
There is one other semi-appropriate studio in Colombia that Joe and I toured during his Thanksgiving visit.  It was more attuned to the needs of classical/jazz musicians, but the space didn’t feel good.  It offers the use of a superior quality grand piano, but that’s not something I need. Also, the sound engineer didn’t have any project tracks to play for me to listen to that were relevant to my instruments.  The ones we gave a listen to were mostly of brass instruments, which sounded great…but.  After doing some of my own digging on the internet for sound samples from his client list, I found a few background tracks with acoustic guitar that sounded – well, let’s just say they were not to my liking.
As a musician, the bottom line is one’s tone, one’s sound. If that gets messed up, no amount of playing technique or flourish will save the day.  After listening to some of Ken’s current projects highlighting a variety of acoustic instruments, I believe I can trust his ear.  We certainly have a great rapport, which also counts as a keen element in the recording process/experience.
The Prisloe, Mo Giolla Mear, the ZOOM H4n & PillowMeanwhile, I’m doing time on the ole’ practice stool, fine tuning my solo pieces, getting ready for recording and keeping up my chops.  I hope to start sessions by mid-late March.
I am definitely psyched…
 
 
*If you visit Southern Harmony, you’ll find Ken is quite modest…his creds include an impressive resume of work in the LA scene for most of his 20 years of experience before moving to FloTown,  yet not listed on his website.
**Local name for Florence, South Carolina
***Yes, pun is intentional.

Day Three: Goofy Three Quotes – Three Days

February 26, 2016 /

And here’s my last Goofy Quote. This one just kind of struck me as funny when grandmalin posted it on her blog awhile back. It’s presented here with her permission.

Jazzy says: "Speak softly and carry a big beverage"

Jazzy says: “Speak softly and carry a big beverage”

Jazzy says: “Speak softly and carry a big beverage”

Thank you again to LuLu for nominating me for this challenge, it’s fun and easy to pull off as far as blog tag-games go.
My three nominees for Day Three are:
– Jane at Janes Heartsong
– Andy at City Jackdaw
– L.Marie at El Space
Remember, the rules of the challenge are:
1) Thank the person who nominated you.
2) Post a quote each day for 3 days.
3) Each day nominate 3 new bloggers to take part.

Have Fun!

Day Two: Goofy Three Quotes – Three Days

February 25, 2016 /

We all carry in our hearts favorite people, places and goats – say what? Yes, goats, but for the rest of you, just generalize that to be ‘animals’.  We all have special memories and words of wisdom spoken to us through those places and beings…For myself, Mama Goat Wisdom is forever etched on my heart.

Here then is something worth pondering from my favorite goat mama –

'Hi back at ya'

Mama Goat (December, 2010)

“As Mama’s final prenatal days stretched into weeks, I learned a valuable lesson from her:

It will happen when it will happen and no amount of angst will change the when and how of it! 

Such is life, eh?”

 
 
Thank-you, LuLu, for the nomination, hope you’re enjoying these quote selections.
My three nominees for Day Two are:
– Jerusha at The Novel Faery
– Michelle at The Green Study
– Marla at Explorations in Place
Remember, the rules of the challenge are:
1) Thank the person who nominated you.
2) Post a quote each day for 3 days.
3) Each day nominate 3 new bloggers to take part.

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