groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/11/2012:  07:16:07

Seems we've stalled out some here...I know everybody's busy...I haven't gotten to pick up an instrument in almost two weeks, I think it's been, and believe me, I'm feeling it...my grouch-levels are destabilizing!!! Well tomorrow I might be able to find a few minutes to play...I'm thinking right now, to kick up some dust and put up another Mississippi Sawyer...possibly...IF I do get the time. Hmmmmm...what will I do with it???? Can you guess? Lol, I can't, not right now, but if you guess something maybe that's how YOU should try it for yourself...let's get the ol' creative, high-calorie juices goin', here...see if we can go outta Mississippi Sawyer with a big bang...maybe enough to spawn off a new universe!!!! Well at least if I get the time tomorrow I might give it some effort...that's not a promise, by the way...more of a threat!!! Lol! Warning...stay close to your ear plugs...the groundhog gears are clicking' again!!! Plus, the anticipation of what tune will come next is driving me crazy!!!! Plus again, during our work on our next tune, spring will come to us...heck, we might even get a chance or two to practice on our porches!!! I've got a few garden seeds in pots now too...wow, they'll be standing tall and green by the time we get through our next tune!!! Anyway, back to tomorrow...I just can't wat to get the time to play...guess I'll be rustler than all get- out...but that's ok...part of it all! Get them gears to clicking'. Almost time to start thinking of something brand new!

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/12/2012:  07:32:58

Hey I don't know what the date is... lol... got confused by our trips to work on everybody's houses... but I think we are rapidly approaching the 15th!  Well here's one more of the variety that probably will not be shared among anyone but my fellow VFF-er's... and probably I'll clean up my youtube channel at some point and get some of this off... but I didn't have a whole lotta time here this morning, have not played for several days... then had just an hour or so, so I couldn't think of much else to do with our old friend, Mississippi Sawyer except to maybe try bowing weird ways... I don't do patterns, well not exactly, although I do in some unconscious sense... but here I tried sorta obstinate Nashville Shuffle almost on steriods the first time through... then second time a nice little thing that's gradually been creeping into a lot of my playing--but have no idea what anybody might call it... not nice names they might call it anyway, then the thrid time through I tried what I call smarty pants bowing... and the last time through tried to play it my own way, but got tangled up not paying attention and that second way crept up on me and then I got confused and didn't know what I should do... stick with it or go back to my current way I normally play Mississippi Sawyer... anyhow... I used the OldTimeJam guitar normal speed backup... this time last year I couldn't have even tried this on their "normal' i.e., FAST, in my thinking...lol... speed... but here after using their backup tracks for a while now it's starting to get easier to stay at their normal speed and try new things... they've done good for my playin'!  I thought it'd be a good enough excuse to wear the T-Shirt too... hold yer ears!!!!  youtu.be/AWNbpkXXDWs   Come on, now... let's have some more entries before I get that tune duck back to work and pick us another'un!!!!

jsfiddler - Posted - 03/12/2012:  08:02:26

Way to go ghpeggy! All those double stops....its gonna be a while before I can do that and play at that tempo too. Can't wait to see what tune the duck gives us next month. :)

Justine

fiddle and banjo player - Posted - 03/12/2012:  12:04:16

Sounds GREAT Peggy!  Got to get my version to sound more like that sometime... 

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/12/2012:  12:44:04

Lol...thanks...I'm probably a lot worse than most, but I do love fiddling!!! We dont have rodent problems around here thanks to all my screeching and squawking on that thing! Seriously, though, after grappling along as best as I could with the old time jam boys for several months I'm now finding its just not nearly as challenging...or at least you could say it's do-able, but I guess still somewhat challenging...though I knw I'm clumsy at their speed...still...when I frost discovered old time jam I couldn't even keep up with their slow speed without crashing...lol...so it's been real helpful to me...I think it'll help fiddlers get to where they wanna go if we stick with it and keep on hangin on with everything we've got.

sherry - Posted - 03/12/2012:  18:47:25

You know, the virtual jam might be a good way for people to all learn the same tune, but personally I enjoyed the sound off post more because it was a variety of different songs. Seems like not many have been posting to the sound off since the virtual jam started. Just an observation.

