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Hey Dai

So glad you like that tune. Thanks for the wonderful comments. It was a special labor of love for me. I'm a big fan of the English/Swedish band Swap (records on NorthSide) and that tune in particular, by Ian Carr, fascinates me.
The original basically runs the melody about 3 times and that's it, but it seemed to beg for a trip away before coming back to the melody, so I mapped out spaces for solos, and somehow the idea came to me that, since the main theme is so angular and wonderful, there should also be a composed development section which would really explore the implications of the melody.
There was a lot of the key of E too, so i thought it would be good to go into D for awhile, to get relief. So I worked out some lines that comment on that melody on octave mandolin, improvised them onto a cassette really, and then transcribed them, put them in order and harmonized them for me & Brittany to play.
Then we overdubbed them into that section of the piece, knowing that it would evolve into a free-for-all jig with everybody going dionisiacally at once, trying to rejoin the tune at a much higher energy level. It's a pretty standard form for me, and is an example of the idea that people generally tend to write the same story over & over again.
I also knew there had to be a guitar solo and since it's so momochromatic, that we had to change key if it was going to be that long, and D was a welcome relief and good for the cello.
Anyway, I'm flattered that it spoke to you. Thanks for asking!

DA

Hi Ben

There are lots of good books out there, I'd reccommend for an advanced player Bob Mintzer's "14 Jazz & Funk Etudes". Be sure you get the treble clef version. Also Martin Norgaard's "Jazz Fiddle Wizard", for intermediate and beginning improv. If you're interested in fiddling, i just got a new playalong book out on Homespun tapes, called Bluegrass Fiddle.
But 2 really good DVDs to study are my the "Blues On The Fiddle" video and the "Chops and Grooves", both on Homespun. "Blues" will help you familiarize yourself with the idiom that every contemporary popular musician plays. And the Chops DVD has a lot of good jamming in it as well as the rhythm stuff.
OK

DA

Dear Kaveh

The easiest and cheapest and one of the best ways to go would be to add one of those LR Baggs EQ Direct boxes into the line between your pickup and the amp or whatever you're going into. The Schatten people say it's good without a preamp but a preamp always helps, and the EQ Direct has so much power to correct the sound, it's one of my favorite pieces of gear ever. You really have to play with the box to make it do what you want, but once you get it set, it will really make a huge difference.
Also in about a year or so, the Fishman 'aura' preamp will be happening. It's a sort of modeling preamp that adds in colors from a real instrument. Right now they only have one downloadable violin sound and it's not useful for live work, but when they get a few more good sounds, it will really make a wonderful addition..
OK, hope this helps

DA

Hi Sherri

Wow, congratulations on your new adventure. I hope it's progressing well. For all these kind of questions, the answer is: It depends. Each tilt of the bow will give you a different sound and of course we want to have the most flexible approach to music, so that our tone deasn't come out all flat and the same.
For beginners, this kind of multiple choice can be a bit much to take on though, so I would say a 30 to 40 degree tilt of the bow (bow hair inward, toward your face) is a good place to start. ( I love that goofy "90 degree angle" idea! You'd get a Lot of stick noise on that one!)
What you get is an ability to vary the thickness of the sound by adding or subtracting pressure, rather than having to think about changing the tilt whicle thinking about pressure and staying in tune and all that other stuff. Once this position becomes second nature, than you can think about 'fiddle styles', of which there are just as many as classical, but usually based on personal taste as well as hearsay or incomplete knowledge.

I agree with your decision to aquire a solid technique on the instrument before diving into fiddling. As an experianced musician, you have already discovered that it's a lot easier to never learn bad habits to begin with rather to undo them, and western european violin technique has considered pretty much every possible expressive option for the instrument and adjusted accordigly.

One caveat: many teachers still confuse technical issues with style issues, such as vibrato and tone, so be aware that opinions vary and you don't necessarily have to be bound by them. What sounds great with Mozart or Handel might not sound so good with late romantic repertoire, and what sounds great with those styles might really sound horrible with different styles of fiddling, just as bluegrass styles don't sound good with Celtic fiddling, and on and on.

You shouldn't worry so much about that kind of stuff as a beginner-- just try to go for soilid technique, get in tune, get the bow to go back and forth straight on the string, that kind of stuff.

