We had 16 voters this week; the winner was Wildwood Flower. It was submitted as both an Old Time and a Bluegrass tune. Another tune I am unfamiliar with... I started with a YouTube search, to discover that it was a favorite of Mother Maybelle Carter and the Carter Family, plus I found a cool video of Chet Atkins playing it in 1964 in Oslo. I found this notation I found this mandolin tab Here is the search result on Mandozine This says it's the ABC X:1 T:Wildwood Flower M:4/4 L:1/8 K:C z4 z2 EF| G2 Ac E2 FE| D2 FB, C2 EF| G2 Ac E2 FE| D2 FB, C2 G2| e2 ed c2 GG|\ A2 BA G2 E2| E2 ED E2 GE| D2 FB, C2 z2| I got that from Digital Tradition Mirror That ought to be enough to get ya'll started!
Okay, I've had my own Mac Kindergarten these last few days, while being snowed in. Here is my (probably corny) rendition of Wildwood Flower, that I made using Garage Band and iPhoto and iMovie (I said I was in Mac Kindergarten!) Anyway, what I've noticed so far about Mac stuff, is you pretty much have to just figure stuff out by trial and error, I have yet to find any step by step instructions for doing this stuff! I played this on my Collings MT2O mandolin, and multi-tracked my Petersen Cittern on two tracks, one playing chords, the other doing a counter melody (actually, I experimented with it, and what I ended up doing is switching the first 4 measures around with the last 4 measures, so it's really kinda like a round, right?)
Nice work, Barbara, and very good use of garageband, I enjoyed it. I usually play this in G, but your version in D gave me some new ideas and I did this:
Great job, OS. More work for me. Christmas melodies still in the works and now I have to come up with a presentable version of Wildwood Flower.
Barbara, I am not as versed in multiple instruments as you, so I had to use my Band in a Box backup band for this solo. Unfortunately, the band did not know when to stop.
I realize this doesn't suite the Mandolin family of instruments, but I have an old recording of me playing this song on my 6 string guitar. My father and I use to meet up every Sunday at the nursing home my Grandfather lived at and would play for him. This song was one of his favorites. I will soon record it on my bouzouki since I can play it on that as well
Here's mine on a Greek Bouzouki tuned GGDDAAEE...
Kyle, that was cool.... especially the black and white, and 'effects' that made it look like an old newsreel!!
Like Kyle, I think of this as primarily a guitar tune so I've recorded it both ways. I used to play it with a thumb pick, like Maybelle Carter who first popularized the song, but now I flatpick it. I didn't find a mandolin arrangement I liked, so I just kind of winged it. The guitar is an old Martin D-35 and the mandolin is my Eastman 815. Tom
Tom.... very nice, both of them~
Another relaxed performance, David. Very nice. Tom, good picking. I don't know if you like the version I played above. It is a barrage of 8th notes and I could make it vailable to you if you are interested. Manfred
Manfred, I liked your playing a lot. You play very well. And I liked the tune you played, but it seemed to be a very different tune from the version of Wildwood Flower I know, which derives from the Carter Family song . Where did you get your version? And yes, I'm sure we'd all like to see your version if you can easily make it available. Here's Maybelle Carter and her daughters playing the Carter Family song on a much later recording than the original.
Manfred's version sounds like it would be an excellent mandolin accompaniment to the tune played traditionally on a guitar. Somebody should rock a version on the autoharp!! (if anyone has one...) That's what Reese Witherspoon played it on in the movie walk the line.
Kyle and Tom, my solo is from a book called 'Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Tunes' by Rick Williams. This was my first mandolin book when I started about 3 years ago, knowing hardly anything about bluegrass (I had played violin at school, though, so I was what you might call a 'false beginner') I like many of his arrangements and have practiced those tunes that I like best. It was not so long ago that I was proud to be able to play along with the CDs at 112 bpm. The fast jam versions are at 170 bpm, and I sometimes slow them down a bit using AUDACITY. His recordings are excellent and I still like the book. There are some free samples and lessons at http://www.bluegrassbooksonline.com/freesamples.htm NFI !!! Manfred
I'm accepting Kyle's autoharp challenge. I haven't played the instrument in several years and it is out of tune, but here is my very imperfect take on Wildwood Flower on the autoharp. In the late 1960's I attended a concert where Maybelle Carter played this on the autoharp, accompanied by the New Lost City Ramblers. It's a long time ago, but I'm quite sure she was playing autoharp and not guitar. It is a fond memory. Tom
My earliest memories are from around 1952 when my Dad was a mandolin player in a bluegrass band. The kids were always put down on quilt pallets while they played or practiced. I never liked bluegrass so I never paid any attention and played guitar. A couple of years ago he got a new mandolin and I bought his old pre 1952 Kay home. Last year I was picked it up and really liked the sound so I started playing, then I found the cafe and brought a new Jade. This is how I remember the flower as a really simple mountain tune. Thanks, Dad
That was nice Tom, thanks for bringing something new to the proverbial table.
Here's mine:
Chris, that was great, as always! I know I've probably said it before, but to me, everything about your technique seems to be perfect! It's a joy and an inspiration to watch your left hand, and your right one, as well, while listening to just how great it sounds, when you do it so right!
Thanks so much, Barbara, I actually messed up the timing in the beginning of the song. I slowed down pretty dramatically! Oh well, So glad you liked it! Thanks!
Just after I convinced Dawn to start playing with me. A duck in the water.
Chris Thile playing wildwood flower and a couple of others too, amazing performance!
You can't beat a bit of Chris. Here's one I did a couple of weeks ago, not a very adventurous version, I just happened to be in the mood.
I enjoyed that laid back version of the song David. How fun to see all the old posts and get a mini-Thile concert too.
Excellent version, David. I too like the laid back sound.
This was probably the first melody that I learnt to play on mandolin (key of C, from a Jack Tottle instructional book). I didn't know that it was possible to do so much with it. It's a lot of fun to see all your versions.
This tune came up on the flatpick apprentice and I thought I might find it here somewhere.....Trying to brush up my guitar playing a bit as well. I lost the video clip of the guitar but luckily recorded the audio separately. Sorry for the focus problem with my camera, just didn't have time for another take. It's fun going back to some of these old SAW tunes. A few of you have been here for quite some time- good work!
Last night, I spent some time learning several of the variations you played, Aaron. Both your mandolin and guitar picking sound really nice. Thanks for the ideas.
I can't believe no one's done an instrumental version on Autoharp yet let me fix that...
I guess I better introduce myself a bit before I post my first video my name's Ryan and I do play mandolin I promise haha I wouldn't have joined Mandolin Cafe or this group if I didn't but I couldn't get anything up to where I could be happy with so I thought as you can see in my last comment I'd do a little Wildwood Flower on my Autoharp since nobody's done it yet.
Revival!
Successful revival!