maxmax - Posted - 10/20/2007:  11:52:56

At the moment I'm pretty much picking up all of my old-time repertoire from different banjo players CD's. By doing this I'm now more or less playing their arrangements of the tunes. Hence I thought I'd get some music with out a banjo in it. It will probably be a lot tougher for me, but it will be interesting to see what I come out with.

What are some of your favorite banjo-less old-timey CD's? And also, do you know of any good ones with fiddle only?

Thanks in advance,
Max

Edited by - gottasmilealot on 03/15/2008 16:12:49

SMDTMTL - Posted - 10/20/2007:  13:01:39

Bruce Molsky's Southern Old Time Fiddle volumes one and two, are entirely solo fiddle. Beatutiful clear versions of a lot of great Old Time Standards...
Also, Rafe Stephanini has a great solo old time fiddle CD named, Bluegrass Meadows.... (it's all old time, no Bluegrass, though the name seems to suggest it. Again, wonderfully clear versions of a lot of classic old time tunes....

Between these three CDs you should find enough to keep you busy for a long time... I own them all and study these versions again and again...

good luck
Steve

SteveK - Posted - 10/20/2007:  13:34:12

Here's some more

Buddy Thomas-Kitty Puss
Tommy Jarrell-Sail Away Ladies
JP Fraley-Wild Rose of the Mountain
Gerry Milnes-Hell Up Coal Holler
Mark Campbell-Deep Roots (great selection of tunes)

I'm not sure all those are available on CD. Especially Fraley and Thomas but maybe you could download some tunes from somewhere. In addition, there's great fiddling on Dan Gellert's CD Waiting on the Break of Day but you'd have to put up with that pesky banjo playing. Alan Jabbour's collection of Henry Reed tunes (Henry Reed Reunion is excellent but it's really a string band with guitar and banjo.

Adam Kiesling - Posted - 10/20/2007:  17:06:02

I like hitting up some of the commercially available field recordings for tunes. Here's an example:

http://elderly.com/recordings/items...N-CD0435.htm

This is one of three volumes -- Rounder also has two volumes out of Kentucky fiddle tunes as well (but the names are escaping me at the moment).

You can find a lot of different tunes out there that aren't in the "common" clawhammer repertoire with some of these recordings.

Disclaimer: I'm just using the Elderly link for illustrative purposes only.

Adam

Mill City Grinders

maxmax - Posted - 10/20/2007:  18:46:00

Thanks a lot Steve, Steve and Adam! Ill start looking those up right away.

Best,
Max

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 10/20/2007:  19:14:23

The Rounder Kentucky albums are titled "Traditional Fiddle Music of Kentucky" and, as you say, there are two volumes.



I'm looking for a simple to use video cam
for on line banjo lessons.
Need low price and ez learning curve
Anyone got any suggestions?

"The Whiskey Before Breakfast Variations",
Several tabs in "Old G" and A modal tuning,
"How To Mold A Mighty Pinky"
are all available at banjobrad's website:
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html

Rocket Science Banjo, Chapters 1 and 2 - plus my mini-course in song accompaniment "Group 5" can be yours free for an email to:
oldwoodchuckb@yahoo.com
You can watch the videos for some Rocket Science Banjo subjects starting here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdRuf4X0X7g

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 10/20/2007:  19:17:18

The Rounder Kentucky albums are titled "Traditional Fiddle Music of Kentucky" and, as you say, there are two volumes.



I'm looking for a simple to use video cam
for on line banjo lessons.
Need low price and ez learning curve
Anyone got any suggestions?

"The Whiskey Before Breakfast Variations",
Several tabs in "Old G" and A modal tuning,
"How To Mold A Mighty Pinky"
are all available at banjobrad's website:
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html

Rocket Science Banjo, Chapters 1 and 2 - plus my mini-course in song accompaniment "Group 5" can be yours free for an email to:
oldwoodchuckb@yahoo.com
You can watch the videos for some Rocket Science Banjo subjects starting here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdRuf4X0X7g

rinemb - Posted - 10/21/2007:  20:27:09

I listen to Art Stampers CDs a lot, plus you get some mighty fine banjo with it. I also like the Tommy Jarrel fiddle stuff,. Darn, just so many good ones. Brad

May not the incidence of success, nor the pretense of retirement-Lessen the want of enlightenment.
Translation: If you have the money to retire-learn to play the Banjo!

jojo25 - Posted - 10/22/2007:  10:22:05

Max,

You might try "Dear Old Illinois"...a triple CD of field recording...mostly just fiddle...some of these are pretty rough in terms of the quality

http://www.dearoldillinois.com/

I humbly suggest that you are skipping from one extreme to another...from listening to solo banjo stuff to wanting solo fiddle stuff or fiddle stuff sans banjo...I suggest that on your musical journey you make a prolonged stop at recordings with fiddle and banjo...this will help you understand how the two instruments can work together....in other words...listen to high quality OT string bands

good luck

Banjonically yours

Joe

nilejam - Posted - 10/22/2007:  12:56:12

HI:

There are a few sites around such as: http://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/tunes.htm
http://www.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/...s/songs.html
http://www.fiddletunes.net/

You might check over at the fiddle hangout:
http://www.fiddlehangout.com/myhangout/

There is a lot of stuff posted of there and much of it is solo fiddle.

Regards, Jeff

mojo_monk - Posted - 10/22/2007:  14:10:16

I too started learning banjo by listening to banjo players, and then went to "the other extreme" of listening to strictly fiddlers. I feel that as far as learning tunes goes, translating them from fiddle to banjo is an extremely affective way to learn about your instrument and about where you fit in the tune (i.e. do you go melodic, or knockdown/frailing style in your approach?). Banjos backing other banjos is a rare scenario, so developing your own style of playing fiddle tunes can prove to be quite beneficial for more than just a few reasons. By the way where do you think those banjo players learned most of those tunes? You guessed it: fiddlers.

Having said ALL of that: If you're just getting into fiddle tunes played by fiddlers, there is really no need to buy CDs right away when you can just visit the Digital Library of Appalachia: www.aca-dla.org/

Type in a general search for "fiddle" or check out these oldtimers (in no particular order):
Owen "Snake" Chapman
John Morgan Salyer
Art and/or Hiram Stamper
William Stepp
Clyde Davenport
Luther Strong

Most all of them are Kentucky fiddlers, but getting a handle on the various playing style of these guys should keep you busy for, say...the rest of your life.

*** I second the idea of listening to the dear old Illinois cds. I just attended an "IL fiddle tunes workshop" with Garry Harrison - the guy who collected and compiled most of the tunes in the book/CD - and I must say it was pretty amazing. Although the quality isn't as high as a studio CD by Bruce Molsky, I highly recommend them as a veritable smörgåsbord of killer fiddle tunes. Visit the website for sound clips.

Grease.

http://www.dearoldillinois.com/

http://www.mountainsentinel.com/fiddlebanjo.php
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things...

maxmax - Posted - 10/22/2007:  14:39:22

Thanks everyone, great advice from all! I already have so manny new tunes on my "to learn list" from your recomendations. But please keep them coming if anyone can think of more.

I really appreciate it!

cashwo_wv - Posted - 11/07/2007:  13:37:55

Here is my cents on some great cd's:

Dave Bing
http://www.fiddletunes.com/pages/cd4.htm

John Johnson
http://www.fiddletunes.com/pages/cd24.htm

Cedar Point String Band
http://www.fiddletunes.com/pages/cd6.htm

Frank George And David O'Dell
http://www.fiddletunes.com/pages/cd7.htm

Frank George
http://www.fiddletunes.com/pages/cd11.htm

------------------------------

janolov - Posted - 11/07/2007:  14:12:06

I like Henry Reed. There is a lot of his music recorded by Library of Congress and is available at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collect...d/title.html

