What's your new fiddle tune?

[Gary S]

Ive been playing "Back Step Cindy" alot here lately...Gary

[David M.]

Been learning some Gene Goforth tunes lately, mostly on fiddle but still there for mando, for some dances we have scheduled in the near future: White River (AEAC# tuning); Gettin Out of the Way of the Federals (got it down and it's a fun tune); Wolves a Howlin'.

Also working on Sweet Little Julie, a cut from the Pilot Mtn. Bobcats and I have a good Kirk Sutphin version. This one's all right hand (bow in this case) technique that gives it the drive. Because of the bowing drive, it's fun to pick on mando to get some of that rhythm and timing going.

Also (like I need more to work on) working a tad on Five Miles of Ellum Wood off Bruce Greene's cd of that title. Great stuff on that cd.

Just got done gettin' down Old Virginia Reel off Kirk Sutphin's "Old Roots, new Branches" cd. Great stuff.

Changing my version of Mississippi Sawyer to be a little less shuffle bowing and more old timey bowing.

[woodwizard]

MikeB Quote: So many mentions of my hero, Norman Blake. Anyone working on "Blake's March"? Absolutely wonderful tune.
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I love "Blake's March" I talked my band into performing that one reguarely. We've been doing it for a couple of years now. I never get tired of Norman. I usually have to pick his tunes by myself sadly because my band likes more bluegrassier stuff. Got to even visit with him awhile when he came though Arkansas not that long ago. He is awesome. My wife snapped a pic of me & him together. Needless to say that's hanging in my music room and makes me pretty proud every time I look that way.

[Uncle Choppy]

So many mentions of my hero, Norman Blake. #Anyone working on "Blake's March"?

Not quite up to that one yet!

I've done "John Brown's March" along with "Green Castle Hornpipe" and Nancy's "Father's Hall" - some of the simpler ones on the "Mandolin of Norman Blake" DVD.

Hopefully I'll get round to "Blake's March" at some point. Here's a link to the nice version mentioned by MikeB by the Montana Mandolin Society

[Gary S]

Sounds like your listening to some good music David M.You wont here any better fiddlin than Kirk Sutfin.IMHO

[Gerard Dick]

Angus Campbell #Whiskey before Breakfast and Over the Waterfall are in the works right now.

[David M.]

Sounds like your listening to some good music David M.You wont here any better fiddlin than Kirk Sutfin.IMHO

Somewhere I have a VHS of "Appalachian Fiddling Today", a vid put out years ago by Fiddler Magazine. Several folks on it like Charlie Acuff, Hartford, Leftwich, Gellert, and others. Kirk's on there and he was about my favorite next to Bruce Greene. On there, Kirk plays Roscoe, Old Virginia Reel, and others. He's amazing.

[JeffD]

On there, Kirk plays Roscoe, Old Virginia Reel, and others.

Roscoe is a great tune. I heard it in a jam the other day and instantly became addicted. Its on my list.

[Don Grieser]

Thanks for all the tunes to check out guys. I'm another Norman fan here. I've just about got "Bright Days" up to speed. Love to play "Greencastle Hornpipe" and some of the other tunes he teaches on his mando video. "Father's Hall" by Nancy Blake is another excellent tune to play. Nancy really plays a great version on Norman's mando video. Anybody work up any of the tunes on "Original Underground Music from the Mysterious South"?

[sgarrity]

For Blake fans, how about Muddy Creek and Callahan. Both fun, sprightly tunes.

Greenwillis is another good one...

[Mike Snyder]

JeffD, I think that you may be the devil. I,ve been obsessed with The Cuckoo's Nest since your post. I can't eat. I can't sleep. My fingers hurt. There may not exist a more perfect fiddle tune. Thank you for this exquisite torture.

[Mike Bunting]

Green Leaf fancy is a great Norman Blake tune also.

[Aran]

Damn...... I am at one of those stages where I just can't make up my mind which one to tackle next....

Hopefully the inspiration will come to me this weekend...

Vacancy for a muse available! Apply here

[David M.]

yeah, GreenLeafFancy is a good one. Crooked as all-get-out, which makes it cool. Learned that one about 6 months ago.