Sometimes it's infuriating as an accomplished musician to take on another instrument from scratch, but it's very admirable!

DA

Hello Robert

Most fiddle players and many violinists are curious about 5 string instruments. Is the extra string that useful? Is it too difficult to make the adjustment? Most players are surprised when they pick up a 5 string violin or viola because the position of the extra string changes the bowing rules in unexpected ways, and the neck is usually somewhat larger and seems clunky at first. New tuning issues crop up with the extra resonances. Should you tune the E string to the A string or the C string? 5-string instruments often seem to be slightly muted and the approach to tone is different, though they generally sound terrific close-miked.

But the attraction of extra range, color, and convenience of having a viola and violin in one's hand is considerable, and for some, irresistible. Electric violinists in the jazz and rock fields have been using 5 (and more) strings for years, and miss the extra string when they return to their acoustic instruments. Bluegrass fiddlers have embraced 5 strings. Old-time Appalachian-style fiddlers, who often tune their instruments to a chord, are discovering the tremendous sonorities possible with the extra string. And string teachers in every style are discovering the convenience of not having to juggle violin and viola when working with their orchestra students and other classes.

But how many musicians have the money to gamble on a brand-new custom instrument which may not work out for them, and would likely not be their main instrument?

Gary Bartig's "Dahlia" brand 5 string fiddles are a very well-thought-out solution to the 5 string fiddle question. Manufactured in China by a father-son musician team and set up individually by Bartig, these instruments are incredibly inexpensive for the quality, which is high student grade. The 5 string violin project is a labor of love for Gary, who makes a living manufacturing a very popular acoustic-electric upright bass, the Eminence Bass, which he developed for touring musicians.

I had the opportunity to play 6 Dahlia 5 string violins recently at Bartig's workshop in Minneapolis, and was impressed with the thought and care put into these 5 strings. They remind me of the that special category of good travel guitars, which many players fall in love with for their flexibility and ease of playing. These instruments fit that classic mold: humble, balanced instruments, solid and well-made with a decent tone, fun and incredibly easy to pick up and play.

As I am fairly used to the bowing adjustments necessary for five-strings (it seems to take about 3 hours of playing time to get comfortable with an extra string) my first impression of the Dahlia violin was the size of the neck; it seemed large, larger than other 5 string necks, even. The next thing I noticed was how comfortable and entirely normal the string spacing was, and how easy it was to play double stops and stay clear of other strings. The strings are the same spacing as a normal 4-string fiddle, which really makes a difference. After about 5 minutes of further playing, I noticed how relaxed my left hand had stayed. The larger neck, excellent radius, and comfortable dry-feeling neck finish encourages a more 'open' left hand which contributes to relaxation. Even with my relatively small hand, I didn't notice that stretches were any more of a problem than with a small neck.

The tone of all the instruments was not the tone of a fine handmade violin, but it was extremely 'friendly', with an attractive evenness and a decently strong E string. The C string was by no means capable of bone-rattling power, but it fit well tonally with the other strings and was not embarrassing or mooey.

Gary said he had worked hard on the dimensions and had arrived at a decision, after the first batch, to go slightly heavier in the backs and slightly larger for the F- holes, to contribute to a more powerful top end. He also listened closely to many players for his decision to make the string spacing the same as a 4-string, which will ease most players' transition enormously. These instruments, while close to normal violin length and size, are very broad across the belly and have a modified, rounded lower bout recalling some of the old "pochette" dancing-master fiddles, and echoing the design of his ubiquitous basses. The finish is appropriate to a good student instrument in these times: nothing incredible, but a tasteful and nice thin finish, with a small amount of figure here and there in the wood.

I finally gravitated to 2 out of the 6 fiddles which seemed to sing and speak to me. One in particular seemed like the kind of sweet little darling that would inspire me to pick it up as I walk through a room of my house, play, and explore musical ideas. Those of us who have played for so long know it's priceless to have daily inspiration like that. The other one was an instrument with which I would be comfortable to walk into any fiddle jam session.

