We have our tunes for June now. Post your videos for the tunes on this thread. Westphalia Waltz and/or Ashokan Farewell Please post any helpful links you have for notation/tabs or videos for the tunes. Tab for Westphalia Waltz http://jaybuckey.com/pdf/Free%20Tabl...mandolin_1.pdf http://jaybuckey.com/mp3/Free%20mp3/...ndolin%201.mp3 There are two versions on jaybuckey...this is the easier version. Tab for Ashokan Farewell http://www.mandolintab.net/pdf/05513...20Farewell.pdf Karon
Thanks for doing this Karon!
Thank you for the 'thanks' Kelly. Let's keep on pickin'!!
Really enjoy the drones she has in this version...wish I had the tab for this and could try to learn some of it. One wonderful rendition from David Hanson over on SAW.
Couple of very different versions. I'll post a mando version too. Just putting up versions to show the tunes.
Some of you with more music theory ability who have ABC and notation and so forth....please post all that for folks who can use it. Thanks.
Take a moment to chat about your adventures in learning these tunes. I've worked on Ashokan a bit in the past couple of months and have Westphalia printed out and have played through it a couple of times. For me neither of these will approach Blackberry Blossom in difficulty....thank goodness. I don't know if I'll attempt the tremelo at first...might hold off on that until I have the tunes well memorized and playing OK before I go there. We don't HAVE to go there. Also...note that they're no tremelo police on patrol here at Newbies. So if we attempt it and don't do really well at first we won't get ticketed. I don't think so anyhow. Seriously...anyone have any tips for learning tremelo? I know there are a couple of tutorials on YouTube.
The thiner the pick the easier it is. However a thin pick also makes a thin sound! Pick a string on your mando, anyone it doesn't really matter. You're just going to 1 open note. Start slow back and fourth on across the set of strings. As it get smoother speed up, until bang you're a pro! As your practising also work on volume. You want to be able to fade in and out sometimes for dramatic effect! (there is a proper musical term for that, but I don't remember) This is how I taught myself. It was tough for me as well because I always used a .75mm guitar pick when I play guitar. To achieve the tone and chop that I wanted on the Mando I'm using a Golden Gate mando pick that has no give. 1.??mm I found doing a tremlo really hard at first. Good luck, let me know if this helps anyone or not?
I think tremolo s one of the techniques that just takes time to develop. I know David Grisman simply astonishes me with his buttery soft techniques. Here is the Youtube video that many folks recommend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxvD4...eature=related . I was glad to see these two tunes chosen, as they will give me some practice with both single and double string tremolo. Anybody have any links to tab versions of the two tunes this month that include tremolo indications?
Here is another version of Ashokan Farewell with double stops and tremolo. He starts playing just after 60 seconds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDz1e...eature=related
"Anybody have any links to tab versions of the two tunes this month that include tremolo indications?" I had to sit down and listen to one I liked and mark in the tremelo myself.
You can find the Ashokan Farewell here on the Cafe Tab Edit site. The sites listed by Karon give the tab for Westphalia.
Kelly..thanks for pointing out the Cafe Tab Edit site lising for Ashokan. I also have one listed up there for Ashokan....I'll have to look to see where it's from...not sure. OK...checked.... It's from mandolintab.net...the site that boasts 10,000 mandolin tabs. I haven't counted them so can't be sure.
I'm having trouble deciding which waltz to tackle first this month. Now that we have two tunes it's another decision to be made! Since I'v already sorta half learned Ashokan I guess it makes sense to go ahead with that one. Hoping to have something to post in the next few days. Looking forward to seeing other folks videos. I always love to see them!
....this one was too bad to leave up.....doing a good deed for all of us here by taking this down....
You are off to a good start Karon. I am still at the non tremolo stage as I am still figuring out how to actually pick the tremolo.
Here is my early take on Ashokan Farewell (non-tremolo version). I am starting to work on the tremolo.
There Ya go Kelly! Sounds good and solid. I know you'll get a great version of this going by end of month...already headed that way.
Well, here is my first in-progress version. I still have a lot more work to do with the tremolo, and a little more familiarization with how the tune goes. Hopefully, I can improve soon, so that I can get started on the other tune!
Well done guys, I like how different two versions of the same simple song can sound. Good and steady timing Kelley, and with no backing track or metronome, don't know how to manage that yet myself. I like the sound of your mandolin Tony, haven't seen you with this one before. Good tremolo work, I still need to improve on only holding a note for as many beats as it calls for. Sometimes when I get a good one going I keep it on for a whole measure John
Sounds good to me Tony! Tremelo coming along too. How many hats do you have Man? It's fun to see a different one each video! Anyhow...Waltzes are deceptive aren't they? Seems they should be easier than they are.
