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fiddlegit
Sep-23-2004, 10:05am
Looks like an interesting 4 horse race at the moment!

Old Joe Clark 5
Cripple Creek 4
Bill Cheatham 4
Cumberland Gap 4

sjusk
Sep-23-2004, 12:16pm
Yer, a tight race! BUT...

...why are so few of the MP members using their vote?
217 members - and once the poll is over we may have 30 votes! (23 in the October poll at this moment).
I suggest that everybody should allow themselves to vote, whether they feel up to uploading or not.
Could it be that a lot of members actually practice the winning tune, but don´t want to "broadcast" the result of their work?
If so, I think they should cast their vote and use their influence.
I think we need more members to be involved, one way or the other. Reading the Mandolin Cafe discussions with 20-25 "hardcore" contributors, may give the impression to some "quiet souls" that this is a kind of a "secret club".
IT IS NOT!
Join the club and let´s make music! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

And don´t forget to vote!

(Just a few thoughts.)
Søren

Kelly_guy
Sep-23-2004, 12:35pm
Yeah, I'm guilty of dropping out of the project for quite a few months now. I've been focusing on jazz mandolin, to the exclusion of all other styles. My lessons are over for now, since I have to save money in preparation for changing careers to teaching.

But I'm going to start back on playing bluegrass, which is what the mandolin project seems to exclusively focus on. I'm not making any promises about uploading tunes, but I'll put in a vote.

Kelly

MandoJimbo
Sep-28-2004, 4:26pm
Don't really have a preference this month, do have a vote in the poll but I could be bought! Got the last few months tunes down and a few others Iv'e been working on.. Still like Bennigus's "Red Haired Rastifarian" Bettin it would win one month if He'd tab it out http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

JGWoods
Sep-28-2004, 5:23pm
I'm still here- trying to put Whiskey Before Breakfast together on clawhammer banjo and mandolin( it ain't an easy piece of clawhammer). Almost ready.
I voted already, but you are right that all should vote whether they post a tune or not. The non-posters get a lot of examples of a tune to listen to- and it really helps.
best
jgwoods

nupicker
Sep-29-2004, 7:36am
How do you all record yourself playing and upload it to the computer. Is there a cheap program that I could get to do it with my computer and a microphone. thanks, mh

joshro78
Sep-29-2004, 8:03am
I think alot of us use Audacity, and it's as cheap as you can get--FREE. Just download it from their website. Don't forget to download the LAME encoder too. You need this to export your recording as MP3.
Good luck!
Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net)
Josh

Martin Jonas
Sep-29-2004, 8:12am
The standard warning to add to that: In order to get a decent recording, you're likely to need a pre-amp to boost the microphone output up to line level and to use the "line-in" socket of the soundcard. Plugging a microphone directly into the microphone socket is likely to give you a noisy recording. A cheap pre-amp will do the trick; they start at around $30.

Martin

Bluegrasstjej
Sep-29-2004, 3:27pm
I don't agree with you. It depends on your microphone. Since I got my new mic, the recordings have been excellent, very good sound. But, many people have problems to synchrnize tracks in Audacity. It's a big problem with that program. I recently changed to Cool Edit, which is just perfect. But, if you have lots of patience (or luck) and don't want to spend the fortune that Cool Edit costs (or get it from Kazaa as I did), Audacity is a great choice. It's good that such a program exists for free, even if it has its disadvantages.

sjusk
Sep-30-2004, 8:44am
martin, just want to know if you have any experience with the cheap pre-amp put in between say a gooseneck mic on the mando and an accoustic amplifyer/PA?
It obviously works fine with the computer, I just wonder if it makes a good sound "live".
A good friend recommended Rane AP 13, a pre-amp designed for accoustic instruments.
30$ for a pre-amp sounds cheap, but perhabs the pre-amp isn´t "cheap"?

Søren

c3hammer
Sep-30-2004, 9:45am
Martin:

My sound card and $3 desktop pc mic work incredibly well throught the mic-in. I have the onboard nVIDIA Soundstorm audio and it is near perfection, even with the ultimate cheapo mic. In fact the cheapo mic gives better/warmer mandolin tone than my $225 Sound Professionals pre-amped unit.

Decent sound cards can be found for less than $50, if you are haveing trouble with yours.

Cheers,
Pete

Martin Jonas
Sep-30-2004, 9:47am
Søren --

The one I use is the B-Tech BT26, which is GBP19.95 here (http://www.richersounds.com/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=44605) and I've seen it on Ebay a bit cheaper. Very nice pre-amp for my needs and also works as a phono pre-amp for the turntable. Of course, for professional purposes you may want to spend more, but this is a sturdy, good-sounding piece of kit.

