Jigs on my Rigel G-110

[alfranreid]

Here's a recording of myself playing my Rigel G-110 mandolin.

https://soundcloud.com/alfranreid/ji...ghtmans-ramble

Anyone else out there play Irish/Scottish on a similar instrument? Here in Ireland it's mostly flat top mandolins.

There's interest for CBOM'rs too as I'm backing with a Davy Stuart 10-string bouzouki on first tune and a Guild 12-string guitar on second. Bodhrán too.

Hope ye enjoy.

[mikeyes]

Very nicely done!

Mike Keyes

[mandobassman]

Wonderful tune and very nicely played. Nice mix and tone.

[foldedpath]

A fine recording, thanks for posting! Very nice treble ornaments.

As far as the instrument choice... over on this side of the pond (U.S. Pacific Northwest) there seem to be as many Irish/Scottish mandolin players using carved archtop mandolins as flattops, maybe due to the easier availability of that style over here due to the Bluegrass influence.

I play a carved archtop F-hole mandolin for Irish/Scottish/Cape Breton trad, because I like the more midrange, focused sound. It's easy to hear myself in a session with fiddlers and pipes, and I like the way it works into a PA system or a microphone for recording. But still, flattops have a certain popularity over here as a "Celtic" mandolin. It all comes down to the sound you want to hear for the music.

P.S. If I could make a small suggestion, it would be to lower the volume of the bodhran when it comes in. It's a bit forward in the mix towards the end, and it might be better as a background "pulse" than something that prominent. But that's just me. I like percussion, but as a melody player in this music, I prefer it more in the background.

[Roland Sturm]

Sweet recording, sounds great. Really well done.

I have a Rigel myself, a nice sounding A+, but rather quiet. Main mandolin is a custom Collings F, so no flat tops here. For pub sessions, I take my National, which elsewhere can be overbearing.

[John Flynn]

I have seen videos of both Enda Scahill and Gerry O'Connor playing a Rigel A+ Deluxe. I think in both cases it was Enda's instrument. Sounds very nice in their hands!

[Mandocarver]

Lovely arrangements, great playing, thanks a lot for posting.

[John Kelly]

Fine playing and a great sound! Over here in Scotland the well-known teacher Nigel Gatherer plays a Rigel regularly. During this year's Celtic Connections Festival I was at a session run by Nigel and I had a go at his mandolin after the workshop. First time I'd seen or played one and it's a fine instrument. Nigel has a site at www.nigelgatherer.com.

[James Rankine]

Really good and a perfect example of tasteful accompaniment. All guitar and bouzouki session chord thrashers should be sent a link to this for their education.

[Rob Beck]

Sounds pretty good to me! That Rigel seems to fit in well. Nice job

[Colin Lindsay]

Very, very nice playing.

[Randi Gormley]

Very nicely done. Of the mandolins I've seen in session, they're pretty universally carved-top instruments, although it's a tossup between oval hole and f-hole. I'll admit to only attending a handful of sessions, though. My own preference is my snakehead; second is one of my bandolims just because it's a different sound (a deeper body) that I hope cuts through the fiddles and stuff, not because it's a flat-top.

[whistler]

Lovely playing, nice tunes - and well recorded too.

[alfranreid]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I find my Rigel competes well volume-wise with the mandolins I encounter most often. Everyone comments on its volume. The tone-gard and bluechip TAD50 plectrum helps in that regard too.

If musicians in my circles were more into playing mandolin (most having tenor banjo as their primary instrument, myself included) I would imagine there might be more carved-top and higher-end mandolins around.

[Jesse Harmon]

I recently played and recorded "One Bottle More" and "Young William Plunkett" on my Rigel Q, oval. All Rigels seem to have that "sweet" and bright tone to my ears regardless of the oval or not. I put Flat Tops on right now and like them alot. Flat Wounds will be put on on the next string change. I recorded on my I Pad on Facebook for my friends on a whim so it was mistakes and all as I read from the page. All things considered the I Pad doesn't do too bad a job for the right purpose. (I only wish critics would consider the same "purpose" when making their offering. I have better recording equipment and much great tech support from this sight but suffer from a time problem these days and the I Pad is too easy and tempting although probably it tempts me into some poor showings.

[tmsweeney]

Really nice playing, I think I've played Congressman's ramble before, I'm a proud Rigel G110 owner as well, I like the Elixer lights on it.

[mrmando2015]

Nice playing and your Rigel sounds great. I've always like the look of the flattop mandos and some of them have a great sound, though I usually prefer the sound of a carved top. As for me, I play an Eastman 315, F style with F holes. It's got a great sound for Celtic and Classical music and enough volume to keep up with fiddles and accordians.

[alfranreid]

Listen to Mandolin Scordatura - Bottle of Brandy & Pretty Brown Girl by Alan Reid Music #np on #SoundCloud
http://soundcloud.com/alfranreid/man...ttle-of-brandy

Some more jigs here. In an open Dminor tuning; FDAD.

[James Rankine]

Some of the finest playing I've had the pleasure to listen to. I do hope you'll be recording a CD.
What did you use to make the drone?

[alfranreid]

Thank you James.

I'm using a ehx freeze pedal for the drones.

Currently in the middle of two different album projects. Only one track of mandolin on one of them. In 2016 I'll be recording a solo CD with mostly tenor banjo but a fair bit of mandolin too.

[alfranreid]

Listen to REELS - Two of Mine (rough ropey recording) by Alan Reid Music #np on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/alfranreid/re...opey-recording

For anyone interested. A few more recordings on my profile. The most recent has mandolin towards the end but has a whole lot of banjo and bouzouki throughout.

[BlueMt.]

Really tasteful and entertaining. Well done!

[Jess L.]

Really good and a perfect example of tasteful accompaniment. All guitar and bouzouki session chord thrashers should be sent a link to this for their education.

Yup! Agree completely.

[Jess L.]

https://soundcloud.com/alfranreid/re...opey-recording

Extremely nice! Wonderful music.

[Michael Wolf]

These Reels are very nice, Alan. Are they allowed to be played at the Session? I really like your banjo playing.
I see you´re still playing the Bodhran from Ralf Siepman, don´t you?