Location:
Location: Coopersburg, PA
Country: US
Country: US
My Latest Followers:
Stats
youtube videos: 10
images: 14
Groups: 2
videos: 3
audio tracks: 10
The Wife of Usher's Well
musician/member name:
Duration: 00:00:48
description:
Duration: 00:00:48
description:
My first go at the banjo, a knockoff of Hedy West's version of Child #79. It's in sawmill tuning, played finger-lead style on a 1960s Kay with Nylgut strings.
Looking forward to hearing more.
Love this song, and you play so well ! I got to get my Banjo out . I like the way you do this song.
Thanks, Robin, BJ, and Sue for the kind comments.Sue, this is an unusual tune for this song, so it may be hard to find. Here's what Hedy said about this version:This is basically the version that [ folklorist ] Nancy Perdue of Fairfax, Virginia, learned from her mother-in-law, Eva Samples, born in 1906 near Carrolton, Georgia. I've combined this variant with a similar one from my grandmother."I have in the back of my head that it's similar to the version that Sharp collected from Zippo Rice. That version is HERE .I will check my notes when I get back to my house and see if I add anything to the above description.
I like this song ! would like to have the music -chords -tab to play this around the house.
Wow, Ken, this is the real thing-- all you've done to the banjo and with your play just sounds & feels right.
Randy, John Henry, Ken, thanks much. The encouragement means a lot. My left hand is handling this OK so far. I'm using just the middle two fingers mostly.I put Nylguts, a Renaissance head, and a no-knot tailpiece on this banjo. I'm pretty happy with the tone and playability, given that it ended up costing about 1/3 of what you'd spend on a Deering Goodtime.I chose this model mostly because it is easy to set up. It has an ungainly but ingenious method of neck attachment that allows you to reset the neck angle in less than a minute.
Very nice job, Ken. Smooth playing and a good sounding banjo.Ken
Thank you for your video (and comments) of 'The Wife..' Not only good to listen to, but, as always, instructive as well. I still can't make me fingers work separately as yours seem to tho' !JohnH
Yeah! I pert'near pm'ed you a day or 2 ago to see how the banjo was goin'....obviously goin' great! Lisa's observation on the 5th string is good....but I'd rather hear not enough rather than 2 much. Most beginners beat the crap oughta #5...don't have control of it.....you handle it like seasoned vet.Left hand is easier on your hand than guitar? Ur gonna be able to make it go huh?Like the tone on the banjo & the tone you are pulling out of it.
Sue, thanks, much. I'm just learning this stuff. I didn't see your comment till just now. I'm trying to learn clawhammer, too, but I am having a dickens of a time with it. It's unlike any picking I've ever done.I decided to play finger-lead style for awhile until I got comfortable enough with the left hand so I could concentrate on learning clawhammer with the right.
Thanks, both of you. It has been fun rehabbing and playing this banjo.You're right about the 5th string, Lisa. I mean to be playing the thumb string on the offbeat, but I'm falling back into pinch-picking it on the beat, which makes it inaudible. I also need to pick it harder. I didn't realize either of these until I looked at the video a dozen times to see what my fingers were doing.
Sounds wonderful. As usual, it's got your special intimate mark on it.One request...more thumb string!- can't hear that chanterelle.
I don't see nothing wrong with that Ken.