Rob MacKillop's myHangout Homepage at the Banjo Hangout

Premier Sponsors

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to our privacy policy which includes details of cookie usage. Hide this notice

Rob MacKillop

View Teacher Profile

You must sign into your myHangout account in order to contact Rob MacKillop.

ACTIVITY

BLOG

FRIENDS

MEDIA

REVIEWS

TABS

ABOUT

Rob MacKillop replied to topic '124 Banjo Videos by Rob MacKillop!' 34 days

Rob MacKillop posted a forum topic '124 Banjo Videos by Rob MacKillop!' 35 days

Rob MacKillop replied to topic 'Nightfall - a new contemporary-classical composition ' 44 days

Rob MacKillop replied to topic 'Nightfall - a new contemporary-classical composition ' 45 days

Rob MacKillop posted a forum topic 'Nightfall - a new contemporary-classical composition ' 45 days

Rob MacKillop uploaded a video 'Nightfall - a new composition for banjo by composer Steven Watson - Rob MacKillop' 45 days

Rob MacKillop replied to topic 'The Art of the Banjo - Rob MacKillop - Full Album' 56 days

Rob MacKillop replied to topic 'The Art of the Banjo - Rob MacKillop - Full Album' 57 days

See all non-archived forum posts by Rob MacKillop

OK, it's been a while since I made a blog entry. I've been busy recording an album using two Deering Eagle II banjos - a tenor (the first one ever made) and a 5-string which I also use as a 4-string Plectrum banjo. The big decision was to only make it available as a download album, rather than a physical disc. The costs were just too high, and the expected sales just too low for the maths to make sense. The good news is that as a download-only album, it only cost me $39 to make - the fee for CD Baby to host it on their site and send it out to iTunes, Amazon MP3, and about ten other digital outlets. So far sales have been slow but steady. It seems most folk would still prefer a physical disc. Well, so be it. I just can't afford to do otherwise.

The recording is called ''Recital: The Art Of The Banjo 1910 - 1930'' and brings together my exploration of the early Plectrum and Tenor banjo publications. Many of the composers wrote originally for the 5-string 'classic' banjo, and some of the pieces are their own arrangements of their own compositions. There is great variety, from Gershwinesque harmonies and rag and jazz rhythms, to quotations from Mendellssohn. Some of the pieces are very introverted, such as Cammeyer's 'A Fireside Idyll' which is one of my favourite pieces.

Some nice comments are coming in: ''Every banjo player should have a copy. It's THAT good!' Steve Caddick. ''Truly beautiful music in all ways. Truly wonderful how you bring out the voice of the banjo. Really Really inspiring! thanks so much for sharing this with me and with all music lovers.'' Jason Smith. And a few others. All encouragement gratefully received.

Mel Bay continue to say my banjo books will be out this year. I'll mention it when they are.

Next stop: a recording of the music of the Dobsons and Buckleys, using a fretless Boucher copy by James Hartel (a stunning banjo) and a fretted Ashborn copy (again by James) with the second fret split - the first string fret being closer to the nut, as on many banjos from this period, and also the Dobson/Fairbanks banjo by Luke Mercier. All in gut, of course.

I'm also returning again to clawhammer - a technique I've never felt comfortable with. But I'm making some progress, so we shall see...

8 comments

Newest Videos

Nightfall - a new composition for banjo by composer Steven Watson - Rob MacKillop	The Art of the Banjo - Full Album by Rob MacKillop	New Book! Tenor Banjo Christmas Solos by Rob MacKillop (Mel Bay)	Homage To Eddy Davis - Auld Lang Syne
Reading Cello Methods on Tenor Banjo - Crome and Piatti	Zither Banjo: An Irish Phantasy by Cammeyer - Rob MacKillop	Zither Banjo: Blue Eyes by Cammeyer - Rob MacKillop	Banjo Blues (1920s) by Emile Grimshaw - Rob MacKillop, Zither Banjo

see all >

Newest Music

Courante from Flute Sonata in Am

Genre: Classical
Playing Style: 4-String (Tenor/Plectrum)

Sarabande from 5th cello suite

Genre: Classical
Playing Style: 4-String (Tenor/Plectrum)

Medium Butterfly

Genre: Traditional
Playing Style: 4-String (Tenor/Plectrum)

Slow Butterfly

Genre: Traditional
Playing Style: 4-String (Tenor/Plectrum)

see all >

Newest Photos

see all >

Support this Site

More Hangouts

Newest Posts

'banjitar goldtone.' 13 min

'Worn Out Topic on Ring an Pinky But Some Interesting Pics' 1 hr

'Karl Dietrichs Has Passed' 1 hr

'John Hartford ' 1 hr

'Dixie' 1 hr

'WTB Eastman Whyte Laydie Banjo' 4 hrs

'J.D. playing at home and a documentary of himself.' 4 hrs

'Huber bridge, 5/8' 5 hrs

'Gold Tone OB-3 "Twanger" New w/Video' 5 hrs

'McPeake bridges' 5 hrs

More >

frailin	banjosnapper	muntjac	brokenstrings
Joel Hooks	joemac	trapdoor2	edavidt

MyFeed

16. Taking Stock

15. New Opposing Directions

14. Another Update

13. Update

12. Hello again

11. New videos

10. Where is he now?

9. So far

8. Irish Tenor Banjo tryout

7. Other Banjos

6. Overload

5. The waiting game

4. Reflections on my first encounter with banjo

3. A plan is taking shape

2. Nailing it

1. It starts here

FriendFeed

Newest Videos

see all >

Newest Music

see all >

Newest Photos

see all >

Top Links

Support this Site

More Hangouts

Hangout Network Help

View All Topics | View Categories

Browse Classifieds

Support this Site

Newest Videos

Newest Music

Newest Photos

Top Links

Support this Site

More Hangouts

Hangout Network Help

View All Topics | View Categories