martynspeck - Posted - 01/19/2012:  17:49:00

Thanks for that link to the archive of fiddle music. I just downloaded 6 hours of music.

Still working on my version of Miss Mcleods Reel. I should have something up in a little while.

erbus - Posted - 01/21/2012:  08:08:43

Hi all

I'm gonna give this a try as well.

I see most versions are in the Key of G. In G do most do it in standard fiddle tuning?

Terry

DougD - Posted - 01/21/2012:  08:12:16

Yes.

DougD - Posted - 01/21/2012:  08:54:36

An addition: I'd never heard this played in A until this thread came along, but I tried it and it seems easier in A than G. Cross tuned A might work too. It probably would confuse most jam sessions though.

squawkeye - Posted - 01/21/2012:  10:54:22

quote:

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Originally posted by DougD

An addition: I'd never heard this played in A until this thread came along, but I tried it and it seems easier in A than G. Cross tuned A might work too. It probably would confuse most jam sessions though.

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I've actually been messing around with it in cross tuned A tuned down a step (GDGD). So far so good :)

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/21/2012:  11:17:09

I did that for a few minutes...played it out of GDGD...it works and I'm sure there are/were many people who played it that way. You know, in some places people are stuck playing everything in G and I think lot f them don't ever fet outta GDGD tuning...I think it would workout cool, but for me, I never do it fr long because cross tuning makes me crazy. I get disoriented, like looking at a map that's not pointed north. But I think it would work out real nice.

erbus - Posted - 01/21/2012:  12:17:29

I never retune so G it is, more difficult than A but hey I like a challange.

5 string banjo players would like those folks stuck in G cause that's the easy key on the 5 string.

Terry

Tommys dad - Posted - 01/21/2012:  14:35:28

I'am, in eldest son can backup guitar youngest son can be first fiddle. Does vibrato and drone mix?

Mojohand40 - Posted - 01/21/2012:  14:38:14

okay...here's my second swing at this one. I'm a little happier with it, but I got a ways to go. Just figured I'd show a little in progress report.

youtube.com/watch?v=HA42N1kOUF...=youtu.be

still waiting on others to post a version....don't be shy, folks, it's all in fun. I'll post a final version in a week or two..

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/21/2012:  15:29:22

Hey you beat me again!!! Good job, yes it's getting better and better...very Irish! You didn't drink any f that stuff up on the shelf behind you, did you? I messed around with it for a couple f hours last night and thought f I can I plan to put a mid- progress YouTube up sometime this week. I liked yours very much and glad you ut another one up...I think it's good for all of us to watch how it changes as we really focus on a tune and practice. At first I was seeming to totally fall apart with this, but I do think it's starting to fall into place mre by now...I'll post soon. Looking forward to your final version! Then we gotta figure out the next tune we work on! Come on you guys, he's leaving the rest of us in the dust!

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/21/2012:  15:31:26

Terry, I always thought it was probably from being around banjos a lot that caused those fiddlers to get stuck in G.

Bart - Posted - 01/21/2012:  16:18:20

All right.  I'm taking a deep breath here and posting my fledgling version of this tune, despite all the obvious problems.  (I'm trying to do my part to end perfectionism and self-consciousness, but it's tough.)

Of course I see and hear many issues with this, but I will say, when I first started about 2-1/2 years ago, there's no way I'd be to this point on this tune after only a day with it.  I'm going for more Scottish than Old Time, but I've never really learned any Scottish tunes, mostly Irish (and I do feel there's a big difference in style).

I should add, this is probably about as good as it's going to get, as my schedule is really heating up again for a few months starting this week.

Here's my little version.

Here's a You Tube link to a lesson I found on it.  She has two or three videos, including this longish one.  This one teaches the tune.  The other, shorter ones, feature all the droned double stops to play along with, and then a practice track that goes back and forth, so you can play along to practice.

Edited by - Bart on 01/21/2012 16:22:48

DougD - Posted - 01/21/2012:  16:40:36

Wow! Very nice, Bart - and does sound Scottish, to my ears.

Bart - Posted - 01/21/2012:  16:51:54

quote:

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Originally posted by DougD

Wow! Very nice, Bart - and does sound Scottish, to my ears.

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Doug, thanks.  I have to grudgingly admit improvement since I started this ridiculous instrument, but now that this video is posted for all to see, it's like all the rhythm, bowing and ornament problems are amplified in some sort of fun-house mirror of the ears!  Also, I notice my left wrist is cocked out beyond straight (forget about pancake...it's out the other direction!  And, my bow is wandering all over between the bridge and the rigging like a drunken sailor!)  *sigh*  The never ending struggle.

