Can any one tell me how the banjo player on youtube called Royston gets that great sound on Maid behind the bar . Its like dum- dum -dum- dum./ dum-dum- dum-dum .Sorry i do not know how to put youtube video's on the session Des
When you listen to any one else playing it (maid behind the bar ) it does not sound the same as when Royston plays it .He gets a kind of beat .I dont think its the backing guitarist
But then the recording quality ain't great, "not bright and tinkley", aside from also being highly compressed... That all affects what we're hearing, including the particular instrument...
I think perhaps part of what you are hearing might be the guitarist - it can be hard to separate out the instruments on a poor quality recording like this one.
This Royston chap does have quite a nice rhythmic feel, though (despite not being a particularly technically accomplished player); that is not really something you can achieve with any kind of technique or 'trick', it's something that you acquire through listening to and playing with good musicians. Since you yourself have recognised that 'something' in his playing, you are on the right path - it's simply a case of getting to know your instrument well enough to reproduce the sounds in your head. Keep listening and keep playing.
What strikes me is that unlike many irish players he is playing 8 notes the the bar most of the time and getting the rhythm from the dynamics. The twiddly bits are played subtly (that may be due to the compression that 'c' mentions) . None of those emphasised banjo triplets for example. Strong rhythm, but isn't that less swing than would be usual at the tempo.
Des I know exactly what you mean I thought exactly the same when I heard that Royston video .Here's another guy with the same quality , listen for a few minutes and he also goes into the maid behind the bar.There was a banjo player originally from Kilkenny who emigrated to US and is now sadly deceased ( he left a young family ) called Joe Banjo Burke who sounded the same. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y984ax3-ipA
There was a video on youtube briefly of a very young guy ( about 14) playing Sweeney's Buttermilk but it got pulled.I think it was in midlands UK and the guys name might have been Jake Plumb ? or similar.He had the same fantastic plunky plus sound even better than Royston , he had little ornamentation but the playing was just fantastic.Some guys play with soul and even on a banjo you can feel it.Angelina Carberry's playing always reminds me of Joe Cooley just for pure "soul" or "lift" or whatever you want to call it.Tony McMahon has it in spades also but Joe Burke has none of it ( in my humble opinion anyway)
Des, you should get the desired effect if you give all your beats the same time value ( disregarding the ornamentation until you have it nailed)
Think "Tocka Tocka Tocka Tocka". Don't swing it at all. It gives a nice quality to some reels on the banjo if you get it right. If that explanation is a bit vague let me know. It's harder to put in print than you would think.
Joe.
I have been trying to play it something like that on the flute (as an excercise, its a tune I am working on at the moment). FWIW, that rhythm seems to work better playing the same melody notes he does rather than some other versions, especially in the B part.
Help -Royston
Help -Royston
Can any one tell me how the banjo player on youtube called Royston gets that great sound on Maid behind the bar . Its like dum- dum -dum- dum./ dum-dum- dum-dum .Sorry i do not know how to put youtube video's on the session Des
# Posted on December 20th 2011 by DES RYNNE
Re: Help -Royston
This one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StDL0SzDd2M
# Posted on December 20th 2011 by Atk
Re: Help -Royston
I'm not quite sure what sound you are referring to, Des - your description doesn't give much away.
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Help -Royston
I think he's referring to the backing guitarist.
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by skreech
"dum - dum - dum ~ "
DES, just cut and paste the URL to add a link to a YouTube clip...
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Help -Royston
When you listen to any one else playing it (maid behind the bar ) it does not sound the same as when Royston plays it .He gets a kind of beat .I dont think its the backing guitarist
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by DES RYNNE
Re: Help -Royston
Thank you Atk for youtube video Des
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by DES RYNNE
Re: Help -Royston
Maybe it's the tempo - a very moderate 98 beats per minute - allowing for more rhythmic subtlety than you'd find at the more typical speed.
