My old bandmates knew Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen from their days in California. We went to one of their shows somewhere and hung out backstage where I met them, including Bill Kirchen, with whom we had other mutual friends. Years ago Billy came to Johnson City to play the Down Home, with just a drummer. I went to see him straight from a theater rehearsal, and as I went to put my banjo in the back room he recognized me, and as we chatted during the break he invited me to come up and play a tune. We played "Groundhog" with clawhammer banjo, small drum kit, and Telecaster - a different kind of "power trio". He had a lot more improvisational ideas than I did, but my banjo is a 1908 Vega Whyte Laydie (which I've had for 50 years now) and I'll bet thats the only time its had to keep up with a Fender.
Bill gave me his card which just said "TWANG."

Having fun with my Jew's Harp ... Unsure if this is the idea but it's entertaining me.

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Originally posted by Quincy

Having fun with my Jew's Harp ... Unsure if this is the idea but it's entertaining me.

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Try adding a slight breath, in or out and change the inside of you mouth with your cheeks and tongue. I like to "speak" words with it, hello is a good one to start with. Careful of you teeth. I also hear that if you spend some money on a good one they are quite easy to play.

I've never seen a good one 

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

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Originally posted by Quincy

Having fun with my Jew's Harp ... Unsure if this is the idea but it's entertaining me.

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Try adding a slight breath, in or out and change the inside of you mouth with your cheeks and tongue. I like to "speak" words with it, hello is a good one to start with. Careful of you teeth. I also hear that if you spend some money on a good one they are quite easy to play.

I've never seen a good one 

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It is an Austrian brand. Schwarz. I noticed the price had doubled in a couple of weeks. Then I thought I should buy this one. I hold it to my lips, mouth is a bit open,  my teeth are having space in between and I do weird things with the position of the harp to experiment-  but I had read of the teeth. YTeeth are safe. My lips though! They feel a bit bruised. 

I took my wife's advice and began on 2 songs this morning. Ya'll are right, memorizing it by humming is a great start! I'm not even to that point yet but starting on:

Indian ate a woodchuck (Grace Forest Video on YT)
Going Down to Georgia O (Jesse and Shelia Maw version on YT)

A few old time recordings from the "golden age" featured the Jew's harp. Here's one by Crockett's Kentucky Mountaineers: youtu.be/qNPCnMaWV2M?si=Tfk7wbrLEojsoJEk
Their recording of "Cripple Creek" also used one.
Mike Seeger used to play them. The ones he used seemed lightweight compared to the cast iron clunker I had as a kid. I think he had different colors and sizes.
I think you have to hold the frame against your teeth, leaving room for the spring to move. That's how it makes contact with the bone structure of your head.

PS - Schwarz looks like a good brand. That may have been what Mike used. I imagine there are examples of his playing online.
PPS - I see you're already forging your own path. Have fun!

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Originally posted by Erockin

I took my wife's advice and began on 2 songs this morning. Ya'll are right, memorizing it by humming is a great start! I'm not even to that point yet but starting on:

Indian ate a woodchuck (Grace Forest Video on YT)
Going Down to Georgia O (Jesse and Shelia Maw version on YT)

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Good luck with that Ed Haley tune! It's a tough one to get just so. Grace does a mighty fine job with it.

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

quote:

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Originally posted by Erockin

I took my wife's advice and began on 2 songs this morning. Ya'll are right, memorizing it by humming is a great start! I'm not even to that point yet but starting on:

Indian ate a woodchuck (Grace Forest Video on YT)
Going Down to Georgia O (Jesse and Shelia Maw version on YT)

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Good luck with that Ed Haley tune! It's a tough one to get just so. Grace does a mighty fine job with it.

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She sure does! Part of it sounds lik esomething else and that has me tripped up a bit. I'm working on the hum now...lol

Dunno the title. Dunno the proper key.

Oh, and another song I tried playing/singing made famous by some Campbell guy.

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Originally posted by DougD

A few old time recordings from the "golden age" featured the Jew's harp. Here's one by Crockett's Kentucky Mountaineers: youtu.be/qNPCnMaWV2M?si=Tfk7wbrLEojsoJEk
Their recording of "Cripple Creek" also used one.
Mike Seeger used to play them. The ones he used seemed lightweight compared to the cast iron clunker I had as a kid. I think he had different colors and sizes.
I think you have to hold the frame against your teeth, leaving room for the spring to move. That's how it makes contact with the bone structure of your head.

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I'm a bit worried about the impact on my teeth. I'll try to do more research. 

Anja, sometimes you have to make sacrifices for your art. I watched a little of a YouTube instructional video, and I think I'm right about to hold it, but experiment and see what you come up with. I was surprised that there are instruments like this all over the world, and they were even used as trade goods in colonial times.

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Originally posted by Quincy

Having fun with my Jew's Harp ... Unsure if this is the idea but it's entertaining me.

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Love those things. I collect them.

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Originally posted by Quincy

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Originally posted by DougD

A few old time recordings from the "golden age" featured the Jew's harp. Here's one by Crockett's Kentucky Mountaineers: youtu.be/qNPCnMaWV2M?si=Tfk7wbrLEojsoJEk
Their recording of "Cripple Creek" also used one.
Mike Seeger used to play them. The ones he used seemed lightweight compared to the cast iron clunker I had as a kid. I think he had different colors and sizes.
I think you have to hold the frame against your teeth, leaving room for the spring to move. That's how it makes contact with the bone structure of your head.