Martin

Martin Jonas
Sep-30-2004, 9:56am
Susanne/Pete --

Clearly you have managed to get good quality recordings with connecting a mic directly to the computer without pre-amp, so my statement was too general. Desktop PC mics are designed for direct connection, so I'm not surprised that the sound levels are fine, but I am surprised that the sound quality is acceptable (which it clearly is). I don't have a problem with my soundcard (a Soundblaster Audigy 2), it's just that my microphone (which is rather nice) supplies an output level that is designed to be pre-amped up to line level and if you don't pre-amp it, the level is too low for the acceptable input range of the soundcard on either mic or line-in socket. I would expect the same to apply for most non-PC mics. As discussed, PC mics are different as they provide a higher output level to start with. So, it does depend on the microphone.

Martin

fiddlegit
Sep-30-2004, 12:37pm
Getting back to the topic of the thread, Bill Cheathum's the winner by one vote. It's a very popular tune with fiddler's, and it's one I know quite well as I used to play back up guitar in a band with a very good mando picker, and it was one of his favourites. I'm looking forward to hearing some great renditions of this fine tune.

Phantoj
Sep-30-2004, 1:28pm
Cool... this is one tune that I've been working on since I got my mando a week ago.

You do accept submissions from newbies on the mandoproject website...? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

JGWoods
Sep-30-2004, 3:52pm
Cool... this is one tune that I've been working on since I got my mando a week ago.

You do accept submissions from newbies on the mandoproject website...? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Absolutely! looking forward to newbies, oldbies, and wannabes all submitting tunes.

I voted for Bill Cheatem, so yay! now I gotta figure out how to pick it clean, there's a spot in there that ties my fingers in knots- maybe someone will submit a version that unties 'em.

best
jgwoods

Dan Adams
Oct-01-2004, 3:58pm
One minute I look and ´Old Joe Clark´ is in the lead, then ´Bill Cheatham´ comes from nowhere. Both good tunes. #I´ve uploaded my bare bones (familiar style), and it should be showing up on the Project soon. #I skipped September, because I didn´t know ´East Tennesse Blues,´ which is not a good excuse, and I´ve been trying to play a few tunes on the fiddle. #Painful so far! farmerf5

All That Glitters is not Scrolled! #Dan

Bluegrasstjej
Oct-01-2004, 5:03pm
YAAAY!!!!!! I love that tune!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

David Miller
Oct-06-2004, 7:36am
I am happy to be a new member of this online community, and have already had a lot of fun and learned much listening to the old posts! I have uploaded my first contribution to the project's Yahoo page, which I guess will make it to the main page sometime soon. I am a sucker for harmonies, so I threw a harmony part on my second time through Cheatham. I am looking forward to what will come next!

p.s. - I would love to get a mando orchestra going in CT - any takers out there in the Northeast?

Michael H Geimer
Oct-06-2004, 9:05am
Welcome to the Cafe Dave! Great playing! You sure know how to make a 'grand entrance'.

- Benignus

Bluegrasstjej
Oct-07-2004, 4:53am
Susanne/Pete --

Clearly you have managed to get good quality recordings with connecting a mic directly to the computer without pre-amp, so my statement was too general. #Desktop PC mics are designed for direct connection, so I'm not surprised that the sound levels are fine, but I am surprised that the sound quality is acceptable (which it clearly is). #I don't have a problem with my soundcard (a Soundblaster Audigy 2), it's just that my microphone (which is rather nice) supplies an output level that is designed to be pre-amped up to line level and if you don't pre-amp it, the level is too low for the acceptable input range of the soundcard on either mic or line-in socket. #I would expect the same to apply for most non-PC mics. #As discussed, PC mics are different as they provide a higher output level to start with. #So, it does depend on the microphone.

Martin
Certainly, if you don't want to buy a pc mic, you will have to use a pre-amp to get a decent recording. I didn't get that you had a non-pc mic.

sjusk
Oct-07-2004, 12:47pm
Welcome in the club, David Miller...and wow, what a kick! Your recording really knocked me over. Tempo, clarity and +++! Keep them coming.

Roger, I just sat back and enjoyed Sally Gooden. Do I get this wrong, or is it two fiddles going on? If so, did you double yourself, or did you have a friend there? Great recording. (You know, I only started mandolin because of my no good bowing arm. I envy you a bit. You know I´m http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif about fiddlemusic)

I took the day off, and spent my time working with Bill Cheatham. Just uploaded my version 10 minutes ago, but gotta admit it has some bad timing in it; nevertheless, being newly introduced to a tune occasionly adds some energy, which hopefully makes up for the lack of technics.

farmerf5: your timing is just admirable - wish it was mine!
Smolt: you bring such a galant flow into this untimely whiskeyinthemorning-thing - your fingers do the walking, right?
mbuessler: you´re just on the right thing here, and it´s impressive what you get out of our good old darling Clementine. You´re on a walkabout, but you never forgets where home is.
Tjej: as always solid timing and clarity, I´m a sucker for that, and this time in the Irish mode; I guess you´re warming up for Ennis, right?
Benignus: You were really fast on the planet/plant mix-up, made me smile loud!

