2-finger thumb-lead example

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 1504

Size: 111kb, uploaded 1/31/2008 10:28:52 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Other

Just a short clip where I play the sequence I posted in the CH-OT forum. I added a final thumb that is not in the posting just because my brain won't let me leave it out.

2-finger Wild Bill Jones

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 792

Size: 896kb, uploaded 1/31/2008 10:30:53 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

A fragment of Wild Bill Jones, 2-finger thumb-lead style. I am in G-tuning, not necessarily to pitch, and playing the no-name aluminum banjo.

Abe's Retreat / Battle of Bull Run

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 165

Size: 4,042kb, uploaded 2/26/2011 2:46:12 PM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

I'm working on getting this tune right. As of now this is my best effort. I'm in A-Modal

Angeline the Baker (Again?)

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 2591

Size: 3,285kb, uploaded 2/1/2007 10:00:21 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Played on my bicentennial, more or less in C.

Apple Knockers

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 231

Size: 3,251kb, uploaded 6/15/2009 7:55:38 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

A couple of months ago I was in a fiddle workshop given by Billy Mathews in Urbana, Il. This A-tune was the first of 5 tunes he taught. It works pretty well on banjo, and is nice and easy on the fiddle. He told us that an apple knocker was a term for a person who picks the apples, and that there is another tune in D by the same name (different tune). I recorded the banjo first so that I wouldn't break rhythm on the fiddle.

Avalon Quickstep

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 2325

Size: 1,682kb, uploaded 10/26/2006 10:43:45 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Played on my aluminum pot banjo in double C.

Banjo Tramp

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 912

Size: 4,827kb, uploaded 7/22/2010 8:15:50 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I had heard this tune before, but finally learned it at the Indiana Fiddlers Gathering, in Billy Mathews' tent.

Barlow Knife

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 1665

Size: 1,486kb, uploaded 12/8/2006 11:37:54 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

AKA Cabin Creek. Gold tone WL-250, G tuning.

Barlow Knife (with a little vocal)

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 383

Size: 2,102kb, uploaded 4/27/2012 12:31:38 PM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Battle Cry of Freedom

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 420

Size: 1,561kb, uploaded 12/5/2009 1:13:11 PM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

Played on my old aluminum banjo, more or less in double-C tuning.

Bean Walker's Mile

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 281

Size: 1,345kb, uploaded 5/5/2009 12:57:42 PM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

LyleK posted a great version of this tune, which inspired me to give it a try. I am on my nylgut-strung Bicentennial banjo, in double-C tuning.

Belle of Lexington

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 173

Size: 2,966kb, uploaded 6/23/2019 8:55:15 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Quick recording to remind me of the tune in the future.

Billy in the Low Land (after Steve Moore)

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 283

Size: 3,438kb, uploaded 3/22/2011 4:33:37 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Billy in the Low Ground is one of those tunes that I enjoy listening to, and playing along with, but I've never been inspired to actually work it out. However, I got inspired by the last of the four links to BHO tunes that Don Borchelt listed in a TOTW; the one from rcmoore which is a recording by Steve Moore (father?) made in the 1950s or 60s when Steve Moore was in his 80s. He calls it "Billy in the Low Land". I believe that recording is in "E," but I expect it could be that the recording device wasn't running at a standard speed. When Mr Moore is playing it, I can certainly recognize it as "Billy in the Low Ground" but when I play it, I can recognize what I play as coming from Mr Moore, but it no longer sounds like "Billy in the Low Ground". Hmm, must be doing something wrong. But, I was having fun with it.

Black-Eyed Suzie

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 185

Size: 1,690kb, uploaded 3/6/2014 9:15:13 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Quick recording on my Bicentennial banjo. I think I learned this from the Art Rosenbaum book.

Bob-Tailed Mule

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 220

Size: 1,282kb, uploaded 6/25/2012 3:42:20 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Booth Shot Lincoln

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 827

Size: 1,337kb, uploaded 5/16/2010 2:20:12 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Hmmph. I should have posted this back when it was a tune of the week.

Briarpicker Brown

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 360

Size: 3,265kb, uploaded 8/8/2008 3:06:20 PM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I learned this tune recently and I'm having a blast with it. I'm on both the WL-250 and the CEB-5 cello banjo, both in double-D tuning..

Buck Mountain

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 445

Size: 1,172kb, uploaded 10/28/2014 8:06:13 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

We don't play this much in my area. For several years I had been playing along with the Bloomington, IN crowd--but only at the 1-2 times per year when we get to meet. Finally a couple of weeks ago I found that I was actually humming it to myself so I thought I'd do a quick recording today. I'm on my old aluminum banjo and recording on my desktop at work. My computer seems to have developed a hum.

Buck Mountain (Lee & Erich & rain)

Posted by vrteach

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- Play count: 364

Size: 5,590kb, uploaded 6/26/2015 7:13:30 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Fiddle is by Lee Mysliwiec, from whom I learned the tune. We recorded this for a TOTW sitting knee-to-knee under an "easy-up" at a very rainy Indiana Fiddlers Gathering in 2015. The rain makes for static like a scratchy old record. At the end you can hear Lee getting up to offer to help the young lady, whose shelter we had borrowed, to secure an extra tarp.

Calico Corn (B Mathews fiddle)

Posted by vrteach

- Play count: 118

Size: 542kb, uploaded 11/21/2014 7:59:18 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

This is an excerpt from Vol 1, Disc 5 of Billy Mathews' 500 tune project. One run-through each of the A and B parts. Fiddler info, he is tuned ADAE. For those of you who have not heard of it, this project is a great way to learn tunes by ear. For each tune he announces the name and key, and then plays it through 3-4 times at a moderate but not dumbed down tempo. It can be ordered from his site at http://www.banjobilly.net/