jamey faulkner

Beef Stew

I taught lessons in Florida a while back. Within 20 minutes of changing an online profile to that area, my phone rang. It was Jim.

Jim was knowledgeable about integral lines of thought. My profile mentioned this. At the time, I was using a version of the model. We agreed to meet and to work together on our guitar skills.

We became fast friends through common intellectual pursuits, humor, and the guitar.

During a lesson on primary practices, Jim mentioned ‘beef stew’. He explained what it is. Beef stew is what you play right after you tune the guitar. You tune, then you play something to check it. This still makes me laugh, and now use the term regularly.

Changing your beef stew takes effort. We get into common grooves that work for us. We tune, then we check it. We typically play the same thing. I recently modified my beef stew, but older stew occasionally finds its way back into the mix.

Of all the things I learned about guitar while teaching in the Sunshine State, this sticks with me like stew does the ribs. It’s a new awareness of old rituals.

Thanks Jim. Good stuff. Comments open to share your stew.

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