Sonicsiblings.net

It was just a matter of time until we got around to this one.  Ron and I learned this song just the other day, so take it as an early version.  Again, one take on vocals, guitar and mandolin, and then another by way of afterthought (some percussion) as we listened back.  I still feel hampered recording with the M-Audio Firewire 410.  The quality is comparatively good (as Todd would say…better specs than many other devices), but I need more simultaneous tracks so…. MOTU here I come, and it may be time for the dual processor Mac as well. As for this recording, I always wondered what this old traditional english folk song would sound like with middle-eastern dumbeg behind it.  Ron’s voice is perfect for it,  and I will continue to practice this one on the mandolin until I get more crisp on the leads.  Oh, and one lesson learned here, I upgraded to a better mandolin and had a luthier set it up for me just right, but notice how it does not sound as good on this recording compared to my others?  That’s because it has a fishman pickup system in it and I am recording jack to jack for the first time.  Previous mando recordings were done with a fairly high quality condensor mic.  From now on, I will go with the mic in the studio…or maybe both the jack and the mic and see what I get.  The lesson for me….the fidelity with good microphones will almost always get you a better recording with acoustic instruments.  I am still pleased with the upgrade though as the pickup gives me much more mobility to move around and enjoy performing.  We are just about ready for that open mic!   John Barleycorn

In the summer of 2004, we (my wife and I and two boys) spent our first week at Berkeley Family Camp in Yosemite. Each evening, a group of folks would gather down by the river with instruments to sing and make music. Nestled in the redwood groves of Tuolumne National Park, we would play for ourselves and anything that cared to listen. One morning Ron Hendel showed up with his family in tow and a little backpacker guitar. After jamming just a few minutes with Ron, I knew I had someone to play with who could play guitar as well as I and sing well too. Over the following several days of jamming, we played a lot of music. Then, when the week was nearly over, we agreed to keep in touch. Only now, after a few years, we are regularly getting together and playing (after I located his number at the bottom of an old wallet). However, instead of just playing guitars, we find ourselves somewhat enchanted by the complimentary sound of my new mandolin along side the guitar. Here is a tune we recorded the very first month I got the mandolin and was learning to play. It is a simple song, and was initially inspired by a Dulcimer playing woman we met down by that old river back in 2004. I believe it was the only song she knew, but as she was so excited to play with us, we took a liking to her and learned her favorite tune and played it for a good 30 minutes! It captures the vocal harmonies and instrumental sound that define us at this point. The song is an old traditional folk song “Shady Grove” recorded by many artists over the years, including Doc Watson, David Grisman and others.

This isn’t music, but a radio story that I did awhile back.

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