Covid Music Club

This is testing the water really, I'm not sure if the idea is as accessible as the art club thread on here which is really inspiring at the moment but I thought I'd try... I'm an enthusiastic amateur musician and I'm taking this enforced break from normality as an opportunity to try and improve. Generally speaking I play guitar and am learning the banjo, so I'm doing some focussed practice for both of these, but I'm really trying to get over my hang-ups and improve my singing. I feel like I can hold a tune at times but under 'pressured' situations (folk club singarounds/playing in front of people generally) it immediately leaves me and I flounder helplessly in a sea of tunelessness. So, my proposal is anyone else who is trying to learn/improve at an instrument (or would like to), would be interested in a community vibe of support, learning and encouragement and would be up for posting the occasional video/audio here and taking part in some tasks/challenges, let me know if there's any interest, I'll put some more thought into it and we'll see where we go? The sort of thing I was imagining was:

• pick a song you've never played before and learn it/put together a version of it in an hour?
  
• try and learn a tune by ear
  
• pick a song you can already play and do it in a different genre/style
  
• participants pick songs for each other to learn
  
  

But I really have no idea if/how this could work so more than happy if anyone with more experience fancied stepping up or had ideas to offer. The general idea should be any instrument, any ability level, any genre of music, taking the plunge and putting yourself out there and a 100% supportive environment.

So, in the name of everything I've just said, here is the first video I've ever taken of myself trying to sing something. Its an old folk tune I love. But don't worry, this is the very abbreviated version. No-one needs the 189 verses with numerous deaths, deceits and unnecessary dances... especially not of me singing it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0av9mGjliE

Raggle Taggle was awesome! Loved that.

Bravo - brave and fucking coool

Wouldn't have guessed it was your first vid. Nice tune.

@owl has slightly undersold his level of experience to be fair.

Ha, first vid singing, the idea that this is out there literally gave me trouble sleeping last night. Hope no-one who might be interested in joining in finds it off-putting...

Bravo great stuff. And the 1st time I have heard of that song. Is there a preferred version you like to listen too?

Ha, cheers! Like most traditional folk songs there are many version under various different names (Gypsy Davy, Seven Yellow Gypsies etc) - I like the waterboys version for the energy, Planxty do a really nice version and Waterson:Carthy for a very different and much more traditional take... Ye Vagabonds have just done a really nice version too.

Outstanding. Have no musical ability whatsoever so will remain a lurker :)

Brilliant performance.
Lovely guitar and singing.
Love the song in various versions. Agree the Waterboys version is great fun

Black Jack Davey, Bob Dylan sings this, is also part of the same tradition.

I may attempt Doc Watson St James Hospital if I get the courage. Another multi interpreted folk trop

Yes! Love Dylan's Black Jack Davey and Doc Watson is incredible, would love to hear that...

would love to hear that...

Indeed. Though I've never performed in public, ever.
Though perhaps desperate times calls for desperate measures

Exactly the time and the place to try! I've been trying to put together something else for a local folk club singaround on sunday which is moving to Zoom, I'll try and post it up in here later too... that will be my first time ever playing live to anyone beyond drunken friends and bandmates etc...

Just recorded myself playing 'St Jame's Hospital. My singing sounded so so awful i just can't impose this on anyone.

@owl you had trouble sleeping one night after positing your Raggle Taggle song, yet you can sing. I'd never sleep again if I posted my singing ;)

Sorry, I entirely missed it, thinking the thread had succumbed to an understandable lack of interest. I'd love to hear your version, there is no judgement here... x

I am still trying to do more singing. Did this with my mate Joe. I thought I was doing OK in lockdown but the evidence seems to suggest otherwise...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14iVEzs4WsY&feature=youtu.be

You and your mate Joe have smashed it @owl
Massive kudos 👊
Keep it up!

Ha, thanks bud - it's nice to feel like we're still playing music together, even if remotely! Neither of us sing normally so taking this opportunity to try and work on that a bit...

Cheers

That's great, good job.