Fiddle Tune on Mandolin

[jmmccrel11]

I need some big help.I have a 9 year old grandson whom wants to enter a round of competition next year and the judges request traditional music what songs are out there that may be good to work on.My grandson by being only 9 years old will be listed as a beginner.Please respond.
Thanks,
Jimmy Mac

[woodwizard]

How bout ... Old Joe Clark, Arkansas Traveler, Cripple Creek, Boil that Cabage Down ...there's so many that would be good ones to begin with.

[Mike Snyder]

Whiskey Before Breakfast, Liberty, Soldiers Joy. We're hitting the basics, so many to choose from. Does he play any trad fiddle tunes? That's a real big category.

[Steve L]

What tradition?
How long has he been playing and how proficient is he?
Does he have an instructor?
Are you sure it's a good idea for a 9 year old with no repertoire to enter a competition? A bad experience could damage his relationship with music.

[Ivan Kelsall]

One of the simplest tunes to get started on is 'Angeline the Baker',it's also as Trad.as you'll get. With thanks to Jim Richter,here's his good self playing that tune. I wouldn't say that it's a totally
100 % Fiddle tune,any more than any other 'trad.' tune. Here's Stuart Duncan also playing it on Fiddle,
so i reckon it qualifies,
Ivan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZKPdsLsGoU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Jm_4YcWHw

[outdoors4me]

One of the simplest tunes to get started on is 'Angeline the Baker',it's also as Trad.as you'll get. With thanks to Jim Richter,here's his good self playing that tune. I wouldn't say that it's a totally
100 % Fiddle tune,any more than any other 'trad.' tune. Here's Stuart Duncan also playing it on Fiddle,
so i reckon it qualifies,
Ivan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZKPdsLsGoU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Jm_4YcWHw

I second Ivan's suggestion - easy and traditional.

Beck

[jim_n_virginia]

I suggest a tune like Red Haired Boy because after the contest you can play this tune at a Bluegrass, Celtic or Old Time jam and it will be acceptable.

I call tunes like this "3fers" LOL! Might as well learn a tune you can get a lot of milage out of! :grin:

other good 3fer's are ...
Whiskey Before Breakfast
Soldier's Joy
St. Anne's Reel
:mandosmiley:

[jmmccrel11]

Thank you for the comments.Let me begin by saying yes he has a teacher a man by the name of Jason Bailey out of Homewood ,Al.However Tyler got to take a lesson from Roland White this past Saturday and he very much enjoyed it.Roland did tell us that Tyler was a talented young man and wanted to play with him again.I have taken Tyler to the Fanfest at IBMA in Nashville and this year he told me that he wanted a picture of him,Ricky Skaggs and Sam Bush and yes we got them all.However as Tyler had his mandolin with him at time the picture was taken with Sam Bush,Sam asked Tyler if he could play it and Tyler said yes sir and played Old Joe Clark for him.Got a picture of that too.Sam told him that he did a good job and that he was a very talented young man.Tyler has played at festivals every weekend since June.Tyler can play all the songs mentioned above he has about 40 that he can play.One of my favorites is Poor Wayfaring Strangers and every time he plays it the fans love it.I am going to add a link to a youtube video that I shot of him playing with a band at a jam.They asked Tyler to come on stage with them.please reply as we love constructive criticism for it will only make a person better.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-ilTv_aldQ

Thanks again,
Jimmy Mac

[Nelson Peddycoart]

Jimmy,

I am in Huntsville, just north of you. Sam Bush has a book that has 6 cds and covers a few good fiddle tunes. Old Joe Clark is in there. The arrangement is not awfully difficult. If the boy likes Sam, this might be a good option for him.

Personally, I think one of the fiddle tunes that one can get alot of mileage out of is BlackBerry Blossom.

Steve Kaufman has a two book series on mandolin (Parking Lot Picker series, I think) that has 3 versions of many classics in it: very simple, more involved (eighth notes added in) and pretty dang fast.

It might help him as well.

Nelson

[farmerjones]

if the youngster already knows where doe-ray-me is at(i see that he does), get him that Sam Bush DVD with Grey Eagle on it. There's bound to be one or two on there he'll like.

Great tube vid! You should be proud!

[acousticphd]

My guess is that most of the ~40 tunes your grandson plays at this point are what most people would consider part of the 'traditional' contest repertoire. You can get a good flavor of what folks (young and old) play at contests by going to a few and listening. That can help get an idea of what to play, or what not to play. Consider the repetition you hear at beginner contests. One thing that could be cool for a 9-10 yr old is to pick a tune(s) that are a little "less traveled", or maybe something he has more recently learned and is still fresh. He doesn't necessarily need to be one of 5-6 kids all playing Old Joe Clark and Arkansas Traveler. But the main thing is that he is enjoying himself in practicing and playing.

[outdoors4me]

I need some big help.I have a 9 year old grandson whom wants to enter a round of competition next year and the judges request traditional music what songs are out there that may be good to work on.My grandson by being only 9 years old will be listed as a beginner.Please respond.
Thanks,
Jimmy Mac

Jimmy,

If you are referring to the Athens Old Time Fiddler's Convention, I can give you one tip - the judges don't like too much embellishment. Have him learn the song as close to traditional as possible and play it cleanly.

Beck

[Rob Gerety]

Red Haired Boy is a good suggestion. Not too hard.
Jigs are easier than reels.
A waltz might be good. Emily's Waltz is nice.

[jmmccrel11]

Thanks for all of the responces I think we will stay around what was mentioned.Tyler plays old Joe Clark well as Arkansas Traveler.I think we will have him work on about 5 to get them down extra clean.Tyler likes to play Old Joe Clark extremely fast,what would be a good BPM on these songs?Also does anyone have sheet music or tabs for Manzanita and Highway 40 Blues.We have looked all around and can not find anything.These some songs Tyler wants to do on stage.
Thanks Again,
Jimmy Mac:mandosmiley:

[jmmccrel11]

Thanks for all of the responces I think we will stay around what was mentioned.Tyler plays old Joe Clark well as Arkansas Traveler.I think we will have him work on about 5 to get them down extra clean.Tyler likes to play Old Joe Clark extremely fast,what would be a good BPM on these songs?Also does anyone have sheet music or tabs for Manzanita and Highway 40 Blues.We have looked all around and can not find anything.These some songs Tyler wants to do on stage.
Thanks Again,
Jimmy Mac:mandosmiley:

[yankees1]

Whiskey Before Breakfast, Liberty, Soldiers Joy. We're hitting the basics, so many to choose from. Does he play any trad fiddle tunes? That's a real big category. Whiskey Before Breakfast for a basic song for a beginner ? I thought I was making progress but you just deflated my ego! :)