TheCurmudgeon

Discussing NOLA restaurants last night someone mentioned Chophouse on Magazine. consensus seemed to be that it's third tier, where you might go if can't get in anywhere else.

I haven't been there in years so couldn't really comment, but trust the thoughts and opinions of you strangers. Any input or recommendation?

"...my funky beat up wonderful Martin D-18."

Let me guess what the criminal who will 100% get away with it and be empowered to do it again looked like...

In Mandeville had a single one pass through a week ago, and this morning another one showed up but was hanging around. Normally will have 10+ on my feeders this time of year.

Jeff did a set up on my Martin D-18 a while back, made a great guitar absolutely perfect as to playability.

So I took my 19 year old Seagull S6 cedar top to him and just got it back. Straight set up, lowered action, and also polished the frets. Jeff's work was, again, first rate and makes the guitar play very smoothly and easily.

I still don't get why the S6 doesn't get the love it should on this board. No, it doesn't have the bass and scoop a Martin does, but it is very warm and the notes sing beautifully when arpeggiated or picked.

Don't sleep on the S6, and bring whatever you can to TheFretShack for Jeff to set up. Both are time and money well spent. Plus hanging out with Jeff as time allows is crazy educational!

AlxTgr -- I teach kids/teens guitar one night a week. My thoughts on your questions, even though I'm no pro and know my limits:

A. I am simply not comfortable. I try to mimic the positions I see the instructors in, and I feel like the guitar is too low, too far rearward, and the neck not angled right.

---Hold the guitar as is comfortable for you. BUT, try your best to have a little space between your fretting hand and the neck. Point your knuckles to the ceiling, not to the wall.

B. The best I can do is a simple chair with a box to prop my right foot on. Any help here would be great.

--- So do that. If you're not comfortable you won't play it, so get comfortable. I go through periods of only sitting and then only standing while playing at home or with friends; on stage I only sit if its a long set or with the dobro. But until you get some fundamentals down, just stay seated, less to think about and more control of the guitar.

C. The instructors go back and forth between acoustic and electric. Should I use what they are using or just stick with my electric? I have an old Ibanez I could use.

---Electric is going to be easier to play due to it being easier to fret and thus easier learn on. That being said, if you can play barre chords on a steel string acoustic you'll have no issues doing them on an electric.

D. How much time per session should I dedicate?

---Well, that depends. Don't confuse "learning" with "practicing" Being taught/learning? 30-45 minutes is plenty. But practicing what you were taught/learned? As much as you can, as long as you can, until your form/technique starts getting sloppy then stop. So much of it is muscle memory (chord shapes, changing between chords in a progression, scales) and the only way to get there is to just do it over and over and over.

E. How many sessions per week?

---Tough to say, but I'd base it more on not taking the next step until you're comfortable with the one you're on. Example, you can't really move on and learn the standard 12 bar blues progression until you know how to play G, C, D (or whatever the 1-4-5 chords of the key are) and change between them quickly and accurately.

F. Should I repeat lessons or just push through them?

---repeat until you do it 80% or so correctly. I do a review at the start of each lesson, if they don't have it like 80% down we don't move on. "Just pushing through" leaves information and skill on the table and makes it tough to learn the next step (see above comment). Break the lesson down into small phrases or pieces if you're struggling with it.

G. Should I try to learn riffs/intros I like on my own in addition, or just stick with the Lessons for now?

--- absolutely learn all the intros, riffs, and melodies you want to and can while working through your lessons. You're learning to play the guitar, so play it. There's plenty of easy cool things to learn via YouTube and GuitarETab. Plus by doing that you'll start seeing how certain chords usually show up and work together, get your changes down, and build confidence. Just don't slack on the lessons.

My favorite tip - DO NOT store your guitar out of sight at home. Leave it out and easily accessible. If you put it up and out of sight and you won't play it often. If it's right there, you'll find you'll pick it up often and noodle with it. You can not get better at playing a guitar by not playing a guitar.

Hope this helps!

Doc is pulling me off the bike for a while so I need to get back in the pool. Used to be a member at Franco's, put PAC is closer.

I've never been to PAC. Any real difference between the two? Any preferences one over the other? I will also use the weight room.

Thanks in advance

I haven't been to Jazz Fest in 20+ years but will be there tomorrow to see that show. It'll be great!

White long sleeved shirt, jeans, black caiman boots, Martin D-18 playing for the choir.

I'll offer that the best way to save the Hwy 22 corridor and Madisonville is not to increase traffic capacity in that area, but just take the drawbridge out.

St Tammany is now North Metairie and will look like the Kenner/I10 corridor soon enough.