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ezFolk Forums > ezFolk Audio Hosting > Share Your Music > New Fretless Banjo Tune (Song Actually) Posted |
| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner |
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| New Fretless Banjo Tune (Song Actually) Posted | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19th, 2009 07:54 pm |
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1st Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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I am preparing to present a "Tune of the week" over on Banjo Hangout, and am going to use this song as my entry. Rolling Hills Are Burning Down I first recorded it in 2006 and posted it here, but that was on a fretted banjo tuned to double C tuning. Since then I've obtained a fretless mountain banjo and have been dabbling in an alternate D tuning known as "dead" tuning (f#DEAD). Since the fretless has minstrel strings right now, it is tuned down about 3 half-steps, so the tuning is closer to eBC#F#B, which fits my voice much better. I have only heard 3 other renditions of this song, my brother's, George's, and another BHO member's. I have found no background information on the song, and it appears that the original source must be George Landers. If you know anything about it, I would appreciate you contacting me with it.
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20th, 2009 03:14 pm |
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2nd Post |
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Jim Yates Approved 
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Great tune and rendition Brad. The first time I clicked your link, nothing happened right away, so I clicked it again and heard you sing and play it as a round. The moral - Click once and be patient.
____________________ Jim http://www.myspace.com/jimyates http://www.myspace.com/mapleleafchampionjugband |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20th, 2009 04:54 pm |
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3rd Post |
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Aaron Hellem Approved 
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Hey Brad, Sounds good. Reminds me of "Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground", especially the version that Tommy Jarrell does: lots of cool slides through in. I like that tuning, and wondered if the fretless mountain banjo might not sound good with some slides thrown in your version. The fretless always sounds really great when the notes are played as slides, especially with a tune like this one. Captures the plaintive aspect of it. There's local musician in my part of the woods here, Tim Eriksen, who regularly plays a fretless mountain banjo; here's link to his version of Tom Dooley with the kind of slides I mean: http://www.youtube.com/batfancy#p/u/5/8cWS17eAF64 Where did you get your mountain banjo? I've been looking for an affordable one and have even considered the kit to motivate myself into finally building something more than just a martini with my hands. Was it built for you? Did it break the bank? I'm also looking at upgrading from my beginner Goodtime to a Bart Reiter. It's a beautiful banjo and I like the 12" pot and the swoop neck. It's got a terrific sound as well. Any thoughts on that? Is there such a thing as too early for a player to upgrade like that? Is there an "upgrade" etiquette I need to follow, or unwritten rules or steps that I should abide by? Cheers, Aaron
____________________ "This is a Woody Guthrie song. Some of these songs he wrote for all time." Ry Cooder |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20th, 2009 07:56 pm |
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4th Post |
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Charlie Approved 
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Brad I love the song and also the banjo sounds great, I bought a large Gourd a couple years ago and cute the top out and cleaned it good so I have plans to some day to build a neck for it and go fretless with it. I also have the skin for the head and just need the time to do it. Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20th, 2009 08:28 pm |
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5th Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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Aaron - If you listen closely, there are some slides in there. They just didn't record well, and probably I didn't accent them enough or make them long enough. I agree, slides are what the fretless banjo is all about. If you go to my YouTube page, I've posted a version of Mole In The Ground which has a few slightly more obvious slides incorporated into it. The banjo was made by an internet friend who started as a hobby, but now has a backlog of several orders, so I hesitate to name him. I'll check and see if he is going to start a small side business and let you know - he lives in Santa Cruz, CA. The banjo is based on the style of Frank Proffitt's fretless ones. Mine is made of Walnut and Maple, you can see it in the posted video. I like a slightly more subdued tone than the Bart Reiter's I've played have. My regular banjo is a Chuck Lee Lonestar model openback, Walnut with a 12" head. It has a nice wooden tonering and an attractive scoop. I have pictures posted on my ezFolk artist page. I, too, went from a Goodtime to my Chuck Lee - I would have kept the Goodtime, except I needed to trade it in to cover the sales tax on the CL  Jim - I'll have to try that - I think it might make a good round! Thanks for the kind words, as usual, Charlie - sometimes I wonder if your hearing needs to be checked out! 
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20th, 2009 08:54 pm |
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6th Post |
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ednull Approved 
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That's good stuff. Interesting tone, not the usual banjo twang. I like it.
____________________ Edward Null EZ Folk Soundclick CD Baby |
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21st, 2009 04:42 am |
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7th Post |
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Tony Provencher Administrator 
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Nice playing. I agree about the slides. Love the fretless sound, and the tone of your banjo.
____________________  My ezFolk Page My Other Websites
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21st, 2009 12:46 pm |
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8th Post |
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Philj200 Approved 
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Really good work Brad, I like your signing. Reminds me of Fred Price and Roscoe Holcombe's work.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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