Little Green Bug
October 2, 2009
Country Blues
October 2, 2009
Steve from Maine writes:
hi patrick and dear old dad-
got one more song for ya. here’s my take on dock boggs’ country blues. normally i play his songs in his playing style, but this one seems to adapt to frailing quite well. its one of my favorite songs to play.
tuning is g-CGCC (but you can play it in dbl C or open C as well)
cheers!
left handed resonator banjo – real cheap!
October 2, 2009
This banjo is new. We ordered it in to evaluate as a left handed option for our beginner packages hoping that we could remove the resonator. The problem is that the inside of the rim is unfinished. Needless to say this one did not cut the mustard.
It does play pretty well and it is a lefty.
You can have it for $99.00 plus shipping.
Call for details 410-968-3873
Peace to all,
Pat Costello (Dear Old Dad)
First File Ever
October 2, 2009
Mitch writes:
Hi Patrick and DOD,
Glad to see the festival went so well, I’m sorry to have missed it but I’m pretty sure I’ll make it in May 2010. In the meantime I’ve created a short file of me playing Will You Go Lassie Go. I’m playing the tab pretty much straight from Kelly’s book, which by the way has some great songs in it (as I’m sure you know). Anyway I’ve never sent anyone anything of me playing before, but I’ve finally mustered up the courage. Besides, I’m having fun and so what the heck. Hopefully I’ll develop a bit more camera sense because in this one it looks like I may explode or something. Any criticism is welcome.
I ♥ Zombie Banjo
October 2, 2009
Woody Harrelson bashes a zombie with a banjo in Zombieland.
I’ll wait for the DVD on this one, but the picture made me smile.
Playing Shady Grove: 2009 Crisfield Folk Musicians Retreat
October 2, 2009
I saw Paul wandering around with a recoding setup at the April Folk Musicians Retreat, but I never had a chance to find out what he was up to. Turns out he was creating a soundscape – sort of audio portrait of the event.
Now Canada Goose Records has released Playing Shady Grove: 2009 Crisfield Folk Musicians Retreat.
From the product description:
This recording is a collection of some of the different things that you could have heard during that retreat, it is an on-site recording including snippets of some of the classes, the sound of people learning how to play, and people showcasing songs that are dear to them. Enjoy.
The recording is available as a free download under a Creative Commons license (whoo!) and a CD release is in the works.
This is wonderful! Thanks, Paul!
Bluesy Banjo
October 2, 2009
Mark in the UK writes:
Hi Patrick and D.O.D.
a week and a half after completing the Great North Strum, I felt I could manage to look at a bloody banjo again!
Here`s a little blues number I`ve written.
The Mysterious Asthmatic Avenger
October 2, 2009
Patrick from France writes:
My name is Patrick from France, i wanted to thank you for the tonns of good tips and trics you gave us poor lonesome banjo players thrue the world.
Sorry for my POOR english writing, hope it does not upset you !
So let me tell you what happened for a few month.
I used to play since 13 years a poor quality 5 strings resonnator banjo in a one man band concept… i couldnt manage to learn a bluegrass 3 finger style even if i realy like the sounding of the technic but… too difficult and the metal things on the fingers was not something for me….
So i played it like a guitar with a plectrum but uses the real banjo tunigs and chords. The story so far, i recorded a few tunes and an album with banjo songs but i quickly lay away the banjo as an instrument where i will never progress and keep on practicing and playing mostly guitar.BUT
I watched some of your youtube videos and what a surprise ! It is possible to learn something different, realy more instinctive you call fraillin !waow ! After a few hours i could play more interesting notes than i learned in 10 years with my banjo !
So glad for that ! than you !
I worked since several hours in the week till may approximately and try to play all of my songs with that technic.. and others ! All that old country early roots american stuff that i like so much is now accessible in a real vintage sounding playing !
As i’m touring in january with my one man band concept (mixing theater and rock ‘n roll roots, yodels … ) i wanted to me the more ready i could with my banjo. So if you don’t mind i wish to ask you a few questions :
How can i install a pick up on a banjo to play frailin style ? i actualy have a low cost transducer but i can’t play very loud in the amp because of the feedback, and my thumb makes a continuous boom boom… As i have to play with kickdrum and snear it musy be loud enough.
Is it better to remove the renonator of the banjo for better sounding ?
How can i find some tips and tricks to sound more “bluegrass” in some of my songs ? Frailin playing is good for covering the early stuff, but i sometimes want to sound more in bill monroe style, or earl scruggs… So is it possible to cover those kind of songs using frail ? and How ? sure someting with the thumb….
And here a little funny on youtube with myself playing all instruments and singing…. yeah, its’ just the beginning i hope to become better for january french tour.
Patrick thank you and have a nice day !
The other Patrick known as the Mysterious Asthmatic Avenger…
