bellowbelle

Just a brief update... Now that I've had both my Morse Albion Treble English and my Morse Geordie Baritone English for a longer period of time -- I may have made it sound too much like there wasn't a noticeable difference in playing the two. I would say today that the Geordie is definitely a little bit more of a workout for me (if I didn't already say that). The Albion feels like a lighter creature, after a session with the Geordie. Some tunes are easier to play on the Albion, if they're fast, though some tunes will sound better on the Geordie, at times.

Okay, I've made it to September. Wha--- WHAT???? It's OCTOBER ALREADY????? Sigh.... Anyway, I've decided to give up trying to add recordings, but I do like to work on the TOTMs and I like to notate whatever my own arrangement turns out to be. I don't always stick to my own notation, but I like to have it because I have this amazing ability to totally forget how to play stuff. So, here's how I play Hop And Skip, more or less. (Actually, when I play it, this is not exactly what I do; I play some of the major chords as minors, technically. But, I wanted to stick to the chords as given so I adjusted one or two of my notes.) (Edit: CONTENT REMOVED) Extra note added: I am not saying my arrangement of counterpoint is 'correct' or not. It's simply what my fingers choose to do!

I'd kind of like to be there, but, not this year, again. I will, however, be hearing some concertinas, at least for a short while on Saturday. I'm going to head north to the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival in New Hampshire. (It's a much shorter drive, for me! ) I'd say, 'Too bad they're both on the same weekend,' but in my case that doesn't matter much, as I am not able to get over to the western edge of my fine home-state of Massachusetts, this weekend, anyway. edited to fix spelling of 'they're' (not their)

I'm hoping to get to this tune, but I don't know when that will be. A lot of things are demanding my attention, and I am working on several projects all at once. So, maybe.... in December? Hmm...

Try popping this into the Tune-O-Tron. X:63 T:Hop and Skip C:Jody Kruskal C:Copyright 2008 ©, Jody Kruskal. All rights reserved. M:4/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=140 K:Gmaj GABc|:"G"d2 dB "C"c3 A|"Em"BAGB "D"A3 F|\ "C"GAGE "G"DEGB|"Am"AGAB "D"A4| "G"d2 dB "C"c3 A|"Em"BAGB "D"A3 F|\ "C"GAGE "G"DEGB|"D"AGFA "G"G4:| |:"Em"BA G2 E2 G2|"G" BA G2 "D"D4|\ "Em"BAGB "C"cdcB|"Am"AGFE "D"DFAc| "Em"BA G2 E2 G2|"G" BA G2 "D"D4|\ "Em"BAGB "C"cdcB|"D"AG F2 "G"G4:| W: W:A step-hop hornpipe meant for the jaunty lumpiness of W:English dances. Play it with a bouncy swing for full flavour Thanks -- I like having the ABC as well because I save/print the small .jpg that the Convert-O-Matic makes. I like to print teeny tiny copies and I keep them on a card all on a binder ring. I seldom need to really read the music but sometimes I totally forget a tune, so I need the reference.

Suggestion... I really like that song, 'John O'Dreams.' Heard it again recently on the radio, done by Mick Maloney... I think I read that it's on an album of his called 'Songs From The Heart.' Of course, it's many places. It's in the Rise Up Singing songbook, I think... have to double-check that. I've played along with this one a bit, but never really worked out any arrangement or whatever. Just a thought.

"Lady" thanks you!

http://snd.sc/13OwulW Soundcloud link -- A second take, but on the baritone (the other was on the treble). I don't think I used ANY sus4 this time... I used a cassette recorder, outdoors, so it's... rough.

