I think you could get into some syncopation/rhythmic things with the limited melody. Think about what Neil Young can do with a one note solo. <g>
On Wed, Oct 15, 2008 at 12:19 AM, Jonas Mattebo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks! > > I also always start with the melody when I make up new breaks. The thing > with this tune 'White Freightliner Blues' is that the melody is kind of > boring to play, it's more or less one prolonged note twice, and then a > little variation at the end. It's a great song, but to play the melody is > just not cutting it this time. > > So far I've come up with a unison e-note on the a and e strings for the > c-chord, followed by some 'slidin' around' in g chord position an d chord > position and then ending up with the unison e again, but fretting the a > string one half step down so it get's a little dissonant at the end... > > It's hard to play crooked! I really love the crookedness of Monroe's > playing. > > /Jonas > > 2008/10/15 Sally and Nelson Peddycoart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> I am a pretty new player, with limited experience. If the tune is a >> pretty quick one, I look for notes to break down (1 quarter note to 2 >> eighths or 4 sixteenths). That helps fill voids. I also look for open >> notes that I can move to a lower string and get a unison double. I also >> look for places to add an additional chord note in appropriate places. I >> like to use Finale because I can scan a melody line in and screw around with >> it then get it close to where I want then start playing around on the >> instrument. >> >> >> >> This month's Mandolin Magazine has a short article by Butch Baldassari on >> creating bluegrass breaks. >> >> >> >> There is a decent book by John McGann called "Developing Melodic >> Variations on Fiddle Tunes", which carries you through different ways to >> change a tune up. >> >> >> >> Take a look at Tater's pdf of Methodist Preacher in the files area and >> compare it to the fiddle version. You'll be able to see/hear the nature of >> the adaptation. >> >> Nelson >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Robin Gravina >> Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 5:21 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: Thinking up breaks >> >> >> >> I also have to produce solos for public consumption, without having the >> art or technique, but my theory and it is absolutely not guaranteed, is to >> play blues licks from the chords with loads of strings going- e.g. for your >> tune in C, when I was working on a solo for 'Sweet love aint around' in C, I >> took the Taterbug solo for 'Rocky Road Blues' which is on mandozine and >> tried to just use the positions while bearing in mind the tune of the song. >> If nothing else, it lets you hit some of the tune notes while playing with a >> load of sound rather than fiddling around with clever melody lines, which I >> have to say I cannot do, and if you do it badly it sounds really weak. >> >> You could also try the Monroe and Bush versions of 'Walls of time' which >> are both on the mandozine website and give you rocking things to play in the >> C and G chords... The Bush one just has to be moved over one string >> downwards. >> >> >> >> Anyway, those ideas have made my soloing at least sound acceptable, when I >> hit it right, even though the last thing it is is original! >> >> Best >> >> Robin >> >> >> >> >> >> On Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 10:29 PM, Mark Seale <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> Jonas - >> >> For new tunes, I typically stick around the melody and the chord >> progression. Then I focus on interesting transitions from one change to the >> next. Usually that will get you there in an old-time style. >> >> Mark >> >> On Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 3:09 PM, Jonas Mattebo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> wrote: >> >> Dear All, >> >> How do you people approach designing tasteful mandolin breaks for >> songs? Start with the melody, or play out of chord positions, or just >> opening the box o' tricks & licks? I'm trying to play in the Monroe/ >> Compton vein of mandolin playing, and I find it hard to come up with >> new stuff still within this style. How do I approach it? >> >> For example, I'm now trying to come up with a break to the Townes Van >> Zandt song 'White Freightliner Blues', and it's not really coming >> along. (The problem is I'm supposed to play this song in front of a >> 'trusting audience' this friday, so I'm running out of time!) >> >> Anyway, the song is kind of fast (for me) and the chords are: >> C/C/G/G/(X2) >> D/C/G/G >> >> How would you approach this? >> >> Thanks, >> Jonas >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
