I've recorded some tunes...

[craigtoo]

http://homepage.mac.com/craigtoo/FileSharing26.html


Thanks,
craig
(no, the other one....)
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[sjusk]

Hi Craig (and the other Craig too of course, should you see this).
That´s just awesome! I am getting more and more convinced that the next time I walk into the instrument shop, I´ll be carrying an octave on my way out.
How many of these bastards have you lying about the house?
You play them beautifully, and your recordings are admirable! (And you are a fiddler too?)
How about recording and uploading the tune of the month, and add some of that fat bouzooki/octave mando-sound to the group efforts? I´d enjoy that.

Let me ask you: Is it difficult going from mandolin to octave mandolin or bouzooki, because of the wider space between frets? I have given the octave mandolin some serious thoughts lately.

Great homepage, and great picking Craig - too!

Søren

[craigtoo]

Wow..Thanks so much for the kind words...! Little bit intimidating "putting it all out there". I just joined the Yahoogroup! What is the tune to learn now?

I play mostly (90%) Irish...should fit right in though. I've heard some other Irish versions of tunes already..(was that you that did Mr Cheathum goes to Ireland?....Sweet..!!!)

Octaves are the bomb.. I have a few Zouks and Octaves...Got hooked when I went to Zoukfest.

Fiddle is my main instrument I guess... It's what I've been playing the longest..

Octaves are certainly different instruments because of the scale length. I use "cello" fingering for ocataves and Zouks. It makes the reaches shorter but it means "reprogramming" tunes that you may already know. When I first started, I tried to stick with mando fingering, it was (for me) too limiting. There are plenty that do though. The trade off is shifting. You'll have to shift more with Cello fingering. After a few months the switch is automatic and you don't even notice.

A big difference is that you just can't reach chord shapes like you can on a mando. Totally different world there.

As for the right hand, the tension in the strings is different and I prefer a much lighter pick for OM as compared to Mando.

Overall, playing the OM and Zouk has really helped my mando playing and my fiddle playing too...! Just adds dexterity to both hands...!

Thanks again for the compliments...

Whats the tune this month?

craig
(the other one...)

[craigtoo]

oh duh... Bill Cheatham is the tune this month...hmm let me see what I can put together..

[sjusk]

Craig, thanks for the information on octaves.
I´m not sure I know what cello-fingering means, but I sure got an idea, ha!
I imagine shifting to an octave is a terror in the beginning, but like you said, they´re veritable bombs. And starting the octave would give you a dexterity boost with the mandolin, yer, sounds like good sense to me.

I confess, I did that Mr Cheathum Goes To Ireland, but I´m not all too pleased with the timing; seems I get a little too eager and force the timing, but I just felt the energy for that sweet tune that day and let it go.

About the picks (thin or thick): I played with a tenor banjo guy a few weeks back, and he used a thin pick. I was surprised by that, tried the banjo, and then understood what he was talking about.
Choosing the pick for your mandolin is of course a personal matter, but I have settled with something in between, and dumped the fat ones; more ring to the E and A strings I think, and working a little deeper on the D and G they still do fine.

Anyways, thanks for your info, don´t forget to give Bill Cheatham a try, I´d love it.

Søren

[Martin Jonas]

I've just started getting to grips with a Zouk (a cheap Romanian Troubadour with 660mm scale length; they're great value for a solid wood instrument) -- great fun, and lots of options that you'd never dream of on the mandolin. For one thing, I can finally change key the guitar player's way: with a capo. What I'm playing around with right now is to use the full scale length for accompaniment and to put a capo on the 7th fret for melody work. That gives me DAEB, i.e I can play all mando tunes that don't use the G-string shifted one string down and pitched one octave lower, without any excessive stretches. Very useful for the transition! I might try Bill Cheatham in a bowlback/Zouk duet if I get my head around it.

Martin

[craigtoo]

Hey Sjusk... Cello fingering (or at least that's what I call it)...Is fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 on frets 2 - 3 - 4 - 5.

That means shifting for a 'b' or 7th fret on the e string (if you have an e...)

About the timing thing. I have *exactly* the same problem. I push it all the time...you can hear it in the Arthur Darley's track. ghrrrrr stupid metronome...must use it more...