Speaking of price, it is almost uncanny what these instruments sell for. Gary is really down to the bones with this, and one can tell that the Dahlia is more in the nature of a personal quest for him. The great thing is that the price makes it possible for many violinists and fiddlers to have a nice 5 string fiddle as an adjunct instrument, to put a pickup on, to play for jam sessions, or to teach with. Many old-time fiddlers would be perfectly satisfied with one of these as their main instrument.

I think that anybody who is curious about a 5 string should check out these instruments as a reliable, affordable option. They are comparable to the Toyota hatchbacks of the 80's: they hold a ton of music, run forever with ease, and the price is right.

DA

Hi Sam

I think any travelling musicians or perormers have a unique opportunity to communicate to large numbers of people. The question is whether we do it well or badly. Do most people want a fiddle player lecturing them about their ecological responsibilities? Maybe no more than they want some barking radio jerkoff hopped up on Oxycontin and Viagra. Which is to say, some people really do... but only if that person can make them feel good about themselves at the same time, and entertain too. You're not going to change anybody's mind at a music concert, you'll only remind people of stuff they wanted to hear anyway--or not.

I usually try to just have "literature" and flyers at the merch table and try to suss out the mood of the crowd.... If it's an "Earth Day" festival, than it's a slam dunk. That said, It would be nice to have a fiddlers' conversation about other ideas for getting together on this issue. I like the idea of some kind of "yellow ribbon" campaign (perhaps a green one?)

I think the most pressing issue of the day is to get Diebold out of the voting machine business, as Bush's gang of thugs ( I make a distinction between them and most Republicans) can and has stolen too many elections throught their collusion with that company's crooked software. We can't have any democracy unless we can trust the vote.

DA

Hi Linda

If you're using an amp, a mic is probably not going to cut it, no matter how good it is. For acoustic shows, I'm still using the Crown GLM-100 omnidirectional condenser mic mounted about a 1/4 inch above the top BETWEEN the sound hole and the left side of the bridge looking down. Not over the hole...! it'll feed back like crazy if you put it there. But I run it straight out to the house, and use the PA monitors.

You didn't say whether you have drums in your group(s) or not, but if there are, you'll have to have a pickup. One pickup that doesn't have that buzzy quality is the Schertler pickup, which is made in Switzerland and rather expensive, but works well mounted on the top or back with the inevitable green goo. I use it more and more, especially on outdoor festivals. One thing you could do is to run a pickup to the amp only and a mic to the front PA only. Rane makes a nice little 1U rack box that can rout the pickup and mic separately to anyplace, and EQ each too. I have some more info on this stuff on my "Education" page on my site, which a link to a microphones and gear page.

DA

Hello Bryan

Thanks for your interest and persistence! well, that duet that Alasdair and I played was all by ear, from an old Scottish fiddle tune, then everything else besides the tune was made up on the spot as we played it. BUT... I'm in the process now of having some students, other fiddlers, transcribe a lot of the recording, and we may eventually get a lot of that music into written form for people to play.
When you get the recording, you'll see that it is mostly duets with other great fiddlers, and I do have sheet music already to some of the tunes, though not that one. I have music to the first cut, the Beatles tune (the only piece that was written out before we recorded it) and the tune 'Banish Misfortune' which was transcribed by one of my students.

If, after you get this recording, Michael still is interested in this kind of music, he might consider checking out Mark O'Connor's fiddle Camps and Conferences, which are great places to learn about this kind of music in a supportive and non-competitive environment heavily populated with teenage and adult boys and girls. (I usually teach there.) In the last few years, we have had more and more classical players who are just discovering fiddling, and the definition of 'fiddling' now covers so many rock and jazz and Celtic styles that you can just about play any kind of music on the fiddle...including classical music. I hope this helps.

DA

Dear Jonas,

Thanks for your interest. This technique is derived from a rhythm called the "chop", which is a bluegrass fiddle technique. It's done very close to the frog, and involves making a sound on both the up and downstrokes of the bow, which are almost vertical. It's hard to explain in words, but I now have a comprehensive video instruction tape of this technique for Homespun Tapes. I also do some of this on my Blues Fiddle tape, also available from Homespun, or from this website.

