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"Ah Ha " moment !


Robin Harrison

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     Bill N. and I have been working on a Dave Shepherd (of Blowzabella) tune, the Origin of the World, that is comparatively complex (for me) and parts of it keep confusing me.

                  I have learnt the tune inside and out, up and down and have it down pat, but I keep getting lost in it and have not been able understand why...................until a few hours ago.

 I suddenly realised that the way I am playing the tune, I am not "centred" on any particular row. 

            This is new for me............... I have spent years with the comfort of knowing where my fingers were in relation to the buttons ie hovering over a particular row.

                   I think this is why if I am not focusing furiously, I suddenly find I have no sense of where I am on the keyboard. ie away from the comfort of my G row or D row, and just sort of drift off. It's like my hands are in a fog.

                 There have been plenty of discussions on this topic on C.net about whether you play on a particular row or just pick the notes you need.

             Now I know what is happening............feels great ! 

                          Robin

 Origin of the World   This is the first time I have played the tune through more than once...................left hand  comes soon

 

    

 

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Sounds great Robin.  I look forward to getting together with you to (literally) compare notes.  I've been playing it a little more languorously  and maybe a bit more impressionistically based on my "by ear" learning from Andy Cuttings video.  I've learned it in Bm on both my G/D and C/G- the very different fingerings give it a different character on each box.  Right now I'm leaning towards the more cross-row version on the C/G, but I really like how it sounds on your Dipper.  I'm enjoying playing this and other recently composed pieces in the tradition (Mrs. Saggs & Polpero Bay for instance) that make one stretch a bit compared to some of the more straight-forward tunes in the traditional repertoire.

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23 hours ago, Robin Harrison said:

 

     Bill N. and I have been working on a Dave Shepherd (of Blowzabella) tune, the Origin of the World, that is comparatively complex (for me) and parts of it keep confusing me.

             

 Origin of the World   This is the first time I have played the tune through more than once...................left hand  comes soon

 

    

 

 

Nicely done, Robin!  I love playing this tune. It falls very nicely in Bm on the G/D.  If I get a chance this weekend i'll record my version.

Edited by Jim Besser
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Here's my version in Bm on a Jeffries 30 button GD Anglo.

 

Still playing around with the chords.  And, like with so many mazurkas, I have a hard time playing it with the smoothness it requires.  

 

Bill N - I've never tried it in Bm on the CG. I would think that limits one's chording/bass options, but I'll give it a try and see what comes out!

 

jb

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That sounds great Jim.  I love what you do with the left hand.  I've learned it on both my G/D and C/G, and it's a different approach with each.  I just got a new Wally Carroll C/G at Christmas- my main squeeze before that was my Morse G/D- and I've been playing it almost exclusively since then.  For sure chords and bass notes for this tune are more straightforward on the G/D, but I really like how the rhythm and melody flow on the C/G.  I took the youtube video of Andy Cutting playing this in Gm, made an MP3 of it, put it on the Amazing Slow Downer, and raised the pitch 4 semitones.  I've been playing along with it obsessively, really focusing on the elusive "mazurkaness" that Andy imbues it with.  I've added a few ornaments and variations, but won't put in chords and bass notes until I feel rock solid with the rhythm.

 

I'm playing for a contra dance next week, and often play a  waltz or mazurka during the intermission for a handful of dancers that don't want to stop.  Can't wait to try this one out.

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23 hours ago, Robin Harrison said:

 Apparently inspired by it .....! 

 

Jim......really nice interpretation, Jim. As always, great playing !

Robin

 

         

 

As always, a work in progress.  It's maddening, how slow progress comes these days!

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