Week #225 ~ Dill Pickle Rag

  1. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    This week's tune is a ragtime tune, Dill Pickle Rag.

    I'm not familiar with this tune, and am short on time. I found this:

    "Dill Pickle Rag" was composed by Charles Johnson (1875-1950) in 1906. It became wildly popular the following year after being performed as a brass band piece by the John Phillips Sousa band, and became the first ragtime tune to sell over 1 million copies of the sheet music. Charles Johnson composed and arranged over 200 pieces of music, many under various "pseudonyms" in order to avoid the exclusivity clause prevalent in many publishing contracts of the time. Dill Pickles was one of the first ragtime tunes to incorporate the pattern of using a repeated 3-note melody phrase against a four-note bass rhythym. This tune has become popular in bluegrass and old-time circles, having been recorded by such legends as Chet Atkins, Doc Watson, and Mark O'Connor."

    Here are some links:

    http://abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=ab...lsd-g.txt/0004

    http://nationalfiddlerhalloffame.org...heetMusic.html

    If anyone has anything more to add, please do!
  2. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Here's a few videos of Dill Pickles Rag...





  3. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    This one sounded intimidating at a fast pace, but after just now picking it out, it's pretty straightforward. I don't know if anyone here learns a tune best by playing along with someone slowly like I do. if so, here's a really helpful lesson.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phbucWhjl7I
  4. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    I'm curious what was wrong with tab that someone had to come up with ABC notation? Just wondering.
    Guess I'll slowly read the notation.

    Kris
  5. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Kris, I think it began as a way to jot down tunes at a jam session quickly. Unlike tab, it works for any instrument and--probably best of all--is really easy to share over the computer.
    You can convert ABC to mandolin tab here...
    http://mandolintab.net/abcconverter.php
  6. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    Kris, the main advantage of ABC notation is you can cut and paste it easily from a web page. There are many ways to convert ABC into tab. An easy one is http://mandolintab.net/abcconverter.php - just paste in the ABC and choose the mandolin tab option.

    Oh, there we go, Marcelyn beat me to it.
  7. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    That makes sense. Thank you Marcelyn and David! Would have been slow going reading the music.

    Kris

    Just tried it, that's fantastic! Thanks to you both again.
  8. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Now this is a fun version...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqxvEr0B8FE
  9. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    Yeah, that is some fine pickin' and a fun version. I have to get to work on this one! Might take me till Thursday, LoL.

    Kris
  10. Eddie Sheehy
    Seems I was busy with this a few years ago..







  11. laura809
    laura809
    There is some tab here that doesn't require conversion.

    http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/ir...pickle_rag.htm
  12. Manfred Hacker
    Manfred Hacker
    The Fiddler's Fakebook has a nice version in it, too. It's still one of my first go-to sources.
  13. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    Thanks Laura! I think I have it now.
    I'll have to look into that book Manfred, I hear it mentioned around here a lot.
    Nice versions Eddie. This tune is a challenge but sure is fun to work on.

    Kris
  14. Dan Krhla
    Dan Krhla
    Mandozine has them too - http://www.mandozine.com/music/searc...rder=A&submit=

    fun tune, I may need to bust out the camera this week. Yeah right...
  15. WillFly
    WillFly
    Apologies that this isn't a mandolin video - just thought you might be interested in the guitar duet version that I play with my old mate Chris ("Wolfie") Wolferstan...

  16. Hendrik Luurtsema
    Hendrik Luurtsema
    Very nice Will! You and Chris are amazing performers..
  17. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    What an exceptional duo we get to follow. Really nice playing Will and Chris. Here's a version of Dill Pickles Rag from Jeff and me on ukulele and mandolin.
  18. Sasquatch
    Sasquatch
    I love it Marcelyn!! Your mix of instruments and playing fits like a tailor made suit! Good stuff
  19. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    Really great, Marcelyn and Jeff! You picked that one up quick Marcelyn, really, really nice.

    Kris
  20. Hendrik Luurtsema
    Hendrik Luurtsema
    This is so great Jeff and Marcelyn... You've got the right feeling with this tune. Very well done!
  21. JLewis
    JLewis
    You guys made my nite. Thanks
  22. Tavy
    Tavy
    Will + Chris: really really nice guitar playing, loved that version.

