Mistakes? What would YOU do?

[Tim Twiss]

Of course, we find mistakes in the tutors. How do we treat them? Or, how can we always be certain it is one? The one I speak of right now is "Lily Polka", my next stop on the Converse Tour. Observe the fourth measure in the second line. I don't think it is correct. I remember a few years back when I heard Carl play it and noticed that measure not being played as written. "Never liked that note" he said. Although I have tubed this one before, I'm going to do it again and think about that measure. My guess is that the first note is actually an F#. The ear can accept that, or else keep the previous measure the same, making the second note a "G#". Looking above the notes, I see the number "2", which makes me think it goes back to F#, like it is in the second measure of that line. Additionally, by having played a vast amount of material, I see no precedent for a harmonic resolution like that. I think we half to look at other comparable literature to help decide. So, looking over a small spot in an obsolete tune...what would YOU do??    

[Trapdoor2]

Just sitting here messing about with the tune, I prefer m4 to be a repeat of m3. While we're at it, I would change the first note of m7 (same line, the "minor" section) to an E#. The F# sounds out of place to my ears.

I had a phone discussion this morning with Howard Weilmeunster (protege of Fred Van Eps) along the same lines. No worries, people almost always changed tunes to suit their ears...and they rarely played tunes the same way twice. Mistakes happen (I should know!). I prefer to start out playing pretty strictly from the original material (with the exception of fingering) but don't worry much about what happens after I adopt the tune.

[Tim Twiss]

I agree with the last one( M7 change to E#). M 4 goes either way, which is why the fingerings can give additional clues.

Trapdoor2 said:

Just sitting here messing about with the tune, I prefer m4 to be a repeat of m3. While we're at it, I would change the first note of m7 (same line, the "minor" section) to an E#. The F# sounds out of place to my ears.

I had a phone discussion this morning with Howard Weilmeunster (protege of Fred Van Eps) along the same lines. No worries, people almost always changed tunes to suit their ears...and they rarely played tunes the same way twice. Mistakes happen (I should know!). I prefer to start out playing pretty strictly from the original material (with the exception of fingering) but don't worry much about what happens after I adopt the tune.

[Tim Twiss]

Alright, as long as we are in the Green Converse, what is wrong with this one? Play it, look at it, listen to it ....

[Joel Hooks]

I'd play her all in "A."

[Jim Dalton]

Agreed -- the D#s all seem to need to be D naturals.

[Tim Twiss]

Here is one we corrected in the Rice Book. Look at the fingering for the notation.