Intro

  1. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    Hi,

    I just joined the Cafe today. I have been reading for sometime and have benefited from the site.
    I have been at the mandolin about a year and a half. So I thought this group might be a good spot for me.

    Most of my learning has come from mandolessons.com. I really think he provides a nice service.

    I am a guitar player and am interested in learning backup for the fiddle and old time tunes that Baron teaches. You know something a little more than basic strumming. Any advice in that regard would be appreciated.

    I hope to try a crack at your tune of the month in the future. This month's is cool but I am not really able to improvise on mandolin yet.

    I have a Breedlove Premier OF

    I have a new bass player in the family learning on one of the new Taylor GS mini basses. So I hope to be able to post some of our efforts and get some feedback, if that is OK

    Bob
  2. Sleet
    Sleet
    Glad to have you with us. Others will kick in with advice. Welcome to you and your bass player.
  3. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    I have not (yet?) tried to tackle the issue of playing backup other than trying to improve my left hand chording skills. But it is an interesting question and I hope we get some discussion on it.

    I am glad you found us - welcome to MC and to the Newbies! I look forward to hearing and watching your videos.
  4. FredK
    FredK
    Welcome to the group, Bob. There's a lot of good people here that are quick to help. I grew up on the keyboard (organ) and guitar. The mandolin has been my lifelong dream and I started this year. Learning the tuning and fretboard is much easier than guitar. The kicker for me has been posture. I found that you can't lay back with a mandolin and play well like you can a guitar. You've got to sit up and get the left leg elevated to get the neck up - especially if you are playing melody. Since the neck is smaller, it's not recommended to "palm" the neck like a guitar with the left hand. The right hand uses a lot more wrist action with a different (and looser) grip on the pick as opposed to the guitar. Those are just a few of this things I have to keep in mind when practicing. That's my 2 cents worth.

    Again, it's good to have you on board. I know you'll get some good tips and feedback here and in the MC forum.
  5. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    "interested in learning backup for the fiddle and old time tunes that Baron teaches"

    Some of those are reels, some are jigs, some are hornpipes, some are waltzes ... and like all music, what the rhythm instruments do will depend on the tune itself and the feel you're after, so there's no simple formula for the most part. But, if we were to make a formula, let's say for a 4/4 reel, what the guitar might do is play an alternating bass line on beats 1 & 3, and strum on 2 & 4, and use some bass runs between some of the chord changes. That would be the simplest explanation.

    What you could do is purchase Baron's backing tracks at mandolessons.com and learn how he plays backup to any particular tune you're interested in - then learn to play it as he does, as best you can, then experiment with adding your own personality to it after you've learned how he does it himself.

    Another thing would be to search for YouTube band performances for some of the tunes you're interested in and listen to how they play the backup.

    Baron does give the chord names on his sheet music for free, so that's easy enough.

    Welcome to the newbies group!
  6. Stacey Morris
    Stacey Morris
    I can't offer advice, but welcome to the Newbies group, R.A.P.
  7. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    Thanks for the nice welcome. I thought I would record a song today and post it. Maybe you all can provide some advice.

    Its called Maid Behind The Bar. I played all the instruments on it. Let me know what you think.

    Bob

    https://app.box.com/s/aa3d59mllb8aghgsmmhhdsqioyj1w9sv
  8. Sherry Cadenhead
    Sherry Cadenhead
    I REALLY enjoyed that, Bob! And to think I thought you were one of us green newbies!
  9. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Good job there RAP. Well played and well produced. Maid Behind the Bar is one of tunes I obtained from thesession.org but have yet to get down pat. If you like Irish traditional tunes, that is a really good source.
  10. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    Well done, Bob! More please
  11. Sleet
    Sleet
    Great job on the multiple instruments, Bob, on a good old rousing reel.
  12. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    Thanks for the nice comments, good encouragement to keep picking. I enjoy playing with my little multI track recorder. Maybe some one could offer some advice on how you are making you videos. Like equipment and software.

