Chris Smith: Guestbook

gruzzik

July 1, 2008

Уважаемая Редакция!!!
С 14 лет, как только у меня появилсякомпьютер, я взял за правило смотреть порнуху
в наушниках, чтобы никтокроме меня не слышал всяческие стоны и ахи из моей комнаты.
Сейчас мне 27, и если я не надеваю наушники, у меня не встаёт.
Как быть?

cjs

December 18, 2006

Paul:

Slip-jig is counted in 9/8, conventionally: ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six SEVEN-eight-nine, or "deedle-ee deedle-ee deedle-ee". If you go to JC's tune finder at http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/cgi/abc/tunefind Enter "slip" in the search box and John's tune finder will bring up hundreds of 9/8 tunes, which you can click on as gif files (notation) or midi files (to listen to).

paul holzherr

December 13, 2006

Hi Chris, I happened upon your site after typing slip-jig into google. I am looking for inspiration within the 9/8 time signature. I listened to some of your mp3s including the slip jig but I couldn`t tell if it was 9/8 - which probably doesn`t say much for my musical ear! Could you tell me of any links to mp3s where I could listen to some tunes in 9/8?
By the way I really enjoyed your music. Thanks for that.

louis raney

October 17, 2006

Hi Dr. Smith I saw at TT The Mckassons and became an instant fan. Sure you know they have a new cd out "Tripping Maggie" Love it!! No longer at TT. Now at NMSU. Rocket scientist and part time violinist. Keep up your good work at TT I speak well of you here to my music friends. Louis Raney

Carmel Jones

October 6, 2006

Great Music. Enjoyed listening to the clips

Debbie Flournoy

September 21, 2006

Great site!! Great music!! Bravo!!

Lisa Long

September 19, 2006

This is so much fun.... this website, learning about celtic music and having the chance to perform it. It seems so close to my family's culture that it is unbelievable. Thanks.

Rachel

September 18, 2006

Just wanted to thank you and your friends for playing for us at the hospital on Saturday. It meant a lot to us and you were all exceptional. Thanks again.

www.mujermaravilla.blogspot.com

cindy stewart birdwell

September 16, 2006

Hey Chris....found your website...cool! Loved the old photos of you and Angie!

From your old Kluzoz groupie...Cindy

Derrick Ginter

September 14, 2006

Just verifyin the links from the new Celtic Shores webpage. The site looks good and the link evidently works!

Minerva Alaniz

August 25, 2006

I was just checking it out.

Kim Carter

August 24, 2006

Great site!

Tim Hasson

August 18, 2006

Hey Chris,

Really enjoyed the session with you at Eske's recently. Bring your accordion next time! We were just saying this week it'd be great to have one there.

Nice Site.

July 19, 2006

Wonderfully helpful site with lots of useful information.

July 10, 2006

Dan:

Sorry for delayed response. Not too much chance of a DVD at this time (and the book is really set up as more of a reference than a tutorial). But, some of this same material appears in DVD form on a disc released by ZoukFest (http://www.zoukfest.com/instructional.html): Volume I contains about 25 minutes of material on improvising accompaniments (and lots of good stuff from Roger Landes and Chipper hompson as well). Check it out!

Laura

July 10, 2006

Wonderfully helpful site! I appreciate your advice on starting slow sessions: I'm thinking of doing this in my area. We don't have any sessions, but there are a number of musicians around who might be interested. A slow session might be a good way to get started. Thanks for your inspiration!

Dan Wagman

June 26, 2006

Chris,

Great site with lots of useful information for backup players. Any chance of a DVD to go along with your book?

