090403 Next Friday Tune

[John Masciale]

How about doing a tune where the banjo part doesn't seem to go well with the vocal? There are three that come to mind - Gal with the Blue Dress On, Picayune Butler, and Jenny Get Your Hoe Cake. I have a devil of a time trying to sing the tune while playing the published lines, so I alter things to make the song work for me. I'd be curious to see how people do these.

[Tim Twiss]

Ah, another Friday music post. I enjoyed it, and liked hearing John and Carl. Can we squeek another one one out?
Any ideas? Hey lurkers, are there some tunes you can't do yet, wonder how they go, or would like to hear? Maybe this would encourage a little involvement?? This is such a great forum to do this stuff in....talking and playing / comparing. I'm game for anything.

[Carl Anderton]

Tim Twiss said:

Ah, another Friday music post. I enjoyed it, and liked hearing John and Carl. Can we squeek another one one out?
Any ideas? Hey lurkers, are there some tunes you can't do yet, wonder how they go, or would like to hear? Maybe this would encourage a little involvement?? This is such a great forum to do this stuff in....talking and playing / comparing. I'm game for anything.

Okay, here's a suggestion- it's a hard, quirky tune, but how about Rice's "Where Did You Come from?"

[John Masciale]

A good exercise, and warmup. Let's do it. Perhaps add a tune that uses one of the key patterns of your choice?

[Tim Twiss]

This tune has me really excited. I totally overlooked this one, as it appears in the front of the book where all those over-explained tunes are. It looks simple, but the timing is tricky. Beat 1 feels like pickup notes to beat 2, and it is a struggle not to play it with that thought and feeling. Great tune Carl!

Carl Anderton said:

Tim Twiss said:

Ah, another Friday music post. I enjoyed it, and liked hearing John and Carl. Can we squeek another one one out?
Any ideas? Hey lurkers, are there some tunes you can't do yet, wonder how they go, or would like to hear? Maybe this would encourage a little involvement?? This is such a great forum to do this stuff in....talking and playing / comparing. I'm game for anything.

Okay, here's a suggestion- it's a hard, quirky tune, but how about Rice's "Where Did You Come from?"

[Carl Anderton]

I knew you'd like it, Tim. Looking forward to hearing how you interpret it.

I've been "fiddling" with this tune for years. If you want to play it in an ensemble, you almost have to make some changes, 'cause no one can seem to follow it. And playing it straight and solo is no easier. I've never been satisfied with any recording I've made of it.

I guess this Friday is do or die time!

[Tim Twiss]

Not sure if it is true for this one, but some are best left alone with linear harmony only.

If not played well, the beat just seems to creep over until it has been flipped. Oddest tune.

[John Masciale]

Looking at that part of the book I'm a little confused. Is the fifth lesson a contiuation of the piece? Unlike the other lessons which say second or third part, the fifth lesson does not, so I've been interpreting it as separate from Where did you come from.

[Tim Twiss]

This 5th lesson is part of the song.

John Masciale said:

Looking at that part of the book I'm a little confused. Is the fifth lesson a contiuation of the piece? Unlike the other lessons which say second or third part, the fifth lesson does not, so I've been interpreting it as separate from Where did you come from.

[John Masciale]

Ok, what about the first repeat on page 16, is it a repeat to the beginning of the piece, or a repeat to the top of page 16? I could see it either way, but it makes more sense to me to repeat to the top of page 16, there is a double bar at the bottom of page 15.

[Tim Twiss]

Yes, each of those repeats are for an eight bar phrase.

John Masciale said:

Ok, what about the first repeat on page 16, is it a repeat to the beginning of the piece, or a repeat to the top of page 16? I could see it either way, but it makes more sense to me to repeat to the top of page 16, there is a double bar at the bottom of page 15.

[Tim Twiss]

Well, I got totally engrossed in this week's Friday Post. At first I thought it was some simple tune, but the ryhthmic and phrasing challenge was huge. Carl best described it as a "Minstrel Bermuda Triangle". Very difficult to keep the pulse and maintain "one" in the proper place. It mysteriously flips around in the brain...and ear. I spent a lot of time on this one , never deciding what tempo was best. As is the case with other great tunes of this time, I found several tempos worked, but can't decide...so here are three of them. In a performance, I would most likey play the medium tempo, but the urge to burn one is great...just gotta be careful of the phrasing.
A GREAT Minstrel Banjo song.

[John Masciale]

This is strange, I added a comment and it disappeared. I was intrigued by this piece as well. After last week I wanted to try and really hit the notes cleanly. This tune has a little bit of everything in it, so I have found it to be a good warmup and practice piece.

When working on my attacks I decided to try and play it up higher on the neck on the lower strings. Good practice, and it might even be easier on that last part.

Tim, I really enjoyed all three of your renditions. When I was first playing it I started slowly and then played each time through faster.