Topic: What tunes are you working on?

[GhostRider]

Hey ER:

Which version of "In the Evening..." are you going after?

BJ:

Thanks for your insights, John. It gives me hope.

Gary:

I love Kindhearted Woman. He really can work a rhythum.

Alex

[Mark]

I like this thread - its interesting to hear what people choose to learn.

I started working on BBF's 'Mamma let me lay it on you' just after getting back from Port Townsend - kind of a hybrid of the two versions that he recorded.  I've pretty much got it now, and am just relaxing into it.   I'm still polishing Dallas Rag, Mandolin Rock and Bumble Bee from Rich Del Grosso's mando class.  Also, I'm smoothing out the rough edges on an arrangement I made of Tampa Red's 'You Missed A Good Man'.  I made up the arrangement about a year ago and have never fully mastered it but it's starting to come together.

Mark

[uncle bud]

I'm still working on Lemon in C.    (See start of thread)

Tuned the guitar to Spanish the other day and ended up doing an "arrangement" of Peg Leg Howell's Rolling Mill Blues.

Also working on Ishmon Bracey's Woman, Woman Blues, thanks to John Miller. Nasty! The Fraulini is sporting an unwound G-string.

[Slack]

Also been working on "Tired of Being Mistreated" - with the tendency to play the verses faster than I can do the break.  Both the spouse and the cat like it.

Bo Carter's - "Your Biscuits are Big Enough For Me" - from Steve C's class

'Ukulele Lady', 'Hulilau Song' and 'Crazy Words Crazy Tune' (am attending a Luau themed wedding party - the newlyweds are going to Hawaii for the honeymoon - will give a prop ukulele to the bride and sing "Ukulele Lady" to the groom as a sing-a-long).

[GhostRider]

sing "Ukulele Lady" to the groom as a sing-a-long).

Uncle John:

Oh, boy

I hope to see a version of this on the back porch soon

Are you going to sing this in drag?

Alex

[Buzz]

I's workin' on the following:
1. Tired of Being Mistreated. Love it. Leaving the little parlour i open tuning, capo on. Learning the verses.
2. James Cotton's Born in Chicago for band class.
3.  Sweet Virginia, Dixie Down, KC Blues, Stealin', Honey Babe, Love in Vain on the mando
4. del Grossos great tunes from PT: like Mark: Dallas Rag, Bumble Bee, Johnny's BluesRock , etc.

5. Went to a wedding last week in Cape Cod, a friend's daughter,and learned Sally Ann, Hot Corn Cold Corn, and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach! We thought we would play for 15 min, but the processional was sped up by the bride and groom, and only got through Jesu!. Yeeeooowww!
So much material, so little time.
Cheers,
Miller

[jed]

Good Mornin' Li'l Schoolgirl - trying to put together my recollection of Junior Wells singing it with whatever other verses I can find or remember.  Open G.  I always liked the way the opening riff lays on the first few frets.  But to use as a ringer on my new celphone (which is not so bad), I have to go to the 12th fret, because the phone really only takes single notes.

Desperately hoping noone else has the same ring tone,
Jed

[morongo]

Well, I haven't posted much here, but I met quite a few of you at Port Townsend.

I'm a bit embarrassed.  I haven't practiced since I got back from Port Townsend, but I have an excuse!  Anyway, I figure if I visit Weenie more often, I will take my guitar more seriously (I know she really misses me).

Tomorrow, I intend to start working on RGD's "Samson and Delilah," polish up BB's "Chump Man Blues," and relearn a very cool classical arrangement of "Call Me Irresponsible" I knew twenty-five years ago.  That should keep me busy until next July.

Rick

[cmr]

Wow, I have internet access in Owens Valley, California.  I am learning a PT song taught by John Miller - She's a Fool Gal, by Ed Bell.  This is the first song I've ever learned without music.  Even though the song is simple,  I do not have to depend on using written music!   Now I just have to play and sing at the same time...

Charlie

[acousticjam]

The Willie Brown tune "Ragged and Dirty" caught my ear when I heard Cephas & Wiggins perform it at the Port Townsend juke last month.  I'm struggling with getting a consistently clean sound with my left hand.  Any suggestions?

I'm also working on Kenny Sultan's Vastapol arrangement of "Prodigal Son".  The left hand fingering here isn't too difficult since the tune is taught in "beginner's" tuning.  The next step is to add the slide.  That's somewhat intimidating because I just haven't done much slide playing.

Tim

[waxwing]

Hey Tim,

If your working on the William Brown version from tab or whatever, be aware that he is capoed to the 7th fret. I capo to the 5th. It's a heck of a lot easier up there, but it's still tough. I hold the 3rd fret bass with my ring while reaching back to the 2nd string to play the lick with my middle. That stretch took me months to get comfortable with and I still get pretty tired, especially in front of an audience, and often have to cut the song a few verses short from fatigue if I haven't practiced it a lot lately. I also use a barre for the D chord, which I can slide up from the 1st to the 2nd fret. Oh, another thing, some of the tabs show a slide from the 2nd to the 3rd fret of the 2nd string, but I think it is indecernable from a hammer on, which is what I use. It's a toughie, but a joy to play when you've finally got it. He hits every note in the chromatic scale except for the flat 2nd, yet it all seems to work in a weirdly beautiful harmony.

All for now.
John C.

[banjochris]

Waxwing -- in "Ragged and Dirty," have you ever tried playing the 3rd fret G bass note with your thumb, and not worrying about fretting the fifth string? I find that makes things a lot easier.

Chris

[uncle bud]

Chris,

This is exactly what I do for Ragged and Dirty. I just tried it one time because I found the standard fingering awkward and it worked really nicely, making the treble work much more comfortable. I sometimes use the same fingering on Memphis Minnie's Drunken Barrelhouse Blues.

Andrew

[waxwing]

Hey, UB, I never heard you playin' it. Dang! I've seen other guys workin' on it that way (at PT), but never anyone doin' it up to speed. I did try the thumb for a while but felt more confident with the finger. And I'm a heavy thumb user, too. Yeah, I don't cover the 5th string, either. Basically, for the signature lick, with ring holding the bass, I cover the 1st fret notes with the index, the 2nd fret with the middle and the third fret with the pinky. I'm also a pretty big pinky user, too. But hey, everybody's hands are different, it just pays to try different approaches to see what works best for you. Maybe I should give the thumb another try.

Chris, any chance you might be thinkin' about headin' up to PT next year? I know we all would like to do some playin' with you.

And acoustijam. Did I meet you this year? I'm not puttin' a face together with your logon.

All for now.
John C.

[acousticjam]

Waxwing,

Thanks for the tip on capoing up.  That will definitely help.  I've tried several finger methods but the thumb wrap works best for me.  I appreciate the recommendation on sliding into the D using a bar too.  I got out of that habit a while back but it may just be what the doctor ordered for this tune.

I don't think that we formally met however if you attended any of John Miller's morning classes at PT then I'm sure you saw me.  I made it to most of John's afternoon sessions too.

Tim