Ryk, thanks for the reference to Mandolin Camp North. It's around the corner from where I visit. An obvious must-attend!
Ryk, thanks for the reference to Mandolin Camp North. It's around the corner from where I visit. An obvious must-attend!
This is a long post. You can ignore everything except the last line if you like.
I'm going through Ryan's Mammoth randomly. I'm just picking tunes by closing my eyes, flipping to a page and pointing. As Old Time really is more about listening, playing by ear, and playing in ensemble, this in not really the "old-timey" way of learning Old Time music, but there it is anyway.
To build on the playing in ensemble skills, I figure out the guitar chords and play those into a loop pedal, play them back though an acoustic amp, and then pick up my mandolin or fiddle and play the tunes. I've found that playing in ensemble has been hard for me, as was not something I could do myself in practice. Now that is no longer a problem: with a loop pedal I can accompany myself at any speed I want.
Three requirements for my method are: you have to read notation (easy enough to learn), you have to be able to strum guitar chords, and you have to be able to figure out what chords belong in the melodies. The third part takes some knowledge of how chords are constructed and named.
A great book is the "Mandolin Player's Pastime". It has the chords, notation and mandolin tab for a large number of old-time tunes. Go to voyagerrecords.com for this and a lot of other learning resources, including recordings that Vivian and Phil Williams have made.
Finally, go to digital.berea.edu and use their search engine "Search Audio Files in Berea Digital" using "Fiddle Tunes" at the search Genre. The Berea College Collection is the place to hear authentic OT on the web. You can download the tunes played by the old timers themselves. Then pick the tunes by ear.
Ha, ha! keep time: how sour sweet music is,
When time is broke and no proportion kept!
--William Shakespeare
I realize that this thread goes back a few months and the OP may be long gone, however, one thing that truly should be mentioned is that the heart of old time music is playing with other musicians. Find other players of your level and play a lot. Go to festivals and jam your brains out. Go to lots of concerts and listen to the music to get it in your blood and head. Technique is important, too ,but the subtle technique of playing and fitting in with other musicians is the heart of music IMHO.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Check out Caleb Klauder. Also check out the Caleb Klauder Country Band. There are tons of youtube videos and full sets. An AMAZING old time mandolin player. His band is pretty fine too! His use of double stops is something to study in itself...
Absolutely Brilliant, Jack Roberts! Thanks so much for the advice and for that link. I'm going to be spending a lot of time at Berea Digital!
Collings MT-O Sunburst (2014)
Kentucky KM630 (early 1990s Korean) w/ K&K Twin Internal
Vega K-Style Mandolin Banjo (1917)
Vega N-Style 17-Fret Tenor Banjo (1922)
Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo w/ Resonator
Collings MT-O Sunburst (2014)
Kentucky KM630 (early 1990s Korean) w/ K&K Twin Internal
Vega K-Style Mandolin Banjo (1917)
Vega N-Style 17-Fret Tenor Banjo (1922)
Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo w/ Resonator
Collings MT-O Sunburst (2014)
Kentucky KM630 (early 1990s Korean) w/ K&K Twin Internal
Vega K-Style Mandolin Banjo (1917)
Vega N-Style 17-Fret Tenor Banjo (1922)
Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo w/ Resonator
Thanks to all for your really helpful advice. This has been just great. To add to the mix, I've found Baron Collins-Hills very helpful site, MandoLessons.com. A great list a fiddle tunes with videos, as well as technique lessons. Highly recommended, and it's all free; I'll surely be tipping him on PayPal. Any more advice and links are more than welcome. Thanks again.
Collings MT-O Sunburst (2014)
Kentucky KM630 (early 1990s Korean) w/ K&K Twin Internal
Vega K-Style Mandolin Banjo (1917)
Vega N-Style 17-Fret Tenor Banjo (1922)
Deering Goodtime 2 5-String Banjo w/ Resonator
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