Tom, those were both great! Tell us about your mandolin!
My mandolin is a 3 year old Eastman MD-815. It's stock except for a Husky Acoustics Fossil Ivory bridge which replaced the original bridge which had cracked in half. Tom
Very nice Tom. Happy Birthday!
My version of Soldiers Joy comes from a mix of influences such as banjo pickers, fiddlers, old time, bluegrass, etc. Joe Nobiling
I believe that video is of Joe playing Over the Waterfall not Soldier's Joy! Another teacher's pet getting the assigment in early! Don
You guys are too fast. I'm trying to figure this thing out. And I did realize I'd embedded after the wrong tune after doing so! Oh, well, such is life of getting the hang of this site. Thanks for your help. Teacher's Pet, eh? Was at the dentist today and had a mouth full of procaine (or whatever they use these days) so I'll blame it on the drugs! ;^) I'm not even sure what tune is this week's tune of the week! Ode to a Butterfly sounds challenging but worth the challenge. As I've never heard it before, I welcome the opportunity to give it a go...we'll see how far I can get with it as life's busy, as I'm sure y'all know.
Barbara, if you want, you can delete one of those versions of Soldiers Joy. Thanks, Joe.
I guess this is slightly late (blame the short week), but here it is! I had to do some serious work to get my contrapuntal arrangement to sound the way I wanted, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out.
Ken, that's a beautiful arrangement.
Ken, that was absolutely wonderful! And, don't worry about being late.... there are no demerits for that! Anyone can submit subsequent videos for as long as they want to!
Quite a piece there, Ken. Nice job, sounds like you either have access to a very interesting arrangement or are steeped in classical music. Which might it be? Also, what's your mandolin? It's got a great, solid sound.
Joe, you're absolutely right about being steeped in classical. I majored in theory and composition in college, and I've tried to keep up with it since getting out. I've got a whole book shelf filled with scores and theory books. I was definitely trying to channel Bach for this arrangement. The mandolin is a Collings MT2, with an Engelmann top, instead of the usual Adirondack. I've had it about 6 months and it's just starting to open up. Couldn't have asked for more in terms of the sound I want from a mandolin.
I believe you got JS well channelled, Ken! There's something about that Engelwood spruce, isnt' there? I'll have to remember that if I ever get to the point where I can spring for a mandolin upgrade! Got to play a bunch of farmer's markets to get to that point!
Better late than never. It has been a busy week, but here is my version of Soldier's Joy. I can't get over how well I can play it until the camera is on. Only a few glitches in this one. Will
Will, that was great! It gets easier as you go along, this videoing thing!
Will, sounds like you managed ok even with the camera! I like the slight swing you added to the rhythm in the first part. Can you tell us a bit about the mandolin you're playing?
I cannot embed this for some reason, but here's my video for the week on eastman 515. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rWlSBAOJ0Y
Trying to help MandoLiz embed
Liz, that was great!
Good job mando_liz
SaMOKIN'!!!
thanks guys, and thanks for embedding that for me barbara.
I'm afraid I have no idea if it's still week #4 or not, but here's my version, for what it's worth. Excuse the double chin - I was leaning over and... honestly I don't look like that.
old sausage - that was great! very lyrical and inventive - really well done. drinks are on me! ... chin-chin!
Cheers Bill, down the hatch.
Very nice!
That was great! And, I didn't even notice your chin, I was noticing how long and slender your fingers seem! Thanks!
Probably the most time I've spent on one of the song-a-week songs. It finally clicked for me tonight, whew!
Very nice, David! Perseverance paid off!
Thanks!
Great job, David!
Good job, David. I can hear that you are making progress already. Will
Here is my version of Soldiers joy. In addition to looking at the camera more I've been working on trying to establish a more pleasant demeanor when playing. The down turned corners of my mouth make me look like I'm frowning when I'm not intending to. I wouldn't want to get a reputation as the "Alfred Hitchcock" of the mandolin. "Good evening."
DavidHansen, good job, both with the tune, and the facial expressions! It's hard, isn't it!
