Week #530 ~ Lantern in the Ditch

  1. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    This week's winner is Lantern in the Ditch

    Here is a link to notation on abcnotation

  2. Mike Romkey
    Mike Romkey
    "Lantern in the Ditch" it is.

  3. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    Well done, Mike! That sounds difficult to play, but it seems to come naturally to you.
  4. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Nice one, Mike. Your background on the fiddler was really interesting too! Thanks for this posting.
  5. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Nice Mike, more authentic playing, I liked your story about Cyril Stinnett, interesting. https://youtu.be/0eknNSZ9OJE
    Thanks

    Dennis, this is an easy one. No problem.
    It does have three parts which seems a bit daunting, in terms of ink on the page, but each part has identical repeats with just minor, two note intro variations at the ends.
    The tune also flows in an arpeggio way, so there are many common finger movements that we have already learned from other tunes.

    Why, this tune is so simple I’m surprised we’re even having a go at it at all.
    (I like this tune)
  6. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Thanks for your video, Mike.

    There are three settings of the tune at Traditional Tune Archive. The one of Cyril Stinnett as well as the transcription of John Hartford's.
  7. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    There are choices too? Really easy.
  8. Callum Murray
    Callum Murray
    Nice playing Mike! Inspired me to post my first video here :)

  9. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Welcome Callum. Good job! Hope to enjoy more videos by you.
  10. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Great tone from that mandolin, Callum, and good playing. Are you a fellow Scot, judging by your name? Hope to see and hear more from you.
  11. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Nice! Well played Callum. Great timing too. Good to see you posting. Welcome.
  12. Mike Romkey
    Mike Romkey
    Nice job Callum!
  13. Callum Murray
    Callum Murray
    Thanks for the welcome everyone!

    I'd say I'm half Scottish, John. I grew up in Orkney and now live and work in the Highlands, but my parents are both English.
  14. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    That gives you plenty of Scottish (and Orcadian) bragging rights! I too live in a Highland county, Argyll.
  15. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Two great versions of this song of the week.
    Mike with a grassy rendition on his F5.
    Your flattop mandolin sounds really nice Callum!
    Welcome to SAW!
  16. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Simon DS is just the name I use on Mandolin Cafe.
    My real name is Angus Logan Archie DS.

    And you guys?
  17. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Ah, Simon (or should we say Angus?) you forgot to say which part of Scotland you hail from. Obviously, with a name like Angus Logan Archie you have strong Celtic roots. Incidentally, my five-year-old grandson's first names are Peter Angus!
  18. Simon DS
    Simon DS
  19. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    There are at least three versions of the tune.

    Mike opened the party with his recording of Cyril Stinnett’s version.
    Callum did the version of Bob Walters – first version at Traditional Tune Archive.
    I myself decided for John Hartford’s version.

    This is a recording of a spontaneous practice session after five days learning this tune for approximately 20 minutes per day. I did it to see if I have a chance to play this tune and where are the main problems.
    But first of all I had fun to play mandolin out in the sun.



    I don’t know if work to improve my playing of this tune. Time will tell.
  20. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Now there is a man in a very happy state of mind! You are making a good job of the tune, Frithjof. Keep up the good work.
  21. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    Well done, Callum and Frithjof!
  22. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Here is my attempt at this tune -- it's new to me and outside my comfort zone, so I'm not going to be as smooth and fast as Mike's wonderful rendition (to go with his wonderful narration and his charismatic vocal delivery).

    Mid-Missouri M-0W
    Vintage Viaten tenor guitar

    I've been using this transcription, from ABC Tunefinder:

    X:1
    T:Lantern in the Ditch
    M:4/4
    L:1/8
    Q:180
    S:John Hartford's "The Fun of Open Discussion"
    Z:by Llarry Brandon
    K:D
    P:A
    DE |: F2 A2 A2 FE | F2 A2 FEDB, | A,B,DE D2 fe | dBAF D2 DE |
    | F2 A2 A2 FE | F2 A2 FEDB, | A,B,DE D2 fe |1 dBAF D2 DE :|2 dBAF D2 fg ||
    P: B
    |: a2 ab a2 fg | abaf efde | faab a2 ba | faec d2 fg |
    | a2 ab a2 fg | abaf efde | faab a2 ba |1 faec d2 fg :|2 faec d2 AB ||
    P: C
    |: defd e2 fe | dBAF EF D2 | Adfd efaf | gfec d2 AB | !
    | defd e2 fe | dBAF EF D2 | Adfd efaf |1 gfec d2 AB :|2 gfec d2 z2 |]

    I found several different chord progressions, some very complex indeed. I went with the most basic I found: D-D-D-A-D-D-D-A/D repeated throughout.