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/12/2012:  19:01:17

Gee I hope the VFF isn't somehow making people timid about this forum...personally, I never looked at this sound off forum much until I started checking it often to see if there's any new entries in the VFF...and I've seen lots of other good stuff that's caught my eye while on here...but I do hope it isn't encroaching on other posters...definitely not my intentions here at all and sorry if that has happened... Oh, and if anyone has suggestions for improvement by all means say so... I just want this idea to be motivating and fun, but open to anyone interested... Also a great excuse for zeroing in on some tunes to get 'em down pretty good for times wen we might be lucky enough to find ourselves in a real festival or really jamming in person...yee-haw that sounds like so much fun! Come on, let's get busy with them Mississippi Sawyers...if I meet anybody at any festival, assuming I get lucky and get enough time and money to go to ANY thing...I'm gonna sit dwn and say, "Hey, let's play Mississippi Sawyer for a couple hours straight!"

Edited by - groundhogpeggy on 03/12/2012 19:09:03

sherry - Posted - 03/12/2012:  20:12:48

Maybe if we had listing of any and all festivals, contests, and gatherings I'm sure there would be one close to a lot of us.

fiddle and banjo player - Posted - 03/12/2012:  20:28:27

Maybe it's just me, but most people tend to have more time on their hands in the winter (like when we did the first VFF), and come nice spring weather - just don't have that extra fiddle time.  I know that's been the case with me, as I live on a farm - when that sun comes out and the ground thaws it's time to till, plant, clean the garage, etc.  But don't worry Peggy - we can keep it going!    If anything, the VFF makes us get that old fiddle out and thats a good thing!!

Edited by - fiddle and banjo player on 03/12/2012 20:30:02

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/13/2012:  04:01:01

Sherry, yes there are lists, somewhere...I've seen them but don't remember if it was here or just somewhere on the web...lol...I guess that's not much help. I've seen them though... That's cool, F & B, that you farm...what kinda farm do you have? I hear ya on not having time, though...gosh I have very little time to myself at all these days and the fiddle burns a hole straight through me until I can pick it up and try things...sometimes I go several days and just can't pick it up. I nearly dropped the guitar and banjo completely but the VFF idea gave me extra incentive to squeeze extra time from wherever I can so I try to include them. Although I fear I'm in hot water with YouTube for recording over my videos...I think they are tagging them as copyright infringement...lol...so who knows, i might lose my YouTube channel at some point if they think I'm stealing from myself...the way computers think, ya know? But seriously...I'm not trying to make anybody feel obligated to participate if they can't...lol...maybe my playin' is just so terrible y'all can't stand to play along...lol! But just when you feel like or when you can...I'll be here, uh, unless YouTube kicks me out...then I guess I won't be anywhere! Hopefully they won't get me.

ajisai - Posted - 03/13/2012:  04:19:00

quote:

---

Originally posted by sherry

Maybe if we had listing of any and all festivals, contests, and gatherings I'm sure there would be one close to a lot of us.

---

I think The Old-Time Herald usually publishes a festival list. I haven't seen one for this year but maybe in the next issue? Does anyone know? 

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/13/2012:  09:06:08

Well I almost put up another Mississippi Sawyer youtube this morning but company got here just in the nick of time...LOL... so, well... come one, where's the 12 pages of fiddling we had for Did you Ever See the Devil Uncle Joe?  I will hate to see the end of Mississippi Sawyer... it's a tune that to me is so full of energy and innocense... it's sheer happiness hanging in the air... and the melodic contour just seems to imply a simple state of innocent happiness... I can't imagine finding so much good feeling outta any other tune... but, well there are thousands more to go... so I just can't wait to see what comes outta my duck next.  Hope there will be another influx of happy Mississippi Sawyers still to come before we move on to ???????  whatever the duck mandates next!  Thanks to all who played this one with me so far... I truley get a big kick out of each and every one... I don't really know what the purpose of fidding is, but like coffee... it just creates happiness and content, so whatever... I say it's gotta be good for us.  Hoping to hear more before we move on to the next exciting tune, which will bring all other sorts of stuff:  moods, energy levels, bowing issues, fingering issues, possibly even a tune with words, etc., etc. etc.  My enthusiasm lies in the belly of the duck!!!