Dan

Doren maik

May 22, 2006

Hi,
an alle Kunstliebenden ;-)
Ich bin nun auch endlich in den erfüllenden Genuß gekommen und durfte Wercke des Künstlers Thomas Crownd mit eigenen Augen sehen.
Ein Bekannter von mir hat 2 Exemplare in Griechenland über einen renomierten Kunsthändler beziehen können.
Also nun glaube ich auch das es wahr seinn kann was man sich über diesen skurielen Künstler erzählt. Einzigartig.
Beste Grüsse an euch alle...
Bis bald

cammy

May 22, 2006

I love your Music and u need to come to Edenton N.C

Hans Jørgen Jensen

May 22, 2006

hello chris. Wery nice and informative website, I'll put a link to You on my website: http://www.mckenna.dk
keep up the good music

Tom Cussen

May 12, 2006

Hi Chris,
Great site, just come across same by accident. See you soon on your visit to Ireland. Bring some of your CDs.
Best of Luck,
Tom.

Eamon Essex

May 4, 2006

Chris,
It was great to meet you in Taos. Enjoyed the tunes!
Eamon

Sigurd

April 22, 2006

Hey Chris,

I just found your web site - I thouroughly enjoyed it! And the guestbook is a great idea!
See you sooner than you might like...
Sigurd

kirsty emmalouise harmes

April 19, 2006

i thinke that you play very well

Mark

April 16, 2006

Hi i really like your site, i place a link on my web-site, continue like that.

Alan Sturgess

March 28, 2006

Excellent site - lots of interesting information and ideas. Found you via the 'Celtic Guitar Talk' forum.

Jon Hall

March 27, 2006

Nice web site. I read the notes on ensemble playing. A fellow band member recommended your site. I've played old time music for years but just recently started playing celtic. The chordal/rhythm is quite different. I look forward to reading more of your site.

Barbara Roche

March 5, 2006

From what i have read so far your tips are very helpful when playing in a group, As i do play with a group, there are eight of us and know what its like to have different people having a different sound in your head and not getting it quiet right and gelling so to speak togrther i thought i was just being fussy,thanks again for tips i will pass them on.Regards Barbara

Chris

February 27, 2006

Grand. Welcome

gerard culbertson

February 27, 2006

found your site via link from the session, a real find very helpful, shallbe visiting daily

Chris

February 24, 2006

Jeremy:

Look under "Words & Music" and scroll down to the various "Instruction" essays.

Tim Sanphy

February 23, 2006

This is a great site...very informative and excellent recordings!

Jeremy Hull

February 20, 2006

I stopped by after reading about your site on The Session - I appreciated your comments about slow sessions, as a fiddler who is not really up to speed. I was actually looking to see what you would say about accompanying Irish tunes. I found the reference to your book, but didn't find any other comments on this topic - I must have missed it.

chris

February 13, 2006

Sure, I remember you Jeremy! Where are you and what are you doing?

Jeremy Goode

February 11, 2006

Great website Chris! I knew you back in the B-town days, when I was learning lutherie with Tom Sparks and Tim Johnson up in the "penthouse" at I.U. Keep up the excellent work!

Emily

February 9, 2006

Is it OK if I crash your session in ABQ Saturday night at the Hyatt? I mean, it's not a mansion or anything... LOVE the website Chris, & also continue to love the CD!!!!!

*besitos*

Blonde Mayhem

Tim Gary

February 3, 2006

Listened to a few of your clips...very nice.

Chris

January 30, 2006

Nigel:

And, if "banjos" and "irish" weren't enough, don't forgot "accordion" as well!

Welcome aboard.

Nigel Baker

January 30, 2006

I dont know what this site is all about but I will sign up to anything that uses the words Irish and Banjo. ( sad or what? )

Wolodymyr Smishkewych

January 6, 2006

Hi Chris!
Greetings from Spain! Great to run across your page after a while away from B'ton. Great memories...Will keep in touch!--Vlad

Mike

January 6, 2006

It's been great listening to the Celtic Shores archives at work yesterday and today. Great work, Chris.

Chris

January 1, 2006

Honeylet:

You can find a whole bunch of instructional material under "Words and Music", in the right-hand sidebar. Click on the link, scroll down past the "Coyotebanjo" CD notes, and you'll find 30+ essays and such.

