View Full Version : flyin solo
we arranged for a guest host this week for our open mic and i'll just be hanging at home with the fam, but when all go to sleep, i plan to head over (only 1 mile from home) and for the first time, attempt a few songs with just me and my mando. i've been playin and taping myself and ive gotten to the point that i think i'm ready to try it. i think i'll do b/w3-5 songs and see how it goes:"
i've been praciticing a mighty eclectic bunch of tunes:
psycho killer
ramblin man
thrill is gone
goin down the road feelin bad
blister in the sun
3 little birds (marley)
shady grove (grisman-garcia style)
willin (lil feat)
oh boy (buddy holly)
promised land (springsteen)
stealin
the joker (steve miller)
knockin on heaven's door
masterpiece (dylan, the band, the dead, etc..)
and 2 originals one is a blues song and one is on our alternate website: www.purevolume.com/nos
called - walkin between the drops- live version on our other site-see below).
pretty nervous (actually freaking out a bit thinking about it-rare for me) without the sustain and all the bottom a guitar provides, but it is a friendly joint, so i think i'm gonna go for it!
ira
nossongs@agreatserver.com
ps- think i'll start with either blister in the sun or psycho killer, just to rock expectations of what a mandolin should play for those who aren't regulars.
duuuude
Jun-25-2004, 10:46am
Rip it up ira, leave no note unplucked! Love yer list of tunes, don't see how you can go wrong.
Got invited to join a blues player I met last night at his regular gig tonight for some jammin'. Turns out he's tryin' to start-up a new acoustic jam, just what I been tryin' to find for months here. Should be a hoot.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
Damnation Gulch
Jun-25-2004, 11:40am
I got asked by a buddy to sit in with his country band as they were playing a big Rodeo fest up by Pinetop... I chickened out, LOL!
Rock it man!
Michael H Geimer
Jun-25-2004, 11:46am
Break a leg, Ira!
I just played my first true solo gig last Sunday ... but on guitar. I chickened out on playing mandolin solo. You're a bigger man than I!
- Benig
muzicfreak
Jun-25-2004, 12:50pm
Ahhh Damnnation! Pintop,Az? That is to bad playing at a rodeo could have been good fun!
muzicfreak
Jun-25-2004, 12:51pm
Also Ira great list of songs http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I really like Pyscho killer.. i think i might check that one out! Talking heads have great songs to cover http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
yeah, lots of fun. i play a 2 fingered Am to g and kind of alternate cutting the Am a bit, and then diminishing. gives it a funky sound. thanks for the kind words about the set list. only a few hours and i'm hoping i don't bail. the nerves are hitting, which is wierd cause i play there every other week. we'll see....
ira
btw- screwed up on our main website add. should be
http://nossongs.agreatserver.com/
so, went tonight, and it went really well. played 2 short sets with most (not all) of the songs listed above done + one extra solo tune. bar was singing along to 3 little birds (came out great), ramblin man (great), blister (passable), psycho killer (i personally didn't think that came out too well), and aiko aiko (don't know how it was, but i had fun).
had alot of fun. unfortunately tape wasnt hooked up, but got a lot of compliments, even from non-regulars whom i did not know.
learned a whole bunch as i played about how to fill rythmically.
feelin mighty good right now!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif
Pete Braccio
Jun-25-2004, 10:57pm
Hi Ira,
I'm glad it went well. That was one killer set list that you chose!
Pete
Jonathan Reinhardt
Jun-26-2004, 6:41am
way to go, ira!
duuuude
Jun-26-2004, 8:34am
You mean to tell me you played 'em all!? You're definitely the man, ira, way to go!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
all but stealin and shady grove, but added in aiko and an origninal tune by request. it felt like 5 minutes and multiple hours at the same time. thanks for the kind words. the encouragement from you folks helped me get the courage goin.
smilnJackB
Jun-26-2004, 11:06am
Ira,
I'm pleased and proud of you. Interesting and good song list. More blues!
Jack
thanks smilin jack. actually workin on a few blues tunes, and in process of writing one with working title- "wanna play it on my mandolin" (or, "the 2 point blues")
so- went for it again tonight. did a short set
blister in the sun
masterpiece
ramblin man
an original tune: the way it oughta be (sorta leftist environmental tune)
where have all the flowers gone
3 little birds
i think it went well- still kinda nervous about it .
unfortunately though i brought a tape something screwed up and it didn't work. a few folks told me they liked it, and the guy running the open mic tonight said it sounded great- so different than the other performers with my mando. he especially liked masterpiece and blister.
though nervous - really psyched that i did it. shows people the mando in a different light as a solo instrument with non-traditional tunes.
peace,
ira
chipotle
Jul-10-2004, 8:05pm
Nice going on the sets! I would love to hear Blister in the Sun on the mando, what a great choice!
alanstewartra
Jul-10-2004, 8:21pm
Ira, That took a lot of guts to get out there naked with just a mandolin.Keep it up, you inspire the rest of us. Alan
thanks- scary but fun. i truly think the mando is a viable solo instrument. it just needs rethinking in how we address it.
been foolin around with david essex- rock on! hey, isn't any tune a mando tune???http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
guess you havent seen my pics on the post a pic of yourself threads- don't think id get asked back much if i were nacked and alive:D
still interested in other solo mandolin folk- anyone else trying it? experiences?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Naked in spirit, not in flesh...there's a difference. We're all proud. Really. And envious.
Maybe next time at the nudist camp, you can tell us all about it.
duuuude
Jul-12-2004, 12:12pm
'Bout everything I work on is solo since I haven't hooked up with a local guitar player yet, though I've yet to take it "on the road". Playing alone does have it's advantages, you get to carry all the parts yourself, and it keeps your mind busy just finding ways to keep the tune going while covering vocals without falling into "chop hell".
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
hey duuuude- that is the hardest part! the mando doesn't have that guitar sustain, so figuring out how to make the instrument work behind the voice takes alot of thought. some songs require a more percussive and syncopated backing and some take extra strumming and alot of open strings, yet others a variety of rythmic and melodic variation in strumming pattern.