Top 10

[Drringos]

As a new player, "What are the best tunes to learn, or aspire to?". I'm sure this has been asked before, but what are your real "good feel" favourites?

[chordbanger]

Redwing, Ashokan Farewell, Golden Slippers, Soldier's Joy, St. Ann's Reel, The Battle of New Orleans, ( also know as the Eighth of January)are a few that I have enjoyed learning.

[Mike Herlihy]

Red-haired Boy - Trad
Bill Cheatham - Trad
Star of Munster - Trad

Going to My Hometown - Rory Gallagher
Voodoo Chile (A Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix

Love in Vain (Ry Cooder Solo) - Rolling Stones
Billy the Kid - Ry Cooder
Diving Duck Blues - Yank Rachell
Shotgun Blues - Yank Rachell
Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix

[Rick Schmidlin]

It all depends on what speaks to you, learn the songs that have been with you for a long time. It could be Pop,Bluegrass,Classical or even songs that you remember as a child.You'll impress yourself when can play a favorite tune.

[Ken_P]

Unaccompanied Bach has been a benchmark for violinists for over 250 years, and is never a waste of time. I always feel like a better musician when I work on a movement, even if it's only for 1/2 an hour, and I can barely get the notes together, never mind playing it at any kind of tempo.

[Drringos]

I'll look into the suggestions. I noticed that most posts come from the U.S. so a few other options is what I'm looking for.

Thanks

[JeffD]

If you aspire to playing at a particular jam, go sometime perhaps without your mandolin, (or with it if you have the intestinal fortitude), but bring a tape recorder or dictation machine, and get the names of some of the more popular tunes.

[testore]

You are all going to think I'm crazy, but "My Last Days on Earth" is not that difficult to play. Once I got the cross tuning right then it was very easy to figure out. I really turned a corner after that. Anyone else play that?

[Jill McAuley]

I play Irish trad stuff. My favourite tunes to play change all the time, but at the minute they are:

-Sean Ryan's Dancing Eyes
-The Log Cabin
-The Murphy Brothers Reel
-My Love is in America
-Green Groves of Erin
-Humours of Carrigaholt
-Gan Ainm jig (irish for "no name" - my banjo teacher told me the name of this one once and I of course didn't write it down and promptly forgot. It has three parts though and is a real work out, so getting thru this one without missing a note and hitting all the triplets/trebles spot on feels like a real achievement!

Next up to learn is The Sligo Maid - John Carty's version of it on "The Cat that Ate the Candle" will be the one I'm going for.

Cheers,
Jill

[Mandolusional]

How about Old Joe Clark, Soldier's Joy, and Katy Hill? They seem pretty common and have countless variations from simple to complex.

[lenf12]

Check out any of the recordings and the excellent "Celtic Mandolin" tune book by your fellow Britain, Simon Mayor. It's all very good stuff.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL