Week #533 ~ The Hole in the Hedge

  1. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    This weeks overwhelming winner is The Hole in the Hedge, which was submitted as an Irish Jig.

    Here is a link to 6 settings of this tune on thesession.org, which says it is also known as The Hole in the Bridge.





  2. Mike Romkey
    Mike Romkey
    Hole in the Hedge, after Hole in the Wall. I’m wondering if this will turn into three weeks of tunes with “Hole” in the title.

  3. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Jig picking with lots of drive, Mike!
  4. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Wonderful picking, Mike -- lots of energy and bounce. I'm not sure I'll go for this one; I haven't been particularly happy with the last few jigs I've recorded. Maybe I need to strip it down to basics and record a jig unaccompanied, just solo mandolin like your take.

    Martin
  5. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Great version Mike, rolling motorway music!
  6. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Well ahead of the game once again, Mike. Nice one!
  7. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    That sounds great, Mike. You jigsaw a big hole in the hedge!
  8. maudlin mandolin
    maudlin mandolin

    Very good Mike. Here is my effort which is the first setting from The Session
  9. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Good performance, MM.
  10. Michael Romkey
    Michael Romkey
    Sounding good, Maudlin. What kind of mandolin do you have there?
  11. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Great picking, Duncan.
  12. Jill McAuley
    Jill McAuley
    Lovely stuff Mike and Maudlin - and if anyone doesn't already have it I highly recommend that Tulla Céilí Band CD in the youtube vid Barbara posted - it's a cracking collection of tunes!
  13. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Great playing on your two point mando Maudlin!
  14. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    My attempt:

  15. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Well played Frithjoff, I love the flying/ disappearing mandolin, great video effects. Here is my very quickly done version on my Sobell mandolin and Sobell guitar.

  16. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    Wonderful versions all around. The badger ate the mandolin...
    Taking into account, what holes in hedges imply, the origin of the name could be many things. In rural Ireland, it might be part of a shortcut across the fields, with the danger of stepping on a stray sod, waking up in daylight with a new tune in your head...
  17. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Lovely versions guys, will have a go at it this weekend.
    Thanks Jill, that Tulla Ceili Band is great!

    Frithjof, I just realised what (I think) it is- the heavy first note of the six 8ths followed by a slight hesitation and then a light note number four.
    It’s like one heavy note followed by a reel of what feels like eight notes.

    [edit] Oooops, that’s embarrassing. Just read the notation and the tune is in 3/2 time. Well that would explain it!
  18. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Frithjof and David, two fine offerings, gents. Simon, I have seen jigs in 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 - singles, slips and slides, but the 3/2 time signature is a new one to me?
  19. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Ooops again, sorry John I was thinking about Hole in the Wall.
    https://youtu.be/TUxbcJIOHNY
    X:1
    T: Hole In The Wall
    R: three-two
    M: 3/2
    L: 1/8
    K: Gmaj
    |: B3c Bcd2 A2d2 | G3A GAB2 F2B2 | E3F EFG2 D2B2 | G4- G2F2 G4 :|
    g3f efg2 f2e2 | ^d3e def2 B2f2 | g3f efg2 f2e2 | e4- e2^d2 e4 |
    E3F EFG2 FGA2 | G2GA GAB2 ABc2 | B3c Bcd2 D2d2 | B4- B2A2 G4 |]


    3/2 time sounds a bit like you’re counting slowly from 1 to 6 per measure or per sung phrase.
    Here are two other old favourites that we used to sing (when I was a kid).
    https://youtu.be/M__xcCbmPqs
    https://youtu.be/LHPYnRT61ds
  20. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    The hedgehog seems to like Frithjof's recording. So do I!
    David limits himself to a virtual duo, but sounds as good as he always does.
  21. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    After Minor Rigged Ship I seem to be in a sort of jig frame of mind, so here is my version of The Hole in the Hedge. Mandolin with guitar backing once again. I transposed it to D major, in case anyone is trying to play along! The thumbnail is a roe deer in my back garden last January - a lucky shot I managed to get.

  22. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Thanks folks!
    David – I like your great Sobell duo as well as the assortment of holes in hedges in your footage.
    John – I like the easiness in your playing.
    Simon – I like your confusion. Additional you should keep in mind that it isn’t easy to follow your thoughts for people who didn’t read your comment on YouTube first.
  23. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    I suggested this tune, voted for it as far as I remember, and then got so busy at work that I missed its allocated week. And look at all your great versions of this nice jig!

    Mike starts us off with a sprightly version that shows the potential of solo mandolin in the right hands. Great sound from what the YouTube comments tell me is a Collings MT2 - beautiful mandolin!

    Maudlin makes a very welcome return with his two-point mandolin and plays the tune the way I always hear it in my head - I guess we learnt the same setting!

