Playing behind the head

[lgc]

I've been working up a big finish to the group I'm playing withs show and have been working on the behind the head stuff. The two problems that I'm up against are-

A: I can play the simpler stuff like fiddle tunes fine but when it comes to the harder arpeggios and some of the Paganini stuff I can't get the right tone.

B: Trying to hear and get the right sound through a condenser I can't see or hear that well.

How do you all overcome these challenges?

[R. Kane]

Its 2/1, not 4/1.

[arbarnhart]

Are you using the required drugs and incendiary devices?

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http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[makoto]

That's funny stuff, dude, can't wait to see who bites on this one.

[lgc]

"Are you using the required drugs and incendiary devices?"

The only incendiary device I use is my ability to shred and the only stimulant that I need is the pure joy of music.

[Bruce Evans]

I kept smacking myself in the forehead with my strat and knocking myself out, so I quit doing that silly *****.

[mandopete]

And always, always, make sure you employ enough cowbell!

[AlanN]

I haven't seen a band do that since Doyle and the Gentlemen. Yates would heft the thing up and...

[Jason Kessler]

Just be careful! Due to an unfortunate slip while playing an "Uncle Pen/Purple Haze" medley with my teeth, I now suffer the indignity or a prosthetic nose.

[mandolooter]

If your such a hot picker there's no need for the "big finish" just play and your music will do the wowing.

[Jim Rowland]

I quit playing behind the head because it's 100 feet behind the house and the weather is nasty. Not as young as I used to be.
Jim

[catmandu2]

Google it--I'm sure there're numerous resources.

But, here're my own hints:

1. Place instrument behind head
2. Shred

Also, you may use a mirror, or series of mirrors in this case, to help your form. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[mandopete]

The "head" is on the boat, not the house.

[buddyellis]

And always, always, make sure you employ enough cowbell!
There ain't ever enough cowbell.

[lgc]

"If your such a hot picker there's no need for the "big finish" just play and your music will do the wowing."

Music is entertainment. Seems to miss the point if one thinks that the music should just speak for itself all the time. Hot pickin gets boring if no one is having fun and stands there with a sour look on their face. There appears to be a lot of this music will do the talking thought but I think players overestimate most audiences attention span and musical understanding. Give a show.

[mandopete]

Well, you could always try to dance like Mrs. Cherryholmes.

[squirrelabama]

You should get one of those ZZtop instrument straps too, so you can spin your mando around like a propeler either before, during or after you "shred". http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Brad Weiss]

Really, who among us hasn't faced these problems. Saving a beater for your encores so you can smash it to bits at shows end is always effective. As Townsend used to say, "there goes another thousand dollars..."

[Snakebeard Jackson]

I've doen this on stage a couple of times.
The trick to remember for me at least is that it is a visual effect not a musical one. I would only do it when I had something easy and a non lead part to play. three-one note stuff. Keep your back straight. THe tendency is to want to lean over. But keep it straight and your have better reach with your hands.

[West]

Two words: metro. nome.

[Celtic Saguaro]

Tone is very important when playing behind the head, it makes the cat calls sound sweeter.

If you really want to play behind your head, plant a finger or surely your accuracy will suffer. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Tom C]

One grisman show in early 80's when they played Richochette(sp?)? -you know, 3 or 4 mandos on it. They started tossing their mandos up and catching them.

[JEStanek]

I'll take your question at face value and suggest you practice practice practice. Just like walking a tightrope playing in a way different than the normal position requires new muscle memory.

The only other person I recall being serious about playing behind his head, or switching hands is Niles Hokkonnen, mandocrucian here on the Café. Why not contact him and see if he has any advice.

I would be more impressed by seeing an acoustic picker switch from playing righty to lefty than seeing a rock idiom brought into the act, unless that's part of your music. With the lefty thing, you could work the performance by playing poorly then do the, wait a second I can do this, then do it very proficiently. If you can't I wouldn't put it on stage... actually, I won't be on stage... If the playing can't keep up with the theatrics, I wouldn't really want to see it. Just my opinion.

Jamie

[lgc]

"If the playing can't keep up with the theatrics, I wouldn't really want to see it."