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/21/2012:  19:08:24

Well you might be super critical of yourself ( I tend to go in that direction, and I think it makes me totally unable to objectively listen to my own playing...I know I can't stand to look at myself on the youtubes... Lol... When I met Dwight Diller in West Va and asked him about one of his videos he didn't know anything about it...he made them and never could stand to watch them and couldn't remember about what I was asking). But, daggone, that sounded pretty smooth and good to me...I didn't see anything wrong with your wrist or your bowing...I thought everybody's bow slid around a little...like is it even possible otherwise? Anyway I liked it and sounds very good to me...you played it real good! Thanks!

fiddle and banjo player - Posted - 01/22/2012:  09:26:07

Hey Bart - you sound good!  Don't give your self too hard a time, (I know, don't we all though!).  Seems like other people like listening to our own music better then we do because we critique ourselves throughout a tune.  

Thanks for posting the lesson video too, I got some ideas to improve my version in there!  

Edited by - fiddle and banjo player on 01/22/2012 09:26:50

squawkeye - Posted - 01/22/2012:  09:44:24

Without a doubt, every musician is their own worst critic (on the bright side, if you weren't you probably would never get better) - and there is just so dang much to critique when it comes to fiddling.

I liked your version too, Bart, and I guarantee that what we hear sounds nothing like what you do.

outoftunes - Posted - 01/22/2012:  12:13:48

Bart--I like the lilt of that version and the slides.

Bart - Posted - 01/22/2012:  12:38:30

Thanks, everyone.  It's interesting, isn't it, how fiddlers at 3 months, 3 years, and 30 years can still feel the double edged sword of accomplishment and frustration, all within the two minutes that it takes to play a tune.

I'm going to try it in G next...the G you get by playing the G string, not the third finger on the D string.  I've always like playing on the lower strings better.  Heck, maybe I'll try it on my viola.

Bart - Posted - 01/22/2012:  12:43:31

quote:

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Originally posted by outoftunes

Here is my beginner's attempt at Uncle Joe / Mrs. McLeod's. I'm aiming for a hybrid version between the version in Ryan's Mammoth Collection and oldtimejam.com's version. Since I'm a beginner, it took a long time just to get the tune up to this point from scratch, and there's a very long way to go. My order of priority is: 1) Improve intonation, 2) Increase speed to 80 bpm, 3) Work on the bowing to smoothe out the rhythm, 4) find double stops to put in.

If I manage to achieve any 2 of those goals before Feb 15th, I'll repost. Otherwise, this is my contribution!

WARNING: Listening to the attached MP3 may seriously decrease your musical ability.

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I like that you already have thrown in at least one double stop.

martynspeck - Posted - 01/22/2012:  13:58:25

Here you go. Miss Mcleod's Reel.

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/22/2012:  13:58:59

...waiting to hear it on viola...I love the sound of them things!

Bart - Posted - 01/22/2012:  14:05:32

Martynspeck, I like the way I can really hear the emphasis of the rhythm in your recording, and I like that double stop right at the end.

Bart - Posted - 01/22/2012:  14:09:26

OK, since you all are such a supportive bunch, here is this morning's MP3.  Nothing Scottish here...I was trying to free up a little, and play faster than I really can.  Here's what came out.  Still can't quite get the rhythm in the little runs when I'm playing too fast, and any variations here are purely the result of my fingers not knowing where they're supposed to go at a speed that's not comfortable, LOL.  Here you go.  Peggy, I appreciate this thread...it's making me try to just pick up a tune quickly and see what happens.

Edited by - Bart on 01/22/2012 14:11:54

martynspeck - Posted - 01/22/2012:  14:24:56

Thanks, Bart.

I just learned that 1-3-1-3 bowing pattern so I thought I'd use it. I like it for the same reason.

I like the tone on your recording. Don't fret the fingers. They'll catch up.

Bart - Posted - 01/22/2012:  14:39:31

OK, this is pretty quick and dirty, but here's Miss McLeod's on the viola.  I need to play this thing more!  I love it for Waltzes the most, though.  I played it here on the G and A strings, so I guess maybe that makes it the key of G, but I don't know anything about that stuff.

Edited by - Bart on 01/22/2012 14:42:01

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/22/2012:  16:27:37

Marty speck...great job...is that Irish Bowing? Really nice and thatvbowing lick reminds me of an Irish Georgia shuffle...I've heard it twice this week and really love it,..it goes really well with this tune. Thanks for posting... Yours sounds very nice!

