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Thread: Try Out Licks

  1. #1
    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
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    Another thread sparked my idea for this one. There is that great scene in the movie "Wayne's World" where Wayne goes into a music store and picks up the guitar he is lusting for and starts to play "Stairway to Heaven." The guy running the store taps him on the shoulder and points to a sign on the wall that says: "NO Stairway to Heaven." Anyone who has spent a lot of time in music stores got that one immediately.

    I have two questions for the board:

    1. When you're in a store, or at a mando tasting, or anywhere you're trying out a mando with people listening, what are you most likely to play on it to try the mando out and why would you choose that?

    2. When you are on the listening side of that situation, hearing someone else try out a mando, what do you hate to hear? What makes you say to yourself, "Oh, please..." What is your "Stairway to Heaven." Besides "Stairway to Heaven," of course!




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    Registered User Bob DeVellis's Avatar
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    I often do Arthur Darley's Jig, because it's a good test of the qualities I look for in an instrument -- playing well in first position across all 4 strings, having good responsivity to hammers and pull-offs, having a neck that feels good in the hand. There's a series of octaves in the tune that give a good sense of whether the intonation is good (assuming the instrument's in tune). If I'm serious, I might follow that with Boys of Ballysodare, which I play up the neck (going up to about the 11th fret, as I recall) to see how it feels in higher positions.
    Bob DeVellis

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    I usually play Cherokee Shuffle or Steam Powered Aeroplane (Instrumental). #They usually sound exciting to the other customers in the store. #They are also lesser played instrumentals, so I don't get the other "mando-critics" analyzing every note. #Whatever you do DON'T play Sally Goodin' or Salt Creek (nless you're Sam Bush).

  4. #4
    Ben Beran Dfyngravity's Avatar
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    Probably the first thing I play is a Dm chord (7 7 8 10) because Dm is one of my favoritve keys to playing. And the Dm in the position really tells me how the mandolin sounds....intonation is right, tone..ect. Then I usually do a lot of cross picking since that is one of the things I do best. I usually never play fiddle tunes unless one of my friends is trying out a guitar and then we sometime will rip a couple tunes off together. I usually play a lot of stuff I have written because that's what I play a lot and if that doesn't sound good then there's no point in purchasing.

    Things I hate to hear: well I really don't hate to hear any tune because you never know the level of someone's playing. If that's all they know then hey, go on and get it done.

    But I do remember one time when my friend and I walked into the acoustic room of a local shop and there was this guy(playing guitar) who was kinda showing of to other people. Well at least he thought so. He wasn't a bad player but he thought he was way better than he was. So my friend who is just an incredible guitar pickes up a guitar and just blows this guy away....that was probably my most favorite moment in a music store. The guy's jaw dropped and then he preceeded to put the guitar up. It was all in fun though lol.




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    Registered User PlayerOf8's Avatar
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    Somewhere over the Rainbow and Ave Maria.

    George

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    aka "Hydrilla" Darren Kern's Avatar
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    Listening to Steve Earle collaborate with the Del McCoury Band was one of the things that got me into playing mandolin (a very short time ago). One of the first things I did was learn how to sing/play 'Copperhead Road'. When I was mando shopping recently I was reluctant to play it in stores even though I don't know many other songs, because I kinda figured that it might be 'Stairway to Heaven' for the mandolin.
    My original IV mandolin kit blog- http://makingamandolin.blogspot.com/

  7. #7
    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    I usually play the Bach Prelude, BWV 1007. What I hate to hear? Hmmm... that's a tough one. I don't know if there is a similar riff for the mandolin. I'm probably wrong though.

    -John.
    Ah! must --
    Designer Infinite --
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    --Francis Thompson

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    Registered User Bren's Avatar
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    I usually play a warmup thing out of Jethro Burns' book, called "Warmup Thing" I think.
    It goes right across the strings and up the neck from low G so you get a good idea.

