Howdy! I have been interacting on the main forum but have been quiet in here. Anyway, I have been at it on mandolin for about 9 months. Here is a run through Shady Grove at 75bpm. I found this more difficult than the roughly 110 I usually play it at. I tried to incorporate several things I have worked on including strummed and chop chords, melody, improv while respecting the melody, double stops, and a bit of tremolo. I probably could've taken 15 or 20 takes and got a better video, but I would like some feedback on the organic attempt. Thanks and Happy Pickin
Not sure what is happening getting this posted.
I am sure you will get some feedback but it looks like you might be having problems posting the video. If you post a link address for the video, we could probably embed it in a post for you.
Hopefully this does it.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yiad6uhgm-I" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> Once More. Please forgive the odd facial expressions as I came down with Bells Palsy last week.
Let's try this:
Re embedding: Every youtube video address has an 11 character id code in the URL. In your case it is Yiad6uhgm-I .To embed the video you have to use the "Go Advanced" button to bring up the advanced editor. Then you click on the pink/red YouTube button and enter the id code in the dialog box that pops up. That will put the correct bbcode into the text of your post. You can click on the preview button to double check that everything embedded properly. Then click the save button and you should be all done. Re you Shady Grove: I like the tempo. Flatt and Scruggs and Bill Monroe and others make it sound like a horse race, which is fine but doesn't really fit the lyrics. I think you are doing very well on both the picking and the chords. I envy your ability with chords. And your chop rhythm is right on the off beat and very natural sounding. And you are getting a nice mellow tone from that mandolin. Welcome to the Newbies. I hope you'll hang around and work on tunes of the month with us.
Thanks for helping with the video and the feedback. The Morris can be played nice and mellow, but can also be driven when needed. I agree on the breakneck speed versions of this tune.
Ahhh. It's a Morris. No wonder. One of the more underappreciated mandolins. I drove out (or, back) to Irrigon to meet him a couple of years ago and brought one of his F models home with me. I traded it off later, but it was a really good mandolin for the money.
Keep up the good work!
I also made the trek to meet Sonny. I left with this mandolin and very inspired on several levels. I will likely acquire other mandolins, but I intend to keep this one. Thanks Mike!
Willem, very well played, thanks for sharing. You are playing in time, I like your steady rhythm and pick stroke directions, and your chording sounds fine as well. I'm going to add your video to the tune of the month thread for shady grove; hope you don't mind.
Hi Willem, I made my comments on the July ToM thread before having seen this thread. Well done, and more to come, I hope!
Thanks folks. I definitely intend to be involved here and put in some work on TOTM.
Willem, this was really good. I agree with Henry about the slower tempo than Monroe's. It lends more to the tune. Nice tremelo there at the end, too.
