I've been playing Cruel Willie. I learned it from West Virginia public radio in the early 1990s (Bing Brothers)... heard it once and kind of had it in my head since... and slowly developed my own take on it through the years. Since then I've found a bunch of versions on the internet. Nice stuff here... youtu.be/Xugj5W0BVfk

I learned "Cruel Willie" almost 10 years ago for the Virtual Fiddle Festival. Here's what I wrote about it then

Virtual Fiddle Fest tune for Nov '15;. Fiddle tuned DDad. Played on the Lyons and Healy. Big shout out to the Garage Band Pop Strings for providing the relentless backup.

Cool tune Billy!! Your playing is haunting , love it!

Today it's:
Beaumont Rag
Alabama Jubilee
a 2 chord tune (1/5)
a 12bar tune
and a self-concocted Waltz

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Originally posted by farmerjones

Today it's:
Beaumont Rag
Alabama Jubilee
a 2 chord tune (1/5)
a 12bar tune
and a self-concocted Waltz

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buzzzy boy..

I am leaving Jimmy Johnson for a while, it is not going like I hoped it would do. I will let it rest and then get back to it.
Now studying Liza Jane as played by Dwight Diller and Ralph Roberts at Clifftop. I made an mp3 of the video on YouTube and now using Videopad to slow it down a bit (not too much), I simply adore this version and the good thing is it is going a lot better than Jimmy Johnson!

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

I learned "Cruel Willie" almost 10 years ago for the Virtual Fiddle Festival. Here's what I wrote about it then

Virtual Fiddle Fest tune for Nov '15;. Fiddle tuned DDad. Played on the Lyons and Healy. Big shout out to the Garage Band Pop Strings for providing the relentless backup.

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I wish you would re-post, "Hop High Reggie" I think it was?  I can't find it anymore.

edit:  maybe it was "Jump Reggie Jump" and I'm thinking of lyrics from Uncle Joe.  Anyway,  you know.

G, Em, Am, D, G
D, Em, G
Over the Waves
Westfailia Waltz
Country Roads (no idea why)
OBS (basically just to mess with the accompaniment)

Yesterday I reworked: Wild Mountain Thyme

Cleaner simpler. Such a great song.

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Originally posted by DougD

Chickenman - I'd been thinking about this regarding the thread about putting energy in your playing. In the old days we learned tunes by live listening, maybe the radio, and often by listening to records. If you had the right turntable you could listen to Earl Scruggs at 16 rpm and try and figure out what he was doing, but for the most part I just listened at normal speed (many times) and gradually tried to play along, picking up bits and pieces. I think this way you absorb the feel and energy along with the tune. You lose this by slowing it down, or learning a phrase at a time in a lesson format.
I'll also admit that in later days I've resorted to the frequency analyzer in Sound Forge to confirm the pitch of an isolated note, but that's very rare.

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yes - i still learn this way, for those reasons.

I suspect that 'back in the day' when the internet wasn't available... ..there weren't many options, but IF 'back in the day' the option of slowing down a musician was available then many people trying to learn the tunes would have been happy to slow down the musicians. Opinions will vary...   I only wish that that option was available in 1975...I was SO hard learning at full speed...for me.

Well, thanks for the interest. I've been playing it a little slower than this lately, smoothing out those rough spots, but this tempo is probably where it bounces properly.
Here you go, "Jump Reggie Jump"

These are in my media section for downloading if need be.z

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

Well, thanks for the interest. I've been playing it a little slower than this lately, smoothing out those rough spots, but this tempo is probably where it bounces properly.
Here you go, "Jump Reggie Jump"

These are in my media section for downloading if need be.z

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Thanks, I like this tune.  Catchy, and I love frisky pooches, too.

Here's my gals from this past summer.  They are sisters a year apart, Beulah and Elly May.  Big sis is now teaching little sis how to "cowboy" a little and helping me out...

The younger one looks so little and puppy-like! She must have a lot to learn as far as cowboying goes.

Edit - of course she's a puppy. How old are they?

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

The younger one looks so little and puppy-like! She must have a lot to learn as far as cowboying goes.

 

Edit - of course she's a puppy. How old are they?

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Beulah is 1 yr, 8 mo, and Elly is 8 mo.  Elly is about full grown now and is more aggressive toward stock than her sis even.  Oblivious to the task at hand, though.

11 days with family in CA, and no music!
About 15 minutes after we got in the door, I went in search of the fiddle and played some tunes. (Phew, they seem to be mostly still in there although I did kind of forget the newest ones. :-)

Everybody has been busy!

- for learning off YouTube, I usually learn at 75%…I find that the tune keeps its groove but the individual notes are more intelligible…I might slow down to 50% to figure out missing notes here and there…

happy new year!

YouTube is great for that, 75% allows for the details, as you mentioned. I also have an audio speed changer app on my phone that gives me both speed and pitch control (if needed).

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Originally posted by Flat_the_3rd_n7th

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

Well, thanks for the interest. I've been playing it a little slower than this lately, smoothing out those rough spots, but this tempo is probably where it bounces properly.
Here you go, "Jump Reggie Jump"

These are in my media section for downloading if need be.z

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Thanks, I like this tune.  Catchy, and I love frisky pooches, too.

Here's my gals from this past summer.  They are sisters a year apart, Beulah and Elly May.  Big sis is now teaching little sis how to "cowboy" a little and helping me out...

 

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Beautiful pups!! 

Bill Cheatum

Started breaking down Jerusalem Ridge. If you break it apart, it's obtainable but, this might be a project for me this year.

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Originally posted by Erockin

Started breaking down Jerusalem Ridge. If you break it apart, it's obtainable but, this might be a project for me this year.

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Like OBS, there's a lesson in every section!

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Originally posted by farmerjones

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Originally posted by Erockin

Started breaking down Jerusalem Ridge. If you break it apart, it's obtainable but, this might be a project for me this year.

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Like OBS, there's a lesson in every section!

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OH...I played OBS last week with Ned Luberecki and Paul Beard (Beard Guitars) and let me say, I was lost as HELL. Oh, and the legendary Tomy Gray was in the audience too. I ended up meeting him after the show and that was the only tune I was embarrased on...lol

Liza Jane with one of my two new trident wooden mutes, but then my own limited version...
I am also studying the video now to pay more attention to the way of bowing. Hopefully some progress soon.
This tempo is enough for me for now. If I go faster I lose it all.

I'm creating soundtracks for serious cinema:

Tiger Destroys TP

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Originally posted by farmerjones

I'm creating soundtracks for serious cinema:

Tiger Destroys TP

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Is that your own tune? i like it.

Rats back in the chicken pen since the cold weather. Our boys have given up the killing since, and come back to the house...They need to get back on the job!

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Originally posted by farmerjones

I'm creating soundtracks for serious cinema:

Tiger Destroys TP

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That is some efficient destruction going on there, LOL! Soundtrack goes nicely!

Over here, working on Piper's Chair (IRish jig). The F-natural in the middle is to die for...
Learned it in the ornamentation/variation workshop.