jimifive Says:
Saturday, August 18, 2018 @10:41:59 AM

Contemplative and soothing Rick...looking forward to the film release.

rickhayes Says:
Saturday, August 18, 2018 @5:32:45 PM

Thanks Jimi. I'll let you know when it's in the can. ;>)

stratovarious520 Says:
Monday, August 20, 2018 @7:36:44 PM

Very nice and dark as the title implies. I like the dark side, just haven’t quite found it yet! Wonderful playing Rick...there are several of these little gems you post I would love to hear with a full backing band.

stratovarious520 Says:
Monday, August 20, 2018 @7:46:42 PM

Very nice and dark as the title implies. I like the dark side, just haven’t quite found it yet! Wonderful playing Rick...there are several of these little gems you post I would love to hear with a full backing band.

stratovarious520 Says:
Monday, August 20, 2018 @7:51:56 PM

Sorry about the double post...gotta love satellite internet and its little quirks!

guitarman8491 Says:
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 @5:13:42 AM

Rick very nice! Great composition very clean pickin!!

guitarman8491 Says:
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 @5:21:16 AM

Rick, really nice composition. Real nice and clean pickin, wonderful sound!

guitarman8491 Says:
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 @5:21:39 AM

Rick, really nice composition. Real nice and clean pickin, wonderful sound!

JanetB Says:
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 @6:49:06 AM

Unique and well-composed. Those minor notes do their job and your title fits it to a tee.

rickhayes Says:
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 @8:41:12 AM

Looks like we had some serious internet hiccups! Thanks Greg. I have a couple of interesting (IMHO) 3 finger bluegrassy tunes I will post where I might try to do some guitar backup and maybe some flatpicking breaks, although I'm not at all proficient at that. Doug, always appreciate the nice comments. Thanks Janet. Those upward climbing notes and the modal/minor sounds gave me the title quickly, which is unusual because I have trouble naming tunes generally.

Don Lewers Says:
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 @12:02:36 PM

Yeah Rick, I really enjoyed your well named, ''Dark Staircase'' ..... you've got a lovely predominant melody line, that's inter woven with a minor dark minor feel. GOOD ON YOU RICK!. ...... Don.

rickhayes Says:
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 @12:51:04 PM

Hey Don, thanks for the nice comments from Down Under. Glad you enjoyed it.

Chadbanjo Says:
Thursday, August 23, 2018 @3:59:55 PM

Very cool tune there Rick. Dont forget to post those blues tunes..love the blues

rickhayes Says:
Thursday, August 23, 2018 @4:44:23 PM

Thanks Chad. I'll think about that blues idea. Not something I'm too familiar with playing, but maybe I should branch out. By the way, I just finished my mountain banjo yesterday. It's a bit crude but looks OK. The action is terrible because the plans didn't call for a neck angle, and I think it's affecting the intonation. If you get to doing one, I would find a way to put some angle between the neck and pot.

Chadbanjo Says:
Thursday, August 23, 2018 @6:29:35 PM

We gota hear that mountain banjo. No doubt you tried a lower bridge

rickhayes Says:
Friday, August 24, 2018 @7:06:30 AM

Yep, I just made one from some maple I had and I sanded it down to 3/8" and the action is still high. Of course most of the playing is down at the lower frets so the action is low there but up the neck it's very high. Also, I think the low height bridge cuts down on the volume so the sound is quite soft. If I can figure some way to adjust the neck angle I'll get better action and be able to use a higher bridge. Also, I'm still not used to the fretless banjo world and finding it tough to hit just the right notes. :>(