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/22/2012:  16:35:44

Bart, I can't play your mp3s from my iPad so I'll have to listen to them in the morning, but I wanted to say I feel the same as you...something like this gets me more motivated to look further into a tune, get to know it better, get to know my playing better, and really work hard to see just what I can do with it. I plan to try my best, if I can, to post a rough- cut version along with Old Time jam's fast backup track...one day this week if at all possible...I might crash and burn, but since we are still a was off from Feb 15 I will put it up anyway, because I've still got time to keep on messing around with it or trying to get it right. I'm nervously looking forward to getting the time to try it! Also, eagerly lookin' forward to hearing your mp3 s tomorrow morning on the big computer! Hey, I hope everybody's looking over the tunes on Old Time Jam . Com to try to figure out what we'll do next month...I have no idea...I picked this one...somebody help us figure out our second one!

Edited by - groundhogpeggy on 01/22/2012 16:37:47

martynspeck - Posted - 01/22/2012:  17:07:27

Thank you, Peggy. I don't have a name for that bowing and it's not 'consciously' Irish. When I listened through several versions of this I heard a bounce in it I wanted to replicate and then I learned this bowing.

Andah1andah2 - Posted - 01/22/2012:  17:17:25

Ok, I didn't want folks to think I disappeared on this festivalie, so I'm posting a short piece of a work in progress.  I have spent a little bit messing with how I want the A part to sound.  Not quite there yet.  The B part I just started with a hour ago so it is bare bones right now.  To me this is definitely feeling  "Have you ever seen the devil Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe" and less Scottish Reel.  

youtube.com/watch?v=n1VNtLUBWY...=youtu.be

BTW, if this really is a festival, where can I find the fried dough stand?

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/22/2012:  17:37:57

Hey thanks for messing with it with us...I enjoyed hearing it. As to the fried dough...you make that and I'll supply the bbcue chicken wings!!! Potluck festival! Yee-haw!

outoftunes - Posted - 01/22/2012:  18:59:32

quote:

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Originally posted by groundhogpeggy



Hey, I hope everybody's looking over the tunes on Old Time Jam . Com to try to figure out what we'll do next month...I have no idea..I picked this one...somebody help us figure out our second one!

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 Anyone interested in Westphalia Waltz? I don't know any waltzes yet, and would be interested in trying one. Plus it's another G tune, which will let me work on getting B & C in tune (in the key of G, my B goes flat, and my C goes sharp, ughh). Westphalia W seems to have a long pedigree stretching back to Europe.  I don't know if any Irish players play it though.

I'm fine with another breakdown / reel, though, if that's consensus.

martynspeck - Posted - 01/22/2012:  19:30:55

A waltz would be nice. I don't know any either except for Ashokan Farewell.

I just realized that since we're using Old Time Jam as a source I should try to record a version using backup from there.

Also, I was looking at my video and I think I saw a couple of things I could improve to improve the tone.

Edited by - martynspeck on 01/22/2012 19:32:22

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/23/2012:  06:00:40

Hey Bart, I got a chance to hear your mp3s... very nice!  I like the sound of your bowing.  I know what you mean about those fast quick notes, especially in the beginning phrase of the A part... I can't get 'em too clean... it's tough.  You're doing great and I'm glad we have a virtual space here to encourage each other and get some real motivation going to push ourselves.  I absolutely LOVED the viola... they have such a sweet sound and I think Old Time stuff sounds really nice on them.  Thanks again.

As to Westphalia Waltz... yes it appears on Old Time Jam, which is our official list of tunes to choose from.  I'm not familiar with it at all (had to find it in OTJ and listen to it... lol... just don't know it)... I'm not in my comfort zone (if I even have one on the fiddle...yet) with waltzes.... which makes this a perfect piece for me to work on next!  Yep... time to get out of my comfort zone and tackle my first waltz.... yikes... that scares me... but it will be fun and challenging to see what I can do with that!  Thanks for the suggestion, Out of Tunes... I guess since you were first we save it back to work on in FEb and have our deadline of our final versions on March 15th.... everybody got that?  We can start a new post here for that one after Feb 15th, so if I forget to do that, I hope someone can remind me... or else start the post for me.   I willl write Westphalia Waltz on my trusty ipad calendar to remind myself to post a new announcement of that on Februrary 15th for our second tune.

