Lunch Report, Friday, May 21. That's a wrap.

Today, is the final day of my L.R. duties, so I’ll end it with rather scrumptious lunch. Yesterday, a girl that I converse with through Facebook, posted a question about men’s favorite recipes. My contribution made me so hungry that I almost braised me some scallops right then and there. Lunch today shall be Braised Scallops with Linguini.

It's made with a very light style cream sauce that incorporates white wine (I go 50/50 with beer) fresh lime juice, cream, and a fair amount of butter, shallots, ginger, and cilantro. Diced Roma tomatoes are blended and simmered with the s...auce. It is served, of course, over a nice al dente Linguini. Very light, and very tasty. I found it in a magazine called "Eating Light" quite a few years ago. Now I'm hungry and my Cliff Bar lunch isn't going to do it.

For drink, I’ll decant a nice Chardonnay. It’ll just be a small glass, as alcoholic beverages consumed in the afternoon, put me to sleep. I don’t want to crash out, as the wind forecast down at the coast is for small craft advisories, which is music to a windsurfer’s ears.

Music/G&L Content

1.) Do any of you guys use some type of finger exercise device to improve your fretting, etc.? I’ve thought about getting one of those things that have the spring-loaded plungers in order to gain finger strength. Is the strength they help build actually help for playing the guitar?

When I was around 10 years old, I took piano lessons. I never really got any good, as my heart wasn’t into it. At that age, all I wanted to do was go out and play football, baseball, basketball, etc. It was tough to engage in any “perfect practice” when I was preoccupied with getting outside to play. I do remember my mom telling me (Although I don’t know why she would have known, as she didn’t play.) that many musicians write their songs on the piano, as the keyboard may be a bit more WYSIWYG, or sonically symmetrical. I picked up an old Yamaha electronic keyboard in order to do vocal scales and perhaps better visualize scale progressions while learning modes, etc. So, this brings up my question:

2.) Do any of you guitar or bass players also play the piano? Do you find it useful for writing songs?

As was scanning my computer for interesting pictures, I found this one that I believe was taken by a friend who was working on a project with one of my favorite bands. The Traveling Wilburys just seemed to benefit from incredible individual talent that seemed to produce a quantum synergy of music. These guys just seemed to be having the closest I've seen to too much fun. So, anyway, here's the picture. I could be wrong about it being taken by my buddy, so don't quote me. I believe it to be true. Anyway, here's a cool, candid shot of the Wilburys having a conference outside while this "shoot" was being worked on. It's easy to recognize the faces, hair, and profiles of these fabulous musicians. Thanks to Greg C. for the picture.



I've got a windsurfing buddy who plays bass in the Carl Verheyen Band. I'll be going to check out the show down at a venue called the Baked Potato on June 3 (?). Are you guys familiar with Carl V.? He seems to be an excellent player, very jazzy stuff. Here's a clip of Carl V. and the band. My buddy, the bass player, is named Dave Marotta. Enjoy, if you have the time. And again, thanks for all of your contributions this week. And don't forget, this stuff can be fun, but some of us got to lurk.

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Sounds like a great lunch!

I don't really do any finger exercises, but I do play some keyboards. I took lessons for a few years in grade school, then in high school learned to play by ear and also started writing some of my own stuff (most of it was crap in retrospect, but there were a couple decent ones). But once I picked up guitar, I rarely sat down at a keyboard again. We recently picked up a use cheapy that our girls can learn on someday, but I don't really use it much...and I'm not sure I can remember any of my old songs.

As far as writing songs, I don't really use one instrument to write songs that I'd play on another instrument. If I write it on the guitar, I play it on the guitar, if I write it on a keyboard, I play it on a keyboard. But I have heard that people do that...probably more talented folk than I!!

I'd heard OF Carl Verheyen before, but don't think I'd actually heard any of his music before. I really like that tune, thanks for sharing. And your buddy sounds great!!

It's been a busy week, so I haven't always posted here, but you've done a great job as LR. Thanks!

No finger exercises for me or keyboards for that matter.

Carl Verheyen is a MONSTER player in several styles. He also has some very interesting theories about the proper way to set up a strat style tremolo.
There's a very good vid on YT of his explanation. Something about angling the spring claw so when you depress the whammy chords staying tune.
Worth watching. Dave Marotta? There's a great drummer by the name of Jerry Marrotta, wonder if they are related?

That really is a cool pic of the Wilburys! Icons all!

No finger exercises, grip has never been an issue really, I do a lot of deadlifts and only lift gearless. I also learned to play bass on an old knock off with mile high action. The ironic part I guess is that I have a very light touch. The strength built from 'grip strength exerciser' or similar device would be wasted on guitar. Most of the roots back to forearms. Most of them are powerful weak. There is one company (Iron Grip) or something that makes graduated ones.

I do not play piano, never had the opportunity to learn. I would like to however I am a practical man, I already barely have time for Bass and Guitar, then again the cahnter I was never able to master (to get to bag pipes) or my closet banjo I cannot play (from my grandmas closet to mine).

That lunch sounded way tastier than my turkey kielbossa and crackers.

I agree with sirmyghin --- those grip exercisers probably won't help your playing. A light touch is definitely where it's at. It's all about effortlessness. If you really feel that your grip strength is lacking (though I don't see how that's possible for a wind surfer), then I'd throw some 13s on an acoustic and play it all the time, paying special attention not to allow any buzzing or "bad" notes.

That lunch sounds killer. Great job this week.

"Poof"