Topic: 3 Tunes...2 from Mance and 1 from Libba

[Blue in VT]

Here are a few new recordings that I made last night.  I made them fairly quick so there are a few gaffs and goofs but I think they are coming along.  The Mance Tunes are "Night Time is the Right Time" and "Spoonful" (drop D) The Libba tune in "Wilson Rag"...which I know is played much slower than it should be but I think it sounds good...not Rag speed but fun to play and listen too.

Let me know what you think

Blue

http://media.putfile.com/Mary-Helen---spoonful
http://media.putfile.com/Sheila---Wilson-Rag
http://media.putfile.com/Shelia--Night-time

[Slack]

Hey Blue, I enjoyed those and agree with you - they are coming along nicely.  One suggestion on the 2 Lipscomb tunes is to damp that bass to get that "chunk" which sets up more of a contrast with the high parts, whcih are really lovely aren't they? - love the harmony Lipscomb gets, it's well worth pusuing and I need to revivst some Lipscomb tunes I do.  Nice sounding guitar too, what is it?

Thanks for posting.

[Blue in VT]

Thanks for the kind words Slack...I really love playing Mance's Music something about his style just gets under my skin.  Your right about his trebles floating over his rock solid bass line..."slippery" is the word I use to describe his melody lines.

I'm still struggling with how to get that percussive chunk...I'm not a thumb pick user...so I do dampen but without the pick its hard to duplicate his sound closely.

As far as guitars go...I'm a Larrivee OM fan...spoonful is played on an OM-05MT (mahogany top) and Wilson Rag and Night time on a OM-03 Black wood.  I thin kt the MT works best for this type of music but I think the recording of the two tunes on the BW are better than the versions I recorded on the MT.  They are Great guitars and I think the MT has great funk tone...love it.

Cheers,

Blue

[uncle bud]

I can't listen as Firefox and Windows Media Player seem to get into an "illegal operation" when loading the pages linked above.

Re. a percussive thumb. Constant playing until one's thumb is callused enough to give a bit more "chunk" is one way. Dig in as well. I'm not one to advise a bare thumb player to use a thumbpick, but if you were to experiment, try a bunch of different picks. I find some completely unwieldy (Nationals), others just right (Fred Kelly, Golden Gate). Others probably have the exact opposite experience.

[LusciousLucy]

Good job, Blue! I dig it, and am sure Mance would too

[Blue in VT]

 

Thanks for the kind words all...I'm really enjoying learning this music...

On ya'll advice I went back and dug out my old thumb picks and gave them a try again...haven't done so for at least a year...and....guess what....I really liked it for the mance tunes...it really does give them a special bounce and drive...I may be convinced!!!  I'll try to record spoonful again for a comparison.

the pick didn't really work for the MJH and Libba tunes...so Ineed to get proficient and switching back and forth...do others do this??  I saw Paul Gerimia this winter and he was able to do it between songs...

Cheers

Blue

[uncle bud]

Absolutely others do it. Some reserves picks (including fingerpicks) for resonator playing. Some switch back and forth between thumbpick and bare thumb on their regular wood guitars.

My only advice would be, since you already play without a thumbpick, don't get dependent on one (I am, pretty much, though keep trying to wean myself).

[Blue in VT]

 

Will do uncle bud....I use yo play with the thumb pick and finger picks but never really liked the tone all that much...with just a thumb pick I always felt like I was drowing out my trebles...but this combo of pick and a little bit of finger nail sounds pretty good for Lipscomb tunes...I'm Delveing in Shake Shake Mama (Cherry Ball) right now and it sounds great.

However as I mentioned the thumb pick just doesn't sound right (IMO) on other types of music so I hope to switch back and forth.

Cheers...I'll work on recording a new version this weekend

Blue

[Frosty Morn]

Nice job!

[Blue in VT]

 

Thanks frosty!!  I did have a chance to record a couple of tunes again with and without the thumb pick...I just need to convert them so you can help me decide if the pick tone is better or not.

Cheers,

Blue