'Twilight' Composition Premiering with Johannes Moller!

 

I just finished a new composition for guitar called Twilight. I’ve been working on it steadily over the last few weeks, and now it is done. The engraving is also done just this morning so I will be able to publish it soon. 

This Sunday November 22nd Johannes Moller is planning to play the debut performance on his live stream “See you on Sunday” on Facebook at 11:00 am PST. Johannes has been doing this live stream  program since early lockdown, playing his own music, his concert repertoire and also sometimes music from other current composers. It is reaching a lot of people in a new way.

 Johannes has also been running a zoom composition course for a while now that I am participating in, along with several other guitar composers from literally around the world: Sweden, Germany, California, Mexico, Bangladesh, Australia, China and more. Because it’s a live class meeting the time zones are crazy, and while Johannes is in his Sunday afternoon I’m there at 5:00AM Sunday morning and the guys in Australia are attending sometime around midnight. This has been a rewarding community to be a part of. If you’re curious about writing guitar music check it out. It has been a very good experience for me.

I just introduced this piece Twilight to the class two weeks ago, but Johannes is willing to play it in public on Sunday. He’s good, I’m sure he can do it. I haven’t heard it except for my own playing, so this seems very, very cool.

Kenny Hill

November 2020

Johannes Facebook Link

"See You On Sundays" August 9th with Johannes Möller

Hello Friends.

My good friend and cohort Johannes Möller is now hosting a weekly live stream on Sundays at 11:00 AM Pacific time on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Johannes is an extraordinary composer and concert guitarist and he’s broadcasting from his home in Holland. He is featuring his own music as well as spotlighting other composers and generally sharing music with the community of guitarists around the world. This is an interesting adaptation to our current lifestyle, with musicians and particularly concert artists finding ways to continue to be active and relevant while concerts and gatherings are down. I think this is very interesting, and I think we are learning a new way to share community that will endure even beyond our current isolation's.

Of special interest to me is that on August 9th Johannes is going to feature some of my own compositions. I know, I’m supposed to be a guitar maker, not a composer. Well I’m old enough now to do whatever I want, and I delight in doing both. One of the messages coming out of this evolving online society is that music is for everyone, and that creativity is where you find it. We don’t have to wait for permission or authority to break new ground. I like that, I live that.

Please check out Johannes Möller’s live stream See You On Sundays and in particular tune in on August 9th to hear him play some of my music. I’m honored to be a part of this.

Look for this live stream on https://www.facebook.com/johannesmollerguitar/

Kenny Hill

August, 2020

Used/B-stock Guitar Sale!

Over these past few months we’ve been doing some house keeping and restructuring operations here at Hill Guitar. As part of this I’ve been going over our inventory of pre-owned guitars that have been adding up for a while. We have a generous trade in policy where we offer top value for our instruments being traded in toward upgraded guitars. Lately I’ve been organizing these used instruments and doing repairs and adjustments to bring them up to maximum usefulness, and there are some real gems here. In fact an older used instrument can be just as good or better than a fresh new guitar, and if you’re willing to over look some cosmetics or play wear, they can be real bargains. This summer I would like to get these into the hands of players who can put them to good use.

Included is a list of some of the guitars that I have already gone over. These are all New World guitars at the moment, thought there are some Hill Guitars that will come out later. They are priced individually, and in cases where there is some cosmetic issue, we can send you detail photos to help think about it. As used instruments there is no implied warranty, but I try to have them in the best condition before they leave here. If you're not satisfied with the instrument when you receive it you may return it within five days, paying only the round trip shipping.

So many of us are still spending a lot of time at home, and guitar is a real comfort and distraction of the best kind. I hope some of these instruments can boost the quality of life these days and going forward. I’m still fully in love with the guitar and the music, I get as much stimulation and satisfaction from it as ever, actually even more.

Kenny Hill

July 2020

To inquire about availability please email Maggie at maggiek@hillguitar.com or call (831)336-9317. Prices do not include shipping and CA tax if located in CA.  

— P640S, 2020
$1,500.00
Used for Arthur Dente's east coast tour in January/February 2020. Good condition. It has strap buttons.
—

— P650S Cutaway 2016
$1,400.00
Used, good condition

— P650C 2017
$1,400.00
Used good condition. Small irregularity in the finish

— E45C, 2018
$495.00
650 scale, Laminated Bubinga back and sides, solid cedar top. Light color blemish in top finish. Sounds great!

