Minstrel Banjo

For enthusiasts of early banjo

I blogged my way through Briggs' and Rice as I was recording them. Time to settle down and attack the Buckley 1860. My car car is out of commission, it's getting cold, I have a nice banjo....so here I go. Front to back...the instrumentals. It's a chance to comment on them as i go, with remarks about stroke or fingerstyle choices, and wrong note included in score. No need to respond if you don't don't want to, but this will go on for a while. As I do them, they will be for sale on my music site.

timtwiss.com.

 

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Comment by Tim Twiss on November 11, 2012 at 11:45am

Up next....Philadelphia Walk-Around. Borrows "Cotton Pod Walk Around" from the later published yellow Converse for the A section. An unusaul b section, courtesy of G. Swaine Buckley, making it difficult of course. Brings up the problem of repeated notes...unfingered. I will use adjacent strings. Parker's Jig, and then the delicious page with Hobsons, Buckleys, and Whelpleys Jigs....the best!!

Comment by Tim Twiss on November 11, 2012 at 9:09pm

The project just keeps getting better....getting into the zone with this stuff. I found a good fingering for the second half of Philadelphia Walk-Around. The book was of no help. Thsi book is like that...random fingerings.....Parker's Jig was a nice find, much like Prince's. Finally tonight, Buckley's Jig. I slowed it down a bit to better execute the rests that re written in, as well as the figur at the end of the A section ( which I never noticed before). This is interpreted many ways. I like this slower version a bit better.

Comment by Tim Twiss on November 12, 2012 at 2:19pm

I squeaked in "Whelpley's Jig" before scooting off to work. The ever funky and intreguing tune.....trying to honor the arrangement by including the rests. James took the trouble to write a 1/16 rest, I can take the trouble to try and play it.

Comment by Tim Twiss on November 12, 2012 at 8:46pm

I'm almost 1/3 of the way through the book. You buy them one at a time.....a quarter a song!!!!

www.timtwiss.com

go to "musicstore" link

Comment by Tim Twiss on November 13, 2012 at 12:39pm

Okay...a little road block here. Who would have thought a little tune like "Buckley's Danish Waltz" would hang me up? I'll get a take, and i just isn't quite there. I have a habit of not totally perfecting something, but it has to be pretty darn good....and I don't have it yet. I blame the fact that it is most likely for fretted banjo. The way the chord shapes work out and the leap of the intervals. Also, the way the overtones react when working a single string. To mute with the right hand...or not? A perplexing array of choices for this ditty. Let it rest, and come back to it. Also, did "Hobson's Jig" last night. Refingered, and I like it. When you record and listen back, I get concious of the full weight and value of a not. or group of notes....quick triplets included. Nothing prettier than a full, distinct note...not cut short. (even if it is a short note...)

Comment by Tim Twiss on November 13, 2012 at 10:22pm

Well, I found a way. I switched back to Stroke from Fingerstyle on this one. It allows for a different attack, and some natural muting with the right hand...just what it needed. Also, used a high bass tuning. I still think this is one of the fretted ones....just speculating.

Comment by Nicholas A Bechtel on November 13, 2012 at 11:12pm

Tim I just was over at your site skimming through the songs...AWESOME! sounds so good. Are you using one mic? A completely honest interpretation of the materiel. Great feel with the tempo. 

Comment by Tim Twiss on November 13, 2012 at 11:28pm

Thanks. Yes, it is just one mic. I'm playing many of them different than I have before. Sometimes we continue with old habits, but I'm trying to shake it off and look freshly at each one again.

Comment by Tim Twiss on November 14, 2012 at 11:29pm

Okay, I am going to call this the end of Volume 1. 38 tunes done, up to page 24. To complete this, it will require 2 more volumes of the same number. Guess I''l take a breath and get ready for another round. I'll be starting a new blog for Vol 2. Thanks for tuning into this one.

www.timtwiss.com.

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