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  1. Murphy Henry - Pretty Good for a Girl book release party

    Murphy has a new book out and there will be a release party at the Winchester Book Gallery. She will be there to sign books and there will be live music as well. Come out and pick up this wonderful book!
    The event is Saturday June 8 at 3pm at the Winchester Book Gallery 185 N Loudoun St Winchester VA 22601.
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  2. Microphone.

    I am looking for a good mandolin mic to use with my band. We are using 1 large diaphragm condenser mic made by Neumann for vocals, and the banjo player uses a sure small diaphragm. Should I go with a small diaphragm or just use an sm 57? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
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  3. ...and a plate of ginger snaps

    Its hard enough to describe to you musical folks, and almost impossible to talk about in mixed (musical and non musical) company.

    You watch the postman put it in your mail box... It could be one of those boxes with the smile on it, or maybe just a rough looking well traveled brown paper package. You bring it in all shaky with anticipation, and because Christmas traditions do not limit themselves to December, you tear into that package like it contained the last donut.

    And ...

    Updated Apr-24-2021 at 12:15pm by JeffD

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  4. Watch and learn

    So I brought my mandolin to a jam session Sunday, first one with the Loar. It was a bit of a struggle, since I just learned some basic chords and have had no practice actually playing back-up. I still don't understand the whole "in the key of" thing to help figure out chords, and I sure am having a hard time figuring out learning to play by ear. It's a skill that I will develop (I hope) eventually. So to get through tunes, I watched the other mandolin picker and tried to follow what he ...
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  5. 1st Annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival - June 28-30

    Click image for larger version. 

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    to be held at
    Marigold Meadows
    1212 N. Cedar Street
    Lewistown, IL 61542
    Tel: 641-344-8284
    wholeheartedlife1@gmail.com

    Why Lloyd Loar?
    Lloyd Loar's parents moved to Lewistown, IL in 1889 when Lloyd was three years old. Lloyd attended Lewistown High School from 1899 to 1903 and began performing in local music programs. Loar went on to study harmony, music theory, orchestration and piano.
    ...

    Updated Jun-01-2013 at 9:15pm by Whole-Hearted (Date added)

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  6. The Story Cover

    So.... i never thought that singing and playing at the same time so difficult. more admire Theresa Andersson

    Updated Mar-01-2016 at 1:49pm by Olga Egorova

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    Solo permormance
  7. Fiddle bows and mando dreams

    I've been playing fiddle for a couple months, but was desperately torn between choosing to play the fiddle or playing the mandolin. One of my friends put the idea in my head as well, and kept saying I could play the mandolin every time I mentioned I was going to go out and buy a fiddle. So after much thought, and in my typical style, I said to myself, "F it...I'm getting a mandolin too." Although what I said to my friends was, "I can't find a man, so I bought me a mandolin." ...
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  8. My First Mandolin was a Banjo

    Sitting with a musical friend after school one day way back there, and he handed me a bowlback mandolin. He said, "put your hands like this and this, and here is how your fingers go" and I was in absolute awe.

    He was a lower brass player in the high school band, I was woodwinds myself. But he was also taking violin lessons and could play some mandolin.

    So I went home full of mandolin dreams and the only thing I had to work with was an old four string banjo my ...

    Updated Dec-11-2016 at 9:17pm by JeffD

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  9. Calace 58-A

    I picked up this Calace 58-A to use as my new workhorse mandolin for my orchestral playing. It's got a few issues but has a lovely sound even before I've dealt with those. Click image for larger version. 

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    Someone had added a zero fret at one time to make up for a nut that had worn too low with use. I'll be replacing that soon.
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  10. In Rochester. Um, no not New York. Rochester, England

    Seriously, I had no idea England had a Rochester too. But every time I come across an English city with the same name as an American one, like Boston, I think, "Well duh. They had to get the name somewhere,"

    In any case Rochester is a lovely little town that holds a medieval castle and cathedral. They have a folk festival there every year called Rochester Sweeps Festival. I appeared on Sunday the 5th of May at the Busker's Corner. The stage was set up between the castle ...