    Bob
  13. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Bob, I have been using Windows MovieMaker to assemble everything and put in titles and stuff. But last week I switched to Cyberlink Software's PowerDirector 15 to see it would help me play better. No - actually because I just wanted more bells and whistles than MovieMaker has to offer (like maybe Picture In Picture and multitracking). I have a Logitech C920 Webcam. The webcam also has built-in stereo mic's but I didn't like them so I am using a Samson Meteor Mic. I am still experimenting with all this but I think I have better hardware than I need. Software is good, too, but there are a lot of tweaks possible with settings and resolutions, etc., and I have yet to master them all.
  14. Sherry Cadenhead
    Sherry Cadenhead
    Nothing fancy for me. Phone gizmo on my music stand, with a pop-up thingy on the back of my phone. Just wish I could overlay melody/chords.
  15. Sherry Cadenhead
    Sherry Cadenhead
    Here's a pic - without the phone.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/XDqs8SurxOb3ntbn2
  16. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    I just use an iPhone on a tripod, and edit in Windows Moviemaker. I have been making some lesson videos for the Woodshed Study Group, and the limitations of Windows Moviemaker are frustrating me now for doing that. It's a good enough tool to get started videoing yourself playing a tune, but that's about all I find it good for.

    A lot of us in here have been doing something similar, I think, goes something like this:

    1. Capture video and sound simultaneously with an iPhone or webcam (external mic or no)
    2. Edit with some software like Windows Moviemaker
    3. Upload to YouTube (or Vimeo)
    4. Embed here

    Over in SAW group, there are more guys who multi-track recordings, shoot video, sync and edit video, then nos. 3 & 4 above. Member bbcee has been doing some of that in here, I think.
  17. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    This is just a test at adding a video not really sure I know what I am doing.
  18. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    So I guess that what I did worked. Thanks for the pointers everyone. I just shot that with my windows laptop built in camera and mic. Is that good enough ? I used the windows movie memories app you suggested. Only it seems to only let me make a 60 second video. Then I uploaded to You Tube.

    Maybe that is a good thing because over one minute of my playing may be to much for you all to handle.

    Bob
  19. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    Two more tests to see if I really got this posting of video/audio down. Thanks for your patients.

    https://app.box.com/s/v3ujshvc4vhig89sz7x1u3hfzao3o363 Nine Pound Hammer
  20. Sherry Cadenhead
    Sherry Cadenhead
    Bob, when I try to open them, both videos show a message "This video is unavailable."
  21. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    I made some adjustments in you tube settings. Please let me know if you can see the video. Its funny I could watch them just fine from my device.

    Bob
  22. Sherry Cadenhead
    Sherry Cadenhead
    I see them both now. Looking forward to listening later!
  23. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Good job. Both videos and the sound file work fine. I don't know the application "movie memories" -- it might be some kind of 'bonus software' that came with your laptop, trying to get you to buy the "full" version. That one minute limitation is pretty stingy. MovieMaker used to come with Windows but Microsoft stopped bundling it at some point - maybe with Windows 10. Anyway, if you dig around you should be able to find it as a free download from Microsoft. It may state that it has not been approved as Windows 10 compatible, but it works fine for me on Win10.

    I really like your renditions in the videos and sound clip. The nine-pound hammer reminded me of an old joke. What is the difference between cowboy music and cajun music? Cowboys sing "Yeee-aaaaah". Cajuns sing "Aaaaah-yeee".
  24. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    Thanks Hank,
    Glad to see it is working, and I appreciate your thoughts on the playing. I am not a singer that was just some goofing around and it came out ok. I have a little Zoom H4 and like like messing with the multi track feature. Looks like I will have to learn what's needed to make video multi track recordings now.
  25. Sleet
    Sleet
    Great version of Cooley's Reel. Very danceable!
  26. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    Yep, all working fine now that you got the YouTube viewing permissions straightened out. Very nice picking on Blackberry Blossom and Cooley's reel! Thanks for sharing. I remember Blackberry Blossom was one of the first tunes I learned from mandolessons.com, I had forgotten all about it! I lost all my downloaded music lesson files a good while back and had to start over collecting, and that one just got left out. I want to go back to it, it's such a cool tune, but played way too fast for me in Bluegrass circles.