You can also check out the "Celtic Backup" book available for sale under "Buy".

Let me know (via chris@coyotebanjo.com) if you have other questions, and thanks for your interest.

cjs

honeylet

December 30, 2005

i would like to see more information about your instructional materials

Hartley Alsgaard

November 19, 2005

interesting and informative.
little tidbits that dovetail nicely with prior skills and provide perspectives on some of my deficits that fill in the blanks. I'll put this to use promptly.

Chris

November 16, 2005

Good to hear from you. Yes, it is interesting to see ways in which one discipline overlaps one another, one "way" tends to lead us to parallel paths. I personally believe that there is a basic sanity in *many* vernacular traditions--in music, spirituality, martial arts, child-raising, and so on--which makes them consistent with one another. After all, most of these wisdom traditions have the same goals: to teach humans how to live with themselves and each other, and to help them make sense of life and its ending. Thanks for your post.

michael todd

November 15, 2005

dear chris,
stumbled upon your site more or less by accident [i was seeking a way to find a copy of The Northern Fiddler]. I got into irish music thru bodhran [played drums as kid] and hope that i've progressed beyond the pizza box stage [bought an o'kane not long ago...lovely man/drum]. but i kept yearning to get beyond just rhythm [nothing wrong with good rhythm god knows], but i felt i couldn't get to really udnerstand irish traditional music unless i could remember/play the tunes. so i took up fiddle....and we know where that leads! oddly, i think one actually complements the other in diff ways. but anyway, i'm signing your guest book to say that i loved your site and musings on music. in fact, i sent a professor friend here at York U in Canada your piece on Zen...he's a 9th degree black belt in Karate, baritone jazz sax player, music prof, zen practioner etc. And a nice man. Oddly, for the last two weeks i have been listening to randal bayes in my car...one of the house to house cds and kept thinking...yeah, listen to that phrasing, that SOUND etc. Strange that i then should find your site and find you play with him! maybe these coincidences are a path...and paths....as Rilke would say...are made by walking.
all the best,
michael

Mark Reynolds

November 10, 2005

Appreciate your web site. Played some of the music for the nurses at the Covenant Hospital. Jake sometimes plays for the patients and staff. I am so happy that Jake is learning Celtic music from you! I remember the days at the Wagonwheel Pub in the Bronx. We listened to Irish music groups every weekend while drinking some pints. Gaelic Park was another great place to watch Gaelic football, and a game called Hurling. Regards, Mark

Bobby Smith Thomas

November 10, 2005

Fun website!

Jakob Reynolds

November 6, 2005

I'd like a free pint too.

Jakob Reynolds

November 6, 2005

Really good website! You need to put in all the slow session songs.

John Spencer

October 31, 2005

I've put this site in my favourites list.
Many of your tutorials I've been teaching for ages.eg picking for jigs, right tempo for the occasion.
Well done

edmund hamer

October 29, 2005

nice site, informative and helpful keep up the good work

eddy

phil

October 29, 2005

Thanks for the notes on D-u-d D-u-d.
My partner (autoharp) and I worked about 3 hours on those exercises you devised. Wow! What a difference it made. And it certainly wasn't easy. We hardly made it to a tune. I especially appreciate what you've given (manageable physiological therapy that shows promise for an ol' f**t like me. Nice to have a challenge I can deal with.

Cammy

October 28, 2005

Great site! Enjoy reading your instructional materials. "Improvising Backup" has opened up some new ideas for me. Thanks.
More more!

Chris

October 26, 2005

I'd submit that it's different skills. Anyone can learn to sight-read notation--with practice; anyone can learn to hear, remember, and play back melodies by ear--with practice. But the two skills are not the same, and a lot of time spent working in only one of those areas tends to mean we neglect the other.