Another guy who is really great at this, and who somewhat invented it, is Richard Greene. He has a Homespun tape of bluegrass fiddle, in which he spends quite a few minutes explaining this technique. Good luck! DA

Hi Brian

welcome to the big bad world of contemporary strings. The good part is that it's still such an open field; people are still creating original sounds. Right now I'm mostly playing acoustic into a mic, but when I do play with the NV I use a Aphex "Tubessence" parametric EQ and then run it into a Roland guitar effects unit, with a cheap midi program switching pedal. This allows me to quickly switch back & forth between lead and backup sounds.

The feedback effects are entirely acoustic, and I usually combine playing hard bow pressure and really close to the bridge with letting up on the left hand pressure. Blues scales and the stuff that spring from that should be your basis for just about any contemporary music. coincidentally, I have a video on Homespun Tapes called Blues Violin which covers all that stuff very thoroughly!

The 2 most important scales besides the Blues scale are the Mixolydian scale (mode) which is essentially the Blues scale without the bent notes, and the melodic minor scale, which you should be familiar with from Classical music. In jazz and contemporary music, the scale stays the same going down as going up, and it is used modally to generate all kinds of hiply altered scales for dominant 7th substitution. So work out on those also... keep in touch, and get that jazz book by Mark Levine, published by Sher Music.

Good luck DA

Hi Craig,

I'll just try to quickly run some ideas by you.

It seems like the major stumbling block to classical players wanting to play any type of vernacular music is not knowing the basic idiom very well. It's like trying to use Shakespearean English to order food at a restaurant. I'm starting to take students immediately into the Blues idiom to get them comfortable with the rhythms and note choices of contemporary music. If you can play the blues convincingly, you can pretty much get by in any style of modern music: rock, gospel, jazz, R&B, country, bluegrass, old-timey, and of course the blues. And if you can learn a bunch of "public domain" blues tunes and phrases, then it's a step towards making defined ideas, as you mentioned. It's really good that you're aware of this problem, and it's very common; you're not alone.

There's an easy way to start on this stuff: the first is to just go ahead and learn the vocal parts to a bunch of blues tunes on your instrument-- I usually send people out to but any Bonnie Raitt record because she gets a fantastic sound, is unbelievably bluesy, and is not too complex and sings in a range that complements the fiddle. Just learn all the songs on the CD on your instrument and go from there;: you'll have a big bag of stock phrases to work with that you can modify, mix and match.

I also have a Homespun Tapes instructional video that I worked really hard on, called Blues On The Fiddle, which analyzes the blues sound and style and runs through a variety of blues styles and how to play them convincingly on the violin, with sheet music and so forth. Also it's really good to learn some fiddle tunes, to get your sense of how to shape 16th note phrases together. 2 great recordings to learn and play along with are Portrait Of A Bluegrass Fiddler" with Kenny Baker on County records, the "Stuart Duncan" Rounder CD, and my "Diary Of A Fiddler" CD because of all the different players on it.

Further thoughts on phrasing: As you know, phrases have to be separated by silence. That means you have to know how to end a note and not just run them together. This is actually harder for most fiddlers than classical players, because fiddlers are trained to keep playing, keep the groove going, keep people dancing. I have come to believe that you can recognize a string player most immediately by how they end or don't end their notes... again the work with singers' recordings will be very useful here.

Bluegrass and jazz fiddle have a lot of similarities, the 16th note basis, the creative factor, and the bluesy approach. The differences include the much wider harmonic and rhythmic palette of jazz and more complex melodies. Many bluegrass players tend to use a slow bow and heavy pressure to get a core sound not unlike a saxophone. But surprisingly, many jazz fiddlers use a much lighter touch, like Stephane Grappelli for instance, which enables them to be more agile in some ways. The jazz harmonic scheme requires mastery of positions and difficult keys also. Modern bluegrass fiddle has increased in sophistication to the point that complex position work and impeccable intonation and timing are the norm, and it's not such a stretch for many players to make the jump to jazz, although there are still issues such as vibrato and phrasing which don't work crossing over.

Jazz fiddlers: Try to get hold of Jean-Luc Ponty recordings before 1970. Steph is great, so is Matt Glaser (on Rounder and Flying Fish). I like Joe Kennedy, Jr., John Blake and Johnny Frigo also. Martin Norgaard's website can help you there, I think. Try www.jazzfiddlewizard.com

All the rhythm stuff and backup work I do works perfectly acoustically, on a microphone, or plugged in. It's hard to describe that stuff in an email, though. I'd have to show it to you.

