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Kirk Layton's New Custom Lapacho Guitar
Kirk Layton's Masterclass
Canadian guitarist Kirk Layton is in Asunción taking a 1 week intensive course with me with an emphasis on Carlevaro Technique. Kirk Custom ordered a Bellucci Custom Lapacho B&S Concert guitar with enough time to coincide its completion of the instrument with his arrival to Asunción earlier last week. His wife Janet is also here and my family and I are enjoying some quality time with two truly wonderful souls. Lapacho is Paraguay's premiere wood species. (below flowering Lapachos)
Coincidently, this is the time of the year when the tree blossoms majestically and is covered by a canopy of Pink, White or Yellow flowers that leave you to say the least speechless. Below you can see a blossoming Pink Lapacho tree flower close up. Kirk opted for a Venetian style cutaway and I must admit that the guitar looks stunning. The sound is full and profound. I am certain that Lapacho competes very closely with African Blackwood and Macassar Ebony when it comes to sound and projection. Still, since there is no speculation around the species, it is priced at a fraction of what Blackwood is. It is just a matter of time before builders start using this amazing wood in much greater numbers. A true work of art. See the HD Pictures HERE>>
CALRLEVARO TECHNIQUE:
Kirk and I have been working on technique with an emphasis on Carlevaro's appraoch to get the whole body that he referred to as "the playing apparatus" involved in the playing. In the sequence above you see how the reach of finger 4 is augmented as Kirk's body gets more and more involved in the playing.
Today Kirk finished the Intensive 1 week course and I had a great surprise in store for him: To play Agustin Barrios 1885 Marin Guitar. Kirk is one of a handful of players who had the chance to play this jewel.
