Review: Mel Bay’s Easiest Fiddling Book

Last month, guest contributor Michael Henderson shared his review of Clayton Haslop’s Beginner’s Circle DVD Course with the PartTimeMusician.com family. This month, Mike has generously agreed to share his first-hand account of Mel Bay’s Easiest Fiddling Book. Enjoy!

All the best,
Mark

Mel Bay’s Easiest Fiddling Book: A Review

Mel Bay’s Easiest Fiddling Book by Craig Duncan retails for $14.95 with the CD. It contains 23 songs arranged from easiest to hardest, starting with Liza Jane and progressing to Rubber Dolly. Along the way you’ll encounter Oh Susanna, Shortnin’ Bread, Buffalo Gals, and Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. It contains fingering charts for each tune to allow beginners who do not know how to read music to begin playing immediately.

All of the tunes are arranged in 1st position and are in the keys of Amaj, Dmaj, and Gmaj. Most of the songs are in 2/4 time. None of the songs have complicated fingerings. All of them were pretty easy to play with the left hand, partly because the G string isn’t used by any of the tunes.

A couple of paragraphs in the introduction explains the scheme for the fingering charts. The charts use a shorthand notation to indicate the string to play and the finger to place for the note. The notation uses dashes to indicate a longer duration for a note. I found this approach a bit confusing at first. I had to compare the letters and numbers to the score carefully to understand it. Once I did, though, I concluded that it would likely work for a new player to find the notes. The scheme falls short of my expectations, though, because it doesn’t address the rhythm of the pieces. For example, there’s no way to capture the difference between a quarter note and a dotted quarter note.

After playing through the book, I didn’t find the choice of songs very interesting. I had high expectations because when I was looking at the book in the store, I recognized most of the songs in the book. A few of them (Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and Oh, Lord) were in my want list. Additionally, it had Oh, Susanna, Simple Gifts and Shortnin’ Bread. That made it seem like a good choice at the time. As I played through it, though, I found that most of the songs just weren’t that interesting.

My impression is that the book does not live up to the title of “easiest” and that it is not a good value. I was surprised that the author slipped accidentals into the second song in the book (Old Joe Clark). The fingering scheme has some shortcomings. The selection of songs is somewhat stale. There are a couple of songs that might have been interesting to play but overall, they’re kind of boring.

Finally, I should admit that I did not listen to the accompanying CD because I plan to return this book as soon as possible.

Michael Henderson is, in his own words, a “middle-aged adult who lives in Denver and started learning to play the violin in November of 2008″. He’s also a really decent guy. If you’d like to leave him a note, please do so in the comment box below.

This review is provided for informational purposes only; your mileage may vary. For more information on Mel Bay products, please visit the Mel Bay website.

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Joke of the Day: How to cook a conductor

This was sent my way recently and I just had to pass it along. With apologies to all of the good conductors out there; hat tip to Vitally!

How to Cook a Conductor

Ingredients

• One large conductor, or two small assistant conductors
• Ketchup
• 26 large cloves of garlic
• Lard
• 1 cask of cheap wine
• 1 pound of bean sprouts
• Honey (optional, but highly recommended)
• 2 pounds of yuppie food such as tofu or yogurt
• 1 abused orchestra