Similarly, I'd submit that different musics prioritize and rely upon those different skills. Being an orchestral musician requires very high technical skills, the ability to play with perfect intonation and technique, and the ability to synchronize with other section members and the conductor.

Being a traditional musician requires (and develops) the ability to distinguish and remember the pitch content of melodies--to make a kind of "aural snapshot" of something heard--and to carry it in the memory.

I wouldn't say one skill area is more valuable than the other. I *would* say that, to play a given music effectively and at a high level, one needs to think realistically about what *that* particular music demands.

Phil Allender

October 26, 2005

It it hard for me to criticize, with credibility, the dot readers who are so frustrated with the ease with which auralists learn, usually non-classical music. When I challenged my wife to "memorize" a 16 bar intro for a hymn, I lost, because although it sounded nice, it didn't make any sense or stick in my memory. But when the tune started.. well.It was like a prelude.. and all that.... Folk musicians just don't seem to need "all that", or is it maybe, just implied?

Phil Allender

October 23, 2005

Hi Chris, Just dropped in o see if your instructions included the triplets technique of Seamus Egan.

Charles Pool

October 18, 2005

Not being a full time professional scholar and musician like yourself, I'm a bit jealous...LOL I am delighted to find that there are others that have as wide an interest in music. I too play several string instruments and play tunes from early music thru to modern period. Being a bit dyslexic I like to say I play music from the 12th Century to the 21st. I'm delighted to have found your website and hope someday I'll be able to catch a concert of yours. Being short on money, I missed the Randall Bayes fiddle/guitar workshops in Indiana this year. But I hope someday I'll be able to catch you in concert with Randall et. al. In the meantime, I delighted to have found your website (thanks to Betty Conway) and look forward to learning more about Irish music performance on your wonderful website. Thanks for sharing what you've learned. CP

Chris

October 18, 2005

Thanks for the correction (can't credit you as you didn't leave name). The kanji is phoneticized different ways in different sources.

October 18, 2005

or those who might be interested, one classic beginner’s text is “Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind” by Shinryu Suzuki ..

(That should be Shunryu Suzuki)

Bill Wooten

October 11, 2005

Chris - Nice website - Very well done! Thanks! Bill

Eamonn Croke

October 10, 2005

This is really a great site.I've just returned to piping thanks to the fact that I now have a top class instrument (Cillian O Briain pipes) & have moved out of the city where I can practice whenever I like for as long as I like. The collection of tunes will be more than helpful for listening to great session tunes played so well as I think I'm just about ready to start playing in sessions, Thanks for all the info & music. - Eamonn.

Julie Samudio

October 9, 2005

Stumbled on your page by accident. Noticed Randal in your tune clips. Listened to all of them! Great stuff! Congratulations!
Randal was my first fiddle teacher, before he left Portland, Oregon. (He was also my mother's guitar teacher back when he was a hairy guy in Southern Oregon named "Randy" : )

I have Coyotebanjo marked as my next cd purchase... I can't wait.

I play in a band here in Portland (really it's mostly recreation, although we play out as often as we can.) We found the process of recording a cd to be AMAZINGLY educational. I'd love to hear your take on recording - preparation as well as the actual recording session.

If you ever come out to the West Coast (perhaps to perform with Randal?) please put me on your mailing list - I'd love to hear you in person.

regards,
Julie

tom durr

October 4, 2005

Wanted to thank your for all the effort you are so willing to share....both the thoughtfully written content and the enjoyably clear examples of the music! I have gained much from just a brief stay at this site.....I look forward to studying more in depth! THANKS!

Sunny Perrin

October 4, 2005

looking for informative, easy to understand, banjo sites for the tenor banjo. Enjoyed the history that you included in your site. Well done!

andrew killen

October 4, 2005

fantastic information but it`ll take me years to go through it all!

