Subject: What is the first tune you play? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 10 Dec 99 - 01:00 PM I've just been given an early Christmas present, of a beautiful pearwood Dolmetsch descant recorder, an item I have coveted for several years now, since playing a hand turned rosewood garkline (spelling? - the smallest one, second cousin to a dog whistle), that was made by Herr Dolmetsch himself. As I warmed it and gave it its first voice, I played the same tune I always play on a new instument, Greensleeves. Does anyone else have a particular tune they always play first? And Micca, I've already heard the bassoon and British Grenadiers story..... LTS |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Jon Freeman Date: 10 Dec 99 - 01:29 PM A lot depends on the instrument with me. On the tenor banjo or mandolin family instruments, one of my first sets I am likely to try is a hornpipe whose name I don't know together with O Neills Favourite. With a guitar, I will often fingerpick Freight Train when I first try one, possibly play Greensleves and then try some flat picking. On a whistle, it would be Harvest Home (one of the few I can play), a melodeon is likely to get treated to Hola Hi.... Jon |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Paul S Date: 10 Dec 99 - 01:40 PM While it doesn't quite measure up to Greensleeves, the first tune I always play when I pick up an instrument is The Frying Pan by John Prine. Paul |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: sophocleese Date: 10 Dec 99 - 02:05 PM Gypsy Rover for a while was the one I always played. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Bert Date: 10 Dec 99 - 02:15 PM Spanish Ladies (The major key version) |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Wesley S Date: 10 Dec 99 - 02:16 PM "My Creole Belle" by Mississippi John Hurt. This year I ordered a new Martin direct from the factory and it was the first thing I played on it. Call me crazy but I think a musical instrement picks up a personality from the player and the music played on it. I have a friend with a D-35 Martin that sounds like crap. But I think it's because he rarely restrings it, he doesn't know how to keep it in tune, and he plays Jimi Hendrix and metal riffs on it { poorly }. Thats just my viewpoint - I could be wrong. I try to baby my instruments and treat them like tools at the same time. And the next tune I usually play is "Lay me a pallet on your floor" Time to step down off of my soapbox |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: InOBU Date: 10 Dec 99 - 02:20 PM On the Uilleann pipes, An phis fhliuch - a tune that comes down through the palying of Willie Clancies father, recorded by Liam O Flynn, Seamus Ennis and others. A great tune with an unfortunate name. I will refrain from translating it... anyone else be my guess, and if you do, I tell you a funny Seamus Ennis story... BUT it is my favorite pipe tune, and Im addicted to the tune, the tune and not the well.... Larry |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: emily rain Date: 10 Dec 99 - 02:44 PM any time i meet a new harp, the first tune out of my fingers is "the ash grove", mostly because i can play it in whatever key the harp was left in by the last player. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: MK Date: 10 Dec 99 - 03:08 PM Lately, it's been Doc Watson's version of ''Bye Bye Bluebell''....Find it warms me up quickly, and then after a few minutes, I start playing around with the melody using a reverse banjo roll style. Limbers of the fingers real fast....Best of all it sounds way more complicated then it actually is! |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Willie-O Date: 10 Dec 99 - 03:32 PM Usually, Chistmas Day i' da Morning. The tune. On most instruments. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Vixen Date: 10 Dec 99 - 03:58 PM Fascinating thread. Neat to see how many of the tunes I like to play on new instruments are here... Greensleeves, Ash Grove, Mairi's Wedding, Amazing Grace on recorder, flute, whistle as appropriate. A Soalin', Freight Train, Greensleeves, and a Carcassi prelude on guitar. Now, what about getting a new voice??? ;> (Actually, I like the one I've got--it just needs a lot of work and care) V |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Easy Rider Date: 10 Dec 99 - 04:01 PM "Buck Dancer's Choice". It was one of the first fingerpicking tunes, after "Freight Train", that I learned, and I love it still. It's a good, easy warmup, and I know what it is SUPPOSED to sound like, so it is a good tune for trying out on new guitars too. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: jeffp Date: 10 Dec 99 - 04:06 PM On a whistle, I will play The Unfortunate Rake. On a guitar, usually it will be Friend of the Devil. On a fiddle, I'll play either The Britches with the Stitches or a polka I have heard called either Kerry Polka or Egan's Polka. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Skipjack Date: 10 Dec 99 - 05:05 PM On the squeezebox, it used to be Jamie Allen, into Spanish Ladies (Bert) Grande Dam and Rattlin Bog. NOws I can't get that infernal three key Pinch of Snuff out of me head. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: emily rain Date: 10 Dec 99 - 05:44 PM oh, but that's a good question, vixen: what's the first song you sing when you wake up in the morning? today it was "the game of cards", but usually it's "lass of loch royal". i'm a big maddy prior fan. : ) |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Helen Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:05 PM When I used to play the flute semi-regularly I found that I couldn't get the tone and feel of any tune right until I had played John Anderson My Jo, and another one, I think it was Ca' the Yowes, both on the same page of this little old ratty-tatty book I've had since school. I could get the embrouchure (correct placement and muscle position of the mouth) just right and I could get into the feel of the tunes within the first bar or two. Funny, that. The first tune on the harp tends to be Fanny Power/Poer by O'Carolan. And Si Beg Si Mor comes a close second. Great thread idea. Helen
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Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Helen Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:05 PM When I used to play the flute semi-regularly I found that I couldn't get the tone and feel of any tune right until I had played John Anderson My Jo, and another one, I think it was Ca' the Yowes, both on the same page of this little old ratty-tatty book I've had since school. I could get the embrouchure (correct placement and muscle position of the mouth) just right and I could get into the feel of the tunes within the first bar or two. Funny, that. The first tune on the harp tends to be Fanny Power/Poer by O'Carolan. And Si Beg Si Mor comes a close second. Great thread idea. Helen
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Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Darren Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:44 PM I usually will play Mississipi John Hurt's "Payday" or Amazing Grace or babe it aint no lie, playing these tunes is like puttin on my favorite pair of shoes or taking off my least favorite pair of shoes |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: marcelloblues Date: 10 Dec 99 - 07:55 PM This morning, walkin' to my work place under the rain, and even after, unusually I started singing BB King's verse (on the Live in San Quentin): I wish, I was a catfish, ... Gettin' in confidence with a new guitar, I move around E, sometimes playin' jimmy Reed's Baby what you want me to do. Then, proceeding in open D to test it with a bottleneck, Dust my broom or Sittin' on top of th world. Cheers |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Big Mick Date: 10 Dec 99 - 09:41 PM Great idea for a thread. When I pick up a guitar that is in standard tuning, I will invariably strike an Am, and then launch into........are you ready????........House of the Rising Sun with a flat pick.........don't ask me why, but I think I must have learned this first back in the mid 60's cause I thought it was cool, and it just stuck with me. Then I will make a slight variation in the picking pattern and play...............I can't believe I am telling you this..............Hotel California. Then I will take off on something like Arkansas Traveller. Old habits die hard........ Big Mick |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Frankie Date: 10 Dec 99 - 10:25 PM Of course it's I Fell into a Vat of Chocolate. No, actually it's going to be a slow blues like Early this Morning or Ton o' Blues, if I pick up the little guitar in standard tuning and Voyage to Ireland if I pick up the big one in Dsus which stretches out the fingers nicely. And if I pick up my plastic Yamaha recorder, Squeak, I also start off with Greensleeves because it's simple, beautiful and the only one I know. Frankie |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: _gargoyle Date: 11 Dec 99 - 12:16 AM Interesting thread "interesting" only means in gargoyle speake "I can finally submit an opinion about 1/300 of an area, inwhich, I have an opinion....and this opinion is probably only 1/300 right...therefore, about 10,000th of anything I speak of is "true."
There is a reason why "Rosin the Bow" had it's name and notes.... The notes hit the tuning aspect of the group....as the fiddle player was adjusting the bow of the violin/fiddle....the rest of the players adjusted to him
For myself, I find the tune...."If you want distroy this sweater" ,,,,to be thepar-mu-ta-tion....upon which the past three years have been built.....before that...,,,it was the minor keyed "Blow the Winds Southerly"///////
I am ready for another "epiphany" and it was recently found within a Rick Fielding thread.
