Country Blues > Super Electrical Recordings!
Guitar Artistry of Geoff Muldaur
Jimmy J:
This is a great performance DVD. I really enjoyed Geoff's monologues between songs, too.
Thanks to Mr. Muldaur, I finally gained some technical understanding as to why I prefer playing twelve-fretters with slotted headstocks. As Geoff says, they are more 'squishable' than the longer scales, so it's easier to bend notes and add vibrato. I never knew what those little 'pings' I'd hear when tuning were until Geoff explained that it's because of the increased angle the strings travel over the nut before they descend into the slots. This creates a friction point at the nut. That's why it's important to use lead as a lubricant on the nut. (You can use a lead pencil, or there is a commercial product called, oddly enough, Nut Sauce.) The other reason I like twelve fretters is because of the wider neck width at the nut. My fingers are rather large and my fingertips are rather blunt, and not pointed like most people. I can't keep the fingers of my LH from inadvertently touching adjacent strings on a so-called normal neck width. (Unfortunately, this means I have to pay ten times as much for an axe than the econmoical Yamaha-ha-s with the built in bells and whistles of EQ and tuners, damn it. Instead, I had to shell out for two Nationals (NRPs), and a Larrivvee SD50.)
I liked this Vestapol DVD so much that I downloaded Geoff's Homespun Lesson.
I worked up Just A Little While To Stay Here, but am still in the shed with it because it's got a few stretches and tricky chromatic ascensions. I'm confident that I'll get them smoothed out, and add this to my repertoire. I emailed Mr. Muldaur a question about this song, and he responded. So, on top of everything, he's approachable and gracious, too!
Like a few others here mentioned, I also want to find the time to sit down and study Geoff's LH and learn Downtown Blues. And, I really like his rendition of Drop Down, Mama, and plan to work it up, too. I might even give Wild Ox Moan a try, someday...and I really dig Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You? This is a great disc. I can't say enough about it. Other than, you should get it. These days, you can also download it directly Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop.
lindy:
I'm reviving this ancient thread because I just discovered Geoff Muldaur's rendition of Wild Ox Moan and figure I'd share the performance in case others haven't yet had the pleasure.
Rivers:
Thanks lindy. Too many things to comment on this early hour Friday morning but all are positive. Except to say I wish I could ratchet my voice up an octave like that at will. Need to work on it.
Stuart:
Thanks, Lindy. A thread certainly worth re-visiting. Geoff's version is also on the "Jug Band Extravaganza" album which has other noteworthy performances by names you may recognize.
https://www.amazon.com/Jug-Band-Extravaganza-Jim-Kweskin/dp/B003UN2IEU/
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