Mikk Skinner

October 4, 2005

Directed to your site by the post you left on "The Session" Excellent resource. Thanks. Will be back and recommending to all players I know.
Mikk - Nottingham UK

Sharlan Proper

October 3, 2005

Wow! Lots of good info here. Thanks for collecting it in one place.
Sharlan

Joe Cartwright

October 3, 2005

Nice site. Ever git out to Los Angeles Area anytime?

I play BC Box, Fiddle, & Mandolin

Brian Gravelleq

September 25, 2005

Very nice website. Always good to find someone who knows what they're doing with a computer. Very cool CD. I am glad to have met you and to have been taught by you. You are an inspiration for people over 6'3''. And with long hair. Kudos to all your accomplishments Dr.Smith.

Stan Stahl

September 22, 2005

As good as it gets ! I'm lucky enough to get to play some sessions
with Chris from time to time and this new CD takes me right back to
that "tight circle" and some Guinness at the ready. I don't have the words to explain how much
I've learned about ITM from Chris over the past few years. Anyway, here's a great selection of music
to carry your thoughts and set that
foot a' tappin'. It's the real thing, not overproduced and a "must have" for one's collection.

Julie, John and Katie

September 19, 2005

Very cool -- we'll see you in D.C. (our whole family is coming). Be sure to bring some CDs with you!

Larry Ayers

September 19, 2005

Hi, Chris. I enjoyed meeting you at the last Zoukfest, and I've derived much benefit from your accompanimnet book. It's always out on loan to various accompanists I play with. (I'm primarily a fiddler, but also play cittern, guitar, and B/C buttonbox).

Dolores

September 18, 2005

Hello! Make sure you drop me a note before you come in October to DC--love to participate in a pub crawl with you! Nice site and congrats on the new CD!

mary lou & charlie

September 17, 2005

WOW! The title alone is brilliant. Congratulations, Chris. You couldn't have picked better musical comrades that Randal and Roger! We greatly look forward to making the CD available for sale to our anxious customers.
Peace,
Charlie & Mary Lou OSSIAN USA

Peggy Sucsy

September 17, 2005

Fabulous! I'll be back.

susie b

September 16, 2005

Even the clips are stunning! Can't wait to hear the real thing. Congratulations on the new record (and the cool website too.)

matt williamson

September 14, 2005

hey chris, good to see yr smiling face! lorry loaned us the cd, and we're listening -- lovely stuff! you and randall are in perfect synch. genny and i both need a copy so we can learn the tunes -- sparks plays 'hand me dn the tackle' a lot, and i never quite caught on to the 2nd B ending -- got it now, thanks to your lovely clarity. mazel tov! and keep on pluckin! --matt

Bev Lawton

September 9, 2005

Hi Chris, Roger, Randall, Angie and John (did I miss someone?!)I haven't got to hear the real deal yet but the lo-fi mp3's on the site sound great! Nice to hear some music from you again.
Loved your version of the song "Early in the Spring" Angie - the best compliment I can give is that I'm going to pinch it for my reportoire !!!
Bev

Stacey J Houck

September 9, 2005

Great Website! I'm looking forward to hearing the CD.

Wayne Norman

September 9, 2005

Keep dem (short scale, 17-fret, Irish tenor) banjos ringin'.

Liz Ronan

September 8, 2005

Um...Ok, so how do i sign up for the 'occasional free pint'...?
;)
congrats!

Nicole Lambeth

September 8, 2005

Great website - needs more photos, though! Hope your talent and expertise will be recognized by an even wider audience now. Good luck with everything!

Brett Pfingston

September 8, 2005

Hi. Nice site. :)

Matt Santa

September 8, 2005

Congratulations on your latest CD and on your new website (looks great). I look forward to hearing you CD soon.

Karl

September 8, 2005

Looking forward to having & hearing the CD!

Linda Gregston

September 8, 2005

cool website

Aaron Adair

September 8, 2005

Great site, Chris. I will be picking up a copy of the cd very soon. Thanks for the great music.