For this month, here are two reels I've heard played together in sessions before. Sometimes, I hear the A and B sections of Fermoy Lasses played twice through.
Here is a three banjo salute to three tunes, including these two:
Thanks Wayne, 2 new tunes for me,both great tunes to know. I learned Fermoy Lasses tonight, hope to get it good enough to record before my shoulder surgery in 12 days.
I can't figure out if this tune is AA BB or ABAB, I've heard both ways, and the session.org does not show a repeat.
Most recordings I've come across, including this rather excellent one by the Dubliners, seem to play the Fermoy Lasses as AABB, and Sporting Paddy as ABAB. That's the way I'm learning them (again, new tunes to me, thanks for the suggestions Wayne).
Great tunes! I haven't played Sporting Paddy in a while, will need to practice these a bit before posting.
I've been seeing a lot of a guy named Shane Farrell's videos popping up lately on various channels. Savage player who happens to have posted both of these tunes within the last few weeks!
Okay, here's Fermoy. I was going to put them together as a set, but getting a little too much spillover sound from my kid playing in the next room. So Sporting Paddy will wait for another opportunity.
I've enjoyed Ben and Wayne's versions and it inspired me to have a go. Here is Sporting Paddy with bouzouki backing. Tenor banjo is a mellow rolled brass tone ring Chinese open back.
Ben, my wife was overhearing different versions of the tunes here and I happened to play Shane's version of Sporting Paddy. When it ended, I said, "Wow, blazing fast". "Too fast though" my wife (non-musician but very musically savvy) said. I asked he why she said that and she said the other versions had a pulse and melody and this one just went by so fast it blurred those elements.
I told her, "Well, it is a problem I wish I could at least have so I could work on slowing it down some".
I agree with your wife - I'd love to hear Shane roll it back a bit on the tempo. All the players I really admire seem to record reels in the 105-110 range - Angelina Carberry, John Carty, Pauline Conneely, Marla Fibish and the like. Once I've got Sporting Paddy under my fingers I would take it up to 100-105 for session playing and that's my limit. Playing too fast must be a nice problem to have though!
A bit longer with this tune and I've taken it up to about 100 bpm. Playing along with a track from the online academy of Irish music. I can really recommend this site - they have about 100 tunes recorded which you can play along with -with melody and accompaniment or just accompaniment (or just melody if you are practising accompaniment)
Still a bit off the pace with this one but I could wing this now at our local session :)
Sounds good James. Is that oaim.ie/ that you are referring to? Do you have to join/pay for those tracks? I was recently looking for some accompaniment to play with.
As far as Shane, I've watched most of his videos, and he is amazing, and yes - fast. It is my understanding that he is an All Ireland Champion fiddle player turned banjo player.
Wayne, very funny, wish I had that problem too.
I am working on Fermoy Lasses, I have 1 week before shoulder surgery and hope to find time to be relaxed enough to record a halfway decent attempt.
Dan, I agree with James; OAIM is a nice resource and yes, you have to join them to access their tune bank.
Wayne
Thanks guys, we considered joining in the past for the lessons, but ended up doing Skype lessons with Gerard Lord so I can actually interact with him. I never knew of the tune bank, will definitely check that out.
Ben, my wife was overhearing different versions of the tunes here and I happened to play Shane's version of Sporting Paddy. When it ended, I said, "Wow, blazing fast". "Too fast though" my wife (non-musician but very musically savvy) said. I asked he why she said that and she said the other versions had a pulse and melody and this one just went by so fast it blurred those elements.
I told her, "Well, it is a problem I wish I could at least have so I could work on slowing it down some".
Wayne
As long as I know the tune well at a faster pace, it's easy to slow it down. I like to practice tunes at a few different tempos -- slow, emphasizing swing and experimenting with ornaments, and faster, up to the speed needed for set dancing.
On a side note: have you heard the banjo on Johnny Reidy's Sliabh Luachra Ceili Band albums (live example: youtu.be/SXxcwW6Yy9s?t=17m18s)? The time pointer on my link goes to the hornpipe figure...
Alright, so shoulder surgery is tomorrow and I will be missing playing my banjo for some time. I was able to get a decent enough version recorded of Fermoy Lasses. I did notice that the B note in part is played by some on the A string, and others on the G string. I tried both ways and decided to go with the latter. I even broke out the bodhran, that I haven't played much since getting a banjo. It's not perfect, but for a weeks work at my level I will call myself satisfied.
Lovely smooth triplets Ben. Good solid playing Dan - beautiful tone from the Banjo. Don't need a shoulder much for banjo playing so sure you'll be back in no time :)
Thanks guys, actually the banjo is one reason for the surgery (work and everyday pain is the other), calcific tendonitis prevents me from holding my left arm out to play, I have to keep it tucked in, works OK on short scale, but add a little stress to it like filming or playing in public and my fingers go numb.
I was really hoping to get Sporting Paddy too, great tune, I just ran out of time prepping my house/cars for winter, holiday stuff, and getting work (self-employed) situated for my time off.
Wayne, I never even practiced a triplet in it, easy to tell where to throw them in the A part, B not so much. Maybe I can record something later, but the clock is ticking......
As for the tone of the banjo it is a Langstile I and I love it. I bought it from the Classifieds here a few weeks ago. It is by far the cheapest and ugliest banjo I own (currently 5), all the old Lange parts were removed (probably sold off) and replaced with cheap parts. The neck was moved up in the pot to lower the action with less than professional craftsmanship and the neck/pot shims were missing. I cut off some clothes pins as a temp fix and threw some strings on it. I never even cleaned the thing, it has a black mark on the head from a permanent marker, but it plays great. I'm really holding this beast of banjo back. I am hoping after my surgery I can actually play a 23" scale because I have 2 waiting to be played, a Framus and a Vegaphone Professional, both need some fret work first though.
Dan, not even sure how essential the triplets are. As I get older, I begin to think more about the swing and feel of the music versus the need to bombard the piece with triplets. I'm starting to lean toward a 'less is more' approach.
And thinking about this has made me start a triplet thread on the forum.
Here's my go at these two tunes - first recording I've done with the Juniper. Very happy with this banjo indeed! I've got Newtone strings on it and as always am using a Clayton Acetyl .50mm plectrum.
Great Jill. Lovely example for the triplet debate - lots of room left for double stops which really shine out on this banjo with your playing - loads of sustain.
Great Jill. Lovely example for the triplet debate - lots of room left for double stops which really shine out on this banjo with your playing - loads of sustain.
When I was researching this banjo one thing that really stuck out for me was a comment John Carty made about it: "I found I didn’t need to be quite so busy in order to highlight the essence of the tunes. The ability of the instrument to sustain and lengthen the notes has given me a new zest for playing the banjo.."
A bit late to the party, but here's my version of the tunes. Wasn't going to post them because I didn't feel I had practised them enough, but had a day off today so had a go at recording them anyway. Somewhat relevant to the ongoing triplet thread, in that I didn't play any, even where they 'should' be in the Fermoy Lasses. I find it's too easy to trip over them and ruin a perfectly good take.
Also, please forgive me for so unashamedly editing two videos together. Didn't want to waste my take of the first tune!
I don't suppose anybody has taken the time to notate out Angelina Carberry's version of Sporting Paddy.... I'm trying to get all the bits by ear, but not quite getting there...
