Good slower music

[katygrasslady]

I'm working on accurate technique, and have no business playing fast yet. While I have learned some songs that are meant to be played fast, there is always the 'but' that limits my feeling of accomplishment. 'But' I cannot play them up to speed with accuracy. Reading other threads, it appears others are in the same place. There's a lot of lovely waltzes, airs, and classical pieces that make good challenges for intermediate players, but I find myself getting discouraged wading through so many pieces that are just too fast for my current skills, arthritic fingers or caffeine saturation after 4pm.

Is there a thread, or can we make a thread, or even a social group, for those of us working on 'slow but sure'. Is there enough interest to form our own social group?

Can you post music and/ or video of your favorite song that is meant to be played slow? Then those of us not ready to play fast can feel like we accomplished something completely, and can play it just as it was meant to be played.
Katy

[Richard J]

There is, of course, the Tennessee Waltz, Danny Boy or Wayfaring Stranger. However My instructor always gives me faster songs, and it can take me hours & hours of practice to even remember how play without reading the sheet music. And then speed? I follow the other thing my instructor told me "slow is fast".

[nickster60]

Amazing grace is great song you can play if slow or fast. And it is very easy to remember.

[Londy]

I think this is a good idea. I tend to play to fast and really need my metronome. Also, I would like to add how to remember a lot of songs without having to rely on needing the music in front of you. Sometimes this becomes a crutch.

[doc holiday]

Midnight on the Water, Ashokan Farewell, Ookpik Waltz all have great melodies to be played slowly

[JeffD]

There are several books out there that focus on waltzes. I especially like

http://www.bfv.com/waltz/

http://www.elderly.com/books/items/449-3.htm


but there are many others.

[JeffD]

There are several books out there that focus on waltzes. I especially like

http://www.bfv.com/waltz/

http://www.elderly.com/books/items/449-3.htm


but there are many others.

There is a waltz jam locally, and most everyone brings some or all of these books.

[AlanN]

The hymns are good for slow and expressive. What A Friend We Have In Jesus was done beautifully by the late, great Dempsey Young. Slow as molasses but with taste, verve and fat tones.

[JeffD]

Hymns are a great source of beautiful melodies to play on mandolin. Borrow the hymnal from the choir director and you are off to the races.

[Phil Goodson]

Road To Lisdoonvarna

[Beanzy]

Over the Waterfall has a really nice lilt to it as has Carolan's Planxty Hewlett.
The other one is Beethoven's Adagio from his Sonatine in Cminor (WoO43a) which is very beautiful and really needs to breathe between notes.
If you sing then Wildwood Flower is a good way to get yourself a Carter Family tune under your belt. Many of their's are really useful in this respect.

But as an aside to the main request for suggestions; rather than just build you a list have you tried picking out the key notes from those pieces you feel should be played faster? I often do this as an exercise and try to make the same tune have as much of the original effect as possible with the minmum skeleton of the tune. You can then see which notes are crucial to getting the timing and feel of any tune so when you do fill in all the extra you have a very clear framework as to where those notes should fit and what their role in the overall tune is. I always come back to the full version of the tune playing it an awful lot faster when I do this and don't stumble when missing notes trying to get there.

[JeffD]

Hewlett is a wonderful tune.

[katygrasslady]

Thank you for all the suggestions. While playing fast songs slow or incomplete may appeal to some people, right now I would rather go for accuracy and precision and end up with something that is just right. Getting something played correctly is more satisfying to me. For others who may be looking for slower tunes, in addition to some of the other good suggestions:
Torna a Surriento
Theme Vannitaise
Bighorn River sunset
Red Piper's Melody
Blackthorn Blossom
Minuet in G
Minuet in G no. 2
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

The Carter Family songs are something I haven't thought of. I used to play some years ago on guitar. Funny, I seem to acquire a Appalachian accent when I sing them. Would also be good for practicing tremolo.
Katy

[Dave Gumbart]

Are you familiar with the Arran Boat Song? Very nice melody, and not too hard to get sounding lovely.

Tablature: http://www.mandolintab.net/tabs.php?name=Arran%20Boat%20Song&id=00451

You tube mando version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVms1lw_vsU

Dave

[katygrasslady]

Are you familiar with the Arran Boat Song? Very nice melody, and not too hard to get sounding lovely.