Picks? Yeah. For banjo I use a real thin rubbery pick. (when I get a chance to play my friend's banjo...) The single strings respond totally different. My main pick is an 0.72 large triangle Clayton Ultem. I used this on the mando too for a while. Great articulation, but I like the tone I get from a 1mm white Clayton Better...but ornamentation is harder. That's why Silver Spire track is kinda boring...

martinjonas
Troubdaor Zouk.. Sounds like your pleased...they are fine instruments to start out on. I usually start my mando students on one of those...! A fine tone...a little rough in a jam or at a session, they aren't the loudest but still a fine tone..!

I've learned to use the capo too. I've also learned to use a "stunt" capo...heh. it's one of those "Squeeze" capos, like a pair of pliers. and you capo at the 5th fret but only the top 3 (or 4) courses. You end up with G G D A.

Then play a "G" tune and hammer the lower g as a drone while playing. Sounds really cool. Dan Beimborn does this on his CD. Shatter the Calm.. really cool effect.

Bowlboack / Zouk duet sounds awesome...! Hmmmm you're making me think... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Need to listen to a few more of the recordings of Bill C so I can get my head around it. I really like some of the stuff that's already up. There is some really cool American fiddlin' up there...need to get that groove in my playing somehow..! way to go fiddlegit..!

Is there a "clean" version up somewhere that we can use as a "master" copy...? Or does someone have a pdf with notes?

Thanks
craig (too, or two...you make the call..)

[fiddlegit]

Craig, Thanks for your comments regarding my fiddling, it's really encouraging coming from someone who can really play fiddle. (just downloaded Foxhunters and Pinch of Snuff... Great Stuff) I also love your version of Ragtime Annie, it's one of my favourite tunes. I must have a dozen or more recordings of it. Have you heard the one on the CD "hootenanny" by David Grier, with Tim O'Brien on mandolin and Dirk Powell on fiddle? I think you'd like it!

Cheers!!

[sjusk]

Craig, just go to mandozine.com and search the tabledit files, they have 8 BCs! These are tabs, not notes.
But...
..are you familiar with Tabledit? You can download their tefviewer for free, and with the tefviewer you can choose to see notes instead of tabs, or both at the same time. Choose Score, Options...there you have it.

Martin, congratulations with your Zouk. I´ve seen those Rumenians around on the internet, and wonder if you bought it here in cyberspace, or got it in a real instrument shop?
Please go and work out BC and other tunes on your Zouk and share the results with us, I´d love to hear more of these long-necked devils.

Søren

[Martin Jonas]

Martin, congratulations with your Zouk. I´ve seen those Rumenians around on the internet, and wonder if you bought it here in cyberspace, or got it in a real instrument shop?
I got mine on Ebay. #Dave Kilpatrick of Troubadour (http://www.troubadour.uk.com) sells them direct for 118 Pounds including shipping. #That's already a great price, but he was out of stock. #So, I got mine from somebody who bought from Dave least year, but never got around to learning it and sold it on as new for 76 Pounds including gig bag. #I'm not surprised they never learned it -- the bridge was a good five centimetres out of position, making it unplayable -- but their loss is my gain. #I lowered the action at the zero fret and put on an ebony bridge, which completely transformed the tone and playability. #It's not a Sobell, but then it's not meant to be my primary instrument, so I'm very happy.

Martin

[Michael H Geimer]

craigtoo,
Wow! Thanks for sharing all these tunes! You are a fine player, for sure. I'm partial to your fiddle mix, as I hear mandolin music every day, right?. (LOL)

Glad to hear your joining The Mandolin Project.

- Benignus

P.S. I'm glad I'm not the only one with creaking chair noises at the start of my songs. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[craigtoo]

fiddlegit...
Tim O'Brien is awesome.. I just discovered him when I was visiting a friend in London. That guy can do it all.. ! Need to buy his CDs thanks for the recommendation, that's at the top of the list...!

sjusk..
yep...I have tabledit and will download the tune... I really like to learn from a good recording too...looks like I'll have a few to choose from... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Benignus..
I practiced for hours to get those squeaks just right... Thanks for noticing.. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

craig
(too)

[sjusk]

[quote=For one thing, I can finally change key the guitar player's way: with a capo. #
Martin[/quote]
[QUOTE]

Martin, I just uploaded Barrowburn Reel to the Misc. Musings. I played it in Bb, but since I´m such a cheat, I put my little mandolin capo on.
It can be done.

I prefer not to though, one looses some pull-offs and hammer-ons; one the other hand, I seldom (or never) play tunes in B,Bb,F#,Eb and stuff like that, but with a capo I am able, should I find myself in a situation when it´s needed.

Søren

[CapnScarlett]

Oooh! Oooh! Another Irish player! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif