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Post by Mike Floorstand on Jun 8, 2013 14:13:58 GMT
Great tune and fantastic playing Keith! The thing that impressed me most is how you managed to put one mando down and pick the other one up to continue the tune without missing a beat!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Jun 7, 2013 21:54:18 GMT
That's fantastic news, congratulations Mark!
I'm hoping to be at Towersey Festival that weekend, doing a support slot for Martin Simpson, Martin Carthy, Show of Hands and several others. Except they don't know it yet, 'cos I'll be playing in the beertent singalong whereas they will be on the main stage.
Good luck!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Jun 3, 2013 21:07:17 GMT
Love the video Keith - very neat hybrid picking technique (pick + fingerstyle) on the second tune I think? Not something I've ever master on guitar, or even dared to try on mando!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Jun 3, 2013 20:56:18 GMT
There should be a Fast Show "Nice" emoticon for this!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Jun 1, 2013 22:48:13 GMT
No matter how many times I listened to Chinese Waltz, an hour later I needed to listen to it again!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 30, 2013 19:26:51 GMT
I've had various types of lesson - face-to-face with the local guitar teacher, online courses run by Martin Taylor and (currently) Gary Burton, workshops with Martin Simpson and Clive Carroll. All good in their own way, I've got something out of all them, whether concrete tips, knowledge and techniques, or simply inspiration to go and practise and teach myself.
I guess this question is about the first type of lesson. I'd say the important thing here (apart from the obvious, like being able to play things I can't, and be able to teach them - which is not the same thing!) is that the teacher takes time to understand my objectives and appears to have a clear plan to achieve them. This must be quite hard for a teacher, as everyone has different objectives e.g. - just have a couple of lessons to give me some material to work on myself; or - be able to do X in a year's time (reach grade N, play at an open mic, be able to compose my own arrangements, whatever), so need lesson plans, milestones, etc.; or - happy to come along each week go where the mood takes us.
Good luck!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 29, 2013 22:23:51 GMT
Loved Hambo, CBT is certainly doing a world tour of music on this road trip! I think I'm hearing a bit more projection after the re-set-up?
I just spent a good hour trying to find your Hambo on youtube, thesession, or anywhere else - no luck. I'm guessing an E minor tune with that G# surprise might be a more modern session tune, though there's plenty of trad tunes with key shifts so who knows?
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 28, 2013 19:16:03 GMT
Enjoying the recordings so far Keith - Calum's Road is one of my favourites and sounds good played either mournfully or more jauntily as you have it here. The Rag sounds like fun to play I may have to learn that one, and Elenor's is a great composition if you'd said it was a famous trad tune by some crusty old harper I would not have doubted it!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 27, 2013 22:06:46 GMT
Nearly done ... here's a photo of Keith holding CBT, just to prove I gave it to him! I think I have one more recording to post, will probably do this as another photo compilation on youtube, if I can find some vaguely relevant photos ...
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 27, 2013 21:33:46 GMT
Here's one more video, the tune is O'Carolan's Concerto and was recorded shortly after the Sleeping Tune so the capo is still on the first fret. The video is a compilation of photos of CBT next to my own Ceol Binn II, photos were taken in a bit of a hurry with a Blackberry on the morning I set off to take CBT to Keith's, so not the greatest quality!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 27, 2013 21:15:12 GMT
Great playing on these videos - I don't think I'll be posting any of my amateur efforts when the mando comes my way at this rate! Recordings and videos are certainly not compulsory ... but they are fun though!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 27, 2013 21:13:26 GMT
I've listened now to all the YouTube clips of CBT which Joe put up and am, frankly, quaking with fear! Some fantastic technique and brilliant tunes (I particularly enjoyed the .comparison' video - fantastic stuff) A great review, too, Joe. I can imagine you being confounded by the buzzes but, as you say, someone has to be first I can't deny it was frustrating, all the more so because I had a strong sense that CBT is going to be a great-sounding mando once the settling-in and setup issues are sorted. I don't regret being first in the queue though, it was still a privilege to witness the first few week's of CBT's life!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 27, 2013 21:08:06 GMT
Smashing thread and some lovely mondolin playing as well Mike. Really enjoyable The mandolin sounds good, particularly on Drowsey Maggie Regards Phil Thanks Phil, you are too kind!. I'm certainly looking forward to hearings the remaining roadtrippers recordings, CBT is certainly capable of some lovely sounds.
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 27, 2013 21:03:44 GMT
Ah the buzzes - it must be Spring Thanks for the review Joe and also the recordings - you've got a great touch on the mandolin and as I said to you when you came over your mix of chordal accompaniment to the melody is really cool. That's a really wide variety of music in the recordings - all lovely but I've a particular fondness for the Can-Can Thanks for patiently putting up with the irritating buzzes and rattles that hopefully will be sorted soon - especially with Keith on the case using the "phone a friend" facility The tailpiece transition of the strings makes an "interesting" string path over the saddle which I think isn't helpful for buzzing noises and in my attempts to make my own tailpiece I'll be looking for a design with as straight a string path as possible. I didn't notice the different sized tailpiece until we were at The EAGS - David Dyke has obviously got a new supplier in Germany for these rather than the earlier Chinese made ones. The scale length isn't that unique as the Fylde Touchstone mandolins are 375mm too but the nut width probably is - I know that Fylde made a special wide nut Touchstone for Ken Nicol though. They do work for guitarists though I think as I can play these and could never find enough finger room on mandolins I tried before. The guitar sized frets work well too and I use these on all my instruments including ukuleles. Thanks again for the music and the review and I hope you have a great meet up with Keith. Glad you enjoyed the Can-Can Dave, I played this once at the local session and I think I got away with it, but in no hurry to try again! I shall keep playing it at home though, in the hope of conjuring up a line of chorus girls trooping through my kitchen ... no luck so far, but if you don't try ...!! I didn't realise the Fylde also has a 375mm scale - I used to own one of those but sold it as I found it too cramped, but I haven't had that problem with the CBs. I looked up Fylde and I think they also put on quite-a-bit-heavier strings, again CB's 30-20-15-10 feel about right - be interesting to hear Keith's take on this once he has collected his thoughts.
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Post by Mike Floorstand on May 27, 2013 20:55:42 GMT
Lovely delicate arangement of Sleeping Tune there Joe - suited the tune v well Thanks Keith - I think it suits CBT well too, showcases the sustain of the trebles even with a capo on. [Glasgow Reel], again with an interesting lilt to what I've only ever heard as a very "straight" reel ... Well I have been wondering why I get funny looks at the local session whenever I start a reel off! I shall blame my technical deficiencies - if I played them straight I wouldn't have an space to insert my triplets! Interesting comparison with your own CB, though I'm guessing that the ages of the strings had much to do with the differences, which seemed more pronounced than when I heard you play both CBs at the East Anglia Guitar Festival recently. The strings on my own Ceol Binn were a bit older, and are Newtones rather than D'Addarios, so perhaps not as useful a comparison as it might have been. But, I think the mandos do sound quite different, and I suspect the biggest differences are down to the newness of the spruce and the differences between cedar and spruce - spruce a bit more sparkly, cedar more mellow. I can only speculate as to the effect of the heavier tailpiece on CBT, as I resisted the temptation to swap them around in order to conduct a properly scientific investigation . Top stuff Joe. Any excuse to wear your long frilly bloomers eh? Well normally I "go commando" but they say variety is the spice of life!
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