Guitar Practice and the Paraguayan Harp

People often ask me how much guitar practise Robin does.
The answer is a lot, a point highlighted by the comments of a passenger on board the QE2, who happens to have the room next door.

The guest heard him practising and was amazed, he said:

"I went out on deck, came back, and still you were practising, I went for lunch, came back, and still you were practising, went to a lecture, came back, and still you were practising."

Luckily for Robin, this gentleman didn't mind, he was just incredulous that someone could keep up this level of commitment, for the last four days.
I hope he's still enjoying it after two weeks...

Being heard whilst practising is an issue when away, and Robin does often go off, and find an isolated spot somewhere.
He's even been known to put a sock underneath his strings to dampen the sound.
But, in order to give the performance that is expected of you, practise you must.
Good job Robin enjoys it.

However, he did take time out to go for lunch with Francisco, a Paraguayan harpist, who he has met a few times before.
The conversation, as often does with musicians, turned to strings.
We seem to have inadvertently found yet another use for the thousands of guitar strings that we have around the house.
He has now discovered that Paraguayan harpists use guitar strings for their treble register.
We have hundreds of them, so, it has been arranged that we will send some onto Francisco.
So the next time you hear, 'Guantanemera', played on a Paraguayan harp, some of those strings may well have previously been on Robin's Miguel Rodriguez guitar, and played just one concert, somewhere in the world!