Tutor Recording Blog

[Tim Twiss]

4/2/12 Started the Briggs tonight. Thought a lot about Jim Crow Polka and after watching some dance videos, decided to slow it down. Felt and sounded better. Also did Dan Tucker, Dandy Jim, and Boatman's Dance. Recored on Hartel Boucher. 

http://timtwiss.com/musicstore/Briggs-Banjo-Instructor--4-.htm

[Tim Twiss]

4/12/12     Hartel Boucher. http://timtwiss.com/musicstore/Briggs-Banjo-Instructor--4-.htm

Page 23....with my favorite Ethiopian Cracovienne. This has source material from an old fiddle book, and follows the piece Cracovienne Quickstep. It is one of the finest examples of arranging a tune for the banjo....changing the key and adding thumb string notes to create the dactyl rhythm patterns that give the lilt and drive to the music. Also, Kick Up De Debbil On A Holiday.

[Tim Twiss]

4/12/12   3 more favorites from page 24.

The Congo Prince Jig, Briggs' Jig, and Briggs' Breakdown. Two of these tunes have that quick triplet figure....gotta watch how fast you kick off these tunes....or those notes will bite you in the ass.

[Tim Twiss]

SO....making good progress in recording the Briggs' book. I am making a great attempt to lay down a pretty straight ahead version of each tune. It may seem rather dry, but the intent is to honor the written page and see what each tune holds on it's own. At the end I will come back and put some music together as it has inspired me....with medleys and variations with rhythm instruments. 

[Tim Twiss]

4/13/12  http://timtwiss.com/musicstore/Briggs-Banjo-Instructor--4-.htm

One more page....seeing the home stretch. 41 tunes.

Nebber Do To Gib It Up So, Nigga From De South, and De Gal Wid De Blue Dress On.

[Tim Twiss]

4/14/12 Added 5 more tonight.

Old Zip Coon, Jim Crack Corn, Goin Ober De Mountains, Alabama Joe, and Old Joe.

Totally wired into this stuff now.

[Tim Twiss]

4/14/12  http://timtwiss.com/musicstore/Briggs-Banjo-Instructor--4-.htm

Next pages...Spanish Gallapode. This seems incomplete, being a variations type. I have added music to this in the style to complete it...but not here. I am sticking to the program. The Hammer Stroke really comes in handy playing all the inner voices / single notes. I used fingerstyle for the last arpeggios. Jim Along Josey, Injin Rubber Overcoat, and Pitch Burgundy Plaster. These are titles I hope Elaine addresses t AEBG IV.

[Tim Twiss]

Last round coming up. A few of the craziest and most rhythmically challenging, that being the Yankee Doodle Variations, Keemo Kimo, and Jordan. There are a couple others tossed in there....Pop Goes The Weasel, and Wait For The Wagon. Go you Hartel banjo ......harvest the sound of a springtime banjo in the midwest. 

[Tim Twiss]

4/15/12  http://timtwiss.com/musicstore/Briggs-Banjo-Instructor--4-.htm

Next pages....Kemo Kimo, Yankee Doodle variationas, and Jordan Is A Hard Road.

Challenging and fun. Rice Strikes all over the place.....makes executing those difficult passages much easier.

 

 

[Tim Twiss]

Okay. Last entry for this blog. I did Pop Goes The Weasel and Wait For The Wagon. That completes all 55 instrumental songs in the Briggs' Book. I feel good about all of them. I have a uniform sound to all of the tracks...using the Hartel Boucher for each track. Stop by and use your Paypal to download all or part of it. FORTY CENTS A TRACK.....what a deal. 

http://timtwiss.com/musicstore/Briggs-Banjo-Instructor--4-.htm

See you soon for a little Rice.