A little ditty I made up in F tuning (fCFCD), recorded quickly for archival purposes so I can get on with my day. 

The title "Piss On A Platter" is slang for a very calm lake with a glassy surface. Its a dumb name but I had to call it something.

Piss On A Platter

A version of the same song on gourd banjo, tuned lower than the regular banjo. I thought this might sound better on the gourd but I'm not sure. My hasty recording might not be doing it any favors, but I think I prefer it on the regular banjo.

Piss On A Platter (gourd)

This is a tune a friend of mine wrote on mandolin. This recording was done on a fretless banjo I bought several years ago but haven't played much recently. I dusted it off the other day and this morning decided to try recording it to see how it sounds. I think it sounds a little "tubby" on the low end, but not too bad. This was the first and only take on the tune. The intonation on the high part isn't great but it will do for now.

This is standard tuning but tuned down to roughly Eb. 

North & West

A loosey-goosey cover of the Nirvana classic played on gourd banjo in standard tuning (tuned lower than G). 

Yeah, kind of sloppy. Too much coffee. Done in two takes, I have a matinee to catch so this will have to do. 

All Apologies (Nirvana cover)

A melancholy little ditty played in G modal tuning.

I opened Garageband the other day and there was a rough recording of this from months ago. I'm guessing it was an idea I had one morning and wanted to record before work so I wouldn't forget it. I forgot about it anyway. I rerecorded it here although it's still a bit loose. 

Blue Doctrine

A rough little recording of a classic Joni Mitchell song, played on banjo.

Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell cover)

Forgive the horrible track name and mistakes. This is some weird little thing I made up this morning and recorded quickly so I wouldn't forget it. I decided to slap it up here to see what people think. I'm in favor of more banjo weirdness. Tuning is fDGBD

Caturday Angular Banjo

This happened by accident and came together quickly. I was just noodlin' around in G tuning and something sounded familiar - it was Paradise City by Guns n Roses. So here it is, just the intro part.

Paradise City Ditty(GnR cover)

I was messing around in double C tuning and tried a capo at the 5th fret. I ended up dropping the 5th string 2 whole steps so I think this tuning is d#FCFG. Recorded this real quick so I wouldn't forget it.

Claudia's Lament

An instrumental version of The Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive", played on banjo in the clawhammer style.

Stayin' Alive (instrumental)

A little sloppy, but its Monday morning so I'm OK with it. No toads were harmed in the recording of this tune.

Cat Caught A Toad

A quick take on this tune, banjo tuned to f#DF#AD. It was written by Paul Brown and tabbed out in Ken Perlman's Clawhammer Banjo book. That's where I learned it, I've never heard Paul Brown play it.

Some of the higher notes sound weird, it didn't record very well.

The Last Cold Whiskey

A short take of Cripple Creek on the gourd banjo, just messing around. Its tuned down, roughly to B.

Cripple Creek

An improv variation on the traditional song Reuben's Train, in a very different key. Gourd banjo tuned to c F C Eb F.

Inspired by the incidental/background music of Alexandre Desplat, from the film Argo.

Reuben at the Bazaar

A very quick instrumental take on the traditional Carter Family number. Played this at a gig last night on regular banjo in double D tuning. This is the gourd banjo tuned lower. I like the growly sound it gets this low, almost like a distorted electric guitar.

Bury Me Beneath The Willow

A little improv ditty based around a trancey repetitive lick I stumbled onto. Gourd banjo in standard tuning, around the key of B.

Chugga-Chugga

A short instrumental take on the song from The Mothers of Invention/Frank Zappa. Recorded without all the goofy and great lyrics, this version is closer to the live cut released on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 6. That's the track that inspired this.

As far as I know Zappa never recorded with banjo, maybe somebody can confirm that. I'm a pretty big Zappa fan but I know there are some real hardcore Frank Freaks out there. 

Gourd banjo in standard tuning.

Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance

I've been playing banjo for about 12 years. I should spend more time learning traditional tunes and songs but when I pick it up I usually want to mess around with songs like "Beat It" and things I make up.

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