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I'm a bit worried about the impact on my teeth. I'll try to do more research. 

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Doug is correct, that most are held against the teeth. Just remember to keep some separation between your upper and lower teeth so the reed doesn't hit them.

If you don't like the idea of metal against your teeth, there are some East and Southeast Asian instruments that are held against the lips. They are made from bamboo, sheet brass, and I think some from palm wood.

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Originally posted by farmerjones

Dunno the title. Dunno the proper key.

Oh, and another song I tried playing/singing made famous by some Campbell guy.

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Your dunno tune sounds a bit like "Kitchen Girl"

Nice Lineman, that's a tough song to sing over those weird chords.

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Originally posted by hokelore

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Originally posted by Quincy

quote:

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Originally posted by DougD

A few old time recordings from the "golden age" featured the Jew's harp. Here's one by Crockett's Kentucky Mountaineers: youtu.be/qNPCnMaWV2M?si=Tfk7wbrLEojsoJEk
Their recording of "Cripple Creek" also used one.
Mike Seeger used to play them. The ones he used seemed lightweight compared to the cast iron clunker I had as a kid. I think he had different colors and sizes.
I think you have to hold the frame against your teeth, leaving room for the spring to move. That's how it makes contact with the bone structure of your head.

---

I'm a bit worried about the impact on my teeth. I'll try to do more research. 

---

Doug is correct, that most are held against the teeth. Just remember to keep some separation between your upper and lower teeth so the reed doesn't hit them.

If you don't like the idea of metal against your teeth, there are some East and Southeast Asian instruments that are held against the lips. They are made from bamboo, sheet brass, and I think some from palm wood.

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Thanks for the inf! 

I understandthe technique now, I need to use some pressure to hold it to my teeth beside the space that is needed between the two rows of teeth. Now it makes sense, it does not vibrate that much anymore when I use light pressure. Safer for my teeth! It also sounds loud enough now what it produces also :-)

Yes protect those teeth Anja! (speaking as one who is in the process of getting a crown, ugh)

Learning today: Blue Bonnet jig (aka Seamus o-Shanahan’s)

Reason why: Flute friend gave me a lift to an invite-only sesh and it was a bit of a long haul* there and back…she had to drive a big L to pass my house, During the sesh she asked if anybody plays the Blue Bonnet, and the box guy said, “I know you like that tune! It’s been on my list but I haven’t had time …” So I realized, I can repay her by learning Blue Bonnet!

* Amazing, but I learned that good players in the area will sometimes drive TWO HOURS to session with eachother. That’s dedication!! I don’t think I’m that dedicated….yet….:-D *

If the craic is as good or better than your local session, it's worth the drive as often as you can manage, if only for the chance for some new tunes or sets.

When in Michigan I drive an hour or more (in Detroit traffic!) to a really good weekly session...

Now learning some of the tunes I recorded there last time: Connemara Stocking, Donegal Reel, Liffey Banks.

Sure, I drive an hour for a weekly jam. It's precious like gold.
But I won't hardly go in the rain. I have to drive through rush hour traffic, and the odds shorten in wet 80mph traffic.

What am I playing today?
Well, yesterday I wanted to figure out Dave Mason's, Feeling Alright. Played by Chris Stainton, sung by Joe Cocker, from Maddogs and Englishmen.
It didn't take long. It is infectious! Still in my head today. Then for some reason Country Roads, by John Denver? Then I picked up a banjer and played Wichita Lineman again. But there something intriguing in a piano bass like Pat Plunkett plays for Charlie Walden. Red Lamb even had a pump organ we would second with. I don't know how anyone can get bored?

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Originally posted by farmerjones

What am I playing today?
Well, yesterday I wanted to figure out Dave Mason's, Feeling Alright. Played by Chris Stainton, sung by Joe Cocker, from Maddogs and Englishmen.
It didn't take long. It is infectious! Still in my head today. Then for some reason Country Roads, by John Denver? Then I picked up a banjer and played Wichita Lineman again. But there something intriguing in a piano bass like Pat Plunkett plays for Charlie Walden. Red Lamb even had a pump organ we would second with. I don't know how anyone can get bored?

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Yeah not much to the Dave Mason song, two chords no waiting. "Country Roads," one of my favorites, still makes me cry occasionally.

Crow Little Rooster from the Michael Ismerio course. Nice tune! Love his bowing phrases ....

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Originally posted by Quincy

Crow Little Rooster from the Michael Ismerio course. Nice tune! Love his bowing phrases ....

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Here's a soutce recording from Max Collins of Oklahoma:

Crow Little Rooster

Funny at last session:

A famed banjo player came to play with us! But her banjo was in the shop, so she was playing the guitar guy’s tenor banjo. She still sounded GREAT.

M sitting across from me, was playing my flute friend’s low whistle (she doesn’t like playing low whistle, but he loves it...since he used to play sax, that size probably 'feels right' to him...)

My flute friend next to me, was playing a Dixon flute lent to her by her friend from Ireland (it has en extra key or something?)

Then I was playing my free fiddle which was resurrected from my friend’s attic - aka Lazarus.

me: "is anybody here playing their OWN instrument?!" 
 

Playing lately: embarking on the College Grove reel! A biggie...recorded by Kevin Burke, etc. I shall play it at half his speed, hahaha...