I started doing this after looking through books of arrangements, and wondering about the original. When I first look up a tune to learn, I look at "The Mandolin Players Fakebook" Stacy Phillip's Book of Fiddle Tunes and use the Fiddler's Companion website. I like the idea of trying to take the tune back to it's origin.
Nelson On Feb 5, 1:01 pm, [email protected] wrote: > I agree wholeheartedly about the rewards in doing this. Collecting some > obscure fiddle tunes has been something of a hobby for me, lately. The > Digital Library of Appalachia is an excellent source. Try "Polish My Shoes in > the Middle of the Week". Good stuff. > -------------- Original message from mistertaterbug > <[email protected]>: -------------- > > > > > > > I agree with you, Val. Going back to the source is a noble calling and > > full of rewards. Try going back and listening to Eck Robertson's > > version of "Sally Goodin". No need to look further. Some tunes, say > > "Grey Eagle" for one, were even in different keys than they are done > > these days. > > > Tater > > > On Feb 5, 6:41 am, Val Mindel wrote: > > > For an amazing version of an old standard, get Chirps to play > > > Soldier's Joy. You're right though, it sometimes takes hearing one of > > > these oft-done tunes rendered by different hands to really get what > > > made it so special in the first place. > > > > On Feb 4, 1:09 pm, Dasspunk wrote: > > > > > I will tell Chirps howdy for you Val. > > > > > I've learned a number of tunes just to learn 'em and they've not been > > > > heard from since. I'm sure I'm not alone. Then there are tunes that > > > > I've tried learning only to find I don't care for my version :) > > > > Cumberland Gap was one such tune. I don't care for the 'Grass version > > > > but when I heard Chirps' version, I totally loved it (and talk him > > > > into playing it as often as possible). Arkansas Traveler was the > > > > same... until I heard Rhys Jone's version... now I love it. It took me > > > > forever to find a Sally Goodin I liked... mine's somewhere between > > > > Bill's with a hint of Clarence White. I try and steal from the best > > > > (emphasis on try). > > > > > Long story only slightly longer... you never know what you'll like > > > > tomorrow. > > > > > Brian > > > > > On Feb 4, 11:27 am, Val Mindel wrote: > > > > > > Say hi to Chirps for me. He has great tunes. He plays a really good > > > > > Greensleeves (not the tune you think), with the G run down to E. And > > > > > is no slouch on mandolin. > > > > > > On Feb 4, 8:20 am, Dasspunk wrote: > > > > > > > There are two tunes that I refuse to play any more. Blackberry > > > > > > Blossom > > > > > > and Whiskey Before Breakfast. These tunes are butchered daily at > > > > > > jams > > > > > > everywhere and make my skin crawl. I don't mind when folks play > > > > > > them... it's fine beer break music. > > > > > > > But if the point of having a repertoire is to know songs that you > > > > > > can > > > > > > play with others, then those two are probably at the top of the > > > > > > list. > > > > > > > Eek! I just looked at that list on mandozine... sure enough, those > > > > > > are > > > > > > some of the most popular tunes I've ever heard at jams. And of > > > > > > course > > > > > > my two *favorites* are on there. Whatever... learn 'em all and > > > > > > decide > > > > > > for yourself which ones you like. > > > > > > > I'm currently learning a couple tunes for a dance I'll be playing > > > > > > this > > > > > > weekend with Mr. Lynn Chirps Smith. I absolutely love Snake River > > > > > > Reel > > > > > > and his tune Mississippi Palisades. Also on tap are Cumberland Gap > > > > > > (OT > > > > > > version), Little Dutch Girl (which Sadie Compton does a nice version > > > > > > of) and Squirrel Heads And Gravy (which I'm finding difficult to > > > > > > transfer to mandolin). > > > > > > > Brian > > > > > > > On Feb 3, 1:16 pm, mistertaterbug wrote: > > > > > > > > Nelson, > > > > > > > It seems to me that the list varies depending on where a person > > > > > > > hangs > > > > > > > his hat (which includes geographical location, chosen era of > > > > > > > 'bluegrass', and age group). Dennis comments in jest. I told him > > > > > > > once > > > > > > > that if I had to listen to "Red Haired Boy" once more time I was > > > > > > > going > > > > > > > to go out and kill something. There are a few more on *that* list > > > > > > > as > > > > > > > well. I will say though, without looking at anyone else's list, > > > > > > > that > > > > > > > some of the more common oldtime fiddle tunes seem to hold up > > > > > > > across > > > > > > > the board, plus there are a few Monroe tunes that seem to carry > > > > > > > over. > > > > > > > I don't think I have a really good grasp of what might be an > > > > > > > up-to- > > > > > > > date list of popular 'bluegrass' tunes because I engage so > > > > > > > heavily in > > > > > > > eclecticism. > > > > > > > > Bugs > > > > > > > > On Feb 3, 1:04 pm, J Hill wrote: > > > > > > > > > Nelson, > > > > > > > > > Mandozine lists what they consider to be essential mandolin > > > > > > > > tunes to > > learn. > > > > > > > > Here's the link:http://www.mandozine.com/music/essential/ > > > > > > > > > Jason- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. 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