This week's tune is Coleman's March. I posted a banjo video of the tune, but can't seem to find notation to go with the tune that I posted in the video! But, look, here's our own David Hansen's video from a while back! Hopefully, he can come up with the notation! Oh, look! Here's a link to this tune as an "other" tune, back in 2011, and David kindly put the abc's in there!
An old 'hanged fiddler' tune! Love it. I learned this one early on in standard tuning from Baron Collings-Hill's sheet music: PDF Here - Notation and TAB in Key of D This is one of the first few tunes I learned on mandolin, simply because I liked the sound of it. I'll get a video up of this one. I think this tune works fine in standard tuning, but it may be just a bit more work to embellish it with fuller harmony, double stops are pretty easy to add in standard, fuller chords may take some trickier fingering in standard tuning.
David’s video is a great example of his virtuosity. I can’t do the same neither as musician nor as producer. But I can try and learn. Producing a multi-track video was a lot of fumbling. Especially since I do it only at rare intervals. Hope the synchronization of audio and video will do it. Mandolin and mandolin banjo take the melody unison. I added a simple accompaniment on Thuringian Waldzither. The latter is kind of a sibling of my mandolin (but seldom played). It was built by the luthier Kurt Roth in the area of Saxon Vogtland, Germany. He probably built my mandolin too. The Waldzither is tuned in an Open C, which means in this case C GG cc ee gg
Great work Frithjof. What a pretty tune this is
Great version, Frithjof, and fine try at the multitracking on audio and video. David, good to see you posting again. Great version of the tune and a nice contrast to F's.
Loving everyone's take on this tune!
We got some much needed rain this morning so I had time to put this together.
Nice sounds, Fritjof, David, Dusty.
Yes indeed, really nice playing by Fritjof, both Davids and Dusty. This is such a nice tune I had to give it a go. https://youtu.be/HMx_INQFyzs
Good job, Don
Very nice playing all - really an inspiration to hear so many great versions of this tune. You guys are making me stay up tonight to learn it.
OldSausage – I like your professional sound. Dusty – The sound of the rain, the church bells, your choice of instruments – all fits to a truly grave mood. Don – I should take my time to try and learn at least a few of your double stops and how to integrate them in my playing.
This is not only a great tune, but the quality of submissions sets new standards too. Every video is outstanding in some way. I'll try to learn from good examples such as David's slides, Frithjof's effortless timing on the multitrack, Old Sausage's beautifully relaxed style, Dusty's creative use of ambient sounds, and Don's ability to make solo mandolin sound like nothing is missing at all. Thanks to all of you!
All those hours of practice and then I get the microphone out and it all falls apart So I included some vids half way through with a harmony part. And thanks to Chip Bach. -I actually remember this one last year. I thought Song a Week? I can’t do one a month!
The music went on regardless, and the video is none the worse for passing trees and foliage. Creative camera crisis makes good movies.
Thanks Bertram, I’ve just had a bit of time to listen to your versions Gentlemen -really good! Really enjoyed seeing you play the assortment of instruments and those photos too. And looking at the date, my octave was almost brand new (for me).
Such a great tune, and so well played!
Actually the way I did it was to use a headphones metronome beat and record the melody, then a couple seconds after finishing the melody, I continued and recorded the harmony, big glitch right at the end so I continued on the same recording and played the harmony once through. Then in the editing of the vid I chopped that out and pasted it over the second AB parts of the melody. One interesting and maybe important point was that while I was recording the harmony I could somehow ‘hear’ the melody at the same time. The harmony is simply the melody but played a third above and follows the melody exactly. (So if the melody is a G note in the key of G, then you would play a B). The thing is that next time, and learning to impro harmony, I’ll probably just play the parts of the harmony that are in strategic areas, during a minor fall, for example, where the minor third will have a lot of weight, and then I’ll set the harmony at a higher volume.
Another very enjoyable creation, Simon. What a busy mandolinist you are just now, and giving so much pleasure to us all.
John I am soooo tired, but thanks for the encouragement on the foot tapping, and Bertram, Dennis, Frithjof, Barbara, Ginny, well all of you. Have a pleasant day.
Nice mellow sound, Simon. I like it with the harmony part.
As I noted on my YT channel: I recently picked up this Banjo Mandolin at auction. I know little about it…it has ‘Grafton’ inlaid in the headstock…I’ve seen reference to ‘andybanjo’ re Grafton…but I gather that this outlet no longer operates. If anyone can enlighten me further that would be appreciated. Recorded straight onto iPad. ‘Grafton’ Banjo Mandolin
Interesting sound and nicely played, as always, John. (Sounds a bit like when I have my banjo strung CGDA and capoed at the seventh fret, but a somewhat richer, less plinky sound than that.)
Nice playing as usual, John. This instrument has a more mellow tone compared to the one I played in the video above. Has it an open back?
A great auction find, John. Fine tone and it suits the march so well. Well played as always. Grafton instruments are British made and have a good reputation for quality and playability.
Thank you Richard, Frithjof and John K. Richard and Frithjof - The B-M does have an open back. I think I manage to get a mellower, “less plinky” sound by placing some light padding behind the skin…I mainly record in a room with a vaulted ceiling and have have done this with my tenor banjo…which seems to reduce the ‘pop’ and volume. John K - Thanks for the comment re Grafton instruments.
John, that is a very good piece of advice. I shall try it (as my banjo is also open backed).
I love that sound...excellent technique and rhythm, as always!
So this is how long this tune has been on my to-do list! It's a very nice new addition to the thread from John, with an unusually and pleasantly mellow banjolin as others have said. Bit of a grim story behind this, apparently: https://nativeground.com/the-hanging...n-joe-coleman/ was linked on The Session and seems to refer to this tune. I must say I haven't noticed a dirge-like quality in the melody, and my favourite recordings of it even put me in a rather good mood!
Nice sound, great triplets, John.
Thank you Richard, Jairo, Dennis and Christian. Richard - Hope the adaptation works for you. Dennis - If played at a slow pace (or indeed, very slow pace) if does feel a bit mournful.
