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Thread: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

  1. #1

    Default Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Right then! Mark, can you copy over your vids to kick us off...

  2. #2
    Registered User Markkunkel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Hmmmm...not sure about "challenge" unless it's in the "challenged" sense, then I'm pretty certain about it! I do like the wine-tasting comparison.

    Anyway, here is the Waldzither version:



    the Kestrel mandola version:



    and, as a special bonus, the little dots in .jpg format...

    I may have to do some practicing and re-recording, you know.

    Mark
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    Registered User Barbara Shultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Quote Originally Posted by Markkunkel View Post
    Hmmmm...not sure about "challenge" unless it's in the "challenged" sense, then I'm pretty certain about it! I do like the wine-tasting comparison.

    I may have to do some practicing and re-recording, you know.

    Mark
    Hey, that's only fair, for you to get to practice, then submit a new recording!

    I have taken the notation from thesessions.org, and am learning them from that, and am going to record all three. I haven't heard these recorded, so I'm going to just go with how I think they should sound... probably much slower than the 'accepted' versions (reels can be pretty fast, I know!).... but since the original idea was to get to hear the various instruments of ours, and I'm just learning the tunes, I'm thinking slower and clearer would be much better than fast and sloppy!

    I'm also thinking I'm gonna put on some better clothes than my other videos AND try to change the background of my messy pool table clutter!

    Still practicing, I am!

    Barb

  4. #4
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Sheehy View Post
    Now that I've tried all 3 together I agree with you about the 42-pound cheque. I'm just going to do Murphy's and Ryans... I can find Murphy's Stout but I'm stuck for anything by Ryan... Ouzo or Grappa maybe?
    You could play those two in a Ryanair plane, drinking Murphy's Stout... This is going to be one expensive challenge.

    Bertram
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

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    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    I haven't heard these before either, but you can hear at least part of one by clicking the preview button here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dennis-Murph.../dp/B001GCHOFA

    This version of Ryans is worth a listen too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIUEa2sJPPg

    John.

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    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    That Planxty version has been the main source for session players all over Europe (and for me) in the last millenium. I know several musicians who play it more or less exactly like this. Thus it is kind of a reference version.
    That's what makes it so interesting to hear different versions that might awaken unheard-of aspects of the set. I am looking forward to recording mine on Saturday.

    One funny aspect that has developed in sessions is to play John Ryan's with all playing together those TAMM TAMM chords in the A part, leaving stop times for solo parts of one musician per round (like the hammered dulcimer does in the video).

    Bertram
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  7. #7

    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    You could play those two in a Ryanair plane, drinking Murphy's Stout... This is going to be one expensive challenge.

    Bertram
    The expensive part would be paying what Ryanair charge for "Carry-on Baggage"...

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    Registered User Kyle Baker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Here's an old one of me palying the polkas! Great set... Dennis Murphy's, 42 pound cheque and John Ryans.
    If I recorded it again I could likely do better, but I'm lazy... so here you go


    This is a Romanian made Hora short scale bouzouki tuned GDAD.
    Last edited by Kyle Baker; Apr-24-2009 at 8:36pm.
    _____________________________________
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    I bought Cold Blow and the Rainy Night as a teenager in the early 70's - already had a mandolin - these polkas were the first time I'd heard long scale mandolin type instruments - I knew I'd get one (or maybe more), the rest is as they say, history still one of my favourite sets.

  10. #10
    Registered User Kyle Baker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    okay...so I decided since the main objective of this thread was to hear the same tune played on different instruments I recorded it again on my Trinity college bouzouki.
    It's tuned GDAD. I messed up a little bit in 42 pound cheque, but I wasn't about to stop and start again... being on video makes me nervous! haha



    Kyle
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  11. #11
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Here I go again...
    I have left out the 42 pound cheque as stated before. My hand got stuck once in Ryan's B-part, but, like Kyle, I am too lazy for more takes.
    And, following Barbara's idea to come dressed for the occasion, I put on a fretted shirt



    Bertram
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  12. #12

    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    There was no need to fret for us, Bertram... Nicley done! Info on the OM and tuning?

