Jessamyn's Reel-Thile Grace Notes and Crosspicking

[JGregs]

I know I know. . . I'm beating this dead horse once again but hopefully I'm taking a different angle.

I was listening to his tune and really digging into it. In the beginning of the melody line, it sounds like there is a drone note that he hops back to. Am I hearing things? Is this just the harmonics coming out?

If he is actually playing a note here, can someone elaborate on his right hand technique? I feel like he never plays a straight melody line but there are always notes around the melody that he hops to and from. Anyone have some wisdom on how he does this and how to develop this technique? It is unique from the crosspicking I see which is more like a patterned banjo roll and not as fluid as his playing style

[Elizabeth Fox]

Yes--he's just using the G string as a drone note. If you subscribe to Joe K. Walsh's course on The Advancing Mandolinist on Peghead Nation, Joe gives a lesson on Jessamyn's Reel that is definitely worth your time and money.

[Drew Streip]

Check this video -- it doesn't show a LOT but you can glean a bit of knowledge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88q9syere0Q

It's almost like he's picking extra notes to help keep time. The grace and drone notes he hits serve to keep from rushing/dragging the syncopation. (Not that HE would rush). But also it helps fill in space because of the lack of sustain. And it also sounds good.

[JGregs]

@Drew Streip

Do you know if anyone has instruction on this technique? I hear a lot of players use it but have never seen it taught.

[Drew Streip]

@Drew Streip

Do you know if anyone has instruction on this technique? I hear a lot of players use it but have never seen it taught.

I'm not sure -- I've never used any of the instruction sites/videos that are popular here, but I'd check the reply above (Joe K. Walsh at Peghead Nation). I imagine he'd delve into it.

Or maybe one of those old Homespun videos?

https://www.homespun.com/instructors/chris-thile/

[9lbShellhamer]

I know I know. . . I'm beating this dead horse once again but hopefully I'm taking a different angle.

I was listening to his tune and really digging into it. In the beginning of the melody line, it sounds like there is a drone note that he hops back to. Am I hearing things? Is this just the harmonics coming out?

If he is actually playing a note here, can someone elaborate on his right hand technique? I feel like he never plays a straight melody line but there are always notes around the melody that he hops to and from. Anyone have some wisdom on how he does this and how to develop this technique? It is unique from the crosspicking I see which is more like a patterned banjo roll and not as fluid as his playing style

I'm working on this "style" as well. There's a good tab for the intro of Raining At Sunset which uses a lot of the same effects. The tab can be found here,

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...hree-Min-Thile

Please continue to beat this dead horse! I'm working on this too and would like any feedback you come across!

In the recent Mandolin Monday vid from David Benedict, Matt Witler puts together an awesome arrangement you might want to check out too, if you haven't already. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjahEBWerOY

[JGregs]

I'm working on this "style" as well. There's a good tab for the intro of Raining At Sunset which uses a lot of the same effects. The tab can be found here,

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...hree-Min-Thile

Please continue to beat this dead horse! I'm working on this too and would like any feedback you come across!

In the recent Mandolin Monday vid from David Benedict, Matt Witler puts together an awesome arrangement you might want to check out too, if you haven't already. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjahEBWerOY

That song perfectly illustrates the technique I'm refering to. I have to think that he gets bored unless his right hand is flying.

[Perilous Deep]

That arrangement of The Whistle Tune is really fantastic. As the notes say, it's part transcription/part interpretation of a Bela Fleck tune, so there's a lot of transfer from a finger-picked banjo style. With only one flatpick available on the mandolin, ya gotta keep it moving to re-create that sound.

But to echo what others have said, I would recommend looking at Joe Walsh's course on Peghead Nation. He teaches Jessamyn's Reel, but there's also a great lesson on Reischman's Salt Spring that devotes a lot of attention to the clawhammer stylings on that song. I've gained a lot from that one. Or you could look at Reischman's course, but I don't know if he's got a lesson about that technique yet.