If you can do it, I'd highly recommend Berklee in Boston right now. Matt Glaser is still head of the string department, and he's the best teacher of anything that I know. Also there are a lot of other great string players there whom you could share ideas with.
DA

Dear Elisa
This is a top seven from the last few years... there have been so many great fiddle recordings released recently but these stand out beyond all and are truly must-haves for anyone remotely interested in strings.

1. Vasen, "Whirled" or "Spirit", Northside Records
2. Andrew Manze, "Portrait", Harmonia Mundi Records
3. Natalie MacMaster, "My Roots Are Showing", Rounder Records
4. Stuart Duncan, "Stuart Duncan", Rounder
5. Bruce Molsky, "Poor Man's Troubles", Rounder
6. Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer, Yo-Yo Ma, "Appalachian Waltz", Sony Classics
7. Darol Anger, "Diary Of A Fiddler", Compass Records

1. Vasen is in the vanguard of the fantastic Scandinavian branch of vernacular-based art music blossoming, which we are seeing worldwide. This trio has recently become a quartet after adding percussion to their mix of Nyckleharpa, viola, guitars and mando-type instruments. Their sound is gigantic, rocking, and incredibly imaginative.

2. Andrew Manze is, in my opinion, the most creative, most inspiring, and most listenable string player to emerge out of the Baroque/performance practice revival. A true original, he creates brilliantly within a recreated genre . He's the Spinosaurus of the Jurassic Park of string music.

3. None of Natalie's recordings do her justice, but this one comes sort of close. One of the greatest rhythmic players of all time, this recording shows off some of the history of the increasingly popular Cape Breton style filtered through her laser-like lens.

4. Stuart is the acknowledged modern master of bluegrass fiddle, having thoroughly absorbed and reassembled the styles of every major bluegrass fiddler within his work, and combines absolutely pristine playing with a sense of emotional disturbance which is way over the line demarking brilliance.

5. Bruce Molsky's recent recording on Rounder chronicles his continuous development as the most compelling exponent of the pan-appalachian american fiddle styles. Dancing is required.

6. This historic recording belongs in every string music lover's collection, and probably is already there. 3 titans meet, greet, and eat their music alive. There's a sequel, too. You have that, don't you?

7. I know it's bad taste to reccommend one's own record, but my excuse is that I was able to get such fantastic performances out of such a wide array of fiddle players that you could eliminate all my parts from the CD and still have a really brilliant sounding sampler of Martin Hayes, Natalie MacMaster, Vassar Clements, Richard Greene, Stuart Duncan, Alasdair Fraser, Matt Glaser, Tim O'Brien, Hanneke Cassel, and others, all of whom should be represented in a list like this.

Dear Rebecca
I think the most direct way to do this is to organize benefit concerts for and with the local chapters of the organizations you are interested in, and get them to participate in the administrative and publicity activities. You may be able to get the local progressive radio stations to help also.
You may not be able to get interest from everybody-- some of these local organizations are somewhat dysfunctional, but don't be discouraged. Many have really dedicated wonderful people who will see the value of an event that can pull lots of people together and attract new participants.
If you investigate a wide range of organizations you're interested in helping, you will probably find some people who are capable of working together to make these benefit concerts happen-- and it could be a wide range of situations, from house concerts by invitation to wealthier benefactor types to events that bring together only workers from organizations who need to cooperate on some project, to church groups who are working on social justice issues.
For example, you could do an event that brings a local open-space group into contact with the Sierra Club with a short lecture from a speaker from the larger organization, with a set of music before and after, broadcast live by the local radio station from a local church or meeting hall, and refreshments afterward. The power of music to create an event for people of like mind to be together and be inspired is mysterious and hard to quantify, but it is enormous nonetheless.

Dear Aaron

Congratulations on your initiative and enthusiasm. If you're serious about a career in music, you'll need a lot of it, but it'll take you a long way.