Nice recordings, folks!!! This is probably the most widespread tune ever!!! I've heard it exists in every country, and every country claims it's their own tune
nice, suze ... having first heard this in the american context, it's interesting to hear your version, done with a sightly european flavor - more dance-able to-able.
Well, the organetto version definitely has a Swedish touch... the mandolin version is a mix of every version I've ever known, but mostly from the Mandolin Primer tutor.
Susi, those were both great! I really enjoy getting to see videos of instruments OTHER than the mandos on here!
Thanks Barbara! As you can see I'm quite a beginner on the squeezebox - but having oooh, such fun!!
I wasn't happy with my first recording, the tone of the mandolin playing was bad, and did some oopsies at the beginning so I deleted it and made a new one. Here I was instead disturbed by some modern technologies.. but hmm I think it's quite fun.
I'm playing mandolin after three years of guitar and trying to learn it right this time (rather than dabble... note the metronome ;-) This is one of the first tunes I've learned (as tabbed in the Horne Beginner Mandolin book). It was one of the first 10 tunes here, so I thought I'd record it... better late than never. Public feedback welcome; the more concrete the better. Thanks!!! P.S. It's an Eastman 515.
A little self-reflection... Feels a little stiff. Raises the question in my head about practicing/playing with a metronome. Practicing with one helps you see where you're slowing down to compensate for difficulties. Playing with one can lead, I think, to over-correction. Even Guitar Pro (the software) lets you ramp up the "human factor" when playing tabs so that you can listen to it and have it should like a human, not software, is playing it. But then what does one do when there's a drummer?
Didn't sound too stiff to me, Daijoki. Having an advanced degree (PhD is it?) I think can cause one to overthink things that really need less analysis and more 'livin' in the moment' attitude, if you get my drift. Perhaps what I'm trying to say is play from the heart and not the mind. You may find playing a piece of music you really love excites you more and is more enjoyable rather than one that is a 'required' piece as that can take the fun out of it. And, really, "What should it be if it shouldn't be fun?" (John Hartford) I've forgotten how long you said you've been playing mando but you're definitely on the right track as your playing is clean and your timing, though it is with a metronome, is solid. I've seen folks hold their instruments in a variety of ways and I respectfully suggest that you might try holding your mando in the more conventional manner and see if that doesn't loosen you up a bit or make you feel more comfortable. That feeling of stiffness may also be from camera and/or performance anxiety.
You're doing really well with tone and timing, as Joe says, the only thing that looks like it needs work is how you hold the mandolin. It will make it much easier to play and progress when you hold it right. Observe the Mike, and notice the right hand too: I found that playing with a metronome is a significant skill that took me time and patience to learn, although it's very rewarding now. I don't believe there's any danger that using a metronome will cause you problems unless you routinely set it faster than you can comfortably play. Drummers, on the other hand, are another story
Daijoki, I think you sound great. Not stiff at all, you have good tone and a steady rhythm. Metronomes are great to practice with when you don't have a living one
That's great that you put up Mike Marshall's tips, OS. Is his whole dvd out on youtube, yet? (just kiddin') Marshall one of the best and he's so right about bein' relaxed, not having any tension in any part of the body, all that he says. Never realized that point was for holdin' the instrument on your leg, though. Makes sense or works for the F mandos, definitely. Sittin' down's definitely the way to be able to hold the mandolin steady. I've been strugglin' standin' up a playin' mando. Haven't found a sure-fire way to hold the mando steady while standin' up and playin'. Any tips on that?
Heard of a strap?
Yes, I have and do use one, Susi. I've strapped it across my right shoulder and around my back over my left shoulder, too. Just haven't found the right something about keeping the mando from flopping around like a fish out of water, yet. I probably just have to keep working on it.
Well, the strap helps but it doesn't fix all the problems. I also find it a problem to stop that mando from flapping around while standing up, especially when playing with some energy, and I have discussed it with professional players who still don't feel they've solved this problem themselves. I've never seen a DVD or a book where they talk about how to hold the mandolin while standing up, so if anyone has any good tips on that I'd like to hear them too.
I feel as though I'm in good company then with your input OldSausage. Thanks. I wonder how Jethro Burns did it? Wonder if Sternberg would know?