Method

1. Catch a conductor. Remove tails and horns. Carefully separate the large ego and reserve for sauce.
2. Remove any batons, pencils (on permanent loan from the Principal Second Violin), and articulations; discard.
3. Remove hearing aid and discard (it never worked anyway). Examine your conductor carefully – many of them are mostly large intestine. If you have such a conductor, you will have to discard it and catch another.
4. Clean conductor as you would a squid, but do not separate the tentacles from the body. If it’s a good quality conductor such as from a major symphony orchestra you may wish to make it more tender by pounding the conductor on a rock with timpani mallets or by smashing the conductor between two large cymbals.
5. Pour 1/2 of the cask of wine into a bath tub and soak the conductor in wine for at least 12 hours.
6. When the conductor is sufficiently marinated, remove any clothes the conductor may be wearing and rub it all over with the garlic.
7. Cover your conductor with the lard using vague, slow, circulating motions. Take care to ensure that every inch is covered.
8. Take your orchestra and put as much music out as the stands will hold without falling over, making sure that there are lots of really loud passages for everyone, big loud chords for the winds and brass, and lots and lots of tremolos for the strings (Bruckner might be appropriate).
9. Rehearse these passages several times, making certain that the brass and woodwinds are always playing as loud as they can and that the strings are tremolo-ing at their highest speed. This should ensure adequate flames for cooking your conductor. If not, insist on taking every repeat and to be sure to add the second repeats in really large symphonies. If taking all the repeats does not generate sufficient flames, burn the complete set of scores and parts to all of the Bruckner symphonies.
10. When the flames have died down to a medium inferno, place your conductor on top of the orchestra (they won’t mind as they are used to it) until it is well tanned, the hair turns back to its natural color, and all of the fat has dripped out.
11. Be careful not to overcook or your conductor, or it could end up tasting like stuffed ham.
12. Make a sauce by combining the ego, sprouts, and ketchup to taste, placing it all in the blender, and pureeing until smooth.
13. If the ego is bitter, sweeten with honey to taste.
14. Slice your conductor as you would with any turkey.
15. Serve accompanied by the yuppie food, and the remaining wine with the sauce on the side.

Warning

Due to environmental toxins present in conductor feeding areas such as heavy metals, oily residue from intensive PR machinery, and extraordinarily high concentrations of E. coli, cryptosporidium and other hazardous organisms associated with animal waste, the Department for Conductor Decimation (DCD) recommends that consumption of conductors be limited to one per season.

Keep playing (and cooking!),
Mark

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Play trumpet AND horn? Good advice for doubling

In an article about transposition that we published recently, I mentioned that a good friend of mine, a trumpet and horn player, had helped me a great deal when I resumed playing the trumpet after a 20-year hiatus. One of our loyal PTM readers contacted me and asked for a “patch through” in order to ask some questions, as he is attempting to pick up both horn and trumpet after several years away from both instruments. Since many people eventually decide to “double” on another instrument, I asked both gentlemen if I could publish an excerpt of their exchange for the benefit of others…and both agreed. See, the PTM crowd really is a generous bunch. 

The Players

Ken Bacorn is a returning musician, looking to pick up both horn and trumpet after roughly 15 years away from both. From my correspondence with Ken, I know him to be inquisitive and thoughtful; he’s asking the right questions to accomplish his goals. Ken, thanks for getting this excellent discussion started!

Steve Hamrick has an extensive background in music, plays numerous instruments exceptionally well (horn and trumpet top the list, but he is no stranger to guitar and piano!), conducts both instrumental and choral ensembles, and has several compositions and arrangements to his credit. Steve is the Director of Worship & Church Music for the Illinois Baptist State Association and can be reached by posting a comment here or directly via email. Steve is a phenomenal musician who is also a gracious human being, and I’m privileged to call him a good friend.

The Inquiry

Hi Steve,

I have recently decided to get back into music after being away for about 15 years. To make life more interesting, I decided to comeback on both the horn and trumpet. I was wondering if you would be willing to share with me some tips on playing both, and being proficient on both.

I guess I’m curious as to how much practice time you dedicate to the two different instruments. And, of course, I am looking for advice on mouthpieces. Do you use something that is similar for both instruments, or have you learned to use mouthpieces that are completely different?

I would greatly appreciate any insight you would be willing to offer. Thanks.

Ken Bacorn

The Response

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the note. Of course the standard answer from most teachers is that you shouldn’t do both, but I believe that it is possible on an intermediate to advanced level. I originally was a trumpet player that moved to the horn in the 9th grade because we didn’t have any horn players. I continued playing both instruments but focused on the horn through college and beyond. I continued to play trumpet in Jazz band and church throughout. I still enjoy playing both instruments regularly and on occasion play both in the same night for a gig. I have personally found it is a lot easier to go from the horn to the trumpet than the other way around. There is something about moving down to a smaller mouthpiece that is more difficult for me. Of course the down side is that you can’t always choose the order of the music. If I have to move from trumpet to horn in the same program, I will take the horn mouthpiece and buzz for as long as I have time to re-adjust my embouchure.