When beginning a class in improvisation, especially for peers, keep in mind that you've been listening to and being inspired by this stuff for a relatively long time compared to the people you're trying to get on your side. So I would suggest that the first thing you do is to get everyone togther and play them some of the music that changed your life. Remember that 90% of music is listening... so bring the others along by showing them what they can do, what is possible, and why you love this music.
Get all your favorite recordings togther and play your favorite cuts in a marathon listening session before you ever pull the fiddles out. One of my oddest experiences is having string players come to me wanting to play jazz, without ever having listened to any jazz! So get the sound in their heads first. Each session could begin with a short listening session related to what you want to work on.

The first thing I usually do in a clinic situation, after playing people some music, is to get into a call & response session on simple short blues licks, no more than one bar at a time at first. Usually I start without background rhythm and later add something like the Abersold Blues In All Keys recording, which features blues at moderate rhythms, so they can hear and feel how these licks fit over changes.
Then I talk about the sound and structure of the blues, and move gradually through a graded version of the blues scale, from the simplest pentatonic to a more sophisticated 8 note scale with special attention paid to the 3rd, 6th, and 7th degrees, all using call & response. I teach a couple of satisfyingly rhythmic riff blues, and some other simple blues tunes, and get them singing the verses too.
Only then do I get to playing other tunes, fiddle tunes, other scales, and issues of rhythm and timing.
There are so many fantastic resources for teaching jazz in the IAJE and its website; I'd encourage you to become a student member and avail yourself of the many opportunities and contacts here. Attend workshops and conventions whenever you can. It's good to study other teachers' styles just like you study other players' styles.

Also, remember that most folks this age are really sensitive to issues of rank, age, and all things hierarchical. You may have more interested participants if you structure it more like a club and less like a class with you as the head. You'll have to suss that out quickly and make a judgement call.

Dear Mark: Big question. The Jamband scene feeds off those styles for inspiration, just as any American pop music does. That scene is just very direct about its influences. There is not always a lot of musical evolution between the original styles and the Jambands' music. There are exceptions and a lot of fusing styles going on, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. Before I dig myself any deeper, I'll quit.

Hi Elaine-
No question is too stupid in the music business. Myriads of stupid things are done because somebody didn't ask a question.

I think the easiest way to begin is to sit in and/or join some bands that are already getting gigs, and meet the promoter while you're there or whoever hired them. About 99% of this biz is knowing people, and you just have to get out there and know people. One good way to get in a band is to focus on a band you like that maybe doesn't have a fiddle player, and learn most, if not all, of their tunes, arrangements & all. Then ask to jam or sit in with them and play great. (i.e.: not too much!) They'll ask you back & pretty soon you'll be a regular auxiliary member and then you meet other people who ask you to play with them and you can charge them. The folks you really enjoy playing with, you can get a quorum of, and form your own band and then call the promoters you've met playing with those other bands and ask to open for somebody better known, for tiny little money.

The way I moved to the next step from the pizza bands; was to learn every solo and melody that Richard Greene played on all of David Grisman's original tunes, and then when my friend Todd took me over to jam with Dawg, I already knew the whole repertoire though I was scared silly. I took advantage of a slump in Dawg's career when he couldn't afford to pay anybody good or well-known, and devoted myself to interpreting his music. He paid me back by providing me with a professional music education that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else, ands an entree into one of the greatest communities in the world (the american vernacular music community). It's hard to do this kind of thing unless you absolutely love the music, so since there's really no money in music at all, just be sure you're doing something you love. Also it's tougher being a girl, because of the sexual politics. But it's not that different from any other profession, just more glamour and BS. Most band leaders respect a professional attitude and a quick & efficient costume change (& back) for the gig.

Also, you can take lessons from really good and busy well-known fiddlers and when they find out how good you play, they might start recommending you as a sub. In New York this is a little more possible than in, say, Omaha, Nebraska, but the most possible places to do it are probably San Francisco, Boulder and Seattle. In Nashville and LA, everyone's too protective of their gig. I hope this helps, Elaine. Good luck!

DA

Yo Chris
That is the legendary and now de rigeur "Bonus Hidden Track", and as they say, "it's not a bug, it's a feature".

The Beatles started putting jokey hidden things in the locking groove of their vinyl records as a bonus for listeners who were willing to play the darn thing ALL the way to the end, and it's a fun thing to screw around with. Now most people do it. Plus, if you listen carefully, we did something a bit different there.

