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Tune Of The Month, May 2013: Parson's Farewell


Jim Besser

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I'm going to revisit this tune, as I will most likely all of them in time. I don't like the key that I played it in. It sounds way too muddy. So I'm going to do Parson's Farewell in the key of B minor (D).

Yes! A good idea .. it will be brighter and 'jolly'.I look forward to hearing that. :)

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Okay, here it is -- in the key of D/Bm.

 

Parsons Farewell in Bm

http://snd.sc/11jwdnA

 

... Having trouble linking this right now and I need to get outta here...but that link will work.

 

 

 

--- And a 'thank you' to Geoff Woof for saying something encouraging... it helped!

Edited by bellowbelle
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I've added another take in the key of Fm(Ab), to soundcloud (will add link later).

 

Same is at:

box.com/totm (in the file for May)

Loved that, Bellowbelle. That foot bass is amazing. Excuse me if this is a dumb question, but did you play the concertina and foot bass simultaneously, or did you record the bass afterwards?

Thanks,

Dean

Edited by Defra
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Cannot get this to play for me Bellowgirl... so cannot comment... :(

 

Does this help?

 

Err??? NO ... it gets me the Fm version... and very good too but I still don't get the Bm.

 

 

Didn't know what had been wrong - so here is the Bm take.

 

Thanks Wolf... it gets me to the Bm but still does not play for me.... not to worry I have a good imagination and lots of other stuff to do, so I'll try later.

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Okay... well, I've updated a little bit at Soundcloud, and I'd had a duplicate file at one point. Maybe there was some problem due to deleting that one...

 

Anyway, it seems that I can't use this forum editor today, with our computer. I didn't change any settings on the computer. So, I'll get back to that later.

 

Everything should be accessible, now.... either at SC or at the box.com/totm link.

 

I like SC but I already pay for Box, so eventually, as sounds pile up, I may just be using Box.

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I've added another take in the key of Fm(Ab), to soundcloud (will add link later).

 

Same is at:

box.com/totm (in the file for May)

Loved that, Bellowbelle. That foot bass is amazing. Excuse me if this is a dumb question, but did you play the concertina and foot bass simultaneously, or did you record the bass afterwards?

Thanks,

Dean

 

...Back again.

 

Not a dumb question!

 

It's a bit of a workout, for me, playing that thing! I don't think I play it with as much sophistication as some players do -- delicately working it into those Victorian-era songs, etc. -- though I HAVE been trying to play it without it sounding like I'm just whomping on it recklessly.

 

It IS a bit of a workout, for me, to play -- good exercise I guess. The tones are arranged by the Circle of Fifths, on the foot bass. So, when I played Parsons Farewell in the key of B minor (a.k.a. D major), it was totally my left foot (and leg) working. When I played the same song but in the key of F minor (a.k.a. Ab major), it was my right foot/leg that got the workout. (Of course, some keys call for both feet.)

 

It's loud enough to cover a few quiet little wheezes and groans that I notice do show up every now and then. I'm still working on playing it just right!

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I've added another take in the key of Fm(Ab), to soundcloud (will add link later).

 

Same is at:

box.com/totm (in the file for May)

Loved that, Bellowbelle. That foot bass is amazing. Excuse me if this is a dumb question, but did you play the concertina and foot bass simultaneously, or did you record the bass afterwards?

Thanks,

Dean

 

...Back again.

 

Not a dumb question!

 

It's a bit of a workout, for me, playing that thing! I don't think I play it with as much sophistication as some players do -- delicately working it into those Victorian-era songs, etc. -- though I HAVE been trying to play it without it sounding like I'm just whomping on it recklessly.

 

It IS a bit of a workout, for me, to play -- good exercise I guess. The tones are arranged by the Circle of Fifths, on the foot bass. So, when I played Parsons Farewell in the key of B minor (a.k.a. D major), it was totally my left foot (and leg) working. When I played the same song but in the key of F minor (a.k.a. Ab major), it was my right foot/leg that got the workout. (Of course, some keys call for both feet.)

 

It's loud enough to cover a few quiet little wheezes and groans that I notice do show up every now and then. I'm still working on playing it just right!

 

Thanks for the explanation. I have to admit it's the first time I've heard of such an instrument and heard one in action - very effective. I'd love to see a video of you in action on both instruments if you ever get chance! Thanks again, Dean

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.......................Thanks for the explanation. I have to admit it's the first time I've heard of such an instrument and heard one in action - very effective. I'd love to see a video of you in action on both instruments if you ever get chance! Thanks again, Dean

One of these days I'll try to record a video of the whole deal, and post it at YouTube... hopefully.

 

I know I have a few little videos of the foot bass being played, so if I can find them I'll add a link.

What little recording I do is already so time-consuming! Not enough hours in the day...

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Another take

 

- following some very good advice as I hope... :)

well, this is certainly well played in termes of techinque/ bellow control etc. As far as the arrangement is concerned - I do believe you are overdoing it a wee little bit. It's a rather simplistic melody, and it's easy to douse a simple melody with too complicated a chord progression. To my ear this is what happens here - there is so much going on in the bass that the ear has trouble figuring out which line takes the lead.

 

I would take a tune like that more rudimentary with the accompaniment and leave the intricate bass lines to the more nutritious melodies. But then again, that's just my impression.

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Rüdiger, thank you very much for the attention and reviewing, and the affirmative part ot the latter too... :)

 

I thank you as well for bringing your critical view and questioning to my attention, and I may have to concede that my approach to the EC is in the danger of rather doing too much than being too rudimentary.

 

However, in this case it's just how I "hear" this dance tune, with its melody being so simple just in order to evoke harmonic progressions and a strong beat. I love to include single line melody playing as sort of variation, mainly in the beginning or at the end of a slow air, lament and the likes (like I did it very recently here, to a good appeal as I believe).

 

You might have another listen with this concept in mind if you'd like to, which possibly would change your mind and possibly wouldn't at all. Anyways, criticism I find always helpful because it induces me if not to alter the concept but to still make it clearer with my playing the tune...

 

Thanks again! Best wishes - Wolf

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