Ramblin' Rover

[James45]

Hi all,

So this morning I woke up with this tune in my head and thought I'd try to learn it. Looking around the internet, I found no mention of Ramblin' Rover on the mandolin. So I came up with this after listening to the Dubliners' version. I believe I've worked out most of the notes, though I've never learned a song entirely by ear before, so let me know all my mistakes.

I've also only been playing mandolin for about six months now, so any critique and advice is welcome!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOW9x4otFeo&feature=youtu.be

[whistler]

You've got the rhythm and, well, a very rough outline of the tune, but there are some notes in there that sound very wrong. You seem to be playing the 2nd phrase in a different key from the 1st one. If you try playing along to the recording, you will realise very quickly that you are not playing the same notes as The Dubliners (You must make sure your mandolin is properly in tune before doing this - it is about a semitone flat in your clip.)

I suggest you refer back to the recording and listen very closely, taking a few notes at a time (using slowing down software, if it helps). Listen to each short section as many times as you need to in order to find the corresponding notes on your mandolin, then move onto the next bit. It's a laborious process at first, but playing by ear is a very useful (essential, even) skill to have - and, like anything, it gets quicker, easier and more accurate, the more you do it.

[James45]

Thanks whistler, I tried to copy it from the banjo in the recordings, but I'm fairly new at this. I will follow your advice and see where I get.