This week's tune is Soldier's Joy. It can be played many ways, many genre's. Looking forward to hearing everyone's submission. I already put a couple of videos of slow & simple Soldier's Joy in a separate discussion, for those who wanted to learn something simple. Here they are again: First, recorded on my Collings MT2 O Then, I recorded in on my Petersen OM, playing along with the first video Here's a link to the search results on www.thesession.org for Soldier's Joy. Here's a link to TAB on mandolin cafe. And another TAB on mandolin cafe. Here's a link to the search results for Tab Edit files on Mandozine.
Gad ... there are a ton of versions of this tune! I've been working on the Fiddler's Fake Book version, which is similar to the Jethro transcription in the Tab Edit files. Wonder why the B part goes so many different ways?
Hey everyone -I got lucky and and got a jump on this one
I'm working on the Fiddler's Fakebook version... but I expect the finished product to be closer to the Simple Version... now what to play it on.....
Does anyone want me to scan the Fiddler's Fakebook standard notation, and put it up here?
Hey Eddie, I've got an idea... do it all ALL of them! I'll probably submit another video of this tune, as well!
So many instruments.... so little time... here it is on a 1924 Martin flatback Style B (currently for sale in the classifieds)... And I'm using my new WebCam - which seems to be noisier than my Video Camera...
Eddie that was great! I hardly recognized you I have had to diddle with the settings on my web cam... I actually went out and bought a little digital camcorder today, haven't even opened it yet! I was hoping to get decent video somewhere OTHER than sitting in front of my computer. Ya'll have all shamed me with my 'background'.... My fellow band-mate, Scott, says 'presentation is everything'.... so I'm gonna work on that (maybe, someday, haha!) Barb
Well, since this was one of the very first tunes I learned 3 years ago, I'll go ahead and take the plunge. Only 1 clam (an open E instead of fretted at the 2nd) on the B part.
Tracy, that was nice. Very good timing and keeping your tempo. Beautiful sounding mandolin, I forget, what kind is it?
My version hardly ever changes. The reason I play this version, is that this is the speed that my band plays that tune (or almost so) and there's no way I can play the other version that fast! I dusted off my 1955 Martin A Style mandolin (she still sounds kinda sleepy!) for this recording!
Thanki you Barb, it was nerve wracking! My mandolin is my new Jade.
This is my first attempt at recording my playing, uploading to You Tube, and posting a video. It was fun making. I have been playing for about two years and I consider myself an intermidate beginner. I took liberty to change the song so that I could play it. Hope to see all levels of talent playing this song so I can get ideas for improvement.
How do you guys post the "You Tube Pic" instead of the link?
Sweet Tea, you have to start with the 'post reply' button, rather than the 'quick reply' button. From that next screen (which has more options) you type your message. From your you tube video, on the right, is something that says 'embed' on the right, near the top. You copy that code. Then back at your reply on the social group discussion, you click the red 'tube' icon at the top. It opens a window where you paste the code you copied from your youtube video. I usually click 'preview' at the bottom of my message, to make sure it's right, before I click 'post message' You can go back to your previous message, and hit edit and take out the link and paste it into that message, rather than creating a new message, if you like. Barb
SweetTea, that was great! Tell us about your mandolin, it's so dark, I can hardly see it, but it sure sounds nice! As far as changing it up, my version that I play is very similar to what you play. I can play it much faster with the triplet on one string, rather than the arpeggio, as it's written. Plus, when you play it in a group, they are usually playing it WAY fast, and there are plenty of people playing the arpeggio (on banjos and whistles!), so I really like the way the 'rat-tat-tat' sound of the triplet in a group setting, as well!
Has SweetTea's video dematerialized?
W0W! That was a quick response. I recorded this piece about 40 times before I got one that did not have too many mistakes. B part trips me up for some reason. The sunlight from the window turned to moon light when I finished. That's why it's dark. Anyway my Mandolin is an embrassingly cheap instrument. Brand new it cost $50 bucks. It's a mail ordered Rogue. I am trying to force myself not to buy a nice instrument until I feel I can play by ear with some level of comfort. I am a tab addict at this point. Using the purchase of a new mandolin as bait to force me to practice. Problem is I have found a big fish I would really like to have.
SweetTea, I forgot to tell you that when you use the 'edit' button to edit something already posted, you need to go to 'advanced options' to imbed your video (I think. I know you have to if you want to delete your post, and it looks like you've already figured out how to delete a post!)
Thanks for the Upload help Barbara.
Beam me up, Scotty.
Very nice, Mike. I'd call your version more 'bluegrass' and mine more 'old-time', wouldn't you?
SweetTea, I'd say you've got a GREAT $50 mandolin... it sounds very nice!
