Converse Green Book...that's it! On to Buckley 1868.

[Tim Twiss]

Okay, thanks for putting up with the constant posting of those Converse tunes, but I am making a concerted effort to play 'em all. With the addition of "Daisey Polka" today, that completes the Green Book "New And Complete Method for the Banjo With Or Without A Master" by Frank Converse. At this point, I have done all the instrumental tunes in Briggs', Rice, Buckley 1860, Converse Yellow 1865 and Converse Green 1865. I thought I had most of them in the Green book, and was surprised to find 36 I had not done...jeez. I sure am learning a lot by experiencing these, and I will get them better organized in the Banjo Clubhouse soon, so each tutor is easily navigated. Okay...on to my favorite book, Buckley's Banjo Guide of 1868. Although Tuckahoe never published it, I consider it to be part of the Minstrel Canon. Man oh man, the good songs that are in there. I'm certain I will be shocked at the ones I haven't tried yet. Stay tuned!!

 

For more Minstrel Banjo tunes not on the Ning site, this is my YouTube site. There are more here.

http://www.youtube.com/user/giggletoot?feature=mhum 

[Greg Adams]

Keep on keepin' on Tim. Yahoo!!!

[Ronald David Hanes]

Thank you for doing this. When I'm ready to learn a tune , all I need to do is listen to the examples you've provided (both music notation and audio) and go for it.

[Rob MacKillop]

Yes, an amazing feat.

[Trapdoor2]

I can't wait 'till he starts on the Bach fugues...

[Tim Twiss]

Sure enough, I went through them, and found 40 I have not not done. Man, it didn't seem like that many. Anyway, here we go. Many are really easy, so entry level players and tabbers take note of ones you like.

[Tim Twiss]

So, here is the first Buckley tune from this Mongrel Book...Aunt Dinah's Sauce Pan. Hmmm, Stroke or Fingerstyle??? How about both? It really seems to make no difference. Get out the good ol' Converse Hammer Stroke...great for single lines, even bare nail.

(PS...I do have more than one shirt, so I will change for this round of songs.)

[Tim Twiss]

Ian, thanks once again for your insight into these tunes. I learn a lot from your posts. It is great to put this "banjo" music into a broader context, and see how it grew and interacted with the times it was born into.

[Tim Twiss]

If anybody wants the actual music to the Buckley Banjo Guide of 1868, you can find it here.
http://www.milfordmusic.com/Banjo%20Clubhouse/Books/Buckley%2520186...

[Tim Twiss]

Okay, I need a little help on this one. Anybody ever get this to sound right, given the notes available and the bizzare tuning instructions? Lon Morris's Jig.

[Trapdoor2]

Bizzare tuning indeed (d#BEGB) However, it is the equivalent of f#DGCD tuning, which is in the canonical banjos tunings list, see: http://www.zeppmusic.com/banjo/aktuning.htm

Also, a very close variant is listed there: d#BEF#B. Oddly, both of the tunings I've just mentioned are sourced from the same Mike Seeger album...

I'll tab it out tonight...I'm wondering if it all works together or not!?!

Tim Twiss said:

Okay, I need a little help on this one. Anybody ever get this to sound right, given the notes available and the bizzare tuning instructions? Lon Morris's Jig.

[Tim Twiss]

That being said, try playing it that way....hmmmm

Trapdoor2 said:

Bizzare tuning indeed (d#BEGB) However, it is the equivalent of f#DGCD tuning, which is in the canonical banjos tunings list, see: http://www.zeppmusic.com/banjo/aktuning.htm

Also, a very close variant is listed there: d#BEF#B. Oddly, both of the tunings I've just mentioned are sourced from the same Mike Seeger album...

I'll tab it out tonight...I'm wondering if it all works together or not!?!

Tim Twiss said:

Okay, I need a little help on this one. Anybody ever get this to sound right, given the notes available and the bizzare tuning instructions? Lon Morris's Jig.

[Trapdoor2]

LOL...I just looked at it again. Gonna be difficult hitting those low A's with the bass string tuned to B. ;-) I also note that most (if not all) the high E's have extra flags on 'em, seems as how I recall that means to use the 5th string E to get that note.

I'm wondering (aloud) if this is another instance of 'transposition', where you play the note positions as if the banjo were tuned "normally" (eAEG#B) but you tune it d#BEGB? I'll give that a try this evening.