….Putting it back together again….
Jul 10, 2009 @ 13:58
Conyach: Martin introduced me to this word years ago at the Kirkmichael Guitar festival during a session in the pub. It means when who you are and what you are doing become one…..or to put it another way – you get totally lost in what you are doing. It is a old Scottish travellers word from the story telling tradition. If the teller has no ‘conyach’ then no one will listen.
To me it is like what I am making already exists. I am just kind of freeing it out of the wood…It’s the same when I am playing well – the music already exists – I’m just channelling it from somewhere. I’m sure every guitar player must have felt that at some point?…I wish I could get that every time I play…..It’s like when you throw a dart and you know before it has left your hand that it’s a ‘bullseye’.
I’d like to think that I get it when I’m engrossed in the workshop. I felt it when I was inlaying the Horse. While I was working I couldn’t help imagining what it would be like to be on a horse riding like the wind and winning a race – I’m sure you would get the same feeling of total immersion and concentration. That’s why I decided that it was the name of the Fire Horse – ‘Conyach’ – It seemed natural to inlay the word on the headstock – I really hope Martin likes it…….
The whole inlay was in mother of pearl – I used a Celtic font for the lettering. Unfortunately as I was so engrossed in doing it that I neglected taking the pictures……I’ll find out if I can get any and put them here….for now I will stick in some pics after the inlay…….