Hi Ned, great listening to your version of this song, it has a gentle moving rhythm but keeps the lively feeling of the music. At the risk of sounding naive do you just hear the songs and figure them out yourself? Any book with the music written? I know Mr. Guy has books (I have his first series and am still working my way through it) and see that Port Arthur Blues is in one of them. Just wondering what your approach is because it’s very impressive to me. Watching videos is working out so-so for me.
Thanks.
Nice job, Ned. Love this song. Here's my version, many influences, mostly from my good friend Cory McCauley who plays my favorite version. On my leaky Sterling.
Bryan, yours is one of the few versions with the toot-toot-toot A-part, and very well done, I must add. We don't differ a great deal, but I'm pretty sure I'd have big trouble playing it on a leaky Sterling!
Wow. this one has gotten a good response. Great job Ned, Christophe, and Bryan. I'm nearly ready to record this one. House hunting has been taking up the time right now though.
Is it just me or does this song and the Poullard Special seem to be closely related?
I agree John A. Port Arthur Blues has that 6-9 roll that Chris Miller taught us for the Poullard Special. Listen to Marc's version again and it's in there.
Gene
John - yes indeed musically similar in places, specifically intro and first measure and this repeats half way through the A-part. However, the phrasing and rhythm separates the tunes to end any conclusion of similarity. What Mr. Ned said.
I noticed as a beginner that when two songs have similar chords and moves,
my fingers take the easiest shortcut that is to say what you already learned
in the previous song, and I learned only 05-06 tunes although not mastered at present.
That makes me sound always the same way especially for grace notes.
I try to pay attention to build another way of playing each new tune I'm working on like this one, or everything sound the same garbage.
The videos and comments uploaded here are a great help !!
I've always thought of Poullard Special and Port Arthur as being similar. I think it's mostly because I use similar licks. Here's a medley of the two tunes with 2 times through on Port Arthur, one time on Poullard, and one more on Port Arthur. in C
John - I played along with you on both tunes and we're there almost note for note. So then I played the Poullard to your Port Arthur. Then they don't sound the same. Other than the intro and first measure, which can be made the same if you like, the tunes have the exact same number of measures in both parts, they both finish on the same chords and they both use all the same notes! Cajun music - you gotta love it.
Yes I agree that the two melodies are definitely different. I guess it's just that the chords and form are the same and they have the same intro phrase. I just know that I have to space them apart a bit in a set list otherwise my fingers have a tendency to accidentally jump from one to the other.
Hi AJ,
Only messing around ?
You found something very nice and original,
especially the second part after 1mn40 when your rendition complicates in between the melody line.
I like the way the song develops from a rather muddled start to a rather articulate finale. Once again, your driving rhythm is enviable. Good work, AJ.
Thanks Christophe and Ned, I enjoyed both yours and appreciate the technical approach, usually beyond me. Sometimes I just like to go with the feel, especially on a fiddle tune and maybe try to copy some of the fiddle phrases- takes me a while to get warmed up. C'est fun!
No not really cus all I've ever tried to play is cajun style and not by numbers from a book.
Quite like morris tunes but could'nt even whistle one, would maybe have a go if I had the time, especially the northern and scottish borders stuff.
This wouldn't be the first time you've pulled up a limey for indulging in flowery hanky waving english playing. Well nice try Gruesome.