Nicely played on that cool Campanella mandolin, Don, and thanks for bringing this one around again. Thought I'd add my version of this tricky little tune. Played on my old beat up Kentucky mandolin backed by my trusty Simon & Patrick dreadnought guitar...
can't believe I haven't added my video yet. . . I will. Just want to add that Campanella mandolin is quite cool! f-d
Very nice Michael. I would gladly take that 'old beater'. A 600 if I remember correctly. Did they have a flat or radius board? Also nice to see you get that Campy Don. It'll be nice to hear it some more. I would also take ANY of the mandolins that you have moving in and out of your world. I was the original owner of one you had once. Do you still have my Florida bolo tie? Gary
Thanks to Karon for kicking this one back to the top of the pile which brought some more great versions from folks. It's been like having a new song a week all over again. Watched Michael's excellent version whilst I was sitting by the fire and just had to grab the tenor mandola. I already knew this tune so no practicing required.
Very nicely played James... and the crackling fire sure sets the mood of the song too. Gary, you're right, my Kentucky is a KM600 from the mid-1980s. It has a flat fingerboard and it is no longer being made (although Kentucky still makes a bunch of A style mandolins with F holes with different model numbers). To confuse matters even more, the number has been reused for an f style mandolin as well, called the KM600 F.
Very relaxing version James. I haven't played my oval for awhile. Listening to yours I think I'll bring it out today. Michael. Those old Kentucky's were nice. I wonder where they all are. Dix Bruce has a really nice F. But that's the only one I've really been around. Gary
Y'all both sound really amazing Michael and James. What enjoyable interpretations of this tune.
Fine versions Michael and James! Gary, I still have the Florida bolo. It could be yours. Check your messages.
Wow! I'm not sure, but here I go. . . f-d
I've recorded another version of this tune, this time featuring my 5 string banjo played claw hammer style with mandolin and guitar backup.
This is so good Michael. There's something about claw hammer banjo that send shivers down my spine and this goes so well with the icy pictures. It's a different instrument from Scruggs' style bluegrass banjo - not that I've anything against that - there was a really good banjo player in our bluegrass jam last night, restrained when he needed to be. There's just something more earthy and organic about claw hammer. Well done.
Michael, I have always loved this tune and this is a great rendition of it. You really have a developed your claw hammer into a wonderful instrumental lead. I also very much enjoyed what I think is a bass in the background - nice runs and complementary playing. Another tune to put on your next CD...
Thanks James for the kind thoughts. Yes, a good banjo player knows how to get along well with other musicians. And that's a good thing considering how loud they can be... Yes, Woodenfingers, I've been working on my clawhammer stuff. I've known how to play for years, but also neglected practicing it for years too. No bass in this version, however, I did put in bass runs on my acoustic guitar tuned DADGBD (double dropped d) and capoed at the 5th fret so I could play along with the banjo which was playing out of the SAWMILL tuning. The mandolin just played chords in the background, but not so much chunking for this song.
Suddenly got cold again -it was 17C/ about 65F... now it’s 2C https://youtu.be/T5NXpytCWXw
The recording isn't playing back very well on my tablet, but I can see and hear that it's really well played! So relaxed and musical - an example to learn from.
It sounds great on computer with headphones. My teacher always said..if you want to hear what it will sound like on YouTube play it on the worst speakers. Somehow after all the work that goes into multi-tracking gets smushed into a YT machine and we can only hope for the best. It does sound very good Simon. I miss the cat though. Maybe you can prop him up on the window sill?
Great point Ginny makes here about quality of sound on different platforms. I use studio monitor speakers (Samson Resolve 40A) and also headphones (Beyer Dynamic DT150) when recording/ mixing, and the sound is much better than we hear on the YT or other website platforms. The headphones are really excellent quality studio phones which I was fortunate to get for under £20 new at an auction sale several years ago when no one else seemed to realise what they were, or did not bid on the day. Also, when we record in wav format then convert to mp3 for convenience of file size for posting (slow internet speeds here in my rural area) we lose detail in the sound files. Your posting here sounds fine on my laptop, Simon, and again you play it so easily and fluently.
Thanks for your input on this, it’s something I had thought about in passing and then forgot to consider properly once I had the mandolin in my hands. I think you’re all right. The two recordings (mandolin and guitar) were too quiet so I had to amplify both of them with the slightly mushy sound as a result. I did this vid with the iPhone really close to the instrument as a microphone and the iPhone camera app. I’ve just tested the sound using the iphone again but further away from the instrument and with the app FilmicPro, where you can adjust the sound level(my usual way of doing it). Result: the iphone camera app records at quite a low level and the sound was round, warm reverberating and feels natural. Like an oversaturated photo. No background sound, and little texture in the sound. FilmicPro the sound is cold hard and a bit thin. There’s a lot of texture ( I could even hear the cat snoring) and because the camera was further away there’s echo. I think the iPhone’s own camera app is good for a single recording but for layering the FilmicPro is probably better.
Next up on our REVISITED tour! While, this sure sounded like a good idea, for those that felt we'd run out of new tunes, had been voting on obscure tunes, and should revisit the old standards, and our past winners...... the last few of these, have resulted in NO BODY contributing anything new! But, I'll keep on going and posting these revisited past winners, in hopes that this feather picks up some interest!
