This week's winner is Spotted Pony. I found this on www.thesession.org X: 1 T: Spotted Pony, The M: 4/4 L: 1/8 R: barndance K: Dmaj |:D2DD E2EE| F2AF G2FG |1 ABde f2ed |f2a2 e4 :|2 ABdA Bd2B | AFE2 D4 || |:f2af e3e | efed B4 | ABde f2ed | f2a2 e2de |f2af e3e | efed B4 |1 A2BAd3A | BAF2 E4:|2 ABdABd2B|AFE2 D4|| But since this is an old-time tune, and thesessions is really about Irish trad music, who knows how accurate that is. Here is a link to a page that you can scroll down and click on a midi file for the tune, in the online Hetzer's Fakebook Here is a link to some standard notation on Traditional Old Time Music Here's a great video, on a youthful fiddle and guitar backup Love this old time feel! I think this one is easy to play along with, and they play it many times... a good practice video!
The alternate title for one of the tunes we did here in the past couple of months -- or maybe in another song group (g) -- was "Spotted Pony." I don't have time to track it down. I trust this isn't an unsuspected repeat with a new name? I apologize for bringing this up if it's a red herring. I have a mild case of new-tune intoxication.
I decided to get through this one real quick this week and not worry about any kind of accompaniment or anything. I used a TablEdit file I found on mandozine: http://mandozine.com/music/search_re...rder=A&submit= Well...here goes nothin'.
Love it, Michael! Very old time, and such awesome tone. Mike, I also rememberr seeing this in the list of related tunes of Rabbit in the Pea Patch, and while there are a few similarities, it's definitely a different tune. They'd probably make a good medly. On the bright side, where Rabbit in the Pea Patch was a little difficult for some people to internalize, I think this one's a lot easier to grab on to melody-wise. Here's the Youtube lesson I found really helpful... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_6IU68oD6M Two things I found interesting from his video are that the A and B parts are pretty much reversable. Also, I like his tips on how easy it is to create variations on the low part which he calls the B part.
Here's mine once through! Sorry for the little false start!
David, that was great! I love the drones you get in there!
Well I haven't smashed this thing against the wall in frustration...yet Sounded like a fun piece so decided to give it a shot this week here's my stab at it:
Wow, three more great versions. David, yet again you've captured my ideal for how I hope to play this song in ten years. Really cool. Barbara, your rolls, steady rhythm, and tone are awesome. And EC, is it Chris right? Welcome back I like the way you changed up the melody.
I really like the variety I'm hearing here. Some really nice versins of a long-time favorite of mine. I first learned this tune on mountain dulcimer perhaps 17 years ago, but I had not worked it out on mando until now. I got it from Lois Hornbostel's dulcimer classic "American Fiddle Tunes" tab book. To get it to the tempo my brain wants to play it I had to spare my fingers some of the notes (well, actually, it is my right hand that requires grace; it just won't keep up with my left hand).
Nice job, Martin. You have a very melodic dog. He knew just when to jangle his collar.
You can NOT imagine how long it took me to train that dog to jangle its collar in just the right spot!
I was thinking the same thing about that dog and its collar. Reminds me of Sam Bush's story about how "Laps in Seven" was inspired by his dog drinking water. Also, that shirt is pretty sweet, Martin.
Martin, I have to admit, when children or animals wander into the videos, I have a hard time paying attention any more! Was that two dogs, one with a toy, the other wanting it? It was such a teaser, just seeing a little part of the picture, and trying to figure out what was going on! Nice playing, too!
That was two dogs. Winston the Pembroke Corgi and Baxter the maltipoo. Baxter was wanting Winston to play with him, but Winston was focused on chewing on my son's underwear! He will chew on anything that smells like us; the more disgusting the better.
Hi everyone. I'm new to the group. This is my first post. It's a little slow because I just learned it this morning.
Hi Laura, and welcome to the group! Great first post! Tell us a little about yourself!
That's more or less the speed I play tunes I've been working on for a month. The first day it's the same speed just with a bunch of wrong notes. Seriously, you had a good swing going to the dotted-rhythm parts. That's the main thing. Welcome to Song-A-Week!
Nice clean picking Laura. What kind of axe is that? And are you really left-handed or did the video do that mirror-image thing?
Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I have played guitar and bass for many years. I bought my first mandolin several years ago, but after learning a few chords, it hung on the wall collecting dust. A few months ago my 8 year old asked to learn how to play. I figured I better teach myself so that I could help her. My guitars and basses aren't getting much attention lately. I love how comfortable and portable the mandolin is. I also find it a lot easier to play melodies on, which was always a weak spot in my guitar playing. I am playing my new Eastman 615, a recent upgrade from the Epiphone mm30 that hung on my wall for so long. I used Photo Booth to record my first video. I noticed the mirror image thing, and figured out that I need to use iMovie to correct it.
Excellent picking, Laura, you have included some nice double stops. Here is my version played on a Stagg.
