Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI

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Posted by hcason1 on Sunday, July 14, 2013

1 person likes this

Hi y'all,

Figured I'd give an update as to where I am with my playing. I've been playing for a little over a week now. Not long at all, I know. I've been working on just basic picking and chords and rolls and reading tabs. Like I said before, the only other instrument I knew was piano and that was levels 1 and 2 (beginning levels) from elementary school... I can still play Christmas songs, but we got rid of the piano so I can't see that happening.

ANYWAY. I haven't been able to practice in two days, as we were out of town. I got to see my favorite band live for the second time last night (The Avett Brothers--perfection as usual). They performed at the Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing, MI.

Avett Brothers perform live at Common Ground Music Festival. Lansing, MI. 7/13/13

It made me so happy. I saw them live for the first time three weeks ago in Portsmouth, VA (after listening to them religiously for 7 years). To be honest, I'd wanted to play banjo since I started high school but thought it would be weird since I don't live in the south anymore and none of my friends listen to bluegrass or folk. I saw Scott pull out his gorgeous banjo on my 19th birthday three weeks ago and decided it was time I learned. His music was so beautiful and the way he played intrigued me. He doesn't do clawhammer or Scruggs so I'm not sure how to describe it but he just makes such great music. Unfortunately, the show in VA didn't include much banjo, but the show in Lansing last night did. I think he put the banjo up for MAYBE four songs--out of a two hour set. I'm just so happy I could see them again.

I know, I'm making this long. BUT ONTO THE NEXT SUBJECT:

We did a lot of cool shit in Lansing. We got to go to the Michigan Historical Museum (small but worth it--I learned so much about the state we've lived in for six years now), out to some cool restaurants, a sweet zoo nearby where we got to feed giraffes FROM OUR HANDS (coolest experience ever), and, after much pleading from me to my parents, we stopped by Elderly Instruments.

I've never been inside a cooler music store--if you're ever in the area, you have to stop by. Not only did they have any stringed instrument/amp you could imagine, they had at least TWENTY banjos in the store! Guitar Center had four when I went and looked!!! And they have all the picks you could imagine at very reasonable prices. I tried on all of them (I have small fingers and it's difficult to find some to fit) and ended up purchasing four thumb picks, two different types of nickel finger picks, and one type of brass finger picks.

Picks

They also had an entire room full of lesson books, DVDs, and CDs. I got two song books for a steal--and they are both filled with songs I'd love to learn.

I got a t-shirt and some stickers as well. They had any accessory, book, cd, instrument, etc you could imagine. I plan on going there or ordering from their website for everything I need--especially because the people were so helpful there. I only wish Lansing wasn't an hour and a half from my home so I could do lessons there!!!

Sorry this is so long. I just wanted to type out what's going on with everything. I'm super excited for my first lesson on the 20th.

Thanks for reading!

-Hayley

3 comments on “Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI”

MrManners Says:
Sunday, July 14, 2013 @7:11:33 PM

good luck Hayley ,not familiar with the books,so i can't say either way on them,i would get some kinda keyboard too,since you already have time invested there and casios are cheap., Learn to play true chords on it,if you don't already---my opinion --Tom