    Frithjof wins the prize for best video easily, with the mandolin appearing through the hole in the hedge! I usually listen more than I watch - this is a music group, after all - but it's difficult to take your eyes off this video.

    David has a whole collection of holes in hedges, almost matching his impressive collection of instruments. The arrangement is perfect as usual, and not for the first time Mr. Hansen creates what will become the definitive version of a tune to my mind.

    And then there's John's deceptively effortless high-speed rendition, which surely makes everyone want to dance. The playing is so relaxed and accurate that it makes for a good role model to follow.

    I have nothing to add except my study as a backdrop. One of the good things to come out of lockdown is that the study was turned from a general-purpose dumping ground back into a study where I can actually work. My instruments are kept there, too, so it's a nice room again.

  24. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    You’re flying on this one Dennis, I nearly jumped up to start dancing a jig myself!
    Best yet, and nice to see you.
  25. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Dennis, a really lively and well-played jig. Your study looks to be a serious workplace too. Great humour in the ending!
  26. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    Great and humorous renditions Jolly John and Desperate Dennis (the outtake proves even unrecorded playing yields something valuable)!
  27. Jill McAuley
    Jill McAuley
    Lovely version, and I so know that feeling when you do a great take and then realise the wee red light wasn't on.....
  28. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Dennis, I like your version a lot – it sounds indeed danceable. Additional points for the witty bonus track!
  29. James Rankine
    James Rankine
    I haven't been round these parts for a while but I found myself on this thread and I enjoyed everyone's versions so much I thought I'd give it a go.



  30. Jill McAuley
    Jill McAuley
    Lovely playing James, that was the business!
  31. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Jame, I am getting an error message when I try to look at your video, yet Jill has managed to see it and the other videos in this thread are playing normally. Any suggestions? I will try later to see if it working then. Good to see you posting here after your absence.
  32. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    I found the video on YouTube. Hope it works for all/in all countries.
    Great playing, James.


  33. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Thanks, Frithjof. Your posting has worked for me here. Lovely tone from your Moon mandolin, James, and very fine playing from you. Nice to see a Scottish-made instrument here.
  34. James Rankine
    James Rankine
    Thank you folks for the kind comments, and thanks Frithjof for sorting my video
  35. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Hearing you loud and clear over here in France too, James.
    Nicely played, and great feeling to it. Thanks for posting.
  36. Simon DS
    Simon DS

    https://youtu.be/iPR1Up58sCE
  37. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Great steady playing, Simon. Sounds like you could play the tune for a long time in this pace.
  38. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    Very good contributions from James and Simon! It's nice that this tune has proven popular. Everyone has put their own stamp on it, but also respected the tune itself. Really good stuff.
  39. Brian560
    Brian560
    They are all great versions of this tune !
  40. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Nice energetic rhythm you have there John, I like the upbeat feel of it.

    Thanks Gentlemen. Yes Frithjof, I made a mistake with this one. I liked it too much at the beginning and played it faster and quite often, and with errors that began to accumulate. Then I went for a long cycle ride and practised it slowly, though low blood sugar meant it was quite shakey! Finished the vid, posted it even, and then thought the visuals need perking up a bit. And I cant remove the original vid without losing the anchor points for the audio tracks. So I dropped in a group of images as cut ins. (There were some other better images, but iphone airdrop is a complicated pain at the moment with a new phone transition)

    I actually did at least ten takes with this one but had the satisfying experience where each take is uniformly better than the previous one. A smooth improvement each time.
  41. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    A nice bit of playing, Simon. Sounds relaxed and flowing.
  42. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    They are all very nicely done. I like Simon's flow and feel of a relaxed presentation.
  43. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Yay Ginny!
  44. Jess L.
    Jess L.
    Simon wrote: "long cycle ride... low blood sugar... quite shakey"

    I'm not trying to be a buttinski, but... if that's a hypoglycemia thing, it can be dangerous.

    In my case, I always carry a source of fast-acting carbs with me at all times, even if I'm only going to the other end of the house. I might go days or weeks without any problems, but when my blood sugar does goes low (unpredictable), it comes on quick with little to no warning, and I have to do something to remedy it immediately.

    I used to carry proper glucose tablets, which are designed to stabilize blood sugar in such instances. But since the pandemic began, every time I try to order them, they're out of stock (again or still). So I switched to carrying regular plain ol' white sugar packets (one teaspoon, 4 grams each) which at least I can buy locally. Takes about 4 packets (16g) to have an effect if I'm really low. It's probably the absolute worst and least-fit-for-purpose kind of sugar there is, but it's better than losing consciousness or worse.

    Again, not trying to nag you, but I hope you carry something with you to bring your blood sugar back up if it gets too low.
  45. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    I carry veggie soup JL277z!
    Not as exciting as glucose but it works.
    Summer is fine with so much fruit about, though the oranges are now just arriving. Yay!!!
  46. Jess L.
    Jess L.
    Sounds good!
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