Pinky strength

[Kevin Briggs]

Folks,

I just posted a lesson on pinky strength. It shows how I've tried to build up my pinky, to some success. It's always a work in progress. Of course, I end the video by messing up a lick, but I swear it's not because of my weak pinky!

Feel free to click on my YouTube link below to see the video. There's lots of goodies there, in case you have't seen any of my previous posts. Also, I have about 24 videos there, so don't forget abou the older ones on the second page. I'm into this video lesson thing, so feel free to request something. If I know how to do it, or if I know what I should know how to do in order to know how to do something, I'll happily post it.

Thanks,

[Bernie Daniel]

You are posting good stuff. Keep it up.

How do you play Grey Eagle and Jenny Lind (or Jenny Lynn)? #Two great old fiddle tunes

Just curious as there seem to be so many different versions of Grey Eagle and Jenny Lind is kind of a stealth song.

"..but the greatest of all was Jenny Lind to me that's where the fiddle begin." #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Mandolusional]

Hey thanks for posting those, your lessons are easy to follow and your picking is nice and clean. That's a great sounding mandolin too btw, nice job bringing out the tone.

[Jerry Byers]

That is some great picking. http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/jerrybyers/Emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Kevin Briggs]

Thanks for the comments, folks. I'm working at it, as always. The mandolin is no joke; it's tough to play.

I'm working on Jenny Lynn right now. It's the Monroe version from his big tan box set. I don't have a version of Grey Eagle anywhere, which surprises me. I thought I had it.

Does anyone else have tips regarding Grey Eagle and definitive renditions?

[mitchelwb]

I have a request, but it may not be the best for your videos seeing as how you're a strong picker.

I am happy with how well I pick after only 3 weeks of working on it. I've got a long way to go still, but I feel like it's progressing well. What I'm not happy with is my strumming. That's what I'd love to see some advice on. some good angles, slow motion, anything that would help.

Also, you should look at improving the light in your videos.. they're mighty dark on my screen... don't know if they are on everyones or not.

Keep them coming! and Thanks for taking the time to make the vids!

[Kevin Briggs]

Mitch,

You got it. I'll do a right hand video Monday night. I'll focus on chopping, up and down strokes, and what strings to hit when.

[Bernie Daniel]

With all of your videos I assume you must have a pretty good set up for making them. #I would be interested in knowing what you use for shooting them and how you seem to get clean in-sync videos on YouTube when many others have the video and audio out of sync. #I agree more light would be great if you can do it.

Please keep up the great work. #

P.S. #I got to play a couple top line Webers a week ago I if they are anything like yours I can understand your excitement --the two I played were positively brilliant mandolins. #In fact I wonder if Weber has not decide to step up a notch? #They may be right up there on the top tier now?

[Kevin Briggs]

Bernie,

My recording setup is pretty simple. I use my Canon digital camera and just set it on video. I can get about two and a half minutes out of it. The camera cost me somewhere around $200 I think. It's just a little microphone that is somewhere on the front and that looks like a small hole. I'm not sure why it works so well, but John Lowell suggested it's probably digital quality sound.

As far as Webers go, I've been a fan for a while. I played a custom Bitteroot for a few years, and based on that experience decided to get the Fern. I will say that I've never played one that I thought wasn't "good," as some on the Cafe have suggested. That may have more to do with my personal taste and my development as a player though.

When I got my Bitteroot, I knew a few fiddle tunes and the major chords. Over the two years I owned it and played it exclusively, I learned probably 40 more fiddle tunes, songs in different styles, and I played in a local, working bluegrass band. Needless to say, I gained a bunch of experience playing, and I did it all on the Bitteroot. So, playing a Weber like that probably shaped my playing more than I realized. Webers have a very strong mid-range, and I rely on the D and A strings a lot when I play. They also can produce a huge chop if I commit to raising the G string a little bit more than usual. The highs are very strong as well, although sometimes kind of stiff when playing double-stops or single notes. All in all, they are powerful mandolins and they are built, I believe, for long-term rewards. That Bitteroot was just starting to open up after two years of playing it all the time, and it was turning into a very interesting mandolin. I just coulnd't contain my gluttony and I wanted the appointments of the Fern.

Now, one last thing I'll add is that my Bitteroot had a red sprcue top - not the standard sitka - and so does my Fern. I'm sure this factors into the equation somehow. Webers seem to be very different depending on the different top woods used. The cedars are alive and kicking right away, the sitkas seem to take a while to break in, the red spruce certainly does but has a very complex tone. I think this variation is due to the Weber people knowing what tone their graduations produce, and how that relates to different top woods.