    Marcelyn: you did well to learn that so fast - I really liked the mandolin/uke combination too, and the "swing" sounded just right - very authentic!
  23. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Thanks you all. Cool backup really does help to get into this tune. I don't know many rags, but the three I've learned here have had the advantage of little patterns that shift from string to string and make them easier to pick up. This one's so fun.
  24. Sasquatch
    Sasquatch
    Well folks, the Dill Pickle Rag put my playing in a major pickle! The ragtime beat has me befuddled for whatever reason. This is still a WIP. Here is what I came up with for now.

  25. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    You're way too modest, Tim. That sounds wonderful. I'm going to learn that C part today.
  26. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    Sounds good Timothy! Challenge for me but here is mine, Needs a little work, but it's coming along. Really fun song.
  27. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    I once saw a thread about what song would you play for someone if they asked you to play something. This one would be a good one. Really fun. Of course mine needs some cleaning up but an enjoyable tune.
  28. Eddie Sheehy
    Actually when I'm asked to play a tune I usually do Stone's Rag... there's one for SOTW...
  29. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    Don't know that one Eddie, I'll look that up.

    Kris
  30. Manfred Hacker
    Manfred Hacker
    Oh my, such hard acts to follow:
    Marcy and Jeff, the perfect duo, Sasquatch, the speed demon, after speed demons Will and Chris. Great jobs all.
    Dusty, good, clean picking. If I may remark something. I don't know if you do this intentionally: On the chromatic run up from the D, in the 5th measure of the B part, you seem to play only half the tempo.
    Here is my attempt. 'Metronome' courtesy of Band-in-a-Box.
    If you hear it only from one speaker, it's my bad.

  31. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Super, Manfred! I'm going to start the B part like that from now on.
    Kris, great work. I agree with Eddie, I think you'd like Stone's Rag too. We also did Ragtime Annie--They were weeks 98 and 99.
  32. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    Manfred, Any feedback helps me out A LOT thank you! No it wasn't intentional I'll go back and look at that again. Great version by the way. Thanks Marcelyn I'll check those out.

    Kris
  33. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    Nicely done Manfred and all who came before. Not much time anymore for posting but I managed to squeeze this one in, albeit a little shaky.

  34. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    That's great, and a perfect job for the Mandonator.
  35. maudlin mandolin
    maudlin mandolin


    Steady as a rock Manfred and nice to hear from David again. For the second week in a row I am doing a Mickey Cochran cross picking arrangement.
  36. Manfred Hacker
    Manfred Hacker
    Very nice (shaky??) playing, David. The Mandonator sounds really good on this one. And your sound is superb as always. Sorry to hear that you are too busy to post much.
    Maudlin, that's again for something completely different. Nice effort. Mickey Cochran would be pleased to learn that his legacy lives on in the UK, too
    And thanks for your kind words, Marcy, David and Maudlin.
    By the way, Marcy, my version is from the Fiddler's Fakebook
  37. laura809
    laura809
    I wish I had time to do a backing track for this one. I loved the groove that David's mandonator and Manfred's Band in a Box versions had. Maudlin, it was neat to hear a very different arrangement of the same tune. I just got my first ukulele, so I particularly enjoyed Marcelyn and Jeff's arrangement. It's nice to hear that the mandolin and ukulele working so well together.
    Here's my basic version. I am hoping it will be easier to keep up once I send the kids back to school next week.
  38. dusty miller
    dusty miller
    Manfred, Laura, Maudlin, David, Great versions! Enjoyed them all.
    I see what you mean now Manfred, thanks again for your help.

    Kris
  39. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Charles L. Johnson (1876-1950): Dill Pickles Rag

    This was the second ragtime tune to sell a milion copies of sheet music (after Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag) and the biggest hit of 1906. My version on resonator tenor guitar and mandolin is based on an arrangement for two violins from this tune book:

    http://www.kiwifolk.com/dfc/DSFO%20Violin.pdf

    Garry Probert resonator tenor guitar
    1898 Giuseppe Vinaccia mandolin
    Vintage Viaten tenor guitar



    Martin
  40. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Great tune and lovely harmonisation there Martin, I like the sort of gentle ripple effect you have between the two instruments.
  41. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    I like this tune too - I have never quite mastered it.
  42. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Thanks, Simon and Ginny -- it's a fun tune, and this arrangement is pretty approachable (no third position required as in most settings). My tenor reso and the bowlback feel right at home in ragtime. I like the way the arrangement switches between the parts moving in unison and in harmony.

    Martin
  43. gortnamona
    gortnamona
    very nice Martin, the movie The Sting instantly springs to mind
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