Week #171 ~ Fiddler's Dram

  1. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    This week's winner is Fiddler's Dram. Michael had posted a video of a tune he knew as Fiddler's Dram on the poll itself. I'm not familiar with the tune, so as I was researching it, I discovered that they tune he knew as Fiddler's Dram (and what the band on the You Tube video called Fiddler's Dram) was actually the tune called Give the Fiddler a Dram.

    Here is what I found for the tune Fiddler's Dram:

    Here is a link to abcnotation.com's notation from Mandozine

    and the abc from that site:

    X:26
    T:Fiddler's Dram
    C:Traditional
    M:4/4
    L:1/8
    Q:1/4=240
    K:D
    "A7"A2B2 c2|:"D"d2A2 d2A2|"G"BcdB AGFG|"A7"A2Bc dBAG|"D"FDEC D2A/B/c|!
    "D"d2A2 d2A2|"G"BcdB AGFG|"A7"A2Bc dBAG|"D"FDEC D4:|!
    |:"D"DEF2 DEF2|"G"GFED CA,B,C|"D"D2F2 GBAG|"D"FDEC D2A,/B,/C|!
    "D"DEF2 DEF2|"G"GFED CA,B,C|"D"D2F2 GBAG|"D"FDEC D4:|!

    In searching You Tube videos, it seems that this is a popular tune in a medley with Whiskey Before Breakfast; most of the videos I found were in a medley. The above notation has a repeat of the A and B parts, but in most of the videos I found, they are playing just one A and one B. Or, if you want to think of them as two A's and two B's, then the they are very short (4 measures instead of 8 measures) for the A and the B.

    Anyway, here are some of the videos that I found:

    Here is Tony Rice (audio only!) playing Fiddler's Dram / Whiskey Before Breakfast:



    Here's one on an electric mandolin:



    Well, I'm out of time, now, so do some more searches on You Tube, if you need more examples!
  2. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    Wow! I can't believe that I'm the first one to post! Out of the 'cave', and onto the back porch... daylight!

    I'm playing this a bit slower than it should be (I think). I'm alternating different pick grips during the playing of this. Then, I threw in a Whiskey Before Breakfast, since that seems to be the tune this one goes with!

  3. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Great minds think alike--what a pair of fine sounding medlies.
  4. Manfred Hacker
    Manfred Hacker
    Wow, two great, well-sounding examples from David and a young lady, who must be a new member here
  5. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    I agree with Manfred (hi Manfred!), two very fine Drams indeed.
  6. harrywhohaa
    harrywhohaa
    Really enjoyed those relaxed versions David and Barbara, inspired me to try one too - background harmony and droning from Ethan the 4yr old:

  7. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Your little boy sounded so musical, I had to listen to the clip again to focus on your excellent playing. Great job to both of you.
  8. maudlin mandolin
    maudlin mandolin

    Excellent playing by Barbara David and Harry. Here rs my attempt,
  9. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Really nice MM. It sounds to me like mine is a different version from the ABC above. I took it from the version Michael posted in the poles and from a solo fiddler playing the same on Youtube.

  10. Francis J
    Francis J
    Here's mine, based on Barbara's.


  11. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    We have a might fine crop of versions this Sunday evening with Maudlin's very solid playing, Marcelyn's funky old-time version and Francis' excellent speed and precision. Here's mine, I wanted to work the guitar into it so I went for some variation based on the Norman Blake and Tony Rice version Barbara posted. Couldn't quite play the guitar like Tony, though, or play the mando like Norman. Still, hopefully it has its own flavour - impossible to avoid, really.



    Oh, I missed Harry's version - good to see you back, I enjoyed the swing and the anticipated notes. And of course, Ethan, well, he does need to work on his scat singing technique, in my opinion.
  12. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Like Old Sausage, I wanted to do something with a guitar and mandolin. The guitar was tuned in DADGAD. (And sorry for any confusion about the song – Barbara rightly pointed out that I got two different tunes confused. Marcy, you have done an excellent job on a great old tune which is really Give the Fiddler A Dram or Dance All Night. I'll bet that after a few drams, many a fiddler has done the same!)

  13. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    Yes! That's a very pretty one, Michael. Nice to see your right hand creeping up to the fingerboard there, too!
  14. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Really pretty, Michael. Guitar really works with this one. Appologies for confusion on my part, and wish I could blame it on one too many drams. I have to chalk it up to an early speculation on the vote and hasty scan through Barbara's very thorough explanation.
  15. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    David, I used to play above the fingerboard a lot in the past because of the more mellow and full sound you can make there. I recently changed the shape of my picks to have a well rounded edge and discovered that I could play above the fingerboard again without a lot of the pick noise of the more pointed pick hitting the fingerboard. I use those 2.0mm Gator picks but shape and polish them till I like how they feel. By the way, your picking on Fiddler's Dram was excellent. What kind of guitar are you playing? It sounds great!
  16. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    Thanks Michael! Interesting, I'll have to try one of those picks. I do find the blue chip makes a pretty loud noise on the fingerboard. The guitar is one I bought only a few weeks back, it's a Blueridge - made by Saga in China, their BR-60 model which sells for only $500 new, but I've been really enjoying it. It's nice and loud, plays great and is very responsive. I'm no connoisseur of guitar tone - which has probably saved me a bundle of cash
  17. laura809
    laura809
    Great job everybody! There are a lot of nice versions. I particularly liked OS and Michael's arrangements with guitar.
    I based the chords and mandolin part of my version on the Norman Blake and Tony Rice recording, but the guitar is just some basic strumming. I am still trying to develop more speed in my playing, so it isn't as clean as a slower version would be. I couldn't manage the tempo of the Tony Rice recording.
    I got a new mandolin for my birthday. It is a Collings MT2 that I bought used. I think I need to adjust my posture so I can strum closer to the fretboard for a warmer tone. I've only had it a couple days, so I am still getting used to it.