Tablature: http://www.mandolintab.net/tabs.php?name=Arran%20Boat%20Song&id=00451

You tube mando version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVms1lw_vsU

Dave

Thanks, I forgot I knew this one. This time I printed out the music so it doesn't get lost in my brain. Yes, it is a nice one.
Katy

[fatt-dad]

Waynesboro
Cold and Frosty Morning
Swinging on a Gate
St. Ann's Reel

A lot of fiddle tunes can be fun played slower. But it never hurts to work up speed.

f-d

[Bertram Henze]

You might want to look into this O'Carolan Thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/group.php?discussionid=279&do=discuss) at the Song-a-Week group.

[pefjr]

Thank you for all the suggestions. While playing fast songs slow or incomplete may appeal to some people, right now I would rather go for accuracy and precision and end up with something that is just right. Getting something played correctly is more satisfying to me. For others who may be looking for slower tunes, in addition to some of the other good suggestions:
Torna a Surriento
Theme Vannitaise
Bighorn River sunset
Red Piper's Melody
Blackthorn Blossom
Minuet in G
Minuet in G no. 2
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

The Carter Family songs are something I haven't thought of. I used to play some years ago on guitar. Funny, I seem to acquire a Appalachian accent when I sing them. Would also be good for practicing tremolo.
KatyThis forum is amazing. I'll be back to contribute,.............but right now I am having too much fun playing Torna a Surriento. Thanks

[jaycat]

I love playing slow stuff and letting the notes sustain. Having an oval hole mando and playing open strings helps with that. Some of the songs I enjoy are:

Wild Mountain Thyme
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (mentioned above)
Hard Times
The Lone Pilgrim
Bicycle Built for Two
She Moved Through The Fair
Carrickfergus
Raglan Road

and more that aren't coming to mind at the moment. Also the slow tunes present a good opportunity to practice tremelo (which I badly need to do).

[katygrasslady]

You might want to look into this O'Carolan Thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/group.php?discussionid=279&do=discuss) at the Song-a-Week group.

Wow, some great stuff there. Busy downloading sheet music.
Thanks,
Katy

[Bob Clark]

There is a waltz jam locally, and most everyone brings some or all of these books.

I think I must live in the wrong location. This sounds like a lot of fun!

[pefjr]

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/tabledit/all?showall=all This should keep you busy for awhile. I recently found Speak Softly and The Godfather Theme over on Mandozine's tab edit. Go to Home page then look at the resources here on the cafe at top left.

[mandocrucian]

There're lots of songs, but maybe not in circulation in the jams you frequent. Sad to say, in many instances, you'll never get to play them unless you learn to sing them yourself. But somebody is bound to know "Willin" and "Desperado"

"I Shall Be Released"
"It's All Over Now Baby Blue"
"Willin'"
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"

(Plenty of tunes from the Grateful Dead...such as....: )
"Brokedown Palace"
"Ripple"
"Black Muddy Water"
"Loser"
"To Lay Me Down"

"Desperado"
"Prisoner In Disguise" (Linda Ronstadt)

"I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" (Randy Newman)
"Let's Burn Down The Cornfield" (Randy Newman)
"A Little Rain" (Tom Waits)
"Goodnight Irene"
"Dear Doctor" (Rolling Stones)
"Michele", "Something" (Beatles)
"Bridge Of Sighs" (Robin Trower)

"Dimming Of The Day", "Never Again" "Waltzing's For Dreamers", "It's Just The Motion" (Richard Thompson)

[Bill Burch]

Katygrasslady,

Heart of the Heartland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgJn2F6lMcM) is a favorite of mine.

Bill

[pefjr]

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?65547-Help-with-Come-Back-to-Sorrento-please .Over on this thread there is a pdf with the tab ...thanks to brunello97. Need Adobe 9 to open

[katygrasslady]

Katygrasslady,

Heart of the Heartland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgJn2F6lMcM) is a favorite of mine.

Bill
Oh yes, double good one, as I have been looking for pieces to play with my piano playing friend.
Thanks!
K

[Eddie Sheehy]

Lover's Waltz, Westphalia Waltz, The Parting, Josefin's Waltz, Roisin Dubh, My Lagan Love, The Downfall of Paris, Limerick's Lamentation, O Sole Mio, Santa Lucia...

[bmac]

No mention of blues above, but in general the blues are slow, or can be slowed down with no loss of feeling. In fact tremolo is used as a slowing down technique to maintain sound during the longish drawn out notes. (badly worded but I think you get the drift) There are thousands of examples but one example would be "Trouble in Mind". Even "Saint Louis Blues" can be a good popular example.

I have experienced brain damage which kind of required the slowing down during my rehabilitation. Not a problem though because I always loved the blues and did not feel that slowing the blues down further had any negative effect on my enjoyment.

[jaycat]

Good call wrt blues material. Me and my guitar-playin' friend do Trouble In Mind.