    This is one of the (if not "the") best groups at the cafe! It's awesome when new folks come in and dive right in showing their progress! All the best to you.
  27. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    That Breedlove sounds pretty good, Bob. Is it one of the made in Oregon models?
  28. clee01l
    clee01l
    Well "honketyhank" and everyone else, Here I am. First newbie post. Henry and I go back about 50 years and I first knew him playing bawdy songs on a 5 string. At that time neither of us played a mandolin. Henry is certainly more than a beginner. Me, I picked up me first musical instrument to learn to play in January 2016. I have a noname heirloom inherited from my mother. My first real mandolin was a Korean made Olympic acquired in about 1980. Since I started lessons with an instructor, I have acquired an Eastman MD515, a Kentucky KM-270 and a 1941(?) Gibson which I would like to know more about. On the Gibson head is a FON "FG-2228" This is repeated inside the sound box. There are some faint serial numbers also stamped inside the F-hole but I have not been able to make all of them out.
  29. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    clee01l - welcome to the newbies group! Any friend of Henry's is ... oh, you know.

    Wow, quite a collection you've started in a couple years there. I suppose you and Henry have a lot in common! Hope to see more of you in here.
  30. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Hey clee, welcome!

    There are some real Gibson historians out on the main forum, so I recommend asking out there, in the "looking for information" sub-forum. I do know that Gibson has not been known for consistency or logic in its serial numbers or FON's, especially in the late pre-war period. About the best I can do is say that 2228 with a letter prefix is consistent with ~1941. The folks out there are well equipped to fill you in better. Be sure to post a photo or two also.

    Folks, clee and I used to crawl around in caves together as students at Va Tech. It's a wonder that either of us lived past the age of 20. And bawdy tunes? What do you mean? All I remember is romantic ballads.
  31. bbcee
    bbcee
    Bob, you're off to a good start and join a bunch of former guitar players here. Your guitar skillz will definitely stand you in good stead - but there are unique mando techniques too. I wouldn't worry about the improv piece of it, that will come with time (I'm still waiting!). Lovely Breedlove! I'm going to set about relearning BB, and finally sit down and learn Cooley's Reel. Thanks for jumping in!

    Clee01, looking forward to your input here on that oh-so-nice Gibson!! Any friend of Hank's is ... someone to watch out for!!
  32. R.A.P
    R.A.P
    Thanks again for listening and watching and the encouraging words.

    Clee, welcome

    Hank, my breedlove is labeled a premier model made in Oregon.

    bbcee, I really liked the video you made in the song of the month Harvest Home and California.
    It sounded really good nice playing. How did you make the screen in screen multi track ? What software did you use ?
  33. Sleet
    Sleet
    Baudy/romantic - at 20 is there really much distance between the two? You have an eclectic collection of mandolins suitable for all kinds I'd mando experimentation and growth. Welcome, Clee and enjoy.
  34. clee01l
    clee01l
    "Baudy/romantic" Her name was Charlotte. If you know the words, it was a love ballad... of sorts.
  35. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    Ahhhh, Charlotte ...
  36. Mark Gunter
    Mark Gunter
    The King of Bawdy - Bo Carter
    Music:
    http://www.markgunter.net/music/7/bo-carter
    Article:
    http://www.markgunter.net/cool_stuff...smen-bo-carter

    Bo recorded some great old blues tunes, but many people avoid him because of the reputation of the bawdy ones. The purveyor of such titles as:

    The Ins and Outs of My Girl
    I've Got A Case of Mashin' It
    Please Warm My Weiner
    Let Me Roll Your Lemon
    Mashing That Thing
    She's Your Cook But She Burns My Bread Sometimes
    Same Thing The Cats Fight About
    Banana In Your Fruitbasket

    and way too many more
  37. Sherry Cadenhead
    Sherry Cadenhead
    Bob, I really enjoyed listening to your playing and look forward to more in the future.

    Sherry
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