Jan-Olov

SJD - Posted - 11/07/2007:  18:08:13

hi Max, A friend of mine passed away and has a number of fine fiddle CD's including many that have been mentioned here. IF you or any one else is interested plse email me. If they sell as a result of this thread I will encourage the widow to make the customary contribution to BHO, Best regards Scott

Ron Ortegel - Posted - 11/07/2007:  18:24:15

I'd like to recommend Erynn Marshall and Chris Coole's "Meet Me In the Music"CD.
Just fantastic old tunes. Lots of nice fiddling and Chris's banjo complements nicely.
You won't be sorry to give it a listen. I can't turn it off.
.

annimal - Posted - 11/07/2007:  18:57:03

I've been listening to John Specker a lot, he has two CDs out with just fiddle and singing, and I think they're both great.

http://www.funkyside.com/johnspecker/

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 11/07/2007:  19:25:13

His group "The Correctone String Band" was the first hot band out of Ithaca, NY in the 1970s. They along with the Plank Road Band pioneered the modern string band sound, The Bubba George Band, the Heartbeats, even Donna The Buffalo, and probably a whole lot of people who never heard the Correctones. In fact it is hard to say if many of the curent bands ever even heard of the Correctones, but any time you listen to The Freighthoppers, the Foghorn Band and numerous other groups you are hearing the musical "offspring" of Specker's group.
Their version of Black Eyed Susie was (as far as I know) the first to combine the rhythms of the Carribean with old time in a direct way.

Rocket Science Banjo, Chapters 1 and 2 - plus my mini-course in song accompaniment "Group 5" can be yours free for an email to:
oldwoodchuckb@yahoo.com
You can watch the videos for some Rocket Science Banjo subjects starting here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdRuf4X0X7g

"The Whiskey Before Breakfast Variations",
Several tabs in "Old G" and A modal tuning,
"How To Mold A Mighty Pinky"
are all available at banjobrad's website:
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html

maxmax - Posted - 11/08/2007:  02:50:05

Hi,

I'm happy this thread is getting posts again . I look forword towards tonight when I'll have time to look into all of these, thanks!

SJD... Sorry to hear about your friend. It's not the best timing for me right now, but I'm sure someone ells will be happy for all those cd's.

Best,
Max

Isaac Enloe - Posted - 11/08/2007:  07:37:10

Someone recently released the Marcus Martin field recordings. Great stuff!

"There's more to think of than y'all's thought of, ain't it?"
-Paul Sutphin

SMDTMTL - Posted - 11/08/2007:  08:05:17

Anyone know where you can download some MP3 samples of John Spector?

janolov - Posted - 11/08/2007:  14:59:15

On FiddleHangout there were just some good recommendations on both a CD and some freebies: http://www.fiddlehangout.com/forum/...OPIC_ID=1581

Jan-Olov

SJD - Posted - 11/08/2007:  21:58:19

Hi Max, Thanks for the kind words.

japus - Posted - 11/08/2007:  22:37:23

I picked up a book from Wayne Erbsen called( Fiddle for Ingnoramuses) got this to help start learning to play a fiddle, however I found it helps me greatly as playalong with my banjo....if your interested go to www.native ground music.com


Forever a beginner
Best wis

wormpicker - Posted - 11/08/2007:  22:39:06

Hey Scott,

Welcome back! Hope you had a great time in NM.

Paul

Obsession is a great substitute for talent. -Steve Martin

SJD - Posted - 11/09/2007:  00:42:31

Hi Paul, Thanks for the "welcome back". I am going back and forth this year so I am not able to read the forum regularly. Scott

Goyem - Posted - 11/14/2007:  20:06:56

Pardon me while I correct you on this litlle piece of annoying minutia, but it was Highwoods, not Specker & co who were the first big OT band out of Ithica. Furthermore, it would be uniformed and misleading to say that contemporary goups are the "musical offspring" of Specker's Correctones. My own oberservations have turned up that the majority of the "young lions" on the scene today have skipped over the 60s thru the 80s almost completely and have amassed their own collections of source material.
well, that my two cents worth...