NCarolinaFiddler - Posted - 03/13/2012:  09:08:34

I don't see that people stopped posting other music because of VFF. People are posting all the time.  Nick and others.  I like the VFF cause it gets me to learn tunes and that's what it is all about.  Learning and having fun.

martynspeck - Posted - 03/13/2012:  19:57:03

Here is my version of Mississippi Sawyer, such as it is.

youtube.com/embed/37NAgC5IFko

Edited by - martynspeck on 03/13/2012 19:58:45

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/14/2012:  04:22:21

Cool! I love your shuffles...string jumps, drones and double stops! Sounding so good...thanks!!

ajisai - Posted - 03/14/2012:  06:24:17

Okay. Here's fiddlehangout.com%2Fmyh...cID%3D9681">Old Mrs. Richardson's take on the tune.

Funny how all those little not-quite-right things wouldn't really matter at a big old loud  jam! They don't bother me much, though. I just figure I play how I play and it's a happy thing, no matter. : )

Edited by - ajisai on 03/14/2012 06:31:02

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/14/2012:  09:01:59

Wow... that sure sounded good to me!!!  Very nice version and I'd call that some pretty expert fiddling!  I think you sure oughta feel happy with your playing! You know... I think we are more nervous to play in this age of electronics than people in the old times... for one thing, you record something and it's all there forever... then we can't help but compare our results with what the music industry has put out there... flawless stuff mostly thanks to studio techniques... of course some of the musicians are just flawless too so I guess it makes the technicians jobs easier.  Still... I think in the absence of electronic gizmos, just sitting around playing, we probably aren't as worried about little stuff we woulda changed in a recording.  I'm speaking from my own experience in regards to what you said, though I sure heard only really good stuff in your mp3... me, myself, my youtubes are almost unwatchable to me...lol... but I just figure, hey... in person I wouldn't of cared... and I don't have to look at me in person... that's the other people's problem...LOL!  Anyway... thanks because yours really did sound expert to me... you're really good... I admire your style!

blockader - Posted - 03/14/2012:  12:34:54

Howdy from banjerland! there wasn't much goin on for this over at the BHO so i figured i would inflict some banjo noise on you illustrious fiddlers! i love oldtimejam.com and know that it has accelerated my learning drastically. heres my version of Miss Sawyer. My band plays it fast and furious and its not really a tune i'd choose as a banjo solo piece but thats alright with me!

-justin

Mississippi Sawyer

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/14/2012:  14:22:58

Thanks, Justin! Sounds good! Banjo adds a refreshing change of pace!... You sure played it really nice and got some pretty fancy licks in there...I liked it a lot, wish more banjo people would play along! Hope you'll play our next tune with us too!

Barry1963 - Posted - 03/14/2012:  15:34:40

Alrighty, this is the best I could do with the time I had and coming in late. Hopefully next months tune will be a little better as I'll have more time.  I did enjoy learning the tune and now have another one on my ever growing list of tunes .

youtu.be/tZqVooKcM6Y

Edited by - Barry1963 on 03/14/2012 15:36:22

boxbow - Posted - 03/14/2012:  15:47:30

@ghp:

Don't overthink this.  You've had yourself a great idea, so run with it.  I saw the vid of your grandson picking out the latest tune.  It's as fine a system as I've ever seen.  When my buddy Phil isn't so swamped with work, maybe he'll help me tape a contribution (did I really use the word "tape?")  If anybody's intimidated, then they've probably been intimidated for a long time by a whole lot of other things.  Not your problem.  So far I've hated my version of "Hop High Ladies" and my version of "Michigame Sauna," AKA "Mississippi Sawyer," has been changing faster than I can play it through.  It's been great.  My thanks.

