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glauber
Jul-04-2005, 8:51pm
Here's my transcription of Dusty Miller as i heard it played by my teacher (any mistakes in the transcription are mine, not his).


<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">X&#58;1
T&#58;Dusty Miller, The
R&#58;reel
S&#58;Don Stiernberg
Z&#58;glauber - 2005
M&#58;C&#124;
L&#58;1/8
K&#58;Ador
A,2A,B, A,G,A,B, &#124; CDEG EDCB, &#124; A,B,CD EGAB &#124; cABc &#40;3BcB A2 &#124;
A,2A,B, A,G,A,B, &#124; CDEG EDCB, &#124; A,B,CD EGAB &#124;1 cABG A4 &#58;&#124;2 cABG A2 AB &#124;&#124;
K&#58;Amix
cABc ABcd &#124; efed cBAF &#124; GFGA BAGF &#124; EA2B A2 AB &#124;
cedc BdcB &#124; AcBA E2 EF &#124; GFGA BAGF &#124; EDCB, A,2 AB &#58;&#124;&#124;
K&#58;A
ceag ae AB &#124; ce=gf ge AB &#124; ceag afef &#124; edcB A2 AB &#124;
ceag ae AB &#124; ce=g2 &#40;3fgf e2 &#124; b2 a2 =g2 f2 &#124;1 efed cB AB &#58;&#124;2 efed cB A2 &#124;&#93;[/QUOTE]

(I think for sure there are a few tunes out there called Dusty Miller.)

I love the way it changes keys.

Question: do you agree with my choices of A dorian, A mixolydian and A major for each of the parts? The third part is kind of a toss between A mix and A major, but i think the appearance of the G#s justifies a change in mode.

Discuss amongst yourselves. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

evanreilly
Jul-04-2005, 9:12pm
Modes, modes and more modes!!
Here is, in my very biased opinion, the definitive version of The Dusty Miller (http://world.std.com/~ereilly/dustymiller.mp3).
If you asked the old guy playing this version about modes, the stare would cause you to forget ever trying to play the tune.

glauber
Jul-04-2005, 9:46pm
Well, i didn't ask him. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

evanreilly
Jul-04-2005, 11:07pm
I know...
And your question as a theoretical is valid....
But Monroe's answer would be the long stare, then maybe "That Dusty Miller is a fine old time fiddle number".

danmills
Aug-02-2005, 12:25am
Could someone point me to a place where I can learn to read that notation? Thanks.
Dan

Tim
Aug-02-2005, 6:51am
To read the abc notation:
ABC translator (http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html)

Paste the abc code into the box. #In the example above that starts with the line below "code sample" and ends with the line above "(I think..."

It will give you a low resolution preview in standard notation and you can either play a midi of the song or generate a PDF for printing.

AlanN
Aug-02-2005, 7:00am
As an aside, my favorite witnessed Monroe stare was at Peaceful Valley one year, a reporter asked him "Isn't it true, Bill, that bluegrass music never was the same after Flatt and Scruggs left your band?"

The silence after that statement was deafening.

evanreilly
Aug-02-2005, 10:01am
I bet that was the year, like mid 80s that some fellow had the matched set of mandolins, and F-4 and F-5 Loar era he wanted to sell to Bill. That same year, at the fester, Bobby Osborne was selling his Loar for $16K. He didn't sell it; nor did Bill buy the set, AFAIK.

David M.
Aug-02-2005, 11:15am
Evan, couldn't pull up your MP3 link, but it may be my computer. Monroe's version? Live or studio?

Thanks.

250sc
Aug-02-2005, 12:13pm
The URL didn't come up for me either.

mikeyes
Aug-02-2005, 4:34pm
Try The Converto-matic (http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html)

swampstomper
Aug-04-2005, 1:50am
Evan,

I downloaded and listened to your MP3. Wow!!! What it lacks in high fidelity it sure makes up for in Big Mon fireworks!! He plays more parts of the tune than on the Decca record, and the fiddler has some good variations.

Details please!! Who are the musicians? When and where was it recorded? At the very end he mentions
"James, Roel, Skip and myself" --- I guess James is son James, Roel (to my ears) might be Roland White? and who is Skip? If one of those isn't the fiddler, who is?

Thanks! I'll be studying this version for quite a while

David M.
Aug-04-2005, 8:04am
Yep, the URL came up for me this time and it's good! I'll be studying/learning this one. Always wanted to. Some good fiddling.

David M.
Aug-04-2005, 8:06am
By the way, that concertina.net + the Fiddlers Companion gives a lifetime of tunes to learn. I HAVE to use the converter to hear it.

evanreilly
Aug-04-2005, 9:15am
I think somehow the tune became truncated and have replaced it with the original 4 minute version.
The tune was recorded at Tex Logan's house at a birthday party for Bill. Bill's opening statement refers to Tex Logan's daughter being born, I believe.
I think Rual is Rual Yarborough, playing banjo. I am fairly certain it is Kenny Baker on fiddle. 'Skip' is Skip Payne on bass, i believe.
As to why the Decca recording of the tune on Blue Grass Time has only two parts, I can only guess that Bill didn't like one of the 'Boys' playing on the third part, so only recorded the tune as a two-part piece.

swampstomper
Aug-04-2005, 9:57am
Duh, that was stupid of me! Here in Netherlands there is a name Roel, I had forgotten about Rual Yarborough -- I really like his work with the Dixie Gentleman. It could well be his playing. So James is playing guitar? The year would then be about 1970?

evanreilly
Aug-04-2005, 10:12am
I think about 1970 was correct; I was there &lt;VBG&gt;.

Moose
Aug-04-2005, 12:23pm
I gotta' tell this Bob Osborne story: Charlie Bailey(Bailey Brothers) recently passed on ; he was a good friend of mine(RIP Charlie) - Charlie once told me that when he and his brother(Danny) were on WWVA, Wheeling, WV, that he "traded" mandolins with Bob - (although he didn't mention why) - Some years later I went to an Osborne Brothers show ; as Bobby was gett'n off the bus he had a mando in each hand ; I proceeded to ask him "...which one of those is Charlie Bailey's mando?" - he stared straight at me and replied "...THIS ONE. AND IT AIN'T CHARLIE'S NO MORE. IT'S MINE." - I thanked him..., and "slunk" away.... 'nuff said!##- Moose. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

swampstomper
Aug-05-2005, 10:32am
Back to Evan's version -- I reviewed the Monroe discography, and Rual Yarborough recorded about half of the Uncle Pen album with Mon, plus some great songs (Body and Soul, Walk Softly on My Heart) from March to November 1969. James M was playing guitar by then. That seems to date the cut.

But Evan, your comment about the 2nd part of Dusty Miller being left out of the Dec 6 1966 Decca recording because the fiddler couldn't cut it... I doubt that, the fiddler was Richard Greene who Monroe favoured and really featured on lots of old time numbers that he had not previously recorded (Soldier's Joy, Grey Eagle).

evanreilly
Aug-05-2005, 7:37pm
I didn't specifically say the fiddle player couldn't play it to Bill's satisfaction.... I deliberately left it vague. It is a subject of speculation.
My personal take on that configuration of the Blue Grass Boys is that Monroe liked them a lot. He recorded more old-time fiddle tunes as instrumentals with a mandolin lead (Turkey in the Straw, Paddy on the Turnpike, Dusty Miller, Soldier's Joy) in that short period of time, with that band, than he did with any other configuration. That says a lot, in my book.