Is my Fern the same as my Bitteroot was? Not a chance. There is a marked difference between the two. First, the Fern is just plain easier to play. It's almost a night and day difference. The Bitteroot was always, always tight, and i had to really work to keep my hands in shape to play it. It would loosen up after a three-hour jam sometimes, but usually was extremely tight. Lowering the action, getting a new nut, checking the bridge slots, using different strings all did not help. However, I liked the tone so much that it was worth it to me. Plus, I attributed this tightness to the individual character of the Bitteroot I owned and not to all Webers, since I had played some other Webers that were not so tight.

The action on my Fern reminds me of a Bluett mandolin, or even the Gibson DMM I played at IBMA. The neck isn't the same, but it feels loose, and there's no loss of volume coupled with that looseness. I will add that I have a one-piece back on my Fern, and I believe that factors in somehow. Bruce said he thought it would too, at least according to Rick. It also has a pearl nut.

Anyway, that's my big long response to whether or not Webers are top-tier. I will say that I've never played a mandolin that is "better" than my Fern. I truly believe that. and that's including the DMM and many other Gibsons, a Gilchrist, the Brentrups at IBMA, a Pheonix Ultra and other Pheonixes, two Elliot Stellings, Pomeroys, lots of Flatirons, a Sumi, the Kimbles at IBMA, a bunch of Collings, and other mandolins I've played.

That said, I am not trying to argue that it is superior to any mandolins either. For what I want, it is perfect. I do not want any other mandolin I've ever played. However I think that once you get to a certain level in a mandolin they are all great, just in different ways. I think that people can find happiness with a variety of mandolins. It all just depends.

I played an Eastman at Acoustic Music Works once that was darn good. It was brand new and was very tight, but you could hear the potential in it. It had a great setup and some nice new strings on it, and was a good mandolin. It also only cost $1,200 I think. Could I be happy with that Eastman? Based on the tone and playability that I remember on it, and the fact that it was about one sixth of the reatil value of my custom Fern, I could definitely be happy with it.

Rambling over.

[Bernie Daniel]

You are a good ambassador for Weber.

Watch for a PM.

[mandorado]

I've been kind of in-and-out of the forums a lot in the last year-or four. It's always fun to see what's happening here. I used to spend a LOT of time here, but then got side tracked, and have been outside [I'm a pro disc golfer now] playing disc golf.

I just recently had some work done on my Pomeroy [#21 Blackjack] by Don Paine, and I'm really happy with the work he did. My wife managed to trip and fall on Blackjack and broke the neck. Don tried to do a quick fix without success, so then took it completely apart, built a new neck, replaced the finger board, refinished it. The new neck is brilliant, and the mando now sounds better than ever.

So, that being said, I've been playing a lot more recently [and it's winter here ... too much snow to play disc golf]. I found this thread and absolutely love the videos you're doing. They have really motivated me, and I love firing them up and playing along. Great stuff ... keep it coming! Thanks!

[JimRichter]

The definitive Grey Eagle--in my opinion--is by Butch Robins. Butch's Grey Eagle is everything he learned from picking w/ old time fiddlers at Union Grove/Galax and his 5 year tenure with Bill Monroe:

Butch Robins Grey Eagle--YouTube (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Bg0qiV51Q)

And for Jenny Lynn (Lind), check out either Mike Compton's or my renditions of the tune on YouTube. Mike's is in cross-key tuning (sawmill) and mine is based on Monroe's from the Uncle Pen album (which is probably what's on the box set).


Jim

[Kevin Briggs]

Thanks, Jim. That's a fine sounding mandolin on that recording. Oh yeah, and that banjo player was pretty good too. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mitchelwb]

Kevin, I'll look forward to it.

Specifically, the biggest problem I have... and it may just be a total rookie thing... I have a hard time just hitting the strings consistently. For example, I'll practice a super basic Down Down Up Up Down rhythm and I usually do fine on my downs, but my ups seem like I either dig in too hard and my pick skips the rest of the strings on the way up, or I'll not dig in that hard, but hard enough that I end up with way more volume than my down stroke, or I simply miss them entirely!! That's when things really go bad and I'll start missing down strokes too. I'm sure that's a lot of just needing more practice, but any wisdom you (or anyone) can share on either proper techniques, or helpful practice exercises would be super cool.

I've looked all over and I just haven't been able to find a lot about this subject. Searching for Right Hand Technique finds lots of sites that tell me all about the proper way to hold the pick. How hard to hold the pick, all about the wrist movements, and lots about down and up single course picking, but just general strumming I can't find much about.

[Kevin Briggs]

I just posted a video on switching chords fluidly. It's just a few tips. Practice is the only answer for that.

I'm working on strumming and right hand stuff now. It'll be up tonight.