    I usually stuff up a couple of notes. I don't think anyone will be mistaking it for showing off!

    Then I hit a few chords and crosspickings down low and up high, then I just muck around. Every different instrument suggests different types of playing so I go with what feels particularly good on the instrument.

    Actually, first thing is check if it's in tune. That used to be very rare indeed with shop mandolins a few years ago (and they usually had cheese-grater strings), but they usually are in tune these days.
    I wonder is that due to electronic tuners, greater popularity of mandos, or both?
    Bren

  9. #9
    Registered User Greg H.'s Avatar
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    I usually try a variety of tunes to see how the mandolin works with different styles. I'm fond of "How High the Moon", "Maple Leaf Rag", and possibly "Ragtime Annie" just because I play them all somewhat differently. I suspect that if the salesperson is getting tired of any songs they would probably include "Blackberry Blossom," "Salt Creek," and "Red Haired Boy" (which is not to say that these aren't on my try-out list as well).



    Greg Henkle

    2002 Prucha F5
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    This is a very interesting thread to me. I don't play much with other people so, when I'm trying out mandos in a music store, I've been known to launch into Salt Creek w/out giving it a 2nd thought. Ooops...my bad. Next time I'll play something else.

  11. #11
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    to really judge how a mandolin sounds, i'll play "autumn leaves" jethro-style. the chords sound beautiful on a good mando.
    if i want to scare people away and get some privacy, i'll play "well, you needn't".
    john

    my friends that work at music stores tell me that they really appreciate hearing people play complete songs, rather than riffs.
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  12. #12
    Registered User dwc's Avatar
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    I like to play the Theme Song to The Princess Bride #and the intro to Romeo & Juliet by Dire Straits (bit of a Mark Knopfler fan). #I don't think I've seen anyone play a mandolin #in a music shop (we have a pretty weak local music scene)so I don't really dislike anything, although people (non musicians/non drummers) who try out drums as loud as humanly possible can get annoying.



    Northfield Artist Series F5 (2 bar, Adirondack)

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    Chief Moderator/Shepherd Ted Eschliman's Avatar
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    John, you're the man! (Great tunes, Jethro AND Monk...)
    I think it's a big mistake to play for the sake of impressing the others, but the point well taken is you want to audition on the stuff you want to eventually use the mandolin to produce. In my case that would be some classical (Bach Cello suite to check the range of the instrument across and up the fingerboard), some jazz improv (to see if the instrument has tone that "inspires"), and a little Choro (can turn the brain off & just play so I can listen). Same with a fiddle tune or two.
    What I wouldn't want to hear from another player is when someone auditions a sweet vintage Gibson teens for "chop" or tries to play a soulful ballad melody on a crunchy F-5 copy. Sensitivty for what the instrument was designed for is in order.
    Also, one of the best tips on auditioning an instrument was from mastercraftsman Michael Lewis when he suggested standing next to a bare wall (or window) to listen to the "reflection" of your sound. You want to hear what your audience will hear, not just the distance from the sound hole to ear.
    Ted Eschliman

    Author, Getting Into Jazz Mandolin

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    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
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    Here are mine, now that the discussion is going:

    1. My try-out tunes have the following characteristics: They have to be really cool tunes, they have to be tunes hardly anyone else knows and they have to be ones that I play really well. In other words, they are pretty much the same criteria I would use for a set list, only I don't have to get concurrence from other band members. Right now the one I like to do "Sawtelle Blues" by John Rossbach, although I do it my own way.

    2. What I hate to hear is someone mimicing licks by famous players, rather than playing a tune, especially if the lick makes no musical sense on its own. My fantasy conversation with one of those guys would be, "I'm curious as to what you were trying to accomplish with that. You didn't actually sound like Chris Thile, you didn't really sound like yourself and you weren't entertaining, so what exactly were you going for there?" But of course, I just smile and move on. I prefer it when a player just tries to play a tune he or she can play well in his or her own unique way, no matter how simple it is. Then I say to myself, "I heard you!"