Beautiful, Dirge. And note that I am taking note.... this file is of YOU.... So I won't just download it and then wonder 'who' in a year or more. (Sometimes, if the old shoulder is hurting when I'm at the computer, information gets sketchy, I'm in a hurry, etc..) I still have your Debussy 'Afternoon..' on my playlist on my MP3 player... it's playing right at this moment as a matter of fact. I have the list on constant repeat, um, don't take this wrong, but... because the dog really likes it. We BOTH like it... but, I have a nervous dog and she needs to keep calm when I'm not right here, and the music helps.

in one way I do agree, but there are a few exceptions.... I have an idea that I think I will suggest but in a different thread. and I may wait until I'm back at the computer not just with my phone

The F-sharp with the G only sounds good to me with the first note (d) of the second full measure. Then, also with the first note of the second section (same note, d).

https://app.box.com/s/xwg1hh2dmgkfrupov4oj Over The Waterfall -- August 2013 runner-up Note - I would use Soundcloud as usual, but I have used BOX for a long time and already have a huge amount of space there.

Nice, Wendy, but try this... I know the score calls for G Sus 4 in the cadences, and that's what both you and Mr. Cutting play. But he's playing a melodeon that might not be able to do what I'm thinking of and you are playing an English concertina, which can. When you play the G chord with the suspended C, don't hold it for the entire measure, but resolve the C halfway through the measure to a B, so you finish the measure on a G chord. If you listen again to my recording, I do essentially the same thing, but take a few extra notes to get there. Hmm.... Well, I know that makes sense, to resolve to the B. I know it sounds a bit odd NOT to. I did resolve it (not nearly as gracefully as you do) at one place, and then at the end. The other spots.... well, I wonder now if the melodeon could have resolved to B, now. I don't think it sounds TOO badly off*, not to resolve the Gsus4 chords that I didn't resolve. I kept changing my mind about this. The tune, as a whole, is very pleasant and I do like it, but it's almost like a big collection of 'resolving indecisions.' I've never even met an abbess, actually, but the abbess I picture is busy doing many small chores and being decisive about them, while she is pondering the larger issue at hand and not quite reaching a decision about what she'll do, yet.... The first section of the tune is easy to remember, but the second part, I felt like I was plodding along. I need to review all of the TOTMs and keep playing them. I love your version of this tune -- sounds great, even if it hasn't become one of your favorites! *EDIT ADDED: --But yes, I wish I'd resolved it at the end of the second section, since I did not play the repeat. I'd intended to but forgot.

Oooookaaaay.... Here's my version, at least what I have right now -- The Abbess, a tune by Andy Cutting, played by me on the Morse Albion treble English concertina It could be better, for sure, but I'm not sure I can get to that for a while!

Um, I am becoming increasingly weary (and wary) of all things that must be plugged in... but one software program I'm happy to have discovered is Batch PDF Merger. And, that's my 2cents.

For some reason, this tune annoyed me at first (chuckled to read like-minded comments) but after playing it a while I'm starting to like it. It especially helped to hear it played by it's composer (YouTube), which sounds amazing. So I will eventually get my copy posted. I've been using my Albion concertina, while my Geordie awaits a small repair (next week). Maybe I'll just let the Albion have this one, anyway.

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...

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!

Whoops... quick reply, Defra... Recorded all together. (Took a few takes.) I just use a simple voice recorder set a few feet away. It's not 'great' but it works out alright. Back later...

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.

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)

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!

Got it! The download, anyway... waiting now for the CD! So far, I really like what I've heard of it.

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).

Thanks, will check that out! That sounds like a lot of fun! Are you playing along with the 'band' or are you adding the band tracks in afterwards? As a non-Apple person, please tell me what you had to do to make this recording, and what hardware/software would be needed. Thanks in advance, Don. You can do a lot of this just using Audacity if you're a windows person (ie record stuff and add tracks to it. It's what I used to make the duet for Roslyn castle ) Audacity is free and a really excellent editor for sound recordings. I most use it inLinux, but it's available for many other OS's and certainly works nicely in windows (I've tried it from XP to 8) Chris Yes, I forgot to say more about Audacity... It's only for Windows, I think (?), and I have it on a windows laptop (which also doesn't connect to the internet). I use a combination of machines, relying much on a flashdrive and bluetooth! Personally, I've had better luck figuring out how to do my recording using Garage Band than with Audacity, so I don't know how easy it is to (accurately) combine tracks with Audacity, but obviously, it can be done!