Glad you like the CD.

DA

Hi Megan,

thanks for writing. Well, I suspect that you were playing in some kind of folk-rock type band. You not only need to get your current lick repertoire out of those keys, you need to expand what you are doing melodically, and conceptually.

(1) First, try playing one of the songs you know in three different keys, a minor third apart. Then try playing it in every key around the cycle of 4th. That should take up some time, but it's always hardest at the beginning.

Buy some records of music you like and copy instrument solos and vocal lines, by ear, learning to sing them, and then writing them out in notation. Then learn to play the same solo in another key, preferably all the keys! Don't take on too much at once. Pick one piece you like at a time. Probably the best thing you could do, in addition, would be to get one of those Jamey Abersold play along tapes of Blues In All Keys or something like that, something not too hard , and start moving through he keys playing your regular licks, or the licks that come in the accompanying booklet. Then you could move on to some of the all-key II-V-I things he has, which also have written examples, and something not too hard with actual tunes in it. You already have a head start on flat keys from playing in G minor. Just flip that over to Bb major and try going through the scales. I have a drone CD that makes that stuff a bit less boring, and helps you stay deeper in tune. Look here . If you're more into acoustic sounds, my friend Dix Bruce has some nice playalongs with a real string band playing on it.

But you should find a guitar player or somebody you can play with for real. Also try learning fiddle tunes... they are by far the best way of getting proficient on your instrument for rhythm and just ease of note-after-note stuff. try getting a good fiddle record and learn them off by ear. I'd recommend Kenny Baker's County Record "Portrait Of A Bluegrass Fiddler" to start off with, because the rhythm is great and he repeats the tunes a lot.

(2) John Jordan is making some violins that feel fantastic to play, but don't sound much better than anything else out there. I had a rant in Strings magazine a while back about the mediocre sound of all electrics. I actually like the NV Ithaca Violins by far the most, but they are really expensive--i.e., almost as much as you'd pay for a real good new acoustic violin. But they totally crush everything else for sheer tone. After that, the Rich Barbera violins sound the best, and after that, Tucker Barrett's beautiful instruments. If you wind up loving the feel of John's violins, ask him to put a Barbera bridge on it-- that will help a little. I know Zeta has a good new one out too- I'm supposed to go over there and try it soon.

(3) My God! that is fantastic! Where do you keep the thing, in the garage? I'd love to know any more about this that you could tell me. I'm actually more interested in cuttlefish and the chromatophores or whatever they are, but the giant squid certainly has its attractions.

You're welcome

DA

Dear Sean

I'd love a copy. I'd kinda like to hear it before it goes out to the world. I'm sure it's fine but it's nice to be sure. Some of the guys in the band feel differently about this stuff being traded, but if it's a good sounding show, I think it'll be OK.

thanks for asking

DA

Dear Sean

It's both David and Todd...the rest of us don't mind. But I think one of their reasons is, for instance, that tape of us from Davis... those guys came in and never talked to us, never gave us even a card, address or email. Apparently they didn't know who we were either, and packed up & left before we could say hello. We never got to hear it and don't know anything about them. Did they sell it? Did they just make 50 million MP3's of it? We just don't know. It just ticks a fellow off.

Most of the tapers I deal with are the greatest people, very conscientious and friendly, believe in the music, and are anxious to work with and give the artist whatever they want. I consider some of them good friends and partners, (you guys know who you are! You're on this list!) and they do help get our music to a wider audience, and preserve performances that would have otherwise disappeared.

But guys like that, who just come in and skim whatever they want and act like the band's not even important they could be collecting insect noises or something, really leave a bad taste in a musician's mouth, and can spoil it for other tapers.

That said, I'm glad you got a copy of the the tape and heard Psychograss and maybe even bought the CD... of course the real pirates are the record companies. Windham Hill, who owns the first PG CD, and in turn is now owned by Seagrams/Schmenkodisc, has stopped printing that release and will never let go of the rights. We can't afford to buy it back. They're just sitting on it. I could break the law and face prosecution for making copies for other people who want it. And it's my own damn music!

OK, I've had my little rant. This has been said so many times, but bears repeating. Tapers and musicians can work together to help each other, but they have to earn each other's respect.

Thanks Sean

Darol