Just so I haven't gotten off topic here:
Comb thru the field recorders collective:
-John Hannah
-Jim Bowles
-Buddy Thomas
Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers Asscociation's archive
-Bob Walters
-Cyril Stinneit
-Bill Driver
and just for laughs, maybe see what kind of sense you can make of the Michael Coleman archive

best
the Unwashed

quote:

---

Originally posted by oldwoodchuckb

His group "The Correctone String Band" was the first hot band out of Ithaca, NY in the 1970s. They along with the Plank Road Band pioneered the modern string band sound, The Bubba George Band, the Heartbeats, even Donna The Buffalo, and probably a whole lot of people who never heard the Correctones. In fact it is hard to say if many of the curent bands ever even heard of the Correctones, but any time you listen to The Freighthoppers, the Foghorn Band and numerous other groups you are hearing the musical "offspring" of Specker's group.

---

Hunter Robertson - Posted - 11/14/2007:  20:32:33

Max, check out Hobart Smith, I think there are 3 albums out now. One on Folk Legacy, another called In Sacred Trust and the third is Portraits: Blue Ridge Legacy. They all have a mix of his banjo, fiddle and guitar playing, not to mention piano, and he's great on all of them. There's another album around, Southern Folk Journeys maybe, which has him playing John Brown's Dream, Pretty Polly and Cripple Creek on fiddle and it's worth it just for those three, though there are some other good cuts on it.

Hunter

Banjo Marches & Blue Breakdowns - www.hunterrobertson.com

strokestyle - Posted - 03/12/2008:  17:10:11

maxmax
I tried looking to see if I could send you an e-mail but I did not see that option. I just purchased a three CD set of Bily Mathews Fiddle tunes - he is embarking on a project to record 500 fiddle tunes and he has the first hundred out for sale. I have spent some time listening, it is a great resource. I am trying to play to the fiddle tunes - it is a challenge but I think it is worth checking this one out. If you want to play to fiddle tunes that is all that is on this CD - Billy says the name of the tune and then the Key it's in and then he plays - not to fast not to slow - and he is very true to the tune and does not inject too many appointments. Here is his website - hope you get this message...
www.banjobilly.net

Patricia Brown - Posted - 03/12/2008:  17:21:29

http://www.alanjabbour.com/shop.html

How 'bout Alan Jabbour?

maxmax - Posted - 03/12/2008:  17:38:52

Wow, I'm happy to see this old thread come alive again!

Strokestyle... Thanks, that looks perfect!
Patricia... Yes Alan Jabbour is great. I'v had the pleasaure of spending some time with him and he is a great person as well as a musician.

Also thanks to all the old posts which I seem to have forgotten to thank everyone for.

Max

slabounty - Posted - 03/12/2008:  17:46:17

Max, I have Traditional Fiddle Music: On the Springfield Plain which is part of a 3 volume set of fiddle music from Missouri. I picked it up to hear Spotted Pony which I was learning as part of the Clawless book. I really enjoy it and guess the other two volumes might be pretty good also.


Scott LaBounty
Orange, CA

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 03/12/2008:  17:46:22

Speckers group was the group that Ritchie Stearns, The Puryear Brothers and friends followed around town and copied when they were kids. The Highwoods also happened to be based in Ithaca but they were revivialist like the NLCR and had little to do with that seaa-change that created the modern string band - Benford and company looked back more than they looked forward. This is not a put-down. I tend to be a backward looker myself, but as an old hippie I quickly get caught up in the modern style when I'm around people who play that way.

In some ways the Correctones were as revolutionary event as Dylan bringing electronics to the main stage at Newport. They broke with one set of established "traditions" and pushed the music in new directions. Sometimes those new directions turn out to be dead ends -- evolution works that way.

