Wayne's Comments

I think a few of us are in the same boat - having started FE and then drifting away. However, I have never heard anyone who didn't think it was great material. So maybe we've been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material (Flatpicking Encyclopedia Britannica might have been a more accurate name than 'Essentials'.) Anyway, I too hope that the group will allows us all to maintain better and longer focus.

Thanks Wayne! RHB came through no problem. I used Audacity (freeware) multitrack recording software to let Brad back me up. SImply copy in his slow version mp3, then listen with headphones (half off/on so I can hear both my guitar and Brads backup - just figured out there is a monitor output on the cakewalk usb interface so now can listen to both through the headphones). Hit the record button on Audacity and it records a microphone input track at the same time it plays back the backup up. After the fact, can adjust volume of the two tracks and pan each left/right to get stereo separation. FInally 'render' it to output an adjusted MP3 (or WAV) file. I'm still figuring it all out, but it is way cooler than a 'live' recording where you just play along out with an out-loud backup and record what you get (That's what I did with Temperance Reel and it took a few tries of volume adjustment/mic placement to get a reasonable balance between lead and backup).

Wayne, RHB is sort of resurrected. Here is a 'slow-jam' version (132 bpm) one time through lead, version from Kaufman's parking lot picker series, pretty much the intermediate version, but with dumb-downed turn-arounds (no variations like yours), then one time through with basic rhythm like FE example 6, except that I use a high-V (open G string) for the second C-chord bass note. There are three 'count-off' notes at the start, but the end is ' on the beat', so if you edit out the 3 count notes it should loop smoothly. Maybe it will get faster, maybe not. I'm getting better at slow and basic, but I think fast and fancy may be a pipe dream.
Cheers, ganon
RHB slow jam 132.mp3

That version of Whiskey is from Norman Blake's Instructional DVD #1 @Homespun tapes. He does in in C form capoed at3rd fret, so for him it is in Eb (!) (See Stephen Finlayson's video for a more authentic rendition with variations). I only capo 2 so it is in D - I think much more common. I had previously learned Kaufman's beginner version, so picking up the Blake version was not too hard.

Re more recording: Good! I thing recording is a very good thing - (1) it is great feedback, giving you a chance to listen analytically and discover errors that you simply don't notice when/while you are concentrating on playing. (2) There is much more of inclination to get it 'really right', if only for one take out of many tries - once you do get it right that one time, then you have something you can 'self-jam' with, and know that it is something you can do, and slowly work towards getting it right most/all of the time (and faster with speed up software.

Hi Wayne,

Hope you have been using/having fun with the RHB Jam track. Even if not, I found that it was a great thing for me. Although it took considerable work to get a 'decent' take, once done it has been great to play along with - especially being forced to play rhythm as much as the lead; something that I usually woefully ignore (I'd be ashamed to tell you how many fiddle tunes that I can sort of play, but don't even know the chord sequences).

You commented on the good timing - it is not natural - it is because once I did get the chord sequence down pretty good, I made a straight rhythm track with metronome. I probably played through ~ 10 times and then picked the one with best timing/fewest mistakes, clipped it out, and made 4 repeats of that. Then I used that as my 'play along' backup while I did multitrack recording. The result, after about 10 tries, is what I posted for you (leaving out the strum-metronome backup). So, as said, it was hardly natural; however, I have been jamming with it for 15 minutes a night for most of a week now, and I think that I get it right more than half the time now (was probably 1 out of 30 a week ago) and the speed is starting to come up naturally, although still pretty sloppy at your speed. Other benefit is that it actually getting fun to play instead of being 'hard-work practice'.

Anyway, just wanted to thank you for being part of the process. It is certainly something that I am going to apply to other tunes.

I could try to do something with Whiskey before Breakfast? (I pulled that from my player - decided it was pretty sloppy, but wanted it up for Norman's birthday). It would probably benefit me to do it with a careful, slower approach - and you said you had been working on it. Who's version do you play? As for you, is Ragtime Annie far enough along? MP3's?: that is weird - do you record .WAV first and then convert? (I do, but no problems with Audacity). I guess you could upload .WAV files, unless you run into size restrictions.

OK, WWB jam is now a project. I think the two versions should work together fine. Listen to attached. I like it when Curtis' fast version is ~ 120 bpm (that's my kind of 'fast' ;-)). How is that speed for you - I can bring it a little bit if you like. It'll still take me a couple of days to put together 'jam' track with a rudamentary (Ex. 6 like) rhythm round. But also want to listen carefully to Curtis' backup (as it is stereo separable) and see if I can figure out what he is doing. I've looked at Kaufman's PLP beg. Ragtime Annie and it seems do-able with a few weeks practice - look forward to your post.WBB duet (Curtis Jones, adv fast) + ganon (NBlake).mp3

I multitrack recorded with Curtis, but reduced Curtis' stereo to mono (mine too) so the left channel is a 50/50 mix of Curtis lead + Curtis backup, right channel is me (NB) lead only. Since Curtis is playing D open and I am playing C capo 2, there isn't as much 'interference' as you might expect from two leads, and seems to work out pretty well as a duet. Will be interesting to see if we can do the same with jam track (lead duet as well as alternating lead and backup). Should be fun. Speed - I'll shoot for the middle (132 - same as RHB).