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/14/2012:  16:08:13

Hey Barry! Really cool...you did it with the old time jam too...it was fun to see another YouTube besides mine where theyre saying the title and key, playing away in the background (yes, I amuse myself with such trivialities!)... Your version sounded really good...some flashy string changing there...really nicely done. I love your shuffling too... Looks like you can be comfortable shuffling from either direction without getting tangled up or any hesitation or anything...there's been lots of discussion about this on FHO...and I think your shuffling is a great example of the kind that fits in really well starting from up or down and comfortably going along either way and able to switch without any difference in the sound or the energy in the shuffle, if im seeing it right...wow! Very nice!

Edited by - groundhogpeggy on 03/14/2012 16:11:03

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/14/2012:  16:09:57

I appreciate the kind words, box bow!

Barry1963 - Posted - 03/14/2012:  16:19:55

Thanks for the kind words Peggy. i dont concentrate too much on which direction my bow is moving, I just shuffle when i feel it..lol.  I remember reading once that a classical violinist asked an old time fiddler about his bowing pattern, he responed, "pretty much up & down"  thats kinda how i feel about it. I look forward to the next tune

fiddle and banjo player - Posted - 03/14/2012:  17:10:50

WOW, loads of last minute entries! Fantastic job everyone!!  Great to have a banjo join in too!

martynspeck - Posted - 03/14/2012:  20:20:40

quote:

---

Originally posted by groundhogpeggy



Cool! I love your shuffles...string jumps, drones and double stops! Sounding so good...thanks!!

---

Thank you. Looking forward to learning Dry & Dusty.

squawkeye - Posted - 03/15/2012:  04:30:52

Last day, folks!

Thanks for joining in over here, Justin -  love all those triplets!

FYI - I'm heading out to Suwannee banjo camp through Sunday and will be announcing the winner of this month's oldtimejam.com t-shirt when I return.

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/15/2012:  04:58:01

Banjo camp!!! Have a great time! And fr the rest of us...did ya hear that...free t-shirt drawn from contributors of a Mississippi sawer!!! My grandson loves mine,..he's very into potties, banjos, and fiddles...lol! It's gotten a lot of smiles and maybe helping people understand me a little better nw....??? Anyway...there's still a few more days!

outoftunes - Posted - 03/15/2012:  18:26:44

Made the deadline just in time. I've been super busy recently, but the deadline motivated me to get off a recording. I've actually been practicing this tune all month (even if you can't tell!), but decided on the spur of the moment to cross tune so I could play an octave lower also with the same fingering--never got around to practicing the lower octave in standard tuning.  :-(   

Edited by - outoftunes on 03/15/2012 18:30:15

Mississippi Sawyer cross tuned

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/15/2012:  18:28:36

Ummm...did you forget something in your last post, OOTunes???? Lol...I was expecting some really good stuff! At least from my iPad it's a blank page...

Edited by - groundhogpeggy on 03/15/2012 18:29:18

outoftunes - Posted - 03/15/2012:  18:31:21

Sorry, Peggy! Hit "Post Reply" too soon then, so I had to go back to edit the post to include actual content!

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/15/2012:  18:40:33

Wow!!!! You've changed the character quite a bit...cool...how were you tuned? I love the dark effect! That's a really neat idea...and it's just amazing how the tune can change so much! Very cool!

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/15/2012:  18:41:44

Well I was right in my expectations: it WAS really good stuff!

squawkeye - Posted - 03/27/2012:  18:21:39

Hey folks - sorry for the tardiness in making the drawing winner announcement (and thanks to Peggy for the reminder). Anyhow, the winner of the March VFF drawing for an oldtimejam.com t-shirt is.............................

STEW!

(aka "andah1andah2")

Congrats, Stew!

Now everyone get back to work on Dry and Dusty :) 

groundhogpeggy - Posted - 03/27/2012:  19:09:39

Congratulations... Go forth and fiddle your way In the one-of-a-kind old time jam attire...what my grandson calls his granny's potty shirt...he wants me to hand mine over to him when he gets big enough for it! Thanks for your generosity in the vff, josh, and congrats again, stew!

jsfiddler - Posted - 03/27/2012:  19:19:57

Congratulations Stew!!