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Topic: Anyone Care to Join? - Tune of the Month Club |
Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 4:42 am |
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| Ron Whitfield wrote: |
| Funny how the forum lately has sufferred from another void of pertinent input, but let a Peyton Place debate pop up and the woodwork explodes. We're a livelier bunch when it comes to subjects of less merit, and that's NOT a compliment. |
i've sniped Ron's reply to another thread to introduce something i've been thinking about lately.
back when i was playing banjo and mandolin and participating in those forums, the debates were often equally about equipment, players, and saber rattling subjects, but they also had "Tune of the Month" sections where players could pick a tune to work on and swap arranging ideas.
the amazing thing is these T.O.M. posters were seldom, if ever, in the equipment sections rambling and arguing, and the posters there seldom participated in the T.O.M. threads. which i often thought odd..huh. after many years of various forum participation, i've concluded that people would rather "talk shop" than play music....ie, the reason we pick up the instrument in the first place.
So, why dont we start a Tune of the Month "club" here to compete with the dribblers and show them what its really like to sink the shot? this would be a great learning tool for everyone. we could list 3 basic tunes, agree on 1 and have a month to work something up to post, talk about problem sections - no certain tuning or key, just how you would approach the tune. no certain style, it could be Buffets "Come Monday", or "Red River Valley" or whatever. it'd be nice to have a tune we all like, but i've found arranging something you are not so crazy over is often of greater benefit as you put more thought into it. a good melody is a good melody.
this isnt a showpiece type endeavor, any skill level should participate as there is something to learn from everyone.
it'd be nice to get at least 10 people, as i dont want it to be the same 2-3 every month.
What'ya think? any input - i suppose everyone has digital recording capabilities these days (even if its a cell phone) and soundcloud or ? would host the files, so it doesnt take up bandwidth.
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'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 8:14 am
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June is coming up, we could kick this off - this could be a great opportunity to expand your repertoire and kick it up a notch.
we could pick some easy tunes - just good melodies that will give us some arranging freedom.
i know i often need a "project with a deadline" to force me to learn a tune (or finish anything), otherwise i just dabble around on this or that, and i bet alot of you are similar.
i'm up for any input. we could have a BIAB track, but i'd rather not have everyone think they need to do it in a certain key, tempo, style or tuning, etc. but if thats what we need...
here is the thread for the mandolin cafe "Song a week club" as an example
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?55-Song-and-Tune-Projects
i hope my initial post didnt come across as too sarcastic - it was mean more as a locker room pep talk to a team that needs to focus back on the game and not the cheerleaders or what kind of shoes the other team is wearing.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II
Last edited by Jerome Hawkes on 25 May 2012 8:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 25 May 2012 8:26 am
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OK, I'm in.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 8:43 am
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sweet - thanks mike, knew i could count on you. 
any ideas for tunes to start with - lets hear them.
i was thinking something like Basin Street Blues or ?? that has a bit of harmonic interest but easily accessible to any level. pick something where there are a few versions on youtube for people to listen to - you can find just about anything there. that way you at least have a reference.
give us some others and we'll have a week to pick one.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 9:33 am
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Ah, the old 'shut up and play your guitar' advice, eh? ...works for me. Good one, Jerome.
Long ago, Jeff Au Hoy started a similar thread using Cold Cold Heart as a rallying point and it got good participation, minus Jeff contributing his own..., we're still waiting, Jeff! If this forum can jump on your suggestion and make it work on a regular basis, then we could kick things up a notch around here, maybe even get 'sticky' accreditation so it perpetuates itself. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 25 May 2012 10:00 am
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| sorry...no recorder. |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 10:05 am
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well, ron, like i said, it was more of a pep talk comment - i'm just as guilty as anyone.
my main point being we could learn and bounce ideas off each other more constructively, learn some tunes, arranging tips, tunings, exposure to new genres..on and on. at the end of 1 year, you'd have 12 great tunes under your hands and a better understanding of the instrument - who wouldnt want that?
i dont know how we will do tune selection to get as many involved as possible, unlike the pedal crowd, we are so diverse over here (which is great) - when i went to Dallas this year, the "non-pedal" room was awesome - everyone played a great mix of tunes and thats what i'd like to see here. to me, its hard to play 3 chord country on the straight steel because there is so little harmonic movement and the tuning dictates what you can get by with. you almost have to play it exactly the way Don or Lil' Roy did/or would - not much wiggle room there - we'd all end up playing the same harmonized 3d & 6ths.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II
Last edited by Jerome Hawkes on 25 May 2012 10:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 25 May 2012 10:11 am
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I think tunes written as instrumentals are much better than your typical lyric song played instrumentally.