Søren

Mike Buesseler
Oct-07-2004, 1:35pm
Søren ,

Great reviews of everyone's contributions. #Thank you for mine. #"A walkabout," huh? #I guess that fits, except I feel so lost most of the time.

Dave Miller,

Yours is the last tune I downloaded. HOLY SMOKES! #Nice job on BCheatham! # When I hear a really nifty arrangement of a tune I know, I always file it away and STEAL, STEAL, STEAL...in fact, when I play alone, I sound like a slow, slightly clunky Benignus. #Same notes, but a *different* feel. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

David Miller
Oct-07-2004, 2:11pm
Thanks guys for your reviews, and for making me welcome as a new member of this community! I look forward to all I am going to learn listening to you all.
MikeB - its only stealing when you arent supposed to do it.... please feel free to take anything I do - I know I borrow from everyone else I hear as well - part of the joy of this kind of community!
My two bits in terms of the whole "how to make a recording thing" - if you are lucky enough to me a Mac user (sorry to the PC users out there) Garage Band is definitely worth checking out, and it comes free, and/or cheap.

Pax!

fiddlegit
Oct-08-2004, 6:06am
Do I get this wrong, or is it two fiddles going on? If so, did you double yourself, or did you have a friend there?
Søren
Søren, It's just me, one fiddle, but for an experiment I put a touch of phase effect on the fiddle track and I think I must have inadvertently saved it like that, then couldn't get rid of it. (not sure I like it!)

sjusk
Oct-08-2004, 6:39am
Nevertheless, Roger, I really enjoy your fiddling on Sally, aswell as Ashokan Farewell that you did a while ago. Those are gems.(and the others!).
It seems to me you´re digging into what old-time fiddletunes really are about.

Søren

joshro78
Oct-08-2004, 9:24am
Hey David,
Nice recording! And don't be sorry to PC users, don't forget they choose to use a PC. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif I've been wanting to try GarageBand but I want to make sure My system can run it. I have a G3 ibook. What system do you have and how do you connect your mic? Also, do you have to align tracks in GarageBand or is that not a problem?
Welcome to the board!
Josh

sjusk
Oct-08-2004, 10:00am
MikeB, you say that you feel getting lost much of the time, but I definitely don´t think you are.
It´s a grand feeling when picking turns into some kind of zen and just takes you away.
By that, I mean you are not "away" - just on a walkabout.
Keep walking!

Søren

David Miller
Oct-09-2004, 6:16am
Joshro - thanks for the kind review. I hope I am not going too off topic here, but I wanted to answer you -
I believe that you will be able to run Garage Band on your G3 iBook (in fact, I am typing on one right this minute). You will need system 10.2.8, at least, and you need iLife, which is $50 and includes Garage Band. You may not be able to run the loops on your iBook, but I think you will be able to record. You will need some kind of audio interface too, since the iBook doesn't have a mic input. You might want to check the apple website for all the details and requirements. Track syncing will be no problem.
(My own setup is MOTU's digital performer running on a dual 2gHz G5, with MOTU's 896HD interface and a Rhode Condenser mic.)
Best of luck!

fiddlegit
Oct-11-2004, 11:52am
I've just uploaded my Bill C.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

joshro78
Oct-11-2004, 1:33pm
Thanks for answering David. I already have a mic setup for my ibook. I run a dynamic through the imic - works great.
Unfortunately I am on OS 10.1 and can't afford to upgrade to 10.2...guess that means no GarageBand for me for Christmas.

craigtoo
Oct-11-2004, 5:43pm
fiddlegit...

*love* the 'merican Groove you have goin' on there...right off the top
from the first notes..! What a cool effect... consider it *stolen*..

heh..

craigtoo
(so glad discussions about other instruments are also welcome..! cool place to hang)

mandroid
Oct-11-2004, 11:36pm
Took the whole month and still not down on September Song yet,
somebody is accelerating the calendar ! Piano!!

JenWantstaJam
Oct-12-2004, 9:04am
I have looked high and low and I have NO idea WHERE you guys are uploading your tunes! Could someone please point me in the right direction? (Sorry)

David Miller
Oct-12-2004, 10:04am
JenWantstaJam -
I am sure someone else can give more specifics, but I am new here too... You need to join the mandolin project group at Yahoo.com (you will need a Yahoo username and password - all free). That is where the tunes get uploaded, then they get moved to the mandolin project website from there. I hope this helps!

sjusk
Oct-12-2004, 11:04am
Jen, go to www.mandolinproject.150m.com. Click Join Yahoo groups, and it takes you to where the uploading is going on. First you must join the group like David says above.
Click "Files" and choose the folder you want to upload to.
That´s pretty much it.