— P640C FS, 2018
$1,400.00
Used Fingerstyle, very slight play wear. 48mm nut, cutaway, 16” radius fingerboard.

— Player Series Flamenco, 2017
$1,400.00
650 scale, solid Spanish cypress. Clear tap plates.

— P650C, 2020
$1,400.00
Small repaired wood checks, lower back near tail block.

— P640C, 2018
$1,000.00
Repaired top crack near center seam.

—P650C 2019
$1,000.00
bridge re-glued, solid, but visible chip at front of bridge under the strings.

— P640S 2019
$1,200.00
— Used, slight play wear.

—P650S 2017,
$1,400.00
Used, excellent condition

— P640C 2019
$1,200.00
String pop bridge top ding

— P650C 2017
$,1200.00
String pop bridge top dings

— E580C 2018
$350.00
Repaired top crack

— P650S 2020
$1,500.00
It has highly figured burl pattern in the rosewood back, ornate, structurally sound.

—P628C 2019
$1,400.00
Finish dent under 1st string

Watch & Download "Solitaire" by Kenny Hill

In March 2020 here in California we slid into quarantine like so much of the world. At first it just meant more binge watching and cooking at home, but after a couple of weeks of that I decided to use some of the time to compose something. Solitaire was that first piece. It’s a stylistic change from other music I’ve been writing recently, calmer and more transparent. As difficult and tragic as this lock down has been for so many, there is also a sense of peace and reflection in stepping out of the rat race for a while. I’m fortunate to be at a stage in life where inspiration and letting-go hover more or less in balance. And that’s good enough for now.

This is dedicated to my wife Roberta who’s strength, humor and goodness is there always, in good times and in bad. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make music, which can relieve and purify out of nowhere, and not do any harm at all.

Solitaire is really just a homemade folk song. It’s simple, though not exactly easy. The harmonics require care both in the left hand and the right. They’re sweet when it comes out right.

Kenny Hill

May, 2020

Download Sheet Music

Play From Home Update!

Hello Friends,

As we continue to live this new status quo I want to share a new guitar piece “Solitaire” that came out of our isolation. It’s dedicated to my dear wife Roberta who has been especially strong these days. Please feel free to download it and play it. I’ll publish it later, but for now it’s good to just get it up and out of the house.

We at Hill Guitar are continuing to offer our New World Guitars at the "Play From Home" 20% discount while things are so limited. Thankfully our work is by nature socially distanced so we feel confident sharing our wonderful guitars by shipping, and can even disinfect instruments before they go into the package.

In our custom shop are also able to make some truly unique guitars for individuals, somehow our imagination seems released in all this. We are still able to offer 10% discount on select Hill Guitars in inventory, please feel free to inquire about what you might be interested in.

I’m deeply grateful for our clients and friends who have been so encouraging. We continue trying to make the best of the present and build for the future.

Keep playing! It’s one of the best comforts we have.

Kenny Hill

May 2020

Download Solitaire Sheet Music

Play From Home Sale!

With this new kind of time on our hands maybe the way to make the best of it is to dive into our music and use it as a windfall to catch up on creative and therapeutic time with our instrument. I’m trying to finish up half-written compositions that are spread across my kitchen table, and take advantage of these creative moments that can be crowded out by busy regular life.

To encourage this, we at Hill Guitar are offering our inventory of both Hill Guitars and New World Guitars at discount prices of 20% off retail prices through the month of April.

At strategic times in life there’s nothing like an upgraded guitar to raise your commitment, up your game, give comfort and alleviate stress. Moreover, the right guitar can make you a better player from the minute you pick it up. Our inventory is limited, but we would love to see these guitars in the hands of devoted players and want to do something to help keep the creative blood flowing through our musicians world.

Please contact us if there is something you’ve been thinking about that we might have. We really want to offer some kind of brightness into these very murky times.

Please call or email if there is something that catches your imagination. The inventory in our on line showroom is by no means comprehensive so feel free to inquire if there is something else on your mind.

Stay safe & healthy!

Kenny Hill

How to Humidify a Guitar: Online Article

Understanding how to properly humidify your instrument can be tricky. But we've found a great article from Dr. Guitar on all the questions you may have about the process. Click the link to access the article! 

Read Here