Jake Cohan's Blog Archive
Posts Tagged ‘Mandolin’
|Bach’s Bouree I
Thursday, April 12th, 2012
I have recently been exploring classical music arranged on the mandolin. Here is me playing Bach’s Bouree on one mandolin.
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Don’t Take it too Bad
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011
I have enjoyed playing songs written by Townes Van Zandt since the first time I heard him. He does not waste a word or chord in his songs. Simple, true, timeless, often bittersweet or downright sad music. Here I play one track with guitar and vocals and a mandolin track.
Media: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:21 — 4.3MB)
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J.S. Bach on Mandolin
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
After listening to some old recordings of mine I decided to upload my interpretation of J.S. Bach’s Bouree I. It is not without mistakes, but then what would I have to work for. This recording is me playing one track of mandolin. Even with sparse instrumentation, Bach’s music is full, colorful, complex and interesting.
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My Gear!
Saturday, April 30th, 2011
When I read about other plectrum players out there I am interested in knowing how they get “their” sound. So here is a list of the current gear I am using to get my live tone as well as recorded sounds.
I play a Taylor 310ce guitar that my father handed down to me. It is sounding better than ever after hours of him playing it as well as me, and giving the wood time to open up.
Top: Sitka Spruce. Back/Sides: Sapele. Cutaway & old Fishman Pickup system. The current models come with Taylor’s own Expression electronics, I prefer Fishman’s.
I use a real tortoiseshell pick, although there is some controversy around this issue in my experience it is the only way to get the volume and tone I am trying to produce. The pick was actually sanded as a mandolin pick making it even fatter and fuller on the 6 string guitar. I currently use it on both instruments. Eventually I will experiment with other picks, either tortoiseshell or something similar in material.
I play Medium gauge Elixer Phospher Bronze strings, and occasionally John Pearse Mediums for recording. I do find Elixers last longer and cost more.
To record at my humble home studio I use a Eurorack UB802 6 track with Shure microphones, sm56, and sm57. I only plug straight in when playing live. I use a Peterson clip on strobe tuner with sweeteners, so I can tune my guitar and mandolin even with background noise.
I play an Alvarez F3ANT Traditional F-Style mandolin. I had it scooped to avoid pick noise on the “sweet spot.” I also had a Fishman Nasheville series archtop mandolin bridge pickup installed. I play low action with Thomastik Strings: plain steel and flatwound chrome, medium gauge, 009 014w 020w 031w, 127.2 pounds tension, ball end, 34cm scale length. These strings are not cheap, but the flat-wound “a” strings seem to really keep my mandolin in tune and with the correct intonation. Other companies are starting to make flat-wound sets that are more affordable, I just haven’t tried them yet. I play through a Fender Acoustasonic amp.
Having listed all my toys as well as the ones my father so kindly lets me abuse, I do try to remember less seems to be more in most great art. I play completely acoustic whenever possible, and tastefully when my fingers oblige.
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Quicksburg Rondezvous
Saturday, November 27th, 2010
This is an original tune written by one of my favorite mandolin players, Ronnie McCoury. I recorded myself playing rhythm guitar, then went back over track and recorded the mandolin lead.
Quicksburg Rondezvous
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Old Joe Clarke
Friday, November 19th, 2010
Here is one of the oldest traditional fiddle tunes I have arranged here with harmony guitar parts followed by a mandolin break.
Jake Playing Old Joe ClarkMedia: Play in new window | Download (2.0MB)
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Sam Bush Band tonight!
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
I am very excited to be seeing a living legend tonight at the Variety Playhouse here in Atlanta. Sam Bush has been the single largest influence on my playing. The day my parents purchased me my first mandolin in 2000 he also bought me “Bluegrass Mandolin Taught by Sam Bush,” made in 1984, ironically the year I was born. It is actually in my VCR today. That’s right I still watch VHS’s, mostly old Homespun videos that provide a lifetime worth of practice material. Sam Bush’s versatility and musicianship is what keeps me going back to his playing for inspiration.
I am part of a new generation of pickers who look to Sam and Dawg first then later come to study the father, Bill Monroe, Jesse McReynolds, Doyle Laswson, John Duffy, and all the pioneers who made mandolin playing what it is today. I had the opportunity to play with Matthew Mundy at a jam at Sawnee Mountain Music. Matt is an incredible mandolin player! Matt spoke very highly of Sam and helped me see that Sam’s playing is unique in that he can play anything, traditional bluegrass, jazz, or reggae paying homage to the masters that came before him while still putting his own stamp on the song.
I have included a video here where I do my best Sam Bush impression. My father and I came up with this arrangement of Red-Haired Boy, it starts out with a slow intro, but then gets goin!
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