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    Since you have to donate an organ nowadays to buy a mandolin, I try not to get too critical of people's tryout songs. However, I often grow tired of people's attempts at Rawhide and Jerusalem Ridge solely due to overexposure.

    The first one I always go for is Campbell's Farewell to Red Gap.

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    I've spent years convincing myself that most music store employees and patrons weren't paying attention to my playing as long as I wasn't physically abusing the instrument.

    Now I'm gonna be all self-conscious again.

    Thanks guys.
    If you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly.

  17. #17
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    I usually just run up and down the scales on all strings then play some moveable chop chords up and down the strings. This gives me a good feel of the playability of the instrument and tonal quality. Then I mght play something like Billy in the lowground.
    Kenneth Froman

  18. #18

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    This is all so interesting. #I started out as a trumpet player and you just don't get this situation when shopping for trumpets. #Trumpet players tend to find their instrumentand then it's really hard to get them to change. #I've had mine since high school. #The result though is when we do go looking for instruments, it's usually just you and maybe a clarinet player in the next room. #

    Getting my new mandolin was an interesting experience because I was there most of the day and I got to hear a lot of other people play. #I was looking for something that was easier to pick on because that's what I like to do, but also something that has a good strong upper register because that's what I need to work on. #I played whatever fit the bill. #I guess I could easily get annoyed by hearing the same stuff over and over again, but I don't plan on looking for a new one for at least 2-3 years (probably more like 5). #Plus my credit card limit isn't that high anyway and I have a long way to go. #So I don't see there being a problem with it.
    *^_^*
    Katie

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    I usually play 'Ode to a Butterfly' and 'When Mandolins Dream'. I get seriously irritated when someone else does, too.
    What a long, strange trip its been.

    Dan Linden

  20. #20

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    I have yet to walk into a store, pick up a mando and play it without having to spend some time tuning it. We don't have but maybe 10 in all the stores combined, and most of them are painfully cheap, and wouldn't even hang straight on a wall. I have only seen one Gibson on the shelf, and had to tune it. My wife plays guitar, so we go through some of our stuff together when I can find a playable instrument. Anything I got good, I bought sight unseen.

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    Modulator ;) PhilGE's Avatar
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    Yeah, "Tu-ning" is one of my favorites to play at music stores, too!

    I often play scales and some arpeggios to warm up on an instrument, like I do on my own. Huh, maybe that's a simple and telling thing to do: do what you would normally do when warming up on your instrument, then play something you like to play. If it doesn't feel/sound good to you doing stuff you normally do, let it go.

    -Phil

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    I play whatever comes to mind. If others don't like it, TUFF! I'm not there to intertain them or impress them, I'm there to see how the instrument sounds and plays to me. (I will be considerate to others around me by not playing so loud that it interfers with their ability to auditions instruments.)

    It kind of cracks me up that someone would have a set songlist for trying instruments in a music store.

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    I was in Manny's one time and started to pick "Flickin My Pick". The sales guy rushed over and insisted I hook up a delay to it, so it sounded like 3 mandolins at once. He wouldn't let me leave and I think he sold a mandolin to one of the onlookers. I didn't get a dime

  24. #24
    Registered User mandowilli's Avatar
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    About a year ago I watched "The Godfather" and absolutely had to get the soudtrack CD and learn some of those tunes, which I highly recomend doing.
    Shortly thereafter I was in a music store in Arizona and played "The Godfather Waltz (Come Live Your Life With Me)".
    Everyone instantly knew that melody!

    I also agree with previous posts, play whatever is in your head at the moment, and play it all of the way through.

    After warming up, of course!

    willi
    willi

  25. #25
    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by
    I play whatever comes to mind. If others don't like it, TUFF!
    It kind of cracks me up that a musician wouldn't care what they sound like to other people, all the time, regardless of venue. Doesn't make me want to run out and hear him.

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