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Spending time learning and relearning a few rags. Once you learn one, it gets easier to learn many others.

Peacock rag
Chattanooga
Banks of the Kaney

Oh Henry.

A few more thoughts. As far as a mandolin playing with horns, I’ve done it a few times, my favorite was a few old time sessions with a tuba player. I recall having great fun with notey tunes without...

Thanks for all the good comments. Actually what I am doing is threefold. First, I'm practicing alone to learn some of the old jazz tunes I have always loved. I am fairly familiar with F from Scottish...

I've been playing a bit of 1920's era trad Jazz lately. Not being a facile reader, I learn tunes by repetition using the amazing slow downer (ASD).

So many of these tunes were recorded in keys...

That's some pretty nice playing there, Mr Sweeney. Do you also play mandolin? Going to have to take a close look at Dixie Hoedown.

To Jim Roberts. No I picked up the Blake's March on this thread....

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/opinion/alaska-climate-change.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

I hope every builder reads this article about the destruction of the Tongass old growth spruce forest.

Coleman's March. Such a lovely tune.

Plus two Cajun tunes in preparation for an upcoming session.

la Maraine
Reel de Nonc Will.

Harry Bolick recently released a unique collection of his own tunes in the tradition of Mississippi string band tunes from the 20s and 30s. It's quite a unique undertaking, and should interest anyone...

I have a neighbor who built a gold top Les Paul, even added a faithful Gibson Label. He never played it outside his living room. I once asked if he planned to sell it as a Gibson. He lowered his eyes...

177138 I can’t resist adding my own oddity, built by Ben Wilcox for a professional jazz player. It was the color of the top that first caught my eye when it was offered for sale. I bought it instead...

I for one would love to hear a recording that includes any San Francisco, early Stones, or Motown material and features mandolin and pipes. How cool is that.

PK, If you ever need a techno beatbox...

I used to play an Old Wave mandola. I had a hard time converting all the tunes I know on mandolin so they sounded in the same key on the mandola. Also, my band was not altogether willing to play our...

Here’s an essay about the various ways to learn fiddle tunes, which much to say about notation versus ear learning. I’m a full time ear learner and also a believer in improvising the nuance.
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Have to mention JP Fraley's Annadean's Waltz. As playful as it gets. And a big favorite whenever we pull it out at a contra dance, turning ever so slightly dissonant as the tune goes through its...

Yes Mike Black. It’s that one. Nice version too.

I learned it with that extra beat before the B part mentioned by wormpicker. Played either way, it’s impossible to stop hearing it inside my head...

Thanks Jim. Actually, this video reaffirms my own sense that each tune sound best when performed with respect to its own innate tempo. I've never been a big fan of musicians who push the speed of ...

Why or why not? I always keep a lot of homegrown produce in the refrigerator. I had decide between the strings or the blueberries. Guess which one is now cold. Sorry, just joking.

Many thanks, JL. Indeed, it is the Fox/Winegar tune. What got us all so jubilant was the syncopation in the B part.

In that situation I highly recommend an ipad or iphone running the app: Voice Record Pro. VRP lets you set levels precisely, allows basic cutting to get rid of such things as overly long beginnings,...

This looks like a grand personal challenge for the month of July. Thanks for the tab.

I remember, about 6 years ago, meeting a guy in Bellingham WA who had 3 prized mandolins to sell, a Weber F5, a Gibson Sam Bush, and a Mix carbon fiber F5. The Mix had the best sound to my ears. I...

I've owned one for 8 years. I've used it lots on stage. When plugged straight into a board it sounds more like a mandolin should than anything else I've ever used except maybe a good small condenser...

a video from a news show someone just sent me. I thought some Cafe members would like to see it.
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I've always felt that the way music is continually changing is one of the very best things about it. Just look at all the ways that Appalachian musicians deconstructed their own Irish and Scottish...