  18. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    Very nice, Laura. Do you use an armrest? I love mine by Doug Edwards from Texas. Great for comfort, plus helps me with my arm position. Also, I see that you are playing in an office chair with arms. Mine at home has arms, too, but I've found that I get a better position in a chair without arms, or if I'm in one like that, by scooting forward, so that my arms are not on the chair's armrests. That might be all you need to get into a better position to get nearer the fretboard. Love your new Collings!!!
  19. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Oooo, whoever gave you that present has good taste, Laura. Happy birthday to you!
  20. Manfred Hacker
    Manfred Hacker
    Congratulations on your new mando, Laura. You seem to be a bit faster with everything: reving up the tempo, mando upgrading, you name it. Now, if you had even managed the Tony Rice tempo, I would have sold my mando
    Dram or no dram, so many good recordings. Welcome back, Harry and your jazzed up version; solid picking, Maudlin; great percussion, playing and singing, Marcy; nice playing and pleasant sound, Francis.
    And David and Michael, great arrangements, multi-instrumentalism and picking (as always).

    Here is my attempt:
  21. laura809
    laura809
    Manfred, it seems like you are starting to push the tempos of tunes a bit more too.
    Marcelyn, I may have hinted that a Collings mandolin would make a great present.
    Thanks for the suggestions Barbara. I had an armrest on another mandolin, so I transferred it. I will give scooting forward in the chair a try too.
  22. Don Grieser
    Don Grieser
    Great playing and versions from everyone on this fine tune! I've been experimenting with Auria on the iPad for multitracking. Here's a version on mandolin and octave mandolin. Sorry, no video, but there are a couple of dog barks in the track just to keep it real.

    http://soundcloud.com/hillbillychamb.../fiddlers-dram
  23. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Very professional sounding recording, Don. The lead mandolin sounds wonderful with the octave mandolin playing backup and then later on the melody.
  24. Don Grieser
    Don Grieser
    Thanks, Michael. I'm really pleased with the new recording setup.
  25. AaronVW
    AaronVW
    It has been a while and I am late but still had fun with this one. Here is my attempt.
  26. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Nice job on both tunes Aaron!
  27. Kevin B
    Kevin B


    Great tune. I just learned it from Barbara’s YouTube video. Thanks Barbara.

    https://youtu.be/V4jFgonWsMg
  28. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Sounds great, Kevin. I enjoyed your version.
  29. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Good to hear this one revived, Kevin. Good playing too.
  30. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    Nicely done Kevin. I just saw it on Facebook and went to your page on YT.
  31. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    Kevin, thank you for reviving this thread and contributing such a nice recording. The tone from your mandolin is great, and your playing is so assured. And I *love* that room in which you're playing!
  32. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    After listening to Kevin's posting a couple of days ago, I thought I would have a go at this one and pair it with Whiskey Before Breakfast, as this seems to be a very popular pairing.

    I recorded the tune on three separate tracks (octave, mandolin and guitar) in my usual REAPER software and then cut and spliced to get the final mix, rendered to mp3. To get the video footage I played along to the mp3 while filming first the octave then the mandolin all the way through the tune and then did the cutting, splicing and synchronising in Movie Studio 16. I would have liked to have a split screen for the last part (Bren managed a triple screen on his latest posting of his Teardrop Waltz offering) but have not yet worked out how to do this! It keeps the grey cells functioning!

  33. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Great performance as usual, John. All instruments fit together (like played by one and the same person ).
  34. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Two nice new recordings of Fiddler's Dram, Kevin going solo and John pleases with his recording equipment(and fine playing):
  35. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    Very nice to hear, John. They do go well together and your splicing was as smooth as ice. I enjoyed going back and listening to some of the older ones too.
  36. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Thanks, folks. Yet another that I found via the SAW group. Great to see all the activity here over the past weeks and months.
  37. Don Grieser
    Don Grieser
    John, great playing. Really enjoy the sound of all your instruments playing together.
  38. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    Good work, John! The arrangement is very effective. I don't like Whisky before Breakfast very much as a tune, but this is my favourite version.
  39. Kevin B
    Kevin B
    Well played John. I really enjoyed your versions.
  40. Kevin B
    Kevin B

    I gave this tune another go. This time on the tenor guitar and with a little bit of whisky to enhance the flavor.
  41. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    The two tunes make a fine set, Kevin. Lovely changeover from one to the other, and your tenor sounds really good. Fine job.
  42. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Two fine versions Gents.
    I actually don’t even drink tea nor coffee, but your wonderful tunes help me to see what perhaps I’m missing.


    (I do drink water quite often- love the stuff- and it’s free.
    I sometimes look up to the sky and think, ‘I’m so lucky!’)
    Seriously though water is AMAZING!
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