Worked on some James Bryan off his First of May and got Swedish Waltz, Star of Bethlehem, and Chicken in the Snowbank down. Chicken in the Snowbank is tricky.

So many tunes, so little time...

[JeffD]

JeffD, I think that you may be the devil. I,ve been obsessed with The Cuckoo's Nest since your post. I can't eat. I can't sleep. My fingers hurt. There may not exist a more perfect fiddle tune. Thank you for this exquisite torture.

It is great. A perfect little short story in melody. Like oreos and milk, you just can't stop playing it.

I can't imagine improvising a break over Cuckoo's Nest. What am I going to add? It will just show me up as a pretentous chump.

I mean, improvise all you want over Fisher's Hornpipe, Rickett's Hornpipe, St. Anne's Reel, Liberty, Soldiers Joy or any of the many stolid honest four square tunes so many of us play - heck I don't know if there is a "right" version of them. But but don't touch Cuckoo's Nest, Wild Rose of the Mountain, Cat Out of the Bag, Sandy Boys, or The Cat that Kittled in Jamies Wig - they are too good as they are.

[woodwizard]

quote: For Blake fans, how about Muddy Creek and Callahan. #Both fun, sprightly tunes.

Greenwillis is another good one...
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Also ...Valley Head, White Oak Swamp, Willow's Creek and Nancy's Hornpipe #are pretty fun ones to play. I especially like to play #Nancy's Hornpipe because of the cool 4 parts to it. He has so many good ones.

[Clyde Clevenger]

School starts on Tuesday, so yesterday I was feeling a little down about my last Friday off for a while. Decided to pick a few on the front porch. I think the devil go into me as I grabbed my Weyman banjolin off the wall and hauled it out front. I started in playing a couple of old time sets and to my surprize, it sounded great, even the neighbor kids liked it. I've been bad-mouthing the little beastie for years and here comes Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine and the Rockies just pouring out like they belonged. I'm still stunned.

[Jean Fugal]

>>GreenLeaf Fancy is a good one. Crooked as all-get-out, which makes it cool. >>

I think it just sounds crooked. I could be wrong though.
Still, like you say "a good one"

[Dan Krhla]

Cherokee Shuffle from Butch's book. There is a phrase in the B part about 1/2 way thru that sounds ok when he plays it but seems unnatural & wrong when I play it. Seems like you get a little groove going then kill it with some odd-timed notes.

Hoping to be able to play it more gooder one day.

Also on the chords to that the F#m is a blast!

[Clyde Clevenger]

>>GreenLeaf Fancy is a good one. Crooked as all-get-out, which makes it cool. >>

I think it just sounds crooked. I could be wrong though.
Still, like you say "a good one"

Jean is right, it's not crooked, I just had ... to...learn....to.....count...to.ah... four. Once I got that counting business down, it all fits in the 4s.

[tango_grass]

The Mouth Of The Tobique, a traditional French Canadian tune, inspired to try it by Patrick Street, and the Celtic Fiddle Festival, a la Kevin Burke. Works great on mandolin.


http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/423

[mandozilla]

Cherokee Shuffle, June Apple, Lonesome Fiddle Blues, and Dixie Hoedown (or is that actually a banjo tune?). I've got a lot of irons in the fire right now...I'm so confused. #

[Stephanie Reiser]

St. Anne's Reel (the Canadian version)
Whiskey Before breakfast
Angeline The Baker
Red Haired Boy
Brilliancy (which may not really be a fiddle tune)

[David M.]

Quote (jpf @ Aug. 30 2008, 10:18)
>>GreenLeaf Fancy is a good one. Crooked as all-get-out, which makes it cool. >>

I think it just sounds crooked. I could be wrong though.
Still, like you say "a good one"

Jean is right, it's not crooked, I just had ... to...learn....to.....count...to.ah... four. Once I got that counting business down, it all fits in the 4s.

Are yall sure? I just counted it in my head (no recording handy at the moment) and it's not coming out square in the B part. Something happens at the end of the B part that's not coming out square. A part is square, though. Maybe it's because I've not had coffee yet or something. Don't know.

[Denny Gies]

The "Arab Bounce" in the key of A.