Rob MacKillop - Posted - 08/29/2013:  02:22:09

I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed playing it!

VIDEO: Cello Banjo: Bouree I+II Bach 3rd Cello Suite - Rob MacKillop (click to view)

corrieman - Posted - 08/29/2013:  03:26:41

Fantastic! Thanks for posting, that was a great start to my day.

Rob MacKillop - Posted - 08/29/2013:  03:35:32

My pleasure, Geoff.

frailfellow - Posted - 08/29/2013:  03:53:11

Delightful!

DrBobNeon - Posted - 08/29/2013:  04:49:52

Love those rolls!

Andrew Roblin - Posted - 08/29/2013:  04:51:29

Rob, your musicality is simply fantastic.

Your right-hand technique is a little different this time, I think...flatpick and thumb and first finger?

Anyway, I feel mighty lucky to have heard your beautiful playing this morning.

Andrew

Rob MacKillop - Posted - 08/29/2013:  05:14:25

Thanks, Ken, Bob, Andrew. Yes, I thought I'd go for a tonal difference for the second Bouree in the middle there, and one way of dong that is to change from pick to fingers. This is a homage for the 17th and 18th-century viol technique, which would change from bow to fingerstyle, for a similar effect.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 08/29/2013:  06:41:42

Excellent. This (watching/listening to you work thru these) is so much fun!

Rob MacKillop - Posted - 08/29/2013:  08:04:41

Cheers, Marc. Still waiting for your real cello version!

Banjosnob - Posted - 08/29/2013:  08:09:26

Absolutely beautiful! You are, as always, brilliant!

Rob MacKillop - Posted - 08/29/2013:  08:11:00

Lynn - thanks, but Bach is the brilliant one - by far!

mikeyes - Posted - 08/29/2013:  08:54:37

Rob,

That was great! It makes me want to try it too. I will have to wait for your book, I suppose, but the video showed me that it can be done on the cello banjo and mostly out of first position to boot. I love the way you changed the tonality with finger picking.

The usual technical questions, what strings, what pick? I find I can achieve a lot of different sounds with changes of pick and strings and also that the CEB-4 is very forgiving when it comes to both tunings and string diameters as long as high tension classical guitar strings are used.

I love Bach and now I don't have to be Chris Thile to sound good, all I have to do is practice, practice, practice.

Mike Keyes

Rob MacKillop - Posted - 08/29/2013:  10:47:07

Hi Mike. Thanks for that. It is do-able, and great fun. I just use the strings which came with the banjo, and as I've only had it a couple of weeks, have not had to face the issue of finding new ones. I have tried a few picks with it, and my favourite is the Gibson Extra Heavy.

Most of it is in first position, but you really need an open hand, easily stretching four or five frets, and for me that means keeping the thumb down at the back.

G Edward Porgie - Posted - 08/29/2013:  11:56:05

Very nice playing, but that's nothing new with Rob Mackillop.