What's your new fiddle tune?

[Stephanie Reiser]

Angeline the Baker.

[Mike Bromley]

I'm in a Jethro Moment

Kelly Boy Rag

And, though rather not a fiddle tune, I've been stealing some classic Burnsisms from a couple of different versions of Chet Atkins' "Galloping Guitar" where Jethro does everything BUT play off the major scale in D.

[woodwizard]

Shove the Pigs Foot... sure is a cool tune. Sounds pretty cool Shaun. I wish I could find some tab for it. Some new ones for me I've been playing most recently are.

Soppin' the Gravey
Witch of the Wave
Dusty Rose
and
Dry and Dusty

[Sean Greer]

Haven't been feeling well for the last few days, so I was able to put in some extra time. I learned Turkey in the Straw over the last two days and began working on Chicken Reel today.

Looking forward to putting in a little less time (and feeling a lot better)...

[Eddie Sheehy]

Working on 3:
Soldier's Joy
St. Ann's Reel
Ragtime Annie.
Nice to know that there are more American tunes than just C&W and Bluegrass.....

[Jon Hall]

As a New Years resolution I'm learning some tunes that were always too difficult because of the pinky acrobatics. I've found that angling the mando about 45 degrees from my body and lifting the headstock about 45 degrees from horizontal allows me to reach with my pinky without getting tense and stressing my hand, arm and neck.

Rachel's Hornpipe
Forked Deer
Blackberry Blossom

[Michael Barnett]

anybody play Limerock? Is it usually done in key A?

Ah, Limerock, used to play that a few decades ago. GREAT tune! I played it in A. Gonna have to work that one up again. Good luck with it!

Currently trying to improve on these, to play with my boss at our next team gathering in Feb:

Cuckoo's Nest -> Whiskey Before Breakfast is another fav that I've begun working on once again. First heard this medley by The Bonnie Phipps Ensemble before I ever played a note, and it inspired me to pick up the fiddle first, then the mandolin.

Paddy on the Turnpike -> Red Haired Boy

Cheers!
Michael (who also wanted to name his daughter Amanda Lynn, but was shot down by her mom. Beautiful name!)

[Mike Buesseler]

Sandy River Belles, Ed Sweeney's version. Not sure if this is a fiddle tune, really. Lots of banjo versions out there. Works great on mando, though!

[Jim Nollman]

jbrwky,

that is one finely produced music video of a truly gorgeous tune, that is exceedingly well played. It doesn't get any better, any where, than what you guys have produced.

[John Ritchhart]

Beluga, I wish I could take credit. That comes from the Trans-atlantic sessions done for the BBC over several years. I think they've done three of them now. You can find them on YouTube. I think Barenberg's playing is great and he wrote Drummers of England which is fun to play. Glad you liked it too.

[Mike Scott]

As I continue my "mandolin journey" I thought I would venture into some celtic music so I am just beginning The Kesh Jig. Seems like mostly all triplets which is kind of cool. Also in keeping with my Old Time bent, I just started Campbells Farewell to Red Gap. There is no method to my selections, I just look at the tab and pick something to work on.

[Mike Buesseler]

....The Kesh Jig. Seems like mostly all triplets...

Hey, Mike, I wonder if you are new to jigs? I never heard The Kesh played with all triplets. 6/8 time has sort of that quality, but you play it differently. Maybe your version is different, but if not, search here for playing jigs. It's the DUD DUD DUD (or something similar) picking pattern that you're after. Volumes have been written here about this subject....

[Mike Scott]

Definitely new to jigs. This is the first one. I must be dumb lucky or something, because I am playing it dud dud dud etc. It seemed the logical thing to do. The tab isn't handy so I can't say if it is in 6/8 time or what.

[Mike Buesseler]

Good work! Definitely 6/8 time. There are thousands of great jigs to play once you get the basic feel....

[karlssoni]

Virgin Pullets

[AlanN]

Miller's Reel in A chord. The first part can be substituted with the A part from Monroe's Hornpipe, with a tweak or 2.

And, to commemorate the day, 8th of January, such as Dawg's cool solo on T. Rice Rounder record. As a matter of fact, if they call out for requests tonight , I'll shout this one out:

On Thursday, January 8, the Pickin’ A Bluegrass All-Star Jam is coming to Raleigh. The lineup for this one-night only concert reads like a “Who’s Who” of bluegrass musicians, featuring almost 20 multi-award winning artists, including Rob McCoury, Terry Baucom, Jason Carter, Michael Cleveland, Josh Williams, Dale Ann Bradley, Steve Gulley, Kim Fox, Rob Ickes, Missy Raines, Alan Bibey, Mike Compton, Phil Leadbetter, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Tim Stafford, and Mike Bub. These incredible musicians will take the stage together in a song-circle format hosted by Cindy Baucom, the 2005 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year for the nationally syndicated radio show “Knee Deep in Bluegrass.”

[bones12]

Today it is the Eighth of January, in two weeks it might be the Twenty-Eighth of January. Doug in Vermont

[woodwizard]

My new one is ... Sally Johnson ! ... I love that tune. There is a cool old b & w youtube out there of Clark Kessinger playing it. It's worth watching. As a matter of fact it looked like Jimmy Driftwood introducing him at a talent show. Anyway it sure did look and sound like him.

[Eric Platt]

Hi,

First post here. Working on Witch of the Wave from Ryan's Mammoth Collection. Quickly discovered that it's different than Norman Blake's version, which I already play on guitar. May end up with a hybrid of both versions by the time it's under my fingers.

[woodwizard]

Welcome to the cafe Eric. There's a cool tab version of "Witch of the Wave" at mandozines/tabedit. Norman style.
Just finally learned a little simple tune I really like today after watching as many youtubes of it as I could find. "Shove the Pigs Foot a Little Further Into the Fire"

[Eric Platt]

Woodwizard,

Thanks for the welcome. I've been playing Norman's version of "Witch" for years on the guitar. Actually have a couple of different transcriptions of the tune. But I was working on sightreading and grabbed my copy of Ryan's just to find a tune.

Oh, and thanks for the suggestion. Just grabbed my Mid-Mo and got Shove that Pigsfoot back.

FWIW, I used to play mando a few years ago. Then quit due to hand issues and being too busy as a guitarist. Now am trying it again. So figure they'll be a lot of tunes that come back quickly. Then will be the slow process of adding to that list.

[Joe F]

For the record, Eric is an excellent guitarist and a regular attendee at our local old-time jam circles. If I'm ever confused about the chords of a new tune, watching Eric's fingers always provides the answer.

I'm glad you're picking up "Shove that Pig's Foot..." We really need to work that one back into our regular tune rotation.

[Eric Platt]

For the record, Eric is an excellent guitarist and a regular attendee at our local old-time jam circles. If I'm ever confused about the chords of a new tune, watching Eric's fingers always provides the answer.

I'm glad you're picking up "Shove that Pig's Foot..." We really need to work that one back into our regular tune rotation.

Thanks Joe. Although I've been known to crib chords from you also.

It is somewhat surprising "Pig's Foot" isn't popular around here right now. Maybe it's just the natural cycle of a tune.

[woodwizard]

Just learned a few more great old time fiddle tunes. Lovem'! They are: Swinging On A Gate, The Yellow Barber, Denver Belle and Black Mountain Aire. Wonderful tunes.

[Rick Schmidlin]

Blackberry Blossom, I can play it on guitar and now I am learning Roland Whites version, next I will work on Sam Bushs.