Beginners' update

[Pen]

Hey guys - been awol laterly.  Life can get crazy around here.  No college yet landy!  He did spart pre-school this year though.  Little guy is growing up.

Trying to find time to play for fun is hard lately.  It seems like every moment of the day is filled with obligations.  By the time my "to do" list is complete - it's almost time for bed.  Oh well - I'm guessing its the same for most parents. The band has it's yearly hiatus from mid Nov - Feb.  Maybe I'll bet back to my roots then.

Have a great week all!

[Pen]

If you haven't done it already - go buy Mandolin Pickers Fakebook.  This will be in about any good acoustic music store that sells mando's.  All this tab is available for free online - but it's SO nice to have it all in one book.

A few of my favorites:

Will the Circle be Unbroken, Rose of Old Kentucky, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Foggy Mt. Breakdown, Spinning Wheel, Wildwood Flower, I Saw the Light, Amazing Grace, Cabin in Caroline, The Old Homeplace, Molly & Tenbrooks, Ballad of Jed Clampett, Rawhide, On My Way Back to the Old Home, Hot Corn Cold Corn, Soldier's Joy, Old Joe Clark, Red Haired Boy, Whiskey Before Breakfast.

Now - that being said - it depends who you want to play with.  These tend to be more in the traditional bluegrass vein.  There's certainly lots of newer stuff that is fun as well.

Have fun!

[Pen]

I'm good landy - thanks for asking.  Big news on my end is I think the band is reaching it's end.  Loosing our lead guitarist and I don't think we are going to go through the hastle of retooling.  It's been a good 6 year run.  All good things....

I'm sorta looking forward to it.  I'll be able to go a different direction with my music.  I'll miss the money - but I'll have more time with the family.  So it's a trade up.

How's life on the mountain?  Good luck with the fiddle tunes.  It's a great way to improve your playing.  If you can find a guitar player to get with a couple times a month and practice what you've learned, it will really help.  Or - play along to a recording.

Have fun!

[libraryvolgirl]

hey y'all. well i'm still kinda in the same place with picking. my mando got stolen and finally got it replaced a few wks ago but just haven't been able to carve out the time to sit down and practice. i'm gonna make it a priority for the new year   although now i am really entranced w/ the dobro and want to check it out!

[Pen]

Good luck library - that's a wonderful NY's resolution.  I haven't touched an instrument in over 3 weeks - since my bands last gig.  I think I need to fill my cup.  I just don't have any desire.  After going gangbusters for 5 years it feels good to take a break.

Landy - I had no idea that song was a traditional one until you posted that - thank you!  I was a deadhead for years and that was one of my fav's.  I youtube'd it and liked some of the other versions I heard online.

Oh yes - Happy Thanksgiving to our little subgroup on this forum.  Have a wonderful holiday!

[Pen]

I'm certainly no expert on this - but this is what I do.  I play it/sing it in the key of the recording I'm trying to emulate.  If I can't sing it, I drop it.  You can usually tell if you're voice is close - or if you are really straining.  If I'm close - I try a half step.  If It's really hard - maybe I drop it 2 steps - or more.  It may take a few tries before I get the right key.

For the sake of ease - you may want to use a capo during this process.  I don't ever really use a capo to play songs - but using one to get your key is helpful to me.  Easier than re-thinking the chord progression every time I go up or down to a different key.  Some people can do this instinctively - not me.

[landshark]

Holiday songs on my Mandolin....been quiet, no rippin solos coming out of me yet but my pickin' is improving...

[landshark]

Where do these sounds really come from when we sing??

 I sing some words differently than I speak them.

And when most sing gospel It sounds like it's really comin' from a place,  in the soul.

 Really, think about it. ...

What really moves us to move in dance or sing out.  So primative, natural,  automatic .

 Flippin groovie

Make noise! Sing out! Dance and let the music move you..is it june yet

I just met a girl that wants to sell her full size Cello.  Now all I know about Cellos is I love the way they sound and I want to know more and make some noise on one.. Any guidance at all would be greatly appreciated  

[MandoGeek]

I haven't taken a lesson since September, and haven't practiced in months.  , I really need to get back into this. I did get a concertina for my birthday, but haven't figured it out yet.
I am making a somewhat late NYE resolution to start practicing my mando and singing at least 4 times a week. When did life all of a sudden get more complicated?
Beth

 Listening to: Ray LaMontagne

[Pen]

Boy are you preaching to the choir.  Good luck Beth.  I know I have a problem trying to carve out time too.  If you want a good kick in the pants to practice, do what I just did.

I've connected with another musician and am working on a 2 man acoustic project.  Here's the kicker.  We meshed so well in the first few weeks in Dec - I booked us some gigs at an area bar.  First one is mid-March.  Now, we've sorta slowed down on our progress with only about 25 songs stage ready.  I need almost 3 times that.  Talk about preasure to practice.

I'm more than a little nervous. 

[Pen]

Hey Landy.  I'm playing at The Glenn (in Northglenn - Irma & 112th) on March 19.  We're in there about twice a month.  If you like, I'll link you up to us on Facebook when I build that page.  I think we're going to call ouselves "Colorado Acoustic".  I want to get a few pictures of us playing outside and a few music clips before I set it up.

Also, I'm looking for someone to help me make a logo (free of course).  I've got no graphic ability.  Know anyone?

Would be great to meet you finally!  Have a great weekend!

[MandoGeek]

That sounds like a great time, I finally picked up my mando the other night and fixed the concertina. My husband told me the concertina is an outside instrument though, Hmmmmm. I need to practice more chord progressions and am really getting excited about this summer. So many great shows. Good luck with the taxes Mik and keep practicing Pen I'll mark the date in my calendar.
Beth

[Pen]

Good luck with tax time Landy.  Facebook isn't all that bad.  IMO it gets a bad rap by some.  As long as you don't "friend" everyone, your page is easily managable.  It's not really a "real time" chat site either.  I know lots of ppl that just create a page and keep it pretty bare.  They use FB to access info from others - not to talk about themselves.

Things Facebook does for me I love:
-tells me automatically when my friends and family are having a birthday (can't tell you how many times that has saved me)
-allows me to post pictures of the family.  When my family wants to see what the kids look like, they just look on my Facebook page.  No need to bother me for pix.
-Lets me keep my fans up to date on when my shows are.  Much better than an email blast.

Anyway - my 2 cents.  You guys have a great rest of the weekend!

[MandoGeek]

Maybe I could build a shed outside with heat and electricity for a jam room. We have a spare bedroom that I practice in but that concertina is really loud and I have no idea what I am doing. It's like learning to play the clarinet. Ouch, painful to the ears. Brian much perfers the mando. I semi know what I'm doing and it's a lot quieter. HeeeHeee I really like the idea of the Angeline the Baker group thing. Which version? The fake book version A is the one I know. Let me know which version you are learning.
Beth 

 Listening to: LOS Nobody's Fault But Mine

[libraryvolgirl]

still pickin' but slow going. been going to a weekly jam that i LOVE.  also trying to learn to sing 'walls of time' its been requested by my jam friends