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Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: bunkerhill Date: 11 Dec 99 - 12:22 AM On mt. dulcimer, "Rhinoceros Chase" for a time; lately a medley of "Broom of the Cowdenknowles" and "Ewe Came Bleating." (I don't want to know what Freud would same about two sheep-themed songs. Sometimes a pretty tune is just a pretty tune. As for that cigar of his...) |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: _gargoyle Date: 11 Dec 99 - 12:27 AM VERY FEW THINGS cause me to laugh OUT LOUD.
Your previous succeded beautifuly!!!! |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: AnTirKitten Date: 11 Dec 99 - 10:55 AM *s* I don't play any instruments but before singing before people, my warm up songs are Star of the County Down (or a wicked funny filk of it called Bane of the County Down) and Mary Mack. Or this old French round I know called "La Cloche du vieux manoir" Cat |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: catspaw49 Date: 11 Dec 99 - 11:14 AM For unknown reasons...."Love Will Endure" by Patrick Sky. Spaw |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: marcelloblues Date: 11 Dec 99 - 01:13 PM yeah, old habits die hard. Don't know why, but today i started with Stewball. What is the first tune you sing? Cheers |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: alison Date: 11 Dec 99 - 08:54 PM On whistle..... Spancil Hill then Boys from the blue Hill,... on everything else Star of the County down.. slainte alison |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Roger in Baltimore Date: 11 Dec 99 - 09:14 PM Well, I play an obscure tune by B. W. Stevenson (He wrote "My Maria" made famous by 3 Dog Night). It's called On My Own. It has a ascending couplet similar to George Harrison's Black Bird so I get a feel for the neck and the fret board quite a ways up. Let's me know if the frets are true, if the the treble is solid, and if the bass and treble blend well. On a 12-String it is usually Huddie Ledbetter's Good Mornin' Blues. Roger in Baltimore |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 11 Dec 99 - 09:32 PM The first tune I play in the morning is "Catspaw's Rag"--actually, Fielding plays it, but my clock radio is set to bring it on...oh, you mean when I pick up an instrument...guitar, usually "Abilene" by Bob Gibson or Commander Cody's "Down to Seeds and Stems Again." A banjo tuned to G--as most in stores are--elicits either "My Grandfather's Clock" or "Redhaird Boy" or "Blackberry Blossom," usually clawhammer first, then as I get warm, three finger style. To warm up the old harmonicas: diatonic straight harp: "Soldier's Joy"; diatonic cross harp, "The Wreck of the Old 97," diatonic third position (minor), "Wasn't That a Mighty Day." Lee Oskar Melody Maker, "Columbus Stockade Blues" or "Simple Gifts." --seed |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Terry Allan Hall Date: 12 Dec 99 - 10:47 AM On mandolin: "Blackberry Blossom" On 12-string: "Bar-B-Q Blues" On 6-string: "Green Iguana Rag" On bass: just some "walkin'" stuff |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: ddw Date: 12 Dec 99 - 11:10 PM Almost always a new guitar will just start doing Sportin' Life Blues or Josh White's Where Were You Baby. When I regain control it's likely to be something by Mississippi John Hurt — Candy Man or Casey Jones.