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by GaryAMartin
Re: Help -Royston
I don't see anything remarkably different with it. Perhaps the quality of the recording makes it sound more percussive than usual?
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by SmashTheWindows
Re: Help -Royston
I'd put it down to the banjo itself. It's a very old school sound, not bright and tinkley.
# Posted on December 21st 2011 by Patkiwi
Re: Help -Royston
But then the recording quality ain't great, "not bright and tinkley", aside from also being highly compressed... That all affects what we're hearing, including the particular instrument...
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Help -Royston
Maybe ask this guy, he seems pretty up-to-speed with the banjo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cifBEX_T44A&feature=related
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by SmashTheWindows
Re: Help -Royston
I like the comment at the very end of the first video above
"would you play a reel"
"I just did"
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by Theirlandais
Re: Help -Royston
"Maybe ask this guy, he seems pretty up-to-speed with the banjo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cifBEX_T44A&feature=related";
Incredible! I've never seen a pair of spoons look so much like a banjo.
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Help -Royston
"He gets a kind of beat."
I think perhaps part of what you are hearing might be the guitarist - it can be hard to separate out the instruments on a poor quality recording like this one.
This Royston chap does have quite a nice rhythmic feel, though (despite not being a particularly technically accomplished player); that is not really something you can achieve with any kind of technique or 'trick', it's something that you acquire through listening to and playing with good musicians. Since you yourself have recognised that 'something' in his playing, you are on the right path - it's simply a case of getting to know your instrument well enough to reproduce the sounds in your head. Keep listening and keep playing.
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Help -Royston
What strikes me is that unlike many irish players he is playing 8 notes the the bar most of the time and getting the rhythm from the dynamics. The twiddly bits are played subtly (that may be due to the compression that 'c' mentions) . None of those emphasised banjo triplets for example. Strong rhythm, but isn't that less swing than would be usual at the tempo.
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by David50
Re: Help -Royston
from dynamics and subtle timing.
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by David50
Re: Help -Royston
Des I know exactly what you mean I thought exactly the same when I heard that Royston video .Here's another guy with the same quality , listen for a few minutes and he also goes into the maid behind the bar.There was a banjo player originally from Kilkenny who emigrated to US and is now sadly deceased ( he left a young family ) called Joe Banjo Burke who sounded the same. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y984ax3-ipA
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by Red Robin
Re: Help -Royston
There was a video on youtube briefly of a very young guy ( about 14) playing Sweeney's Buttermilk but it got pulled.I think it was in midlands UK and the guys name might have been Jake Plumb ? or similar.He had the same fantastic plunky plus sound even better than Royston , he had little ornamentation but the playing was just fantastic.Some guys play with soul and even on a banjo you can feel it.Angelina Carberry's playing always reminds me of Joe Cooley just for pure "soul" or "lift" or whatever you want to call it.Tony McMahon has it in spades also but Joe Burke has none of it ( in my humble opinion anyway)
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by Red Robin
Re: Help -Royston
For a taster of what Angelina does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z07VrjbXFCQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGAlIeexfSs
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Help -Royston
Luke Plumb maybe? Though he's from a bit further south than the Midlands...
http://www.mandolin.org.uk/interviews/lukeplumb.php
http://lukeplumb.com
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by Just a person
Re: Help -Royston
Des, you should get the desired effect if you give all your beats the same time value ( disregarding the ornamentation until you have it nailed)
Think "Tocka Tocka Tocka Tocka". Don't swing it at all. It gives a nice quality to some reels on the banjo if you get it right. If that explanation is a bit vague let me know. It's harder to put in print than you would think.
Joe.
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by dulahan
Re: Help -Royston
I have been trying to play it something like that on the flute (as an excercise, its a tune I am working on at the moment). FWIW, that rhythm seems to work better playing the same melody notes he does rather than some other versions, especially in the B part.
# Posted on December 22nd 2011 by David50