Our family has camped/attended FF for years, and now for the first time my 16 year old niece is going to Song School! Her birthday is a couple of weeks before FF and we’d like to get her something special for SS…besides the regular items to bring for camping, does anyone have a suggestion for something special, something that maybe you don’t ‘need’ but sure is nice to have?
Thanks, K
A bag of quality Colorado weed? LOL
If she doesn’t have one already, a handheld digital recorder is an excellent songwriting tool. I consider it indispensable. Great for capturing lyrical ideas and melody ideas. I have a Roland R-05. It’s great. Easy to use. Plug a USB cable into your computer and transfer the files easily. These things use to cost $400, now you can get one for $200. Other brands are cheaper.
I agree that a handheld digital recorder will get a lot of use, not only at the Song School but in many situations. The Zoom H2 is about $180 and Tascam DR 5 is about $100. Both record on SD cards so it is easy to transfer files to a computer and of course you can always listen (I use ear buds) to the recordings directly on the recorder. Depending on your access to batteries (I have gone to The Swannanoa Gathering for the past six summers and was able to use rechargable batteries and recharge them in the dorm at night) you can record (with instructor’s permission) parts or all of sessions as well as songwriting ideas, etc. Most phones have recorder apps which are fine for short ideas and recordings but a separate recorder will usually provide a better sound, be easier to transfer files, and not drain the phone battery.
I find a gig bag (rather than a case) easier to carry my guitar from session to session.
Another idea is a Cooperstand guitar stand https://www.cooperstand.com/products/ecco-g I really like them because besides holding the guitar, they fold up nice and small and will fit in most cases under the headstock and in gig bags in the pocket on the front.
How great for your niece to have this experience at such a young age.
Is she camping by her car or away from a car? If away from the car, it is REALLY handy to have a rolling cart to drag stuff into the camping area, across the wood/grass. Also, solar lights by the tent are nice to identify it in the dark. Any solar charging device would probably be put to use, as well- for instance, to charge a cell phone. It’s also handy to have a bicycle to make trips to town for ice much quicker. Hope this helps!