I do not try to find similar mouthpieces between the two instruments. I don’t think there is anything out there that is comparable anyway. The diameters are different, the rims are way different, and the cups are different as well. I really prefer a gold rim for slickness. I suggest you try several mouthpiece combos and see what combo works for you.

Also I make sure that the mouthpiece placement for each instrument remains standard. The trumpet should be played in the top half of the mouthpiece, while the horn needs to be played in the lower half of the mouthpiece. I have found that both rims sit about the same place on my top lip. I am sure this is helpful when switching between the two instruments.

For me, I always practice the horn first and the trumpet second, if I am going to play both during one gig. I will practice the horn or trumpet exclusively if I am only going to play one of the instruments. Often I am playing the horn during the week for an orchestra rehearsal, but then on Sunday I play my trumpet in church. I have never had any issue or difficulty if I am only playing one instrument per day. I can go back to the horn on Monday and it feels as it always has.

Tonguing and tone are harder on the horn than trumpet and the playing the upper octave of the trumpet in tune and accurately is the most difficult for me. So I practice accordingly. I work upper octave almost exclusively on the trumpet and work most of the basics on the horn. I am sure that has a lot to do with personal preference.

Lastly, get in a community group or church type group so you will have motivation to play. Lessons will force you to practice. Most people will do better with some accountability.

I had a professor tell me that even after 15 years, you will get back about 75% of your original proficiency back within two weeks. That last 25% and beyond will take a lot of work with daily practice required.

Hope this is helpful. It is not meant to be scientific but I have encouraged a lot of adults to pull the old horn out of the attic and join the local church or community band.

Blessings,
Steve

The Bottom Line

It is possible to learn, or re-learn, two instruments at once…but it isn’t easy. It can be done, though…and your rewards will correspond directly to your commitment. The above exchange wasn’t intended to be all-inclusive in terms of either topics or advice, and of course, situations vary…but it’s great advice for a great start for those looking to double on two brass instruments.

Have a comment? Post it! We all get smarter when we share what we know. Thanks to Ken and Steve for a great discussion and for allowing us all to benefit from it.

All the best,
Mark

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How to make your own guitar pickups

Some Part-Time Musicians (PTMs) have the goal to pick up a new instrument, or perhaps to learn new things with an instrument they already know and love. Some folks can’t stop at that. They must know how to build one.  Neither obsession is the “right” obsession for everyone, and they certainly aren’t mutually exclusive. If you are “that kind of person”, this article may scratch an itch you didn’t even know you had. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Some time ago, our friends at Instructables posted an article showing how to make your own guitar pickups. We had intended to run this shortly after our feature on replacing your guitar’s pickups, but other topics pushed it aside. No longer! Even if you aren’t inclined to tinker, this is fascinating stuff.

The Bottom Line

You can make your own guitar pickups for less than $10 each, but the real benefits to doing so don’t start or end at price. If you want to design your own, learn about the inner workings of your axe, or just inspire awe and envy among your gearhead friends (!), this project is a great way to do it. Enjoy!

All the best,
Mark

Disclaimer: Any destruction or improvements you manage to cause are your responsibility. Take full credit or blame for them yourself! If you’d like to share a cautionary tale or words of encouragement, though, feel free to drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you!

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Quote of the Day: Ludwig van Beethoven

This edition of PartTimeMusician.com’s Quote of the Day is brought to you by composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who obviously knew a thing or two about life and music. 

“Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.”

Although it is rarely used this way nowadays, the word “sensual” here refers to the physical world, or things we experience through our senses. Herr Beethoven identifies something that many of us know instinctively and some even write dissertations about: the connection music makes between that which we can see and that which we cannot.

As you study, practice, or perform your music, remember that it fulfills a much greater role than chasing away silence; whether Twinkle or Tchaikovsky, music helps us reach heights unattainable through physical means.

Keep playing,
Kathy

P.S. – For more information about Ludwig van Beethoven, please see this article as a starting point. While we seldom think of them in this way, composers were real people with often-fascinating lives. Check it out!

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