This week's winner, by a landslide, is an old time tune, Shove That Pig's Foot a Little Closer to the Fire. This isn't a tune I've known, so this is what I've found: Here's a link to the tune on www.thesession.org This is the ABC posted at thesession X: 1 T: Shove The Pig's Foot A Little Closer To The Fire M: 4/4 L: 1/8 R: reel K: Gmaj |: GA | BcBA GEEF | GAGE DDB,C | DEGA B3 c | B2 A2- A3 B- | BcBA GDEF | GAGE D3 D | EF G2 B3 G | A2 G2- G2- :| |: GA | Bd- dB d2 Bd | edBc d4 | Bc d2 g3 d | e2 d2- d3 A | Bd- dB ddBd | edBc d4 | B3 c BAGB | A2 G2- G2- :| Then I found THIS in the mandolinsessions archives by Wendy Anthony It has a good explanation of the pick direction that she recommends. It also includes TAB & standard notation. This is the basic tune that I'm going to work on for my version. I found this video of the tune unaccompanied on a fiddle, with a flat-foot dancer.. I think it's GREAT! Especially that this is an old-time American tune (I think!) being danced to at the University of Limerick, Ireland (or so the video says!)
Here's mine one time through. The hardest part for me, was NOT lapsing into DUD for what felt like triplets... when each measure actually had an eighth note 'pick up note' from the previous measure, which really should be picked UDU! Played on my Collings MT2O mandolin.
Here are the TABs and Stand.Notation. from TheSessions http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/at...3&d=1269626549 mc
OK, had time for just a little fun.... here's the same audio, with some photos inserted (some subliminal mando video left in between!)
Very strange, i have a tremendous urge for BBQ and to purchase a Collings MT-20, what's up with that?? mc
Another great tune to work on! This is my simple version, one time through, on my Old Wave. Barbara, I really enjoyed your version and like Michael it made me hungry. Eric
Nice job, Barbara and Eric. Barbara, your version with the pickup notes has a great feel to it, and I like your use of open string drones, Eric. This is the first tune I learned in GDGD tuning and I've had it up on YouTube for quite a while now. So I'm cheating on this one. I think I came up with my version from listening to recordings of Bruce Molsky playing it and trying to translate some of that to the mandolin. Mandolin is a Gilchrist Model 1.
Nice job, both ya'll. Did you notice just how pretty, and how similar looking these 3 mandos are?
They all sound real purty too. Ovals rule!!
Agreed!!!!!
Is this tune PETA approved? Nice job, all, and yes the ovals are nice. Still, I'll have to make due with my f-hole mando...
Great work, guys. Here's my attempt:
Solas, very nice! Wish we could have seen your left hand better, that was some fancy fingerwork there!
Um, I can't say as your second version made me hungry Barbara, but the audio was nice.
Great work everyone. I'm going to pretend that you all already knew that tune. Please don't correct me.
Lovely versions from you all - what a great tune too!
I've had this one up for about a year and a half. I think I'll try and do a new video of it this week. I love this tune!
Yee Ha! I kin dance to that. Sgarrity nails it!!
Excellent job sgarrity!
Lovely sounding mandos from everyone. Here's my version:
OS, that was great! Even if it's not the version and speed I have been trying to play. And very nice playing by everyone else above, too.
OS, great to have you back, with your lightning fingers!
Great versions from all of you!! I will try to learn this one when I get some time to.
This is a really cool tune , and great looking crubeens... I don't know this one but since it has a Limerick connection I'll get right on it...
Now Eddie, no limericks, this is a family forum after all...
Here's mine on my Newson A5 Oval Hole.
Dave, that truly had an old-time feel to it! Great sounding! You look like you are about to break out dancing while playing!!!
David - great version and what a SWEET mandolin! Is that the Newson that was at Gryphon?
Yeah, David. Was that the Newson that was was Gryphon? I see it's not there anymore..... Great playing all, BTW!!!
David, great sounding mando.
Yes my Newson is the one that was at Gryphon. They still have the Newson mandola but that was out of my price range. Exquisite looking and playing instruments.
Oh, you lucky, lucky man! Hearty congratulations to you on snagging that one!
David, wonderful playing, and I love the Newson oval. You had to mention there was a Newson mandola at Gryphon's. That looks so good it hurts.
Way to own that pig OS! David, "jaunty." Made me wanna dance. A+ for both you.