Here is a WBB jam track at 132 bpm (a bit sloppy but should be usable). I left out the 'counting notes' at the start so it should loop without editing. In the backup of the B section (measures 5 and 6) where Curtis goes |DA|GD| I use |DFm|BmD| (capoed |CEm|AmC|), which comes from Kaufman and just seems to come off my fingers that way (think it still works). Norman's chords for this are the same as Curtis's, but he doesn't use the Em in 3rd measure of the B part (he gives it as |GD|.WBB (NB) Jam 132 (031910).mp3

Thanks Wayne - they sound great! Volume is in the range where twist of the knob works fine, I didn't notice any dead notes, and I really like your clarity. Can't wait to get home tonight and jam WBB. And start getting Ragtime Annie into muscle memory (I understand it, but can't play it yet). I think these will be great motivators - somehow much more special that jamming with Brad Davis or other pros.

Wayne, we may not be quite ready to go on tour, but I sure am having a lot of fun - hope you are too!WhiskeyBeforeBreakfast.mp3

Yes, on my version I played /D,F#m/ /Bm,D/ for measures 5 and 6 of the second part, but when I played along with your recording I used CUrtis' /D,A//G,D/.

Latency: 99% sure it is hardware, but you could try Audacity - it is also freeware (I tried Krystal last night but it didn't go well with Windows 7). You could try one-shot live recording, but that is kind frustrating without the ability to mix down levels for the two 'players' and give them stereo separation. I think there are other good USB interfaces out there in the $100-150 range (Tascam, M-Audio?), but I can't vouch for them personally as I have not used them. Maybe you could join and pose a question to the Gear Group?

What next: I could fairly quickly do something with Temperance Reel, St. Anne's Reel, or Cattle in the Cane. Medium term projects (a few weeks) I could probably do Liberty, Salt Creek, Cuckoo's Nest, maybe ANgeline the Baker. Let me know what (if any) appeals to you. You could put together a Jam track for Forked Deer - any others you would like to do? Since I am still at very early stages with Ragtime Annie, I decided to learn it in D at the open position - to get the same kind of open/capo-2 complement we get with WBB, and just because I need to learn something in D.

Of course, there is still lots of practice to do with the three we already have - It'll be interesting to see what we can put together after a couple of months practice.

Hi Wayne! Thanks for the contact. Looks like we're pretty close, we'll have to get together sometime...Like most of us on here (I assume...) I've got a group of local guys I get together with to jam as much as time allows. A couple of them are from the Athens/Decatur area (Banjo and Mandolin). Would you like for me to include you on the invites in the future? Have a GREAT day!!

Thomas "Bud" Teague

No...sorta kept to myself, other than the guys referenced below...mostly folks I've met at Athens Fiddler's Convention. This (keeping to myself) is not by design, but has kinda worked out that way. Would you mind if I had your e-mail address?? Typically, I'll send out an e-mail invite...mine is kwajrat@aol.com.

Wayne, I'll try to get something done on St. Anne's this weekend. Look forward to Forked Deer, but no hurry- Ragtime Annie will keep me busy for a couple of weeks. BTW, I like the WBB model where we both make jam tracks and exchange them (somehow better to play with someone else than to play with yourself - pun intended) -so if you wanted to expand you RHB break with a backup section, that too would be cool.
Later, ganon

Here's something for St Anne's Reel. Slow ~ 98 bpm (I like it that way, and maybe just as well if you are just starting on it). Done without timing support (no metronome or DM), so it may be a little irregular. It is Brad Davis' slow version with a couple of inconsequential changes. Note that if you work with Brad's version, I think the tab is slightly in error (the first two eighth notes should be pickups before the first measure, and thus chord changes are off by a beat as written (IMHO)). Hope you have fun with it.
-ganonSt Anne's Reel (SJ100) 032710.mp3

Wow, both are great. Speed on RHB is just right - I can play it only a little faster than this now, so this is just right to get it nailed. And the backup section - fantastic, I'm going to learn a lot about how to play *interesting* backup from that. Did you work that out yourself - if so, I am impressed. Forked Deer - same, just enough runs and 1/8th notes in the bass line to make it interesting, again something I can learn lots from (this will probably take precedence over Ragtime Annie for a little while). Can't wait to get home tonight.

Thanks much, ganon

RHB back to you - what fun! (feeling like giving up - nonsense! Remember (i) learning/playing guitar is a bipolar disorder, (ii) Gladwell's 10,000 hour rule.) It'll take me a few days to make sense out Forked Deer, also for Salt Creek - although I know it reasonably well, your speed is approaching my ultimate crash and burn limit, but I'll see if I can push it up there. Cheers.
Red Haired Boy - duet (W&G 144, 032910).mp3

I use the Am as Brad Davis gives it, but I see that Kaufman (4 hour workout) does it with C as you suggest - and he gives the option of using F instead of the Dm's (both places). I think it has something to do with there being two different versions of the song - Scottish and Canadian maritime - I'm going to listen carefully tonight. The Am didn't give me trouble, but the transition from break to rhythm did (I think because of the one beat offset in the BD chord changes that I talked about before) and is part of the reason I did it so slow. When/If you are ready (and it is a good day) I can probably bump it up to 132-144.