Another excellent version Maudlin.
Nice work, y'all. Yeah, now that you bring up "Pea Patch" I do recollect that was the tune related to this one. I better get on the stick and learn this!
Here's my go at it. I also learned it with the lower part as the A part- just seems right to me.
Very nice job! I think you are right about switching the A and B section. It does seem more natural to start with the lower notes.
Dino, superb! That's the tempo I'd like to play it at, with all the notes. To get anywhere close to that I have to simplify to accomdate my discoordinated right hand. Your version is exactly how I learned it on the dulcimer years ago. I also learned it with the lower part as the A part.
Great old timey fee, El. I like the B part first too. I'll have to try it out that way.
That was totally amazing Eldino. It's going to take me a while to figure out all that stuff, but I'm on it. And I'll only dock you a few points for playing it backwards. Here's the Spotted Pony I finally wrangled...
Great, El Dino. Very nice first post, Laura. Nice work by everybody else. Thanks for giving me the idea of drones, David. Here is a very quick take, because I have to go back to practicing Big Sandy River.
Would you look at that. we were uploading at the very same minute, Manfred. What are the odds? Probably a lot higher now that you're in the same time zone I guess. That mandolin is truly beautiful, and great playing too.
Manfred, that is a really sweet sounding mando, for sure. Nice playing...and killer synchronicity with Marcelyn. That bodes well...
I've enjoyed listening to everyone's take on this tune. Nice picking everyone! And I guess I'll always play the parts backwards! Marcelyn, I really like your use of slides and the rythmic accents. Makes the tune real bouncy sounding. Martin, I'd like to hear it on the dulcimer. Sounds interesting..
Thanks, El Dino, and I was totally kidding about your "backward" version. Actually, if I remember, this happened once before on Damon's Winder. Believe it or not, it took me half the week to realize that David H. was playing the same tune as I was, only switched up. Martin, I second the call for your dulcimer version.
Alright, here you go. But the dogs are "tied up" in union contracts (pun intended).
Martin, that was beautiful! Our first dulcimer post!
That sounds great, Martin. I love dulcimers.
Thank you ladies.
So tell me, compared to a mandolin, how hard is it to learn to play a dulcimer?
I wouldn't say that it is hard, it's just different. Since you already have extensive instrumental experience I am sure you would pick it up fairly quickly. It is fairly easy to pick out a tune on one, as it is diatonic (not chromatic). It's like playing on just the white keys on a piano. If you know what note to start on you just work up the scale one fret at a time and there are no notes NOT in the scale (except at the optional 1 1/2 and 6 1/2 frets). And you can note only one string while strumming across the others as drones; you don't HAVE to make chords. For this reason there are a lot of mediocre dulcimer players. To be an accomplished dulcimer player you have to practice, just like any other instrument. Like mandolin there are many tunings, but two "standard" ones ~ Ionic (Daa) and Mixolydian (Dad) <--capital letter indicates the lowest string, furthest away from the player. So the "default" key is D. But as one becomes familiar with diatonic instruments, you learn that they can be played in other keys as well. If you have a good instrument with quality geared tuners you can retune quickly to C or E or whatever. Bear in mind that the dulcimer is a quiet, personal instrument that is often played solo. It is easily drowned out in a jam session (one reason I picked up mandolin). There are, of course, ways to compensate for this, but not without amplification. A quality dulcimer can be had for much less than a comparable quality mandolin. If you are serious about getting one I would urge you to consult with me further. The dulcimer I play was handcrafted to order, including the custom inlay. I paid less than a grand for it in 1998. A similar quality mandolin would probably be in the 5 or 6K range. Below I have posted an example of a "beginner" player and then one of Steven Siefert, a nationally reknowned champion dulcimist, playing Whiskey Before Breakfast capoed to the key of G. Steven is playing what I would guess to be a production model McSpadden with, perhaps, some cutom additions.
Martin, thanks for posting your dulcimer version of Spotted Pony. That's a cool sound with the drones. I really enjoyed everyone's playing on this--great versions by everyone. David's version with the drones got me going. I added a few Monroe slides to it and came up with this.
Bravo, Don.
Hey, I really like your take on that Don.
Thanks!!!
Martin, amazing sound and playing! Don, what a great version and super relaxed playing.
Great music everyone! David, what kind of instrument is that with 10 strings? Sounds really cool! Here's my go at it.
Here's my entry. What a fun song to learn!
Thanks to all for your good examples (double stops, slides, solid playing). Great posts Ralph and Laura. Thanks for sharing your dulcimer with us Martin. Many different versions and styles made this another super week.
Very nice work Mike. I like how you went up in the A part kind of like a question and response.
one more. Again, with no finesse f-d
Here's our run at it. We included another Spotted Pony which I believe is a Missouri tune. Our false start cracked me up so I didn't cut it out. The A part in the second tune gives me fits for some reason.
Really nice! The falce start got me smiling too. Been there, done that.