Yeah, I'd say. My premando reference point comes from fiddling at Irish social dances. The syncopation in the B part is how I might bow to give the dancers more sense of rhythm moving through the melody. Mike Compton says I play bluegrass and old-time tunes as if they are Irish, and my Irish friends say I play Irish tunes like bluegrass. I'm a man without a country. But I'm not from Dublin or Pike County, so I guess I'm just playing them like I hear them. Check out the YouTube of Mark O'Conner playing this. Lots of drones and he has yet another take on the B section. But you can hear him moving the rhythm -- "pushes," Compton calls them, in B, especially in the first part of his first time through B. Now, I'd better go cut the grass before my wife gets home!
Mark O'Connor is a great fiddler, isn't he!
Here is my take of Soldier's Joy. This is one of my band's favorites, mostly because we have a couple of really good fiddlers. I've played it on whistle for a long time, but was glad to learn it on the mando, as the tune works better on the mando than on the whistle. I've never considered this an old-timey tune. It shows up in a book of Revolutionary War dance tunes, sounding more like English country dance music. Fun how a tune will morph. DWP
DWP, that was great!
DWP, I really liked that. That mandolin is so mellow sounding, very nice tone. Did you say what it was?
Here's mine. Enjoy! http://vimeo.com/4829496 Chris
chris - for some reason, my computer doesn't like vimeo.com recordings - sound and vision comes all chopped up in little pieces - i'm missing out on some great playing, for sure!
Good job, CD and Chris. I have been trying to work on this tune, but have been distracted by the O'Carolan thread. Will
Good job everyone! Since we already have several OT and BG styled versions, I decided to find and learn a jazzier version. This version is supposedly by Jethro. I have to play it pretty slow still and it's not exactly "swinging" yet, but here goes.
Barb and MandoLiz, Thanks for the compliments; never bad to hear The mandolin is a Collings MT, fairly new, and yes, I'm liking the sound a lot! Also the black gloss top and the satin sunburst back & sides; it's a little different, but not totally over the top.
Ducati, Nicely played, and what a great version. Way cool. I'll have to sit in front of the computer with some instrument and learn it. - DWP
Another quick version - more standard bluegrass style.
Here is my shot. First attempt at making a video for this song, too lazy to record another.
Here's my version. I am trying to figure out the intro that Dawg uses on his version with Doc Watson, but I don't quite have it yet. Also, once I go through it a time or two, I'm trying to get my fingers around the "B" part further up the neck on closed strings - I think it sounds nicer, but I'm having a rough time getting my fingers to play what my ears want to hear. (Story of my life, LOL )
Good version. I like the variations although I see I am having to resort to the simpler version to get it up to the speed my wife plays it at.
Hey, just joined up, after finding Barbara's videos on Youtube. What a smile! Here is my spastic attempt at playing this tune; sorry for the ridiculous animation (I have no camera of any kind ). Also, you'll hear a clicking sound which is the loose tuning key on my mandolin (which I got for free, haha). I'm probably playing it at the wrong tempo, and with the wrong feel, as I have no idea about such things, but I'm committed to learning a song a week with you all, nonetheless .
welcome to the group, sounded very good to me.
Here' my version. I have been playing the tune since I started on the mandolin about a year ago. I keep trying to increase the bpm. I'm up to 140. Played here on a Kentucky KM-1000
Beepu I think the tempo and feel were just great! And your stick figure, maybe it was suffering from too much morphine! barb
TDM picker, that was great! I'd suggest turning your camera mic all the way down for better sound! Thanks!
Beepu, that stick man pretty much represents what seems to be Canadian attitude towards those Celtic tunes: take an Irish tune and add lots of amphetamine (aka Speed). Must be something in the air. Check out the Leahys, for instance. Your playing is on the right path already, from what I can hear. I always get carried away by the mere mentality. One of these days I'll post a jig set by Canadian mandolinist Corey Ticknor that I have in the oven for some time now... Bertram
I like hearing all the different versions - this is fun to see how many different ways we can play the same song.
handing in my home work ... don't know about you but i found this tune very difficult to remember. i'm ok after hearing a few notes but unaided, it tends to remain hidden in the murky depths of my (ha-ha) "memory":
Bill, as always, your video is a joy to watch and listen to!
Bertram, thank you for the link. I think you might be onto something, with your theory of the hyperactive Canadians. Perhaps we learned to flail our bodies around as a means of keeping warm in the winter. Thanks also to Barbara and Chris for the nice compliments. Keep those videos coming; it's great to hear the different styles and notes people manage to squeeze into these tunes. I tend to learn them a certain way, and then get stuck playing them exactly that way every time; listening to all of your playing is really opening my... ears. I almost said eyes, but that's crazy talk. I especially like Bill's whistling! He's often surprising. - Bob
On some tunes, I find that if I start in the middle the beginning will come back to me. There are others, tho', that I find myself starting on one tune and ending up in another one. For example, when we were doing Fishers Hornpipe, I had to really concentrate to stay on that, because once I moved into the B part I found myself doing Brilliancy.
I recorded Soldier's Joy twice. The first version is an old time one and the second is more bluegrassy. Both have numerous mistakes, but I eventually gave up my search for perfection. Tom Soldier's Joy 1 Soldier's Joy 2