Hi John - I agree with you how different two versions of a song can sound. Then each person add their own little things making more different. It's funny when someone asks which is the correct version of a particular song. There is no answer in my opinion...jeje! I have made two other videos with this mandolin that I got not long ago. I was fortunate to find it on Ebay. The is a whole separate thread on this model mandolin....Big Muddy/Mid-Missouri Owners. Hope these links work for the two other videos where I used this mandolin, Lord Inchiquin & Galway Hornpipe: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...171&do=discuss http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...282&do=discuss Hi Karon - I have quite a few hats, but only a few are my favorite ones, so I wear more often. Not sure if you can see them on top of my boom box in the background, but I have three "lowrider hats" that I use every now and then. Maybe, I will use one of those next time. Who knows, they may improve my tremolo!!
Like the tremolo Tony. Mine is still rough at this stage. Hopefully in a little while I will have it more under control and will post again.
Here is my attempt for Ashokan Farewell... a first for me on a few different levels. First recording, first posting of a song, fist time messing around with Soundcloud. There are a few small errors in the playing (it's amazing how different it seems to play a song for a recording as compared to for pleasure). I was hoping to embed the Soundcloud player directly, but that doesn't seem to be an option as of yet. Here is the direct link: http://soundcloud.com/g-b-harris/ashokan-farewell [Soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/g-b-harris/ashokan-farewell[/Soundcloud]
That sounded very nice G.B. Again a different version.
Thanks Kelly! I have the same problem John described. I either don't play the tremolo long enough, or too long. Another thing I noticed is that it is a little easier to play when I am playing low volume, but when I try to increase the volume, it is not as good. But I understand that a good tremolo doesn't come over night. So keep working on it I go...
I know what you mean about volume and tremolo technique. It seems that when I try to increase the volume, I tend to 'stick' the pick. The result is a less than smooth sounding tremolo. Working on it though and it is coming along. Not holding the pick too firmly seems to be the trick.
G B....your soundcloud rendition sounded great! There seems to be an ease in your playing...not stiff as we newer players can be. Well...speak for yourself Karon. MY playing sounds stilted and stiff at this point and Gary I noticed that yours doesn't. Good work! Tony...don't know what a lowrider hat is ...so looking forward to that. And...when you gonna play one of those accordians for us? Hmmmmmmmmmm?
Kelly - Something else I noticed helps me a little is titling the pick just slightly forward to keep it from being entirely level with the strings. But, you can't do tilt it too far, otherwise, you really lose volume! Karon - I will just put a couple links here to a couple videos I made a few months ago to show another accordion friend of mine what I was talking about. It would be much better if I had someone accompanying on the bajo quinto (a type of 10-string guitar tuned in ADGCF). You will notice I am not using the bass buttons on the left hand, and that is because we don't use them in our style of conjunto music. In fact, my accordion doesn't have the reeds installed, so we use the buttons as extra air buttons when we need the extra air. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0pq5jK_yME http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOpqPHc9hsY You can also see my "Lowrider Hats" in these videos on top of my boom box.
Watched those wonderful videos Tony! Thanks for sharing. Looks like such fun to play that!
Thanks Karon...it is fun!
Really rough first 15 seconds or so...then it smooths out a little bit I think Trying to make my notes less harsh...more melodic. Long way to go. But workin' on it is fun. BTW....I'm pretty excited...just ordered a microphone similar to the one Kelly has....Blue snowball....can't wait to see if it will make a dif.
I'll bite Karon what's a blue snowball? Is it a USB mic?
It IS Jake. And the way I worded that original post it sounded as though I was hoping it would improve my playing! Ahhhhh....if only we could just plug something into the computer and our playing would be better....wouldn't that be sweet!
Anyone else starting on Westphalia Waltz yet? Or maybe some started on that one initially. I realized that if I wait until I consider Ashokan 'finished' I'll never GET to Westphalia....so off I go to work on the second tune.
Just received my new Blue mic and installed it and just as I suspected...it didn't make my playing one bit better.
Karon, it's gonna be tough for a mic to improve our playing. May improve our sound quality? I suspect the only device that we can plug to make us sound better would be a CD player with a really good mando player on it? Now what fun would that be? Guess we'll just have to keep practising unit we are that really good mando player. LOL I'm old school / new school when it comes mics and equipment. I run a Sure SM-57 instrument mic through a Toa sound board. Then I go high tech into the iPad. I have been working on Westphalia Watz. It's coming along. If I can figure out how to play a G#dim on the guitar I could lay a rythem track down? What a dumb chord. Whats wrong with G,C,D??? Soon I should be posting something???
One option: http://www.how-to-play-guitar.eu/gui...itar_chord.htm
Cheat and play a diminished seventh. They are stacked minor thirds. X X 1 2 1 2 played in first position every note is a tonic for a chord. X X 2 3 2 3 and X X 3 4 3 4. That one chord shape, played in the first three positions is the diminished seventh chord for all twelve notes. If the note is in the chord, it is the dim 7th chord for that tonic note. Edit: X X 3 4 3 4 is G#dim7.
