Hard Criticism, Please

[Mike Buesseler]

Ok, I'm going to hang myself out here and ask for some critical feedback. Aside from some pick noises, mediocre timing...what should i work on to get a more "Irish" feel to this tune (Connaughtman's Ramble)? You cannot hurt my feelings, so just let me have it. Oh, this is played on my Brian Dean L & H semi-bowl back, recorded with the built-in mics on my Edirol, sitting right in front of the computer. Not exactly a studio....Thanks for any insights.

[Steve Jeter]

Sorry, no harsh criticism. I think it sounds good. I a newb ,but to I lke it.
Some advice given to me lately was accenting certain beats , in my case it was 1 & 4 . It would take someone more learned than me to tell you which ones on yur tune.
Just off the top of my head , maybe it could be slightly bouncier, but I think it sounds good, and if you were playing w/ somebody the pick noise would prob.be covered up.
Steve

[John Ritchhart]

None from me either. There are some muted notes and one drop out I could hear. But you have that lilty feeling to it. Sounds good overall. Just play it a few hundred more times.

[JEStanek]

I'm with the other fellas. I thought it sounded nice and lilty too. I think the main thing is to work on may be some dynamics (softer/louder bits) and practice it till its like breathing... you just do it.

I'm sure it would sound a bit more Irish with some accompaniment.

I don't play ITM but enjoy it. It seems to me that ITM music is similar with Contra Dances or an OT song in generating a rythm as its played over and over again... almost trance like. The Labraid sounds nice too!

Jamie

[woodwizard]

Pretty good Mike. Very Irishy. Is that a word? I agree with all of the above. Playing it until it's sort involuntary ... all that takes is playing it over & over & over. Keep up the good work. Also recording your work and listening back like your doing is good & will help you to work on parts you can hear you need to work on.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Nicely done, and I can really add anything more than the others have.

Regarding Jamie's comment about accompaniment, when I played your clip I happened to see a Michael Kerry tune recording on my PC, Sligo Maid. It was pretty much solo mandolin as well, except there was a guitar accompanying the mandolin. I found it interesting that even though it was a very simple guitar arrangement, it still added a great deal of depth to the recording -- which is hard to get with solo mandolin. (Unless of course you are Evan Marshall, who sounds like he is playing two or three mandolins at once

[Weagle]

Sounded great!!!! A little repetition and you will be pat on that tune.

I do not know that much about Irish music but I could envision a little crosspicking in there to make that your own at the ends of the runs.

You rock!!!!

Weagle

[Mike Buesseler]

THIS is harsh criticism?

Really, thanks, guys. I did get one extensive review in a PM. Mostly good and with some very good ideas.

I don't get to play with other musicians much, so this kind of feedback is priceless for me. I might try incorporating the few suggestions made (more lilt/swing and maybe doing a second track of accompaniment...if my recording skills permit) and posting it. Everyone might find that at least mildly interesting.

[Barbara Shultz]

My fellow band-mate just turned me onto this song a couple of weeks ago... she is our whitsle/flute/fife & mandolin player, who is learning the fiddle.... and it's a song she's been learning on the fiddle. I really love it, and think your sound clip sounds great. It's very hard to sit down with your little recorder, and no accompaniment, and sound perfect.... having just one other instrument to play with is so much easier! Sounds great to me, I'm gonna go work on playing it now!

Barb

[Patrick Gunning]

The things I hear (and this is getting into pretty minor nitpick territory here) both revolve around the 3rd down in the Down-Up-Down-Down-Up-Down pattern. It seems that you're 1) playing that note a little bit late on the rhythm and 2) not hitting your finger down at the same time as the pick stroke. I'd work on nailing that stroke down.

Also, your down and up strokes aren't the same volume, which if intentional to produce the jig rhythm can be good, but if it isn't intentional is a technique problem that should be ironed out at some point.

I've started tinkering with Irish tunes a bit, and a great resource for mandolin learning on this is www.tradlessons.com using the Tin Whistle lessons. Because whistle ornamentation in Irish music is all based on hammer-ons and pull-offs of the fingers it's easier to mimic than fiddle ornamentation, which is more dependent on bow effects that are really hard to produce with a pick.

Keep up the good work.

[Jim Broyles]

THIS is harsh criticism?

Really, thanks, guys. I did get one extensive review in a PM. Mostly good and with some very good ideas.

I don't get to play with other musicians much, so this kind of feedback is priceless for me. I might try incorporating the few suggestions made (more lilt/swing and maybe doing a second track of accompaniment...if my recording skills permit) and posting it. Everyone might find that at least mildly interesting.

Okay, I think it sounds quite Irishy, but from a strictly mandolin-execution-technique point of view, I'd say your right hand is a little tense. This is causing the delays others have mentioned, in my opinion. Relax and let the notes flow a little more and I think you'll nail what you're looking for.

[Jason Nagati]

I will say, knowing full well my playing is at a lower level, that some of the notes sound muted or dulled. Possibly, the right hand and left hand are not in perfect sync, or maybe you are using a pick that is too rounded, such as a Dawg pick.

[Jim MacDaniel]

THIS is harsh criticism?

I might try incorporating the few suggestions made...more lilt/swing and maybe doing a second track of accompaniment...

For some inspiration, you might want to gett Michael Kerry's A Rocky Road. It's all a solo mandolin approach to ITM tunes, with simple guitar accompanent -- I think its a brilliant CD, and it has received rave reviews from many others here in the MC forums.

[Mike Buesseler]

Thanks, again, for the additional input! Really! This stuff is invaluable out here alone where the prairie meets the mountains. I have "Rocky Road," love it, and agree what a great example it is. I'm changing picks, working on synching the right hand with the left fingers...then I'll be back for another lesson!!