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Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Callie Date: 13 Dec 99 - 01:54 AM On guitar - the instrumental bit of Chris de Burgh's "Broken Wings". On anything else, "My Lagan Love" |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 13 Dec 99 - 03:51 AM "Great idea for a thread." So am I forgiven for spawning 'Cat Farts' then? For singing, my warm up piece used to be the Queen of the Night aria, from 'Magic flute', you know, the one that goes up into four lines above the stave..... Terribly out of practice now, and with child around, the warm up is more likely to be 'twinkle twinkle' to which there are actuallly 5 or 6 verses!! LTS
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Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Mountain Dog Date: 13 Dec 99 - 07:02 AM I usually introduce myself to a new instrument - in my case, that's always a guitar - with a mid-tempo blues shuffle, moving up and down the neck to get a feel for the frets, followed by some long-ingrained fingerpicking patterns. (Come to think of it, that's also how I reintroduce myself to my existing instruments when I've been away too long.) |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Mbo Date: 13 Dec 99 - 09:42 AM Usually on guitar, it's "Music For A Found Harmonium," the riff from "Fly Like An Eagle" by Steve Miller Band, the bass line for Jim Croce's "Operator," "Prelude in A" by Weiss, or that section in "Carmina Burana" that's called, I think, "Dulcissimus." On violin, it's always "Cripple Creek." On whistle, it's usually "The Women of Ireland," "Song of the Pooka," or "Lullaby" from "Gayane" by Khachaturian. --Mbo |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: The Gargoyle Hunter Date: 13 Dec 99 - 11:50 AM Please translate "Your previous succeded beautifuly!!!!" to "Your previous message succeeded beautifully!!!!" Please mind your spelling mr. _gargoyle! |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: annamill Date: 13 Dec 99 - 12:45 PM I don't know yet ;-( Love, annap |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 13 Dec 99 - 01:27 PM Hey, Garg Hunter: Is it open season? Can we all take our shots? --seed |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: The Gargoyle Hunter Date: 13 Dec 99 - 01:31 PM Please do. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: JedMarum Date: 13 Dec 99 - 03:33 PM for me, it depends on the audience, and maybe the event, but I really do have a short list of 'first songs' - If I need to address an "hey, I've heard that tune before ... " need in my audience I might play Kris Kristofferson' s Bobby Magee. If it's a quiet night and a folky crowd, I might play an early Jackson Browne tune These Days. If it's a Celtic crowd I often start with one of my own Fighting Tigers of Ireland - a rousing tune that tells the story of the Confederacy's 6th Louisianna Regiment (70% Irish born). If it's a quiet Celtic crowd,I have started with Wild Mountain Thyme. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Midchuck Date: 13 Dec 99 - 03:52 PM |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Midchuck Date: 13 Dec 99 - 03:58 PM G** D*** bloody F***! I did it again! Typed the name and automatically hit Return, instead of tab. What I meant to say: liam devlin sayeth: "If it's a Celtic crowd I often start with one of my own Fighting Tigers of Ireland - a rousing tune that tells the story of the Confederacy's 6th Louisianna Regiment (70% Irish born). " I'd like to hear that. Have you got it recorded? Have you heard Kelly's Irish Brigade, on the Barton/Para/Dyer Rebel in the Woods? Or, for a Yankee Celtic audience, Steve Earle's Dixieland? |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Mbo Date: 13 Dec 99 - 04:52 PM Ooooh, Liam, I've read a lot about the Louisiana Tigers (such cool uniforms!) can you post those lyrics? --Mbo |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: JedMarum Date: 13 Dec 99 - 05:42 PM Midchuck - I will send a tape next week to the Mudcat radio with the song ... hopefully they'll have it in time for the Wed 12/22 show. I haven;t heard Barton/Para's music, yet. Someone just told me about them very recently, so I have not hyet had a chance to buy one of their CDs. I have a couple of Irish in the Civil War songs, and yes, I have rad quite a bit of that history. My own family arrived from Ireland shortly after the US Civil War, but my wife's old Yankee families (both sides) have personal histories from relative Yankee soldiers. I read James P. Gannon's Irish Rebels Confederate Tigers: The 6th Louisiana Volunteers. It was a wonderful book, and an inspiring story. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: JedMarum Date: 13 Dec 99 - 05:45 PM Mbo - I'll post the lyrics as soon as I can get 'em HTML format. |
