Egyptian Retreat

Showing off the potato bug mandolin I just bought, a round back Fairbanks from 1900:
http://soupgreens.com/2010/01/19/fairbanks-mandolin-1900/

The tune is from Ellis's Thorough School for 5 String Banjo:
www.classicbanjo.com/tutors/Ellis5/Ellis5.pdf

The rhythm guitar is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucas_gonze/sets/72157602587675582/

Sheet music, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Flac on my blog:
http://soupgreens.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• LucasGonze
• EgyptianRetreat
• mandolin

[lcsgze]

Thx, @gurdonark .

I am sorry to say that the tempo fluctuates on the rythm guitar track. I used the first take with no gross errors (maybe the 3rd take?) and I didn't notice the tempo at that moment.

[lcsgze]

It's an addictive method, because there are things you can only do with one or the other. Like, that quick triplet pickup phrase here screams for flatpick, while the chunky oom-pa rhythm sounds more crisp with fingerstyle picking on the upbeat.

[lcsgze]

I started doing this style via Travis picking, with a steady bass on the thumb and melody notes on the fingers (i-m-a). To make the bass louder and give my thumb more stamina on long gigs I started using a thumbpick. Once I had the thumbpick on it was natural to slip back and forth between finger style and using it like a flat pick. And then when I picked up a flatpick again a few months ago I kept that style.

[lcsgze]

@daddystovepipe : thanks. Yeah, that hybrid picking style is a rarity on mandolin, where people don't usually use fingers.

[gurdonark]

It sounds great--and the rhythm guitar track is nice to accompany.

[daddystovepipe]

Nice, fascinating hybrid picking technique too.