    Martin
  23. Brian560
    Brian560
    All great versions of this tune
  24. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Good work Frithjof. And nice to hear you leaping into those triplets -one day I’ll get them.
    Is that a bird house there behind you? At first sight it looks a lot bigger than it is.
    Your playing is fine.

    Weather here deteriorating rapidly too, next friday Winter begins. 30 degrees C down to 13 degrees C daily maximum temperature in one week.
    Maybe I’ll get outside too, before the heavy rain this afternoon.

    Nice clear picking and accompaniment there Martin, I always wonder what it looks like in the streets or fields around where you live.
  25. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Thanks for the encouraging words.

    Simon – Yes, it’s a bird house. The birds in the bushes and trees around sang a lot during my playing. Unfortunately, the recording was to soft and the wind too noisy.

    Martin – great to have your nice version here.
  26. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Thanks for the comments!

    Frithjof: Apologies for not commenting on your very nice al fresco recording -- I've never tried recording outside because of the lack of control, but maybe I should give it a try.

    Simon: Nothing easier than that -- here is a photo of the view out of those roof windows in my music room, taken about five minutes ago. It's a nice sunny late summer's day. If you ever hear cows on my videos, this is why.



    Martin
  27. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Sorry for stating the obvious Martin, but see the trailer there with the green sides?
    Why not put a nice comfortable sofa and carpet in the back of it and set up the camera there?
    It’s a reading/music room.
  28. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    That trailer and the field it's standing in belongs to the farm next door, although we do have nice patio where I can (and sometimes do) play mandolin on that side of the house, overlooking the fish pond in the photo. I just haven't tried recording there. Good place for eating, too-- just finished having a nice light lunch on the patio.

    Martin
  29. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Fine practice session Frithjof. I especially like the triplets you coax out of this old mandolin.
    Nice playing outside your comfort zone Martin.
  30. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    You live in a beautiful spot, Martin.

    All your versions sound good. Unfortunately I don't have enough mandolin time at the moment to learn tunes. Maybe later.
  31. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Though I have practiced this one up to motorway tempo I decided to record a bare bones, one take version with the donkey train plodding past... I had plenty of time to do some doodling/improvisation too.



    https://youtu.be/vTcIlrcV5XY
  32. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Welcome to the party, Simon. Your “donkey train” is plodding a lot faster than mine. And you did some slides.
    Only the light seems a little misty. May be some smoke from your lantern?
  33. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Frithjof thanks!
    I posted the vid, made the comment about plodding along and then made a cup of tea. Then suddenly I ran back to the computer, listened to your version again and thought, uh, ohh, his version is a bit slower, I hope Frithjof doesn’t interpret my words like that!

    The light is because there was still some glue on the camera lens -I usually put sticky tape over it.
  34. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Don’t worry! I don’t feel offended.

    When I drove back from vacation, I thought I could make a decent recording of the tune within one week (would be today). But I was distracted by other necessities like work. Additional I stumbled over my other instruments. That’s not bad but means ... no recording today …
  35. Brian560
    Brian560
    Simon, I like that version.It plods along nicely.
    Frithjof, the En plein air presentation was a nice change. Sometimes the video part of these is as challenging as the music.
  36. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    I like the wind too, on Frithjof’s recording, seeing the butterflies and bees sailing past.
  37. maudlin mandolin
    maudlin mandolin

    Great versions from everyone especially Callum for his first video.
    I have used Martin's John Hartford arrangement and as the first section seemed open to ornamentation I copied Frithjof and included some triplets as well as the double stops which are written in the score.
  38. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Thanks, Duncan, for your interesting version.
    Everyone adds new elements – great!
  39. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Interesting touches in your version, MM, with the double stops and triplets.
  40. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Nice one MM the ornamentation goes well, and nice to see you posting.
  41. Callum Murray
    Callum Murray
    Nice version MM! I like the triplets both you and Frithjof play.
  42. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Thanks, Callum.

    Here you get my version after some more practice at home. Now without birds and wind but with some more tension.

  43. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Fine, clear picking, Frithjof. Nice accurate use of your pinkie on the high B.
  44. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Fine playing. Well done Frithjof! That’s a nice sounding and looking instrument too.
  45. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Sorry for the late thankyou, John and Simon. I appreciate your comments.
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