I went camping with friends to play music together. We have not played together for a while. I have not been playing old-time music at home alone, either. I was surprised how much my classical lessons are helping. Things seemed easier to do and I sounded more in tune and people complimented me unbidden. So that is good and makes the months of struggling through such horrid things as Gavotte this, Gavotte that, Two Genadiers and other monstrosities worth it.
The best moment for me was that I had been working on a tune this old guy let us record last October. I had only really played it on the mandolin, but I was able to play it on the fiddle right off, first try. The tune even has a Bb and an F natural in it. He was so surprised anybody bothered to learn his tune. This was a tune that he found among a bunch of music rolled up inside an old organ at a ghost town in the desert in California. He has been reviving these old tunes. When I played it for him he sure was happy! I made an instant friend. Later that night our group found a hidden spot out of the wind to play and the two of us started his tune out, and all of us played it and when we were done we heard applause from the people camping near by.
I think I attached the recording I made of him playing the tune: Trouble on the Hillside. I don't really know how the attachments work.
Edited by - sbhikes2 on 02/23/2021 07:58:26
That's a neat story. Cool tune, too.
Glad to hear you’re making progress! Building up technique is never a bad thing, and sometimes it just takes a while for everything to connect.
I think you were feeling a lot of stress and frustration going through the etudes, but you may find you like them better as you move on to other things. Some of the beginner studies are simplified versions of good pieces and they can be dull, but there are some rather nice etudes as well.
Keep it up!
You're getting good. You're doing a whole lot more than just traversing the notes. You're telling the tune's tale. You're speaking the tune's language. You're getting wonderful old timey tone.
If you are saying that because of my recording, that wasn't me. That was an old guy, a real old-time old-timer.
I love that you had a happy, positive weekend! I hope you’re still feeling that old-time jam high! I saw that people were camping. I love that place!
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