Can you really say that for sure? What if a really mediocre band could do that trick the 27 frogs, a meat grinder, 2 Hungarian female wrestling champions, a 1916 studebaker, and the guy from Happy Days(the Red head) with his underpants on the outside-you know the one I mean. No interest at all?

One a side note-would the behind the head thing hurt or help in the Cherryholmes thread?

[mitchelwb]

Google it--I'm sure there're numerous resources.

But, here're my own hints:

1. Place instrument behind head
2. Shred
Now that's just funny!

[JeffD]

I can only do the Paganini stuff behind my head. Go figure. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[hoffmannia2k7]

i think it would actually be harder to play in front of your head. T-REX arms.

[ned armando]

you say you cant get the right tone while playing paganini??? i think i know why....YOUR PLAYING BEHIND YOUR HEAD!!!!

i dont wanna get off on a rant here, but if your going for the whole "entertainment" value, what do you care how good or bad you sound? if you can truly play like paganini, that should be enough to "wow" an "audience" without any further gimmicks....or maybe you should practice lighting your mandolin on fire...

[hoffmannia2k7]

you don't need to practice lighting you mandolin on fire, you just do it.
The mandolin burning festival will not be able to go "up" on May 1st, I will be moving that week and it is too much. Plus I am in negotiation with a campground in NJ for late september.

LGC, you troll, you.

[lgc]

I'm saving lighting my mando on fire for the Burning Mandolin festival on the east coast in May.

That being said, doesn't the whole Paganini thing get a little stale after a while. I'm suggesting we bring it into modernity by pepping it up a little bit. We're never gonna see a mandolin play playing any of the Caprice at the Super Bowl Half Time Show(Go Oilers) if people keep pickin' it straight. This is what the people want and who are we to deny them?

[catmandu2]

Instructions for Lighting Mando on Fire Technique:

1. Drop to knees
2. Apply lighter fluid (any brand)
3. Light mando
4. Assume obscure dark spiritual worhsip gesticulation
5. Consume more drugs and alcohol*

*optional

[mandroid]

I tried holding it upright on my right shoulder with the back close to my ear.

Not Bad.

It's something else to try when you cannot hear yourself, well, at a jam.
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[ned armando]

[QUOTE] This is what the people want and who are we to deny them?

that was a good one!!! i can see your point, its all about giving a show, but there wouldnt even be a show without the music in the first place. and out of respect for the music, i dont believe you should ever sacrifice the quality of the music for the flashiness of the show. playing paganini should be waaay more than enough to engage an audience. (if you can do it well) speaking from personal experience, i always felt kinda like a fraud whenever i had a gimmick worked up, only to hear somebody play it better than me but without the gimmick.....of course, thats just my opinion, i could be wrong....

[GVD]

We're never gonna see a mandolin play playing any of the Caprice at the Super Bowl Half Time Show(Go Oilers) if people keep pickin' it straight.

Go Oilers? You might want to think about laying off the chronic.

GVD

[weleetkaoutlaws]

You'll definitely want a purple feather boa for the full effect.

[OzMando]

I'd suggest some nice sticky, waxy dreadlocks to help you hold it, then you'll have greater limb freedom.:p

[cooper4205]

We're never gonna see a mandolin play playing any of the Caprice at the Super Bowl Half Time Show(Go Oilers) if people keep pickin' it straight.

Go Oilers? You might want to think about laying off the chronic.

GVD
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Two words: #metro. #nome.
Wow. Mass transit in Alaska! This global warming thing realy *is* serious


http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Daniel

[RLPOOL]

For my behind the head "big finishes" I always prefer a beautiful Hawiian shirt, bottom buttons open and nice belly button piercing. yea

[weleetkaoutlaws]

You'll definitely want a purple feather boa for the full effect.
...and I forgot...

You'll need to be slightly out of tune.

[hoffmannia2k7]

are oilers fans now tennessee titan fans or are they houston texan fans

[Joel Spaulding]

You'll definitely want a purple feather boa for the full effect.
...and I forgot...

You'll need to be slightly out of tune.
...of course if one were playing a Strat, would there be a choice ? # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[weleetkaoutlaws]

You'll definitely want a purple feather boa for the full effect.
...and I forgot...

You'll need to be slightly out of tune.
...of course if one were playing a Strat, would there be a choice ? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Hey now. Stevie Ray did a fairly good job on a Strat...and so does Eric Johnson. Them Texas boys can tune.

