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Building a Traditional Tune Repertoire | St. Anne's Reel - The Lead

St. Anne's Reel - The Lead

by Steve Kaufman

Hi Friends, and welcome back to my little place in the Mel Bay world of internet instruction. I have chosen a beautiful tune for an example of a lost art: harmony picking or "Twin Picking". We heard a lot of harmony playing in the 70's and 80's and hopefully we will see it come back a little stronger now.

I have a new Mel Bay book/CD package out called "Blazing Mandolin Solos for One or More". This book is full of lead and harmony breaks to 15 classic tunes. I am on the road right now without the book in front of me so this tune may or may not be included. You will need to get the book to confirm or deny its inclusion. Either way, you should have a lot of fun with this and the next installment coming to you from my world to yours.

You have the lead part this time. Learn this arrangement by heart. Then record yourself playing it at three speeds - 100 bpm, 150 bpm and somewhere in the 200-220 bpm range three times through at each speed. Then for the next mando session you can learn the harmony part and play it against the recorded lead. The reason to record your part is that you will probably practice harder and longer knowing you are going to record it.

Have fun with this great tune and stay tuned for the next installment of Saint Anne's Reel.

Bye for now.

Steve Kaufman
www.flatpik.com
www.acoustic-kamp.com