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Thread: Mr. Bojangles

  1. #1
    Registered User Al Trujillo's Avatar
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    Default Mr. Bojangles

    I tried finding this song through the search feature with no luck at all. Anyone know where I can find it?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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  4. #3
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    I tabbed out a version of Mr. Bojangles using Tabledit program, you can get a free viewer for this .tef file here if you wish: http://www.tabledit.com/tefview/download.shtml

    Also uploading a text file tab.

    Mr_Bojangles.tef

    Mr_Bojangles.txt
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  6. #4
    Registered User Al Trujillo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Thank you Sir!!

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  8. #5
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Welcome
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  9. #6
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Well, five months later and I'm ready to post a progress video on this tune . . .

    At the time the OP requested this, I was such a newbie that I didn't play chords on the mandolin, I only knew the two-finger G, D and C and hadn't worked at all on mando-rhythm. The first TAB I posted was my attempt to find the melody of the tune; I think I may have revised it soon after and re-posted it. Since then I've continued to work on a better TAB from time to time, and just this past week was able to play and sing the song - albeit not very well, fair warning!

    This is not a polished performance as you'll see, you are watching the five month progress of a newbie here. Please overlook my painful expression if you can, LOL, this is a struggle for me.



    I just 'filmed' this at 2:30 AM after working volunteer parking of tour buses all day at the Outlaws & Legends Music Festival here in Abilene, where I watched Jerry Jeff perform this tune last night. I have a lot of excuses for why this could have been better, but who cares? I'm posting because I am proud of my progress these few months. I see that I am struggling throughout this thing, also that my posture is terrible. Feel free to offer constructive criticism if so inclined.

    >> TAB and notation for this arrangement is available at http://www.markgunter.net/good_stuff...bs-song-charts as a TEF file.

    And pictures of last night's Jerry Jeff performance are here: https://www.facebook.com/MarksCarts/...7333976&type=3
    Last edited by Mark Gunter; Apr-03-2016 at 4:02am.
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  11. #7
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Loved it Mark! Good work. Had to get out my mando and play along. Such a great song, such a great song writer. Haven't yet made it to Pearl but gonna try in May - maybe. Hope to see you there. You should be proud, it's very well done.

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  13. #8
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Thank you, Jim! I am proud of my progress and excited about learning mandolin. I've set up my first lesson with a real mandolin player for next Thursday. I'm hoping to learn better technique, and get help on making more mandolin-like arrangements on these type tunes. I'm working on Dylan's "I Threw It All Away" now which has a somewhat similar chord progression - same key anyway.

  14. #9
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    I understand. Sometimes my own playing just doesn't seem like the way a "real" mandolin player would do it (like you I started on guitar). But then isn't all music/art interpretive (easy excuse for poor playing sometimes). I've taken some mando lessons, really helpful. Nothing like face to face, one on one dedicated learning. Good luck with it.

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  16. #10

    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Wowie Mark! That was great, thanks for sharing! Ima gonna have to get my mandolin out and play along.
    Northfield F5M #268, AT02 #7

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  18. #11
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Very nice, bass runs and all! As to constructive criticism, I'd suggest simplifying your strum a bit, at least for a while.

    It's in 3/4 time, a/k/a waltz time, and you're working for a nice sounding "bomp, ching-a, ching-a" feel. While those upstrokes nicely sub-divide the 2 and 3 counts, they also leave you less time to change to the next chord or connecting bass run. Because keeping solid timing & rhythm is more important than embellishing the rhythm, I'd try a more basic "bomp, ching, ching", leaving that last half beat to move fingers smoothly into the next measure. (Even some better players move their fretting fingers "relatively" slowly; it's just not obvious because they don't let it affect their timing.)

    Yes it will smooth out eventually, to the point of adding back the upstrokes. And hey, any "painful expression" is barely noticeable!
    - Ed

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  20. #12
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Thanks for the pointers Ed! I can hear what you mean about simplifying the rhythm. I don't typically have trouble keeping time and the big "oops" I noted was due to forgetting the chord progression rather than being rushed to change, but I don't think I've gotten the rhythm playing where I want it yet and your criticism is much appreciated. The "stress" of remembering fingerings on a new instrument as well as chord progression and trying to sing is a bit much for me right now, and I must say that filming myself and offering these attempts publicly is going a long way to showing me how to proceed from here.

    One device that I found while experimenting with this song that I like and want to retain is the syncopated tat-tat -- tat-tat (1& - &3, with emphasis on 3) used after the first line of vocals on the G/C chord before changing to F. When I shot this, I forgot to add that little device except in a few places, but that will be retained while I try to simplify the strumming as you suggested.

    Edit: Having re-watched this, I see now that the place I flubbed was a spot where I forgot to add that device I was mentioning . . .
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  21. #13

    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Gunter View Post
    Well, five months later and I'm ready to post a progress video on this tune . . .

    This is not a polished performance as you'll see, you are watching the five month progress of a newbie here. Please overlook my painful expression if you can, LOL, this is a struggle for me.
    ..

    I have a lot of excuses for why this could have been better, but who cares? I'm posting because I am proud of my progress these few months. I see that I am struggling throughout this thing, also that my posture is terrible. Feel free to offer constructive criticism if so inclined.

    Mark,

    I don't see a struggle, I see someone playing a great song and enjoying it. The right hand looks good, the sound is great, and to sing a song while playing is a feat in itself. Only advice I would give is to open the fingers of the right hand just a bit, it could relax the right hand some. I like what you did around the 2:05 mark, varying the strum pattern a bit like that on other areas would open the song up a bit more.

    Great job on this, I now have another song to add to my ever growing list of things to get to.

    Regards,

    Gary
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  23. #14
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Thanks for your comments and suggestions Gary, appreciated.
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    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    OK, 18 months later and I've learned a bit more and gotten a bit more comfortable with the mandolin. I started working on Bojangles again. Still wouldn't be comfortable playing it on stage with solo mandolin, but that's the goal I'm aiming at. I did play it busking in Chicago last month, and that was a blast!

    Al was asking for a tab when this thread started, and though I'd been less than a year on mandolin, I'd been playing this tune in C on guitar since I was a teen, so I figured something out. The tab rendition wasn't very good, and I couldn't play it, but five months later I had learned a few more chords and gave it a shot.

    Last week I experimented with some intro ideas, and yesterday decided to record it. Again I wasn't very happy with the outcome, and nixed the recording project for now. But I've taken the snippet I made, and added some old family photos with a few old photos of myself as a backdrop.

    Over two years now with a mandolin and loving it more every day. If you can look past my lack of skill, you may hear the tone of my Collings, which I love.

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  26. #16
    Registered User Al Trujillo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Mark, - Love it!!! Your voice has the maturity that works well with the song - well done!

    Thanks for reviving this thread.

    Al

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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Mark, That was real. I enjoyed it. Jim

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  30. #18
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Thanks Al, Jimko
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  31. #19
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    You've got the voice, Mark. Nice job.
    Bill
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  32. #20
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Thanks Bill. Do y'all think the intro is headed in the right direction?
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  33. #21

    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Has anyone found (or done) a transcription of Bromberg's solo for Mr. Bojangles? I'm trying but it might take me a decade.
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  34. #22
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    No but I played it with Jerry Jeff on his 40th birthday.

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  36. #23
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Great playing and singing voice Mark, thanks.

    Here’s Nina Simone, like WOW! I really miss the sixties…

    https://youtu.be/PjfV1q2yO1c

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  38. #24
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mr. Bojangles

    Thanks Simon. At six years in, now, I do pull this one out sometimes on stage, and busking, with Mandolin. Time flies!
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