As to playing with Old Time Jam's backup tracks... I figure you can solo or go ahead and use them.  I'll say that for me, that site has helped my fiddling and increased my fiddling fun more than anything.  When I first got on there I couldn't keep up with their slow jam tracks... now I'm able to get onboard and hang on with their, what they call "regular speed," lol, what I call FAST... I can hang on and on some of 'em seems I'm getting better and better with that speed.  I can't imagine I could've improved my playing so much in the past year just solo, at my own wobbly unsteady slow pace, without the OTJ pushing me along, and me having a blast here all by myself doing it.  I guess in the summertime when I had the thing cranked up so I could sit out on the porch and the neighbors probably not only heard and saw me playing, but saw me jumping up and getting all worked up, or stopping and laughing, having a drink to gather myself up from crashing multiple times on Fishher's Hornpipe.... which I eventually did get up on youtube on the fast speed... HA!  I beat it!!!!  Anyway... nobody called the looney bin to come and take me away or anything.... but I'm sure they noticed I was partying down bigtime with the Old Time Jam and as I said before, I know for a fact my fiddling was not gonna progress as fast as it has without that tool to add help and fun.  So... I figure we can pick from there because they have lots of tunes, you can hear examples of instruments, or choose a backup track for yourself if you want... or just pick the tune and go solo... however your artistic license inclines you .   All I want is that we do give our motivation and sense of artistic license, not to mention outright fun... give it all a big boost and get going with our fiddles.  After all this virtual festival stuff... for those who do make it out to real festivals... you might have a little something to show off!!!!

Edited by - groundhogpeggy on 01/23/2012 06:02:28

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/23/2012:  08:39:56

Well here's where I'm at with it now... I've got the fast speed version backing me up on Old Time Jam, and as you can see, I'm hanging on just barely... kinda garbled and bad playing... at times I think I just didn't know what I was doing at all..lol... those quick notes at the beginning of the A part about give me fits... but enough excuses, here it is, and I've got until the 15th to get it , less disturbing.  youtube.com/watch?v=Jjzl_SyNn9g

boxbow - Posted - 01/23/2012:  12:32:02

WHAT HAVE YOU PEOPLE DONE?!?!  Now I'M working on it, and I can't even record myself. 

Brilliant idea, by the way.  Now if I could just find a 12 year old kid to show me how to record video.

Good playing, everybody!

jefferylong - Posted - 01/23/2012:  14:11:37

Sounds great! Not sure I understand exactly how to present the tune? You want an mp3 of the tune or a YouTube video?

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 01/23/2012:  14:46:09

Boxbow, go door-to-door seeking teenie boppers to help you! Jeffery...anyway you can get a tune up, video, mp3, however we can hear it!

p1cklef1sh - Posted - 01/23/2012:  15:13:13

Im johnny come lately to finding out about this, but id be up for marches and beyond!

Mojohand40 - Posted - 01/23/2012:  15:50:31

Good progress, Peggy! I'm betting your final version is going to be something! I like seeing progress on the tune from people.

I'm going to keep at it and post a final hack at it before the end, myself.

And..It's still a little soon, but, "Westphalia Waltz" would be good for next month.

martynspeck - Posted - 01/23/2012:  16:20:21

quote:

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Originally posted by jefferylong

Sounds great! Not sure I understand exactly how to present the tune? You want an mp3 of the tune or a YouTube video?

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Either. I like seeing the videos. I learn alot from them.

martynspeck - Posted - 01/23/2012:  16:22:33

It sounds great Peggy. btw. Thanks for proposing this. This is fun!

jefferylong - Posted - 01/23/2012:  20:12:05

What would really be neat is if we could all get together at some predetermined time and have a live jam via the internet. Maybe even a fiddlers contest with prizes for the winners, etc. I really miss the oldtimey fiddler contests. Years ago every little community had one. Great food, great music, just a wonderful time of fellowship.

outoftunes - Posted - 01/23/2012:  20:23:18

quote:

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Originally posted by groundhogpeggy



youtube.com/watch?v=Jjzl_SyNn9g

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 Sweet fiddling--you're really making this tune your own.

jefferylong - Posted - 01/23/2012:  20:23:35

Does it have to be a solo version, or can we bring in accompaniment? We have a regular Thursday night jam - thought I might grab a guitar and banjo or something and have a little back-up on it.

jefferylong - Posted - 01/23/2012:  20:26:38

OK. I think I've got it - pretty much anything goes. I'll try to send you something Thursday night after out weekly jam. It's a wonderful idea. Thanks for posting it. Almost like having an Oldtime Fiddlers Contest. Sounds like great fun.

outoftunes - Posted - 01/23/2012:  20:31:02

quote:

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Originally posted by martynspeck

Here you go. Miss Mcleod's Reel.

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 I like that bowing--it's giving the tune a nice, steady beat.

outoftunes - Posted - 01/23/2012:  20:38:26

andah1--

I wish my bowing wrist were that fluid, and I like the tone, especially right there at the start.

martynspeck - Posted - 01/23/2012:  20:42:20

quote:

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Originally posted by jefferylong

OK. I think I've got it - pretty much anything goes. I'll try to send you something Thursday night after out weekly jam. It's a wonderful idea. Thanks for posting it. Almost like having an Oldtime Fiddlers Contest. Sounds like great fun.

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That'd be awesome! Looking forward to it.