I've just always found those a little on the corny side.
Unless, of course, it was a tin pan alley tune or a jazz standard. Some Hawaiian tunes are good, too.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 10:29 am
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| Part of the fun is getting a wide range of interpretations, having out-of-the-box renditions gives a great soundboard for teaching/learning basis which is far more substantial than doing one's best at copying. No matter how simple the tune, intro or song, it puts it on each player to make it new again, and maybe people submitting their own music for consideration as a TOTM pick to bounce off would expand the possibilities. |
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John Mulligan
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 25 May 2012 11:51 am
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| I'd have a whack at tune of the month, but I am a pretty bad beginner. Those corny tunes work better for me. |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 12:49 pm
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I'm in.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 1:34 pm
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Glad to see some folks step up - you guys give some tunes - I really want this to be a group effort.
Mike, the only concern about instrumentals is that they are often key and tuning specific. It would be great if we had some players on a6 / c6-a7 / e13 /b11 / levitt / byrds diatonic / e9...all giving their interpretation.
Oh - and I don't mean to imply you have to work on this tune for a month to come up with some fantastic rendition - I might work on it for 2-3 hrs
Chris - I know you can play well - you can phone your arrangement in
I'm off for the MD weekend, so everyone think it over and let's have some fun.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Bill Brunt
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 25 May 2012 7:15 pm
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| Jerome Hawkes wrote: |
I might work on it for 2-3 hrs
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eek!
I will spend that much time on the first phrase.
...
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but I'm in. |
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Rob Fenton
From:
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 25 May 2012 8:41 pm
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I'm in, for sure. I've not got any good way of recording right now, but I'm sure I can manage to get something uploaded...
I think we should start with vocal tunes. They do come out pretty corny as full-on instrumentals, but I think it's of great value to be able to play the melody in an interesting manner, no matter what the tuning being used. And we'll hardly be recording them as though they are they are to become tracks on a record. I'm interested just to see how differently people will phrase the same melody.
For those to whom it comes easily, maybe throw in an extra verse and chorus of backup to the vocal, and maybe a solo (if you dare to expose your hot licks for the lifting). |
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Thomas Temple
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 26 May 2012 4:53 am All for it
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As a relative newbie and a ppp (pee poor player) I LOVE this idea. Will give a lot of us something to aspire to, not to mention I am sure there will be some great interpretations of some really good old tunes. Really looking forward to this.
Tom |
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John Mulligan
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 26 May 2012 7:44 am
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| The advantage of playing the melody of a song that was meant to be sung is to see how much of the feeling you can capture. It's less of a technical exercise and more of an expressive challenge. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 26 May 2012 9:16 am
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| John Mulligan wrote: |
| The advantage of playing the melody of a song that was meant to be sung is to see how much of the feeling you can capture. It's less of a technical exercise and more of an expressive challenge. |
Good point, John.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 26 May 2012 9:37 am
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| That's pretty much the WHOLE point of steel guitar, at least what makes it wonderful to me. This excersise will be great if individual expression is the focus. |
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 26 May 2012 10:13 am
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I am intigued, but I am not sure my chops are up to the task. I would give it a good shot.
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"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 26 May 2012 10:24 am
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| Frank James Pracher wrote: |
| I am intigued, but I am not sure my chops are up to the task. I would give it a good shot. |
One of the most wonderful things about the steel is that simple can be a benefit, just basic good technique and something to say will usually provide the player and listener a worthy experience. |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 26 May 2012 10:56 am Edited
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Edited
Last edited by George Piburn on 29 May 2012 8:23 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 26 May 2012 5:43 pm Re: Starting Place > Hopefully This Will Help
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| George Piburn wrote: |
Sleep Walk is recognized as Steel Guitar's Smash Hit
(snip)
Key of C
Main Body =
C - Am - Fm -- D
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I can't help it, George... it hurts every time I play that 'D'. Now, if by 'D', you meant 'G', then we're on the same track! |
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