Hey yall! Just thought I'd start this group for folks who want to work through Mr. Lunceford's book. The CD is a great inspiration to me, and I want to take on learning the tunes as a project although they are considerably beyond my current skill level.
29 Comments |
 | Oldpiper says:
5/8/2012 5:22:36 PM
That's a great book and I've worked a bit with it. The main problem I have is he keeps changing the tuning all the time and I'm lazy.
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 | R.D. Lunceford says:
5/8/2012 9:03:42 PM
Just signing up so I can be more available to help with any questions that may come up.
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 | Steve Jeter says:
5/9/2012 9:20:06 AM
I will start on Polly
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 | Quartermaster James says:
5/9/2012 10:49:44 AM
Well then, out of the frying pan and into the fire! I am going to start with Sandy River Belle. I chose this tune for a couple of reasons: 1) I have a passing familiarity with the tune as it was one taught to us in the beginning banjo class I took, albeit a different version; and 2) I really like the lilt/drive/phrasing/rhythmic chop whatever-you-call-it in RD's playing of the tune.
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| Steve Jeter says:
5/9/2012 2:21:25 PM
ah heck , now I wish Id a chose Sandy River Belle;) is it too late to change LOL I think Sandy is a hair slower, maybe I will start with that , and we can compare notes.
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| Quartermaster James says:
5/9/2012 6:21:23 PM
Shucks Oldpiper! Just rearrange the pages by tuning!
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| Oldpiper says:
5/9/2012 6:26:00 PM
Now that's a pretty good idea! My favorite is PeachBottom Creek. There was a famous player born there, but I can't remember who it was.
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| Quartermaster James says:
5/9/2012 6:37:59 PM
Alright steve! But don't expect too much! My first note is that Mr. Lunceford's version is much more "rhythm forward" than the version I first learned (and that's a big part of what drew me to his style). It is in no way less melodic, the melody is all there, but it's as if a rhythm section were added. Going further, the version I first learned had me going about with the melody line running through my head, but after hearing RD's playing, the melody is still there but I've got this "boom-chukka, boom-chukka" thing going on too. If I read my own words right, this means I'm going to be going back to the basics with this one.
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| Quartermaster James says:
5/9/2012 6:40:29 PM
Dang it! Oldpiper! You made me go and do some research! Aye! That's a famous player, and one to which I am ashamed to admit I have too little exposure.
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| Oldpiper says:
5/9/2012 6:44:16 PM
Do you know who I'm talking about? I just read something recently, but my old brain isn't in gear on this.
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| Quartermaster James says:
5/9/2012 6:54:08 PM
Wade Ward, no?
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| R.D. Lunceford says:
5/9/2012 10:16:32 PM
Wade Ward it was. I believe he picked up the tune from his older brother Fields Ward who got it from some local Black musicians. I think the actual name of the tune is "Sapsucker Peckin' at a Long-Leaf Pine". Having forgotten the title, Wade named it after the creek his house sat on, and has since been the title the tune is known by.
I know two versions of Sandy River Belle:
One in gDGBD, and the other fCFCD (capo2) as in Drop-Thumb.
A number of folks (The Old WoodChuck comes to mind) like to play G tunes out of the gDGDE tuning (fCFCD capo2) because it gives those tunes a different sound than their A tunes (gDGBD capo2). I haven't really done that much, but it sounds interesting.
Seems like an awful lot of the music in tunings like f#DF#AD, f#ADAD, etc. originated with Black players.
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| Steve Jeter says:
5/10/2012 10:05:23 AM
RD, If I am in low D briggs style , what note is my banjo supossed to be tuned to on the 1st string,,, I know raised , but trying out SRB , getting the correct note on the 3fret 1st string Im not quite there.
thanks Steve
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 | ronwalker49 says:
5/10/2012 3:17:24 PM
Hello R.D.
I just made up an order for Elderly to call in tomorrow afternoon...I was afraid if I called it in today it would arrive Saturday and I didn't want to wait all day on the UPS guy...
I expect it will be in sometime Monday and was wondering which song you suggest I start with...I am a pretty experienced picker, Banjo-Fiddle-Guitar but I read tab. very poorly....I appreciate your willingness to help us and it says an awful lot about what kind of man you are are... I am willing to follow your instructions to the letter, so any advice on"what's first"... Thanks, ron
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| Steve Jeter says:
5/23/2012 11:57:50 AM
It looks like this should have been called the RD Lunceford fan club. Ive worked a bit on SRB, but have found myself going back to easier stuff. Maybe in a yr Ill try again
And yes, Im a fan.
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| Quartermaster James says:
5/23/2012 12:24:53 PM
Hey Steve & all, Sorry I haven't been able to be more active with this group these last couple of weeks. Between work and other awful things, I've had my hands full and haven't been able to put in practice time. It should all calm down in a couple more weeks, and then I'll be picking up (or, rather, down picking) from where I left off.
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 | erikforgod says:
6/3/2012 8:17:30 AM
I just bought the book...I am looking forward to studying this material!!
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 | Hairymare says:
6/12/2012 2:47:12 PM
Can
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| Hairymare says:
6/12/2012 3:11:04 PM
excuse me for the last post. My computer sometimes refuses to space or delete and I have to shut down..
But, I don't get the P that is under the open string to open string? For example, on page 19, Polly Put the Kettle on, the first two notes in the second eight bar section (coarse) and the many more places in the book , 8th and 9th measures in Jenny Get around, page 12. excuse me for my ignorance.
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| Hairymare says:
6/12/2012 3:11:57 PM
Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE your playing and am so glad I bought the album.
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| Oldpiper says:
6/12/2012 3:26:19 PM
That's an open string pull-off. It can be played on any fret and sounds the same. Just fret it and pull off.
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| R.D. Lunceford says:
6/12/2012 7:01:39 PM
Sorry for not checking in for awhile folks.
stevej: Your question of 5/10: Your first string would be an "A"
which is the same as the 3rd string 2nd fret in the standard gDGBD tuning. The Briggs evuivalent of gDGBD is dADF#A (which is a "D" tuning). If you want to use the Briggs pitch equivalent of the fCFCD tuning, it would be cGCGA. Clear as mud?
Hairymare: Oldpiper is correct... it is an openstring pull-off, sometimes called an alternate-string- pull- off, or ASPO for short. Personally, I don't actually fret the string- that is press it against the fingerboard. I simply pluck it with any convenient left-hand finger. In the figures you mention, what you have is simply a "bum-ditty" with the ASPO inserted between the "bum" and the "dit".
Sorry for the delay in answering... I'll try to drop by regularly folks. Again, I am honored by your good opinion of my music, and thank you for your many kind comments
In the event I do not reply in a timely fashion feel free to contact me personally through my homepage.
With Appreciation;
RD
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| Hairymare says:
6/13/2012 6:14:13 AM
Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE your playing and am so glad I bought the album.
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| Hairymare says:
6/13/2012 6:07:47 PM
durn computer, woke up, reloaded the page and it reloaded my comment.
Thanks for the answers, I will try that today.
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| Hairymare says:
6/13/2012 8:28:04 PM
durn computer, woke up, reloaded the page and it reloaded my comment.
Thanks for the answers, I will try that today.
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 | madkelt2004 says:
7/3/2012 3:14:18 PM
Okay...been playing the hell out of the CD and now I reckon it's time I open the book...
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 | gbkyser says:
8/13/2012 2:55:45 PM
I'm enjoying the book and CD very much. I'm bout 2/3s of the way through Ken Perlman's "Clawhammer Style Banjo," and "Drop Thumb" is at a good level for me. The best thing about it is that the songs sound good slow or fast, so it's helping me to build some speed... my hands are happy playing slow till I know the songs... I'm focusing on the double-C and mountain minor tunes for now. Thanks.
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 | Califiddler says:
10/31/2012 8:28:28 PM
I just got my copy of the book from Elderly. I think I'll start with Rockin' the Cradle, which is about my favorite tune on the CD.
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| Califiddler says:
11/7/2012 7:39:05 AM
What is the symbol that appears in the tab at the very beginning of the fine part and coarse part of Sandy Boys?
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