jasona
Dec-10-2007, 1:12pm
Hello all,
I've been feeling a lack of direction in my practices and a real incompetence in my jam participation in the past year. I have decided that my dedication to good technique at the expense of learning tunes has been a good idea for a while, but now its really holding me back.
I propose to learn the standard tunes common in jams over the next year or two. Inspired by John Bird's "Tune of the Week" over on CoMando, I wish to make this a participatory activity for those of you who also wish to build a song library or work on some old chestnuts. I will propose a song on a Friday, and then will learn it over the course of the following two weeks. My approach will be to learn a stripped down, bare bones melody in the first week, and in the second learn a variation (for instrumentals) or the lyrics (in the case of one of them singing things). Melody and rhythm playing will get equal treatment.
I also pledge to get out and pick with others as often as possible, working in the new tune whenever possible.
What you can do:
1) Discuss songs for potential adoption in the rotation. I will skew towards songs common in my neck of the woods, but am open to including others (since variety is the spice of life). I am weak in knowing the singing songs in particular since I don't really sing myself (but the folks at my local jam don't accept that as an excuse, so I might as well work on it!).
2) Offer sources of simple melodies and variations. Actually, variations aren't a problem--MandoZine is full of them. The simple melodies are hard to find I've found. So those of you with huge ABC libraries, please share!
3) Links to recordings, self produced versions (say via the Song Project web site, assuming we can set aside part of it for this effort), etc.
I hope others will find this project of mine of use, and in turn I will be kept focused by the enthusiasm of others. Thanks!
First tune will be coming in the new year.
I've been feeling a lack of direction in my practices and a real incompetence in my jam participation in the past year. I have decided that my dedication to good technique at the expense of learning tunes has been a good idea for a while, but now its really holding me back.
I propose to learn the standard tunes common in jams over the next year or two. Inspired by John Bird's "Tune of the Week" over on CoMando, I wish to make this a participatory activity for those of you who also wish to build a song library or work on some old chestnuts. I will propose a song on a Friday, and then will learn it over the course of the following two weeks. My approach will be to learn a stripped down, bare bones melody in the first week, and in the second learn a variation (for instrumentals) or the lyrics (in the case of one of them singing things). Melody and rhythm playing will get equal treatment.
I also pledge to get out and pick with others as often as possible, working in the new tune whenever possible.
What you can do:
1) Discuss songs for potential adoption in the rotation. I will skew towards songs common in my neck of the woods, but am open to including others (since variety is the spice of life). I am weak in knowing the singing songs in particular since I don't really sing myself (but the folks at my local jam don't accept that as an excuse, so I might as well work on it!).
2) Offer sources of simple melodies and variations. Actually, variations aren't a problem--MandoZine is full of them. The simple melodies are hard to find I've found. So those of you with huge ABC libraries, please share!
3) Links to recordings, self produced versions (say via the Song Project web site, assuming we can set aside part of it for this effort), etc.
I hope others will find this project of mine of use, and in turn I will be kept focused by the enthusiasm of others. Thanks!
First tune will be coming in the new year.