Posting clips

[Hup]

Hello

Rather than start another thread, I'll post to this one. Imnotirish privately
suggested that I too ask for feedback after I hammered him pretty good -
with the best of intentions, mind you.

So go ahead - "cocusflute" wrote some time ago that my playing was "awful".
See just how awful it is now - in the spirit of iso9000 (remember that craze
from the 1980s ?), I'm always trying to make it less awful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZFa2oK1q1A

[Akiba]

Hi Hup,

I think it sounded pretty good, particularly in the beginning. Seems you ran out of steam by the end.

Your tone is pretty good--very focused and in-tune on some notes; not-so-focused and a bit out of tune on others. Your rhythm is basically OK.

The one thing that stuck out for me about your playing was that it seems that every note sounds the same, i.e. has the same emphasis. As a result it sounds like a string of notes more than a tune. I'd try to emphasize certain notes, particularly the note on the beat, and back off on others. Maybe it's just a matter of having a stronger "feel" or lilt to your playing.

First I've heard of the Reviol cast bore. Sounds good.

[Hup]

Thanks akiba - I promise to take it all on board

[ImNotIrish]

Hup,

I am not going to comment on your clip other than to say I applaud you for putting yourself out there and contributing to the overall nature of players everywhere. I think it is great that we can listen to one another and even post our own takes on tunes. I don't know that tune but would be willing to learn it and post a clip in the near future. Unlike Denny, I do not consider this a competition, but rather a 'sharing' of where we are at in this particular moment. Hopefully, we can continue to help one another, one note, phrase, tune at a time.
Arbo

[Hup]

Yes I agree - the competition thing is poisonous -
makes you feel sick if you get sucked into it

[Hup]

I think it's just too static - not enough happening in it for
my taste Jem - needs more note bending or vibrato or something

[Doug_Tipple]

Jem, both of your audio samples sound good to me.

[Hup]

Hopefully Jem will consider the source - a nobody - and not worry
too much about my comment

[jemtheflute]

Hear, hear, Arbo.
Thanks, Doug.

I think it's just too static - not enough happening in it for
my taste Jem - needs more note bending or vibrato or something

More?!?! I put in rather a lot, I thought, especially on the low B version (bigger holed toot) - at least as much as good taste (OK, my taste) would allow. (Or is your tongue in your cheek and I've missed that?) You are very welcome to comment, though, as is anyone.
Admittedly, not only was I trying to eliminate inappropriate breath vibrato (not wholly successfully), but when I use finger vibrato I tend to use further away than next-but-one hole/finger(s), depending on how it actually works on each note/fingering, because I aim for a narrow pitch fluctuation - I hate wide vibrato of any type in any musical context. Can I suggest you try playing it and see what more you could get in by way of portamento slides between notes or into them from lower leading graces (in a contextually appropriate/effective fashion)?

One other thought: I was (for present purposes) rather deliberately keeping the pace very slow (and not totally uniform - there's some rubato....), especially on the first (low B) clip - I wouldn't expect to hear the song quite so slow, and in fact I'd probably normally play it a bit faster even as an air. It would certainly "move" better a bit faster.

BTW, watched part of your YT clip, Hup - mostly agree with comments already given; very nice tone, but tune totally shapeless and hard to discern for a long way in, and when it does start to take shape, rhythm etc. remains weak - maybe because your fingering looks unsure/indecisive? Oh, and the tune is Mayor Harrison's Fedora, not "Major" - though I see that mistake elsewhere on the net (I'm guessing probably a letter substitution at some time by Spanish speakers playing ITM???). cf: http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/MATT_MB ... N'S_FEDORA - the man in the title was an historic Mayor of Chicago. (Suggest you change your YT labelling to try to break the chain of perpetuation of the error.)

[Hup]

Jem - I had a feeling you'd be asking me to work up
that tune. I hear it as a waltz, not a slow air and that's
how I've heard it sung. I'll post something in couple of days;
thanks for the other comments. I don't hammer the beat
because I'm not going for that N. Ireland sound, but I guess
I should do more.

[Akiba]

Hi Jem,

So that rendition of "Paddy" had some great stuff about it. It's the best tone I've heard from you on any clip ever. Love the low C#'s (making me with I had keys, an 8-key no less).

I too got the feeling that it was a bit plain, too straight. I too don't hear it as an air, but as a song in a 3/4 feel. That's how I sing it based on Sean Keane's version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ-edCHVaJc&NR=1

and of course can't forget the Paul Brady version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2bTczkY ... re=related

which seems a bit slower and perhaps closer to an air.

So perhaps my critique is too influenced by my interpretation.

But really good playing, none the less.

Cheers,

Jason

[jemtheflute]

Thanks Jason. Yeah, if I play it again it probably won't be like that. I hadn't played it before and I made certain interpretative choices in the particular context as a fairly off-the-cuff response/experiment.

Hup, that wasn't a challenge to record and publish a clip of it, just to have a play around with it to see what's what. And re: your reel, I don't have a Belfast or huffy-puffy style either and wasn't advocating such. But one does need to have crisp, clearly recognisable rhythm from the off in this music, even in a fluid style, and also to make the melody clearly apparent.

[benhall.1]

If I can figure out a way of recording that isn't complete cr*p, I'm going to put some up myself.

I used to use Audacity, but my latest laptop tells me that it now contains two know adware threats, so I'm reluctant to switch off the protection and download the thing ... And the internal webcam with Windows Moviemaker is rubbish. Ah well ...

[jemtheflute]

Why not just do a video with your camera or mobile? Easy to transfer and upload. Less faff than trying to do audio without the gear - though we would have to look at you..... :-/

[benhall.1]

I don't know how ...