Jeez, I am starting to dislike tremolo...jeje! It seems like the more I work on it, the worse it gets. I think the pick I normally use is too stiff for these strings, so I am not getting any volume, so I will need to try a different one. Anyway, this will give me something to compare to at the end of the month when I try another recording. Hopefully, the tremolo will sound better then...
I think your tremolo sounds perfectly serviceable, Tony. It's a nice video! While working on the right hand, don't forget the left. Your left wrist looks a bit bent to me, but it may just be a matter of perspective. I'm leaning towards the Westphalia Waltz, but work still doesn't seem to want to give me the time to learn new tunes ... moreover, I'm still practising the "Maid Behind the Bar" and the fancy version of the "Galway Hornpipe", and there are "Fisher's Hornpipe" and "Blackberry Blossom" to catch up on! Not a good period for mando playing!
Sounds to me like you have a good start on it there Tony. I know what you mean about the tremelo though....one time I'll try and it seems half decent (note I said half) and the next time it's just stiff and awkward and no good at all. I think tremelo just takes loads and loads of work. LOVE the hat!
Dennis...how frustrating when work comes between us and what we really want to be doing. Hopefully things will smooth out soon and you'll have a bit more time?...or is it always quite busy/hectic with your job?
Sounds just fine Tony, good tremolo and best hat yet! That was an interesting comment about the angle of your wrist as I have just been wondering about this the past two days myself. I play with mine bent to the right and saw someone who played much better than myself with theirs bent to the right. Is there a 'correct' position for the left wrist??
First video with the new mic. Small audio improvement. Playing...not so much. But....I'm moving on to Westphalia. We're heading out to Bean Blossom Festival tomorrow morning and won't be back home until Sunday...but I'm taking my laptop (of course!) and hope to keep up with the goings on here on MandolinCafe. Goodness....just listened to my tempo compared to Tony's...folks would have to do some mighty S L O W motion waltzing to mine. Gotta up that tempo and keep things as smooth as possible. This is harder than I'd thought it might be. Tony, I think your tempo there is real good.
I am a little slow on the uptake these days so I missed some of the threads. A very good effort by all! Tremolo is definitely not as easy as one might think. I spent an hour during yesterday's lesson just working on even and consistent picking. One thing I learned yesterday was that slow tremolo fits these pieces and that by speeding up the tremolo I tended to change the tempo of the piece and thus making it sound wrong. Tony - two songs down. I am still working on Ashokan. I might skip Westphalia and work on Ash Grove or A Midwinter Waltz Karon - definitely hear a difference in sound quality.
John, the received wisdom is to keep the wrist of the fretting hand as straight as possible. This is both to ensure maximum flexibility and to prevent injury in the long run. But everybody's anatomy is somewhat different, so I'm not saying (and wouldn't be qualified to say) that what you are doing is wrong. Karon, thanks for the encouragement. It's not always like this, no. I'm looking forward to periods during this summer where I should be able to play every day, which I haven't managed in months! But it's difficult at the moment. I had a mandolin lesson today, it wasn't a good one, and my teacher and I agreed that I need to put the joy back in my playing. At the moment, as he humorously put it, I play like a man at a desk!
Dennis, thanks for the feedback! I try to keep my left wrist as straight as I can, but I might have been to focused on the temolo and right hand and forgot about my left hand. I also noticed that this mandolin is a little shorter than my Kentucky. I have very long fingers so I might have a tendency to bend my wrist with this mandolin. I will keep an eye on it. I agree with you, that darn "work" always keeps getting in the way!!! Thanks John! Not sure how I ended up with so many ball caps and hats. I am definitely not shorthanded on hats...jeje! Karon, I am sure you will have a great time at the festival! You are doing very well with the tune too! I need to get this tremolo down since one of my insterests in Italian music. I fell in love with Italy when I was deployed there and have plans to return some day!! I was watching your right hand in the last video and was wondering. Seems like you only strike the top string in each pair. Am I correct? I have never seen anyone play on just one string before. Kelly, I totally agree with you on tremolo not being an easy thing to do! I try to count the tempo and normally don't have any problem doing so. But, with the tremolo, I either go too long or not long enough. I notice it as I am playing, and it throws my count off. Oh well, I just need to keep working on it until it all falls in place one of these days.
Tony!! Thanks so much for pointing that out to me! You're right...I'm hitting only one string most of the time! And I had no idea. Good grief. Now I've got some work to do on striking those strings correctly. Good thing you told me. This wasn't working at all. No wonder my playing sounded so 'thin.'
Tony - I do try to count as well. this is one thing that Don, my teacher talked about. I also found that when i changed my pick from the Golden Gate, which is more rounded, to one with a more pointed end, such as a Dunlop 207 that I had hanging around, my tremolo was clearer. The GG pick seemed to just ride over the strings and therefore did not give me a clear tremolo. I think I will stick with the 207 for a while. I am getting a clearer sound with it.