Subject: ADD: Fighting Tigers of Ireland^^ From: JedMarum Date: 13 Dec 99 - 05:55 PM The Fighting Tigers of Ireland (Jed Marum) Let me tell you a tale of those brave Irish boys Of the Sixth Louisian' From New Orleans to Richmond and back again They fought and died for all Dixieland Led by young Henry Strong who at Sharpsburg fell He was proud and Irish born And then bold Colonel Billy Monaghan Gave his life at Shepardstown Chorus: They Irish born They were heroes all Behind the flag of Louisian' From New Orleans to Richmond and back again The fighting Tigers of Ireland Now when old Billy Monaghan sounded the call Back in eighteen sixty one Every Irish lad joined him one and all To keep those Yankees back in Washington Chorus: They Irish born They were heroes all Behind the flag of Louisian' From New Orleans to Richmond and back again The fighting Tigers of Ireland Port Republic and Bristoe and Fredricksburg Many valiant and good men gone They showed honor and courage at Gettysburg And the gates of Washington Key change: They followed Jackson and Early and Master Lee And the fiercest in all the land On this old Marshall Robert and Grant agreed Were the men of the sixth Louisian' Chorus: They Irish born They were heroes all And they fought for Louisian' From New Orleans to Richmond and back again The fighting Tigers of Ireland ^^ |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: InOBU Date: 13 Dec 99 - 08:44 PM Well, after all this, no one translated An phis fluch. See my post above, It is an old jig, as I said, from WIllie Clancys father. It translates to The Wet (ephamismatic reference to a certain female genital oraphace often often used to refer to a cat, though not in Gaelic). Well, one day Seamus Ennis played the tune and was asked the name. He got half way through the title, when some wag gave one of the English names for it, O Niel or Someones welcome to Limmerick, at which Seamus said, it must have been one hell of a welcome! Spaw! I need a verce from the song you mention by Pat Sky, Love will endure, I have all the verses, except the one which begins, As for me.... Id be grateful if you woudl post it. All the best Larry |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: GUEST Date: 26 Apr 02 - 04:46 PM Refresh |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Ebbie Date: 26 Apr 02 - 10:17 PM To hark back to the question of three years ago: I've noticed that in the bluegrass group, 'Lonesome Road Blues' usually starts it. I'm goin' down the road feelin' bad I'm goin' down the road feelin' bad I'm goin' down the road feelin' bad, oh, lord, And I ain't gonna be treated this a way... |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Ian Darby Date: 27 Apr 02 - 10:08 PM Mother Hold the Candle While I Shave the Chicken's Legs is my favourite test piece, but to fully explore the sonic possibilities of a new instrument I usually run through the Mason's Apron in the style of Barney McKenna, finishing with The Flight of the Bumble Bee. (I normally wake up at this point.) If I'm trying out a guitar, and not a Bombarde or Ocarina, I play Planxty Irwin, The Siege of Delhi, and 'The Athol Highlanders' in open G tuning. Fanny Power by good old Turlough is a great tune played on any instrument. I'm not surprised its been adopted by so many Women's right's movements. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Anahootz Date: 27 Apr 02 - 10:24 PM On the mandolin, it's usually a Bill tune...lately, it has been "Old Ebeneezer Scrooge". "Jerusalem Ridge" and "Wheel Hoss" are other ones that leap from my pick when I grab any mandolin. It seems tose low, growly tunes are great for "waking up" your instrument before getting into some serious pickin'. On Guitar, I just can't seem to NOT pick "Salt Creek" whenever I grab one. Oh well, there are worse tunes to be stuck with... |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 28 Apr 02 - 12:59 PM On a guitar, just trying it out, I'm likely to play Frankie and Johnny first. On the banjo, it's almost sure to be a banjo piece by that great banjo composer Dave Oesterreich, called "Little Dorrie", which I tend to play as a sort of obsessive-compulsive requirement. I don't know how many thousands of times I've played that since I wrote it. Dave Oesterreich |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: cyder_drinker Date: 28 Apr 02 - 01:05 PM As what I pick up is likely to be a flute, it's usually either "Gravel Walk" if I'm in a reely good mood, "An Phis Fuilch" (love that one too InObu) or a nice slow air. |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: GUEST,Skipper Jack Date: 28 Apr 02 - 02:55 PM I always find that the first tune I play, or in my case - sing is the one that I start with! Seriously,I invariably wake up in the morning with a tune going through my head and if only I could write it down instead of reaching for the cornflakes packet!! |
Subject: RE: BS: What is the first tune you play? From: Bob Bolton Date: 29 Apr 02 - 09:41 AM G'day Liz the Squeak, Back to your initial post: the littlest (honest) recorder is called a garklein ... "gar..." is here an intensive of 'klein' - little (actually means 'baked' ...?). Anyway, it must be just some cheap association, but I always seem to play the Bonny Lass of Fife when I pick up a new whistle ... Regard(les)s, Bob Bolton |