  13. #13

    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    First up:
    Beard Bouzouki - 25" scale. GDAE - Tough stretch for my little fingers...

  14. #14

    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Next:
    Weber Big Sky OM - 22" scale - GDAE - also a tough stretch...

  15. #15

    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    And.. Gypsy OM - GDAE - Radiused fretboard was hard to adjust to after the previous two flat fretboards... J72's on this one, Stuart Pearse OM strings on the other two...

  16. #16
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Sheehy View Post
    There was no need to fret for us, Bertram... Nicley done! Info on the OM and tuning?
    Thanks, Eddie. It's a Fylde Touchstone 21" GDAE, home-customized with thicker strings (56-39-26-15) and elevated bridge.

    And thanks for demonstrating your astounding collection of OMs which enables a real scientific comparison, based on the same player and the same tune. I liked the Weber best for its distinguished drone tone, though the Gypsy is more like my own - thunky, percussive and - I guess - audible in a session.

    Bertram
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

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    Registered User Markkunkel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Wow, this is fun...it's so nice to hear and see and learn from all the different instruments and the different styles and techniques and tones. Thanks, everyone so far, for passing along your very nice work.

    Off to practice,

    Mark

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    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    Here I go again...
    I have left out the 42 pound cheque as stated before. My hand got stuck once in Ryan's B-part, but, like Kyle, I am too lazy for more takes.
    And, following Barbara's idea to come dressed for the occasion, I put on a fretted shirt
    Bertram, that was amazing, you appeared to play that without moving your fingers at all!

    Still learning the tunes yours, John.

  19. #19
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Quote Originally Posted by Tavy View Post
    you appeared to play that without moving your fingers at all!
    Yeah, that's what I call effortlessly mastering the instrument...

    My webcam is not really that slow, but the recording software seems to spend too much time sophisticatedly compressing the audio signal, gotta use something else, still experimenting.

    Bertram
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  20. #20
    Registered User Barbara Shultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Okay, here's my first entry.



    I know the tempo is pretty slow...

    And, we're supposed to identify our instrument and tuning... it's a vintage Slingerland May Bell Tenor Banjo, in Irish tuning, GDAE.

    Barb

  21. #21

    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Very nice Barbara. Do you give "How to smile while playing" lessons? All our entries show us like a bunch of Puritans at the Inquisition...

  22. #22
    Registered User Barbara Shultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Here's my 2nd entry.


    There's a few places in there where the recording goes 'pop', and plenty of mistakes!

    This is on my Petersen Octave Mandolin tuned GG DD AA EE.

  23. #23
    Registered User Barbara Shultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    And here's my 3rd entry:



    I have lots of weaknesses in playing, but my biggest is STARTING a tune from a dead standstill! I recorded my first attempt on playing this on the cittern... a couple of times, I had to remember just what those extra courses of A strings were for! This is my Petersen short scale Cittern, tuned GG DD AA EE AA.
    Last edited by Barbara Shultz; Apr-29-2009 at 2:05pm. Reason: added instrument and tuning

  24. #24
    Registered User Barbara Shultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Sheehy View Post
    Very nice Barbara. Do you give "How to smile while playing" lessons? All our entries show us like a bunch of Puritans at the Inquisition...
    What would you guys want to go smiling like a girl for???

    The first key is don't look at your instrument! The 2nd is.... SMILE!

    Barb

  25. #25
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Polka Challenge - CBOM Tasting and Cheese

    You're the superstar so far, Barbara. Ok, dancers would slowly fall over in mid-step, I guess, but this way the light and contended character of the set comes forth with kind of a dignified beauty.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Sheehy View Post
    Very nice Barbara. Do you give "How to smile while playing" lessons? All our entries show us like a bunch of Puritans at the Inquisition...
    I second that, you should teach us on how to shed a little sunshine on the world. That is, you should teach Eddie, because my smile tends to frighten people away - when I grin, you can sit me on the front lawn at Halloween with a candle in my mouth.

    Bertram
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

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