Yeah, David that Newson does sound great! Congrats on the new purchase. I got to play that one back in December when I stopped by Gryphon for my lifer (birder lingo..meaning first time seeing or experiencing) visit there. It's a goodin'! What an AWESOME store...I must have spent at least 3 hours there picking on just about every mando there while I had the bridge on my bovier adjusted.
Not perfect, but I refuse to agonize over it like I did St. Patrick's Day.
I'm really getting the hang of it but it's hard not to dance while I'm playing...
Nice playing Martin, but watch your alternating down and up strokes.
Thx OS. What should I watch them do? Should each and every stroke alternate, or is it D on the 1, U on the 2, D on the 3, etc. If that's the case what about 3/4 time? I've always gotten frustrated when trying to figure out the "right" way of strumming/picking and end up just "doin' what comes natural," but I'm probably shooting myself in the (pig's) foot doing that.
I like the slides and old time rhythm you had going Martin. Good for you on the speedy post too. I'm still obsessing. Partly, I think Don's spectacular rendition is to blame. I spent a day floundering around with GDGD tuning. It didn't seem like it should be that hard, but it felt like playing mandolin in some alternate universe.
Thx Marcelyn. Of course as soon as I turned the camera off I immediately started getting better at it. >:o(
Martin, if you click on the link in the original post, of the tune arrangement by Wendy Anthony, she explains the picking. Do you read standard notation? Here's my take on pick direction. In 4/4 time, tap your foot 4 times, one for each quarter note. The notes you are playing when your foot is tapping down, you should pick down. If a tune has 4 quarter notes (only) in the measure, pick them all down (it's tempting to pick them D U D U). If a measure has 8 eighth notes, pick that measure DUDUDUDU. If you are counting when you are picking, you'd count a measure 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & (to come up with 8 notes... to account for eighth notes). You pick down on the count, and up on the "&". If you have a measure (like this tune does) that has a last eighth note, that is picked up, even if there is no down note to pick right before it. In waltz time (3/4), you pick the quarter notes down. If a measure is 3 quarter notes, they are all picked down. If it's 6 eighth notes you'd pick it DU DU DU, as there are 3 counts, so you'd count it 1 & 2 & 3 & (to account for eighth notes). Same thing, down on the number, up on the "&" In either of these time signatures, if you have a mixture of quarter, dotted quarter, and eighth notes, you may end up picking a couple of down strokes in a row, for example, if it's 4/4 time, and the measure is a quarter, 2 eighths, quarter, quarter, it would be picked D DU D D. Jig rhythms (jigs, slip-jigs & slides) 6/8, 9/8, & 12/8. In a jig, there are six counts (eighth notes) but two BEATS.... on counts 1 & 4. You should pick count 1 & 4 with a down stroke. Most people pick it as DUD DUD, but you can achieve the same thing by picking them DDU, DDU. Once you get going, there's not much difference in how those two feel.... you still have 2 down picks with 1 up pick between, it just ends up being in a slightly different place. The main thing is that your counts of 1 & 4 are picked down. It is, of course, possible to pick a jig DUDUDU, but I am of the school of thought that plays it DUD DUD.
Martin, yes Barbara's explanation seems pretty comprehensive.
Thanks Barbara. Yes, I do read notation. And your explanation makes perfect sense. The short version is "pick down on the downbeat."
Martin, you are right... I tend to get wordy sometimes..... :-) I went into such detail in case you (or anyone else reading this) didn't read notation! I believe that there are people out there who play, but don't really have any idea about quarter notes, eighth notes, etc! So, when you tell them, pick DU DU DU DU, they take that literally, without taking into account timing...
Here we go, get your foot tappin' - Played on a Dearstone D1A
Sounds like you've been playing it for years Eddie. Nice.
OK, i have read Barbara's post at least 4 times now and i am convinced that i speak English as a second language. or at least music. In my defense, i have played guitar for about 50 years and, due to the varied influences of Elizabeth Cotton, Tom Paxton, Joan Baez, and Pete Seegar always finger-picked. the first time in memory i have held a pick in my hand was 4 months ago when i aquired my first mandolin. i;m afraid that the only way to learn how to play this instrument correctly is, like Golf, go back in time and start at a much earlier Age. mc
Mike... what's the problem? First time I held a pick in my hand was just about 5 years ago... before that, it was piano as a child! Anything is possible, it's good for these OLD brains to be learning new stuff! I saw this video for the first time a couple of days ago.... it's amazing to watch his technique... the video angles are just great....
Whoa! Unfreakin'-believeable! I'm sending that video to my nephew who is studying classical guitar at the Cleveland Institute.