Specker dropped out early -- from the couple times I met him I would say that was probably a life saving decision -- and moved to rural new England, but the Bubba George boys, Tara Nevins and a couple dozen others who were inspired by the Correctones (and the Plank Road bunch from Chapel Hil) carried the sound to Galax, Mount Airy, Brandywine and beyond. The Correctone sound IS the modern string band sound - for better or for worse. You can like it or hate it or you can sort the wheat from the chaff and just listen to the good ones, but from The Foghorn bunch to Primitive Characters and many many more are really Correctones - The Next Generation.

Rocket Science Banjo, Chapters 1 - 4.1 REVISED is ready now
oldwoodchuckb@yahoo.com
You can watch the videos for some Rocket Science Banjo subjects starting here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdRuf4X0X7g

raybob - Posted - 03/12/2008:  17:49:05

We just got Jimmy Triplett's cd that came out about a year ago. It's called 'Natural History'. It's 19 traditional fiddle tunes from West Virginia, solo fiddle. It's nice, I'm still soaking it in.

Ray

"We learn from history that we do not learn from history." --G. Santayana

Bongshang - Posted - 03/12/2008:  18:29:00

Hi Max,
Couple of nice fiddle cd's you may like -
Rodney Miller - Airplang
Alistair Fraser - The Road North

Bongshang


GF-85 customized to the hilt

maxmax - Posted - 03/14/2008:  05:01:30

All I'm doing in this thread now is thanking people. But I do appreciate all the recommendation!

ELWOOD - Posted - 03/14/2008:  12:31:51

I am with Max on this, would like a digital fiddle buddy to play the standards with. One that is tuned to standard pitches and playes with good tone. Wonder if any one has run across the APPALACHIAN FIDDLE by MILES KRASSEN. I am told this was available as a companion recording to CLAWHAMMER BANJO , same author?

jojo25 - Posted - 03/14/2008:  13:28:44

spurred onward by OWC's post I found this...

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?...216620&rfi=6

ya might find it worth a read

Drop thumbs, not bombs

Joe

strokestyle - Posted - 03/14/2008:  15:07:24

The new cd I mentioned above is exactly like playing with a fiddler - the format used on the 500 Fiddle tunes is easy to play music to. I sat right in front of my computer and listened to the tunes playing my banjo. I am having great fun with the Mathew's 500 Fiddle tunes. It is just the fiddle - no guitar/banjo/harp/drums, etc - The tunes are played not to slow and not to fast. So anyone with the desire to learn fiddle tunes could use this as a learning tool. You could sit there with your guitar(or banjo) and play with a single fiddle! The tune name is said and the key before the tune is played. This means in area's where people can not find a fiddler to play with, can have one in the room with them anytime they want. I like it.

slabounty - Posted - 03/14/2008:  16:01:47

StrokeStyle, How many times does he go through each tune? Just once? Multiple times with variations? My one complaint with Dan Levenson's Clawless book is that the fiddle tunes on the CD are only played through once. Yes, I know that this was due to space limitations, but I'd love something where you could play along for more than 30 seconds and this seems like it would fit the bill. Also is there anywhere that lists the 100 (or 500) songs he's planning on doing?


Scott LaBounty
Orange, CA

ELWOOD - Posted - 03/14/2008:  16:47:36

Stroke style, Ive had alook at 100 fiddle tunes and like the idea behind the project. The songs name @ the tunings are aplus for my needs , good suggestion!

strokestyle - Posted - 03/15/2008:  11:43:33

slabounty

He goes through each tune at least three or more times. Each tune is about two to three minutes or so long. I found it rather helpful - because you know how fiddlers build on tunes as they go around again - Billy builds on the tune very simply or maybe not at all. He stays true to what the tune should do. He does not inject all kinds of appointments and ornaments. You can play to the basic melody or like me you can struggle to work with the chords. The tunes are not played likety-split or so slow you feel like you'll never finish. I really like the speed and flavor of his style. I can't wait till he gets the next 100 on CD.
He is also putting together a book of notation and origins of where he remembers getting each tune. The book for this first 100 is not done yet but is in progress. I like it!