Every guitar I ever heard Hendrix play was "slightly" out of tune. I loved him, but that was annoying.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled thread..........

[Joel Spaulding]

Couldn't resist #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
- SRV, EJ, Jimi - no slouches with their axes! All play in tune far better than I could hope. Agree we should return to the original thread:

I have better success when actually playing with my head as opposed to behind. I still have trouble with a full G chop-chord. Sometimes I cheat by using my left eyebrow to fret the G-string #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[RobP]

I don't get it?

[Joel Spaulding]

I don't get it?
Some might consider the OP to be in a spirit of fun - not serious. Many of the replies, mine included, have attempted ( with varying degrees of success)to reply in a humorous fashion.

The concept of "Playing with my head" would be difficult if not impossible but is a technique that would certainly rival "behind the head" for novelty.

17-18 years ago, my band would have a musical intro to each set that featured WAY too much of my keyboard noodling.
Occasionally, I would end a flurry of Bach or Handel by playing a familiar nursery rhyme or TV theme using only my nose. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif #

Amazing what can pass as entertainment in northern New England when your audience is #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif at 2 AM !

edit: in all fairness to the gracious audiences in N. Conway, Colebrook and Bangor, et al, the musicians were likely just as #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[harleymando]

i tried it,seemed easy enough......not much wow factor!

[Gutbucket]

What would Monroe do?

[atetone]

"What would Monroe do?"

He would clunk you right in the forehead with a very old mandolin

[Gutbucket]

Well, that just ain't right!

[weleetkaoutlaws]

I'd have to add the Chuck Berry "strut" to accompany it. It'd seem more appropriate. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Mark Walker]

I played Jerusalem Ridge backwards once. Everyone said I looked far better facing away from them. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mandocrucian]

I was in Finland teaching mando at the Slbelius Academy about `10 years ago; amongst the "students" were Oli Varis and Arto Järvelä (both in The Helsinki Mandoliners) and a couple other good players. One day, a film crew from YLE (Finnish TV) came in. They were doing a documentary on the Folk Music Program at Sibelius. #They filmed for awhile, but being the rotten instigator that I am, and know what the media finds irresistable, followed up some blues improv with the statement, "But if you are going really play American music, and especially the blues, you can't forget about showmanship." And proceeded to not only play mando behind my head but to also get Arto and the others to follow suit! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

6 months later Petri Hakala sent me a PAL VHS tape which had 2 hour-long TV documentaries, one about the Folk Music at Sibelius and one about The Helsinki Mandoliners. Not having access to internation VCR, I've never actually viewed the tape, but clips from that YLE footage was used in both pieces. Petri said it was pretty funny, so I know the used some of the behind the head/back "blues jam"!

<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>photo: Arto A (behind mike), NH (playing funk bass lines while they soloed. I happened to be out of clean clothes and while everything was in the washer, I was left with wearing my "gi" to class.! #What a Johnny Bravo moment, all things considered!)</span>

Niles H

[Mattg]

One of the best finishes I saw was the Hot Strings from Pagosa CO. There base player had a rope on his stand up which he used like a guitar strap. He ended up playing it like an electric base while dancing around the stage. The mando player simply shredded like a wizard. Very high energy group.

[catmandu2]

Niles,

How did you get that big instrument into that LITTLE case? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[JEStanek]

That's what the gi was for... HIIIIIiiii ya. Chuck Norris teaches that move. Only Niles and Chuck can make a Guitar fit into an mando case... They make the guitar want to do it.

Jamie

[bluesmandolinman]

the only one I saw playing mandolin behind the head is Howard Armstrong in the video " Louie Bluie" ...
Looked very easy. He did it a few moments - kind of a joke. That´s fine.
Thinking of playing behind the head as a serious part of the show is not what I would like to see.
What´s next ... burn that mandolin ? Jimmy is it you ?

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Niles - that photo is bizarre http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

if you send me that tape from Finland I can do a DVD for you ( so you could finally watch it).
send me a pm if you are interested

[twaaang]

Beware. If the Paganini you're playing behind your head is "Perpetual Motion" your problem will be how to stop at all. Never mind how to "stick the dismount". -- Paul