Looking forward to hear your recordings!
Søren

Phantoj
Oct-14-2004, 10:52pm
I have just added my version of this tune. It's short, so give it a listen!

fiddlegit
Oct-15-2004, 3:08am
Short but sweet Phantoj, nice feel with some interesting touches. I enjoyed it!

Phantoj
Oct-15-2004, 6:31am
I wanted to add that I've been playing mandolin for less than a month.

My file was submitted under the yahoo name "brianrages"...


Thanks for the kind words. As far as interesting touches, I think I played it note-for-note off the mando cafe tab...

...I think. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

It's short to keep my flub percentage down low enough to get a (mostly) error-free recording.

...I didn't have my metronome for timing, so don't count the beats.

sjusk
Oct-15-2004, 7:33am
Brian, you´re kidding?
You have only been playing mandolin for a month? That´s promising!

I enjoyed your recording, only wanted it to be a little longer. (ran out of tape?)

I wonder if you´ve been picking the guitar for 10 years or more...you´re gonna do great with the mando.

Søren

Phantoj
Oct-15-2004, 7:41am
Yes, I've been playing guitar for about twelve years, although I was pretty lazy for the first nine, and it's only been in the last three (when I bought a decent guitar) that I've been a real student of the instrument.

I worked on flatpicking fiddle tunes on guitar a bit a couple years ago, and I am sort of comfortable with the alternate picking - still have a ways to go on right hand technique.

For a guitarist playing mandolin, once you have drilled a tune into your fingers, you can play it just as easily as if it were on a guitar. Actually, easier - mandolins are set up to play fiddle tunes.

I feel like my "feel" is sometimes off on tunes that I've learned strictly from tab. I've not really jammed much. And of course timing is always an area for improvement.

Bluegrasstjej
Oct-15-2004, 1:28pm
Fiddlegit: Lovely recording!!! I just love fiddles!! (I've started playing the fiddle too, did I say that? my first fiddle recording is not too far away)

Sjusk, you do a wonderful job as always.

Farmerf5, you have a great tone at your playing, very well done. And the same goes for you, Phantoj. Keep up the good work. I hope all the newbies take the time to record our old tunes of the month!

Collings, great job! I like your version.....it's the same as I'm playing, just that I play in slow motion compared to you.

I hope I didn't forget anyone but if I did, I can say that all recordings of Bill that I've heard so far have been great. Keep up the good work folks. I hope to have something to come up with soon. I've played too much fiddle lately so I haven't practiced our tunes on the mandolin.

Dave Hicks
Oct-19-2004, 1:04pm
It looks like the Yahoo site is out of space, so I've put my mp3 of Mr Bill on my music page:

http://users.manchester.edu/Facstaff/DJHicks/musicindex.htm

Bluegrasstjej
Oct-19-2004, 2:32pm
BEAUTIFUL, dude!!!! A wonderful version!! Did you improvise it yourself! Really nicely done! I should start working on it myself, havent done much on the project lately, but you're giving me lots of inspiration!!!

Dave Hicks
Oct-19-2004, 4:09pm
Thanks, Susanne. The basic melody is stolen mostly from Ohmsen's Fiddle Tune Method for Modern Mandolin. I invented the double stop parts myself (very far from improvised on the spot). Since the chords for the A part hang on A and D for a while, I made some changes there. Now that I've listened to some other recordings, mine sure sounds slow! Oh well, more oldtime than bluegrass, I guess.

D.H.

JimRichter
Oct-19-2004, 5:35pm
Well here's my first go around w/ y'all on the Song Project part of the Cafe. Here is my Dawgish version of Bill Cheatam:

http://homepage.mac.com/richter30/iMovieTheater35.html

Jim

Bluegrasstjej
Oct-20-2004, 4:33am
Thanks, Susanne. #The basic melody is stolen mostly from Ohmsen's Fiddle Tune Method for Modern Mandolin. #I invented the double stop parts myself (very far from improvised on the spot). #Since the chords for the A part hang on A and D for a while, I made some changes there. #Now that I've listened to some other recordings, mine sure sounds slow! #Oh well, more oldtime than bluegrass, I guess.

D.H.
Cool! I have that book too but haven't used it very much yet. A friend got it for me but then I moved on over to the fiddle, or Irish tunes on the mando, since I'm going to Ireland soon and would like to join some sessions there. But then I'll have to try those things out, there are some great improvisation ideas in that book.

sbarnes
Oct-26-2004, 1:31pm
i haven't listened to all of this months recordings but Collings470 is pretty awesome.....
lots of good music here
sbarnes (grits1331)

roguescholar
Nov-01-2004, 9:28pm
I'm lost...what exactly is this? where does one vote?