This week's winner is Donegal Lass(es) which was submitted as a IT jig. Here's a link to 3 settings of this tune on thesession.org
Here is composer Brian Finnegan playing a slowed down version.
Played on my mandolin scale banjo with a TP40 pick.
Clean and solid picking, Dusty. Nice triplets.
Nice version, Dusty.
Got the notes from The Session and listened to the versions above, especially Brian's own slow version (I like SLOW at my tender years!). Played on my octave mandolin into Tascam DR-05, then the wav file rendered to mp3 format in REAPER. Just realised I could have recorded it in mp3 format on the Tascam. Sorry, folks - no longer have the Soundcloud account active, so track no longer available!
Ah, that makes me want an octave mandolin now John!
Nice playing John. You and your octave sounds great.
That repetitive 2-bar sequence in this jig can kill rats from 20 paces. I have heard it played in our sessions sometimes and always thought there was something strange about it.
I must not be playing it right, all my rats are still alive. Maybe you could give me some pointers? I love your version of this tune, especially the "drone" being so well placed.
David, it is possible that American rats respond to different stimuli - have you tried to sing along with it, Slim-Whitman-style?
I've enjoyed everyone's version of this tune. I first heard this on Cathal Hayden's "Hooked on banjo" CD so I've played it on the tenor banjo with some bouzouki backing.
Banjos in bath robes! It has that rum-ta-tah that makes it rock.
Two fine versions, B and J.
Lovely warm tone on James' banjo, sounds like it has just got out of bed? Also really liked the gentle pace of Dusty's version, the ascending Ac/d/e triplet on John's and the synthy bit on Bertram's is very effective. I then managed to ignore all the things I liked about everyone else's version when recording my own. I think I'll be the first on an actual mandolin though
Very nicely played, Mike. Thanks!
Rich and entertaining, Mike ...or shall I say: Joe? It just occurred to me that I could have had Max Headroom for a username...
Great version Mike - found that "inspirational" (or depressing - realised I can't play it quite like that or at quite that speed) - but I did manage to get the feel of the piece from your rendition. And perhaps understood the little black twiddle over a note in the session.org notation. This is my version, after quite a few takes. I get careless by the end - but also "in the swing" of it. Very clear from this video that I need to practise the right hand - esp. compared to Mikes nice up down. My right hand is more of a "lets get the notes out and damn the direction"
sportsnapper wrote And perhaps understood the little black twiddle over a note in the session.org notation. I have learned to ignore little black twiddles on thesession.org, because those are transcripts representing somebody else's style and ornamentation on probably a different instrument. If bypassing those makes getting the swing easier I do it (and perhaps add my own twiddles later). My right hand is more of a "lets get the notes out and damn the direction" That's how I did it long ago. I have since found ways to practise a tune with a fixed convenient up/down pattern - not a strict DUDDUD or whatever they recommend, but what makes the pronounces notes ring out loud, what makes course changes easy etc. This fixed U/D progression is as important as which frets to fret.
All very enjoyable versions to listen to!
Let's see if I can remember how this works! Long time no see.
Grand playing, both Mikes.
Nice version Mike R - not sure if it's deliberate or not but I rather liked the tremolando feel of your ornaments rather than the expected triplets.
I *think* that's the way the ornaments are supposed to be played. I ran it by a flute player who has competed in those annual Irish competitions -- Fleadh Cheoil. The ~ is a triplet, then there's an eighth note, so its D-D-D Dah, triplet (~) + eighth note. Danged if I can play the last note in the first line as a double triplet and get to the next measure in time (the dotted quarter note). Of course, my friend Frank said the Brian Finnegan version is the one I should be trying to imitate. : /
Hi Mike, I think there may be more than one right answer to this and yours is almost certainly one of them! I agree the squiggle or tilde ~ is most likely to be a triplet especially on mandolin (though could be some more complex ornament depending on the instrument e.g. fiddles and pipes and whistles might all do something slightly different). My take would be if the six 1/8th notes in each bar are 123456, the triplet as notated replaces notes 4 and 5 so count something like 1&2&3&4&5&6& and play the bold notes in 1&2&3&4&5&6&. It sounds to me like you're playing 4 notes in the space of two so maybe something like 1&2&3&4&5&6& or possibly 3 notes in the space of one like 1&a2&a3&a4&a5&a6&a? (Mathematically 3 notes in place of 2 would mean counting 1&a2&a3&a and playing the bold notes in 1&a2&a3&a but I think the reality might be closer to counting 1&2&3& and playing 1&2&3&)
Who knows? (laughing) I'm having a friend over tonight who is a brilliant fiddler. I'll see what he says. I guarantee he'll have an opinion. (g) Maybe I can do a brief video illustrating him doing his take.
Great versions from everyone. On the 2 Mikes triplet debate I think you're both right. Mike F you play most of your triplets on the off beat i.e. an 8th note on the beat then the triplet. Mike R you play most of them on the beat i.e. triplet followed by an 8th note (apart from your initial run up on the A string which has an off beat triplet). For what its worth I play both types in my version - the slightly better sounding subtle ones I do are on the off beat - switched to playing these UDU following teaching from Marla Fibish and it's helped me get them less strident.
Here comes my recording – just with a little delay.
Sounds good Frithjof. I almost always like a jig.
