Does anyone have this tutorial (The Mad for Trad bouzouki tutorial)? I have the Homespun one with Zan McLeod and have found it to be sub par. I've heard good things about Mad for Trad and I have their flute and tin whistle tutorials...both very good.
I have this tutorial. It's a bit basic, probably very good for beginners, but I'm not a beginner anymore. It's a lot about chords and strumming, and very little if anything about playing melodies and/or counterpoint accompaniment.
What was it about the McLeod one you didn't care for? He's a, uh, complicated individual, but a dynamic bouzouki player.
I've known Zan McLeod for quite a while so I bought the videotape when it first came out and then the DVD. I also have the Mad4Trad CD-rom, and I enjoy them both. I've been playing for about five years now, and in Irish-trad-years, that makes me still a beginner...
After not looking at the Zan/Homespun video for a long time, some months, I just put it back in a few days ago and got some new ideas, some new approaches, from it.
I've had the same experience with the Mad4Trad cdrom... I don't use it as much (and I've never really played the way that Gerry McKee does), but when I do go thru it I get something new, some new way of putting together things I (think I) already know.
With the exception of lessons with an instructor, seminars or workshops, and playing regularly, all instructional materials are static in nature.
When I got these two resources, the Zan and the Mad4Trad volumes, I worked with them and then thought, 'OK, I've know what's on here pretty well.... now what?'
So I put them on the shelf and thought about whether to sell them or ... what... After a while, I just wanted to hear Zan & Billy McComiskey play, so I put the DVD on while I was doing some other work. The next time I played in session, I had some new ideas, and new responses to fiddlers' variations, which prompted me to think that there were still uses for these instructional materials.
So I still use them from time to time, and still get something from them. If nothing else it's the only video I have of Zan... <GG>
I thought - just as High-strung - that it was a bit basic. Good for the beginner, but not much help to get a bit further. If they had enhanced the 'advanced-section' it would have been a great tutorial, but now it's mostly collecting dust in the book-shelf (but nevertheless I did get some good ideas and hints from it).
Lars
mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
Does anyone have this tutorial (The Mad for Trad bouzouki tutorial)? I have the Homespun one with Zan McLeod and have found it to be sub par. I've heard good things about Mad for Trad and I have their flute and tin whistle tutorials...both very good.
Thanks.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by michael_coleman
Re: mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
Hmmm. Not everyone I know thinks that Homespun tutorial is subpar, so perhaps some indication of what you look for in a tutorial would be helpful.
Also, that CD is headed your way, you should get it any day...
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
I have this tutorial. It's a bit basic, probably very good for beginners, but I'm not a beginner anymore. It's a lot about chords and strumming, and very little if anything about playing melodies and/or counterpoint accompaniment.
What was it about the McLeod one you didn't care for? He's a, uh, complicated individual, but a dynamic bouzouki player.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by Audeamus
Re: mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
how much money are we talking about for either the tape from homespun or the thing from mad for trad.
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by insert username here
Re: mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
I've known Zan McLeod for quite a while so I bought the videotape when it first came out and then the DVD. I also have the Mad4Trad CD-rom, and I enjoy them both. I've been playing for about five years now, and in Irish-trad-years, that makes me still a beginner...
After not looking at the Zan/Homespun video for a long time, some months, I just put it back in a few days ago and got some new ideas, some new approaches, from it.
I've had the same experience with the Mad4Trad cdrom... I don't use it as much (and I've never really played the way that Gerry McKee does), but when I do go thru it I get something new, some new way of putting together things I (think I) already know.
With the exception of lessons with an instructor, seminars or workshops, and playing regularly, all instructional materials are static in nature.
When I got these two resources, the Zan and the Mad4Trad volumes, I worked with them and then thought, 'OK, I've know what's on here pretty well.... now what?'
So I put them on the shelf and thought about whether to sell them or ... what... After a while, I just wanted to hear Zan & Billy McComiskey play, so I put the DVD on while I was doing some other work. The next time I played in session, I had some new ideas, and new responses to fiddlers' variations, which prompted me to think that there were still uses for these instructional materials.
So I still use them from time to time, and still get something from them. If nothing else it's the only video I have of Zan... <GG>
stv
http://cdbaby.com/Culchies
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by stv culchie
Re: mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
" how much money are we talking about for either the tape from homespun or the thing from mad for trad."
About the same as for a single private lesson from a local teacher if you sign a 6 month contract.
Just to put things in some sort of perspective.
KFG
# Posted on January 2nd 2006 by KFG
Re: mad for trad bouzouki tutorial
I thought - just as High-strung - that it was a bit basic. Good for the beginner, but not much help to get a bit further. If they had enhanced the 'advanced-section' it would have been a great tutorial, but now it's mostly collecting dust in the book-shelf (but nevertheless I did get some good ideas and hints from it).
Lars
# Posted on January 3rd 2006 by lars