Byron Thomas
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Byron Thomas's Discussions

Orpheum Cello Banjo
6 Replies

I was perusing the archive and ran across this photo. Has anyone ever seen this banjo in person? I'm just curious as to how the Orpheum cello banjo would hold up against its counterparts (Stewart…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Joel Hooks Nov 26.

Classic style composing and arranging
88 Replies

I listened to the Gordon Dando's Classic Banjo documentary a while back on Chris Sand's youtube…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Austin Nov 5.

W.M. Huntley Songs in 12 Keys
3 Replies

In the quest to have well rounded banjo audio pallet, I've been looking for these songs by Huntley so that I can hear the banjo all around the circle. Does anyone have a copy of these songs that are…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Byron Thomas Apr 7.

"Laughing Eyes" Waltz - Huntley
5 Replies

I decided to go ahead and send this to Ian for upload to the Music Library. Thanks a bunch Ian and I hope everyone enjoys the piece! Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Byron Thomas Mar 26.

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Latest Activity

Byron Thomas replied to Joel Hooks's discussion 12 Original Breakdowns & Jigs For The Banjo by Arthur Tilley
"All of my internet scouring is producing that the Jig (American) and Breakdown were both dances, though I can't find anything written from the time period to suggest that Breakdown also means to play quickly. The book Dance and Its Music in…"
Dec 2
Byron Thomas replied to Joel Hooks's discussion 12 Original Breakdowns & Jigs For The Banjo by Arthur Tilley
"The best thing that I can find is this definition that came from thesession.org. The link from which they pulled the info seems to be defunct. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/reed/hrabout.htmlBreakdown: instrumental tunes in duple meter (2/4…"
Dec 1
Byron Thomas replied to Joel Hooks's discussion 12 Original Breakdowns & Jigs For The Banjo by Arthur Tilley
"IMHO, I feel that "Breakdown" is the page context. It seems like a category label that sets the mood of the piece similar to adding "Waltz", "Valse", "Mazurka" etc... to the end of or underneath the title of a…"
Dec 1
Byron Thomas replied to Joel Hooks's discussion 12 Original Breakdowns & Jigs For The Banjo by Arthur Tilley
"From my understanding, whenever I have heard a breakdown, it was characterized by being played at breakneck speeds. A great example would be Foggy Mountain Breakdown. (I know that this isn't a classic banjo song but it's the first that…"
Dec 1
Joel Hooks replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Orpheum Cello Banjo
"The Goldtone so called "cello banjo" is a weird thing.  This is, more or less, based on a Gibson tenor cello banjo-- a tenor banjo pitched one octave lower than the tenor banjo. This means that the 5 string version is like putting a…"
Nov 26
Jody Stecher replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Orpheum Cello Banjo
"To my ear Gold Tone cello-banjos sound like furniture with strings. Vintage guitar-banjos, mandolin-banjos, etc when set up Just So can sound fabulous.  Almost any set of nylon guitar strings, a natural vellum and a suitable bridge will tame…"
Nov 25
Trapdoor2 replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Orpheum Cello Banjo
"I would opine that the advertisement instruments are what they say they are. In our present, we may have different opinions as to their nature. Back then, they were what they were. I got to play a Gibson CB way back in 1992. It was owned by George…"
Nov 25
Joel Hooks replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Orpheum Cello Banjo
"It is to say that they are different instruments.  In the advertisement, one is a guitar and one is a Cello Mandolin.  Both have "banjo" bodies and sounding boards to take advantage of the novelty of volume and tone, but they are…"
Nov 25
Byron Thomas replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Orpheum Cello Banjo
"My apologies for not posting the archive link. Is this to say that the wire strung cello-banjos were not for counterpoint or just that they have a tonal difference or both?"
Nov 25
Joel Hooks replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Orpheum Cello Banjo
"A little context goes a long way.  This ad was published in Fred Bacon's "The Banjoist" in 1912. https://archive.org/details/the-banjoist-vol-1-fred-bacon/ Likely both were wire strung, both were for plectrum playing, and neither…"
Nov 25
Byron Thomas posted a discussion

Orpheum Cello Banjo

I was perusing the archive and ran across this photo. Has anyone ever seen this banjo in person? I'm just curious as to how the Orpheum cello banjo would hold up against its counterparts (Stewart cello banjo, Windsor cello banjo and Gibson cello banjo) in an orchestra and solo. I would also like to know if the double coursed strings were still a gut/nylon type or if they were wire. I searched the web but only found a video of a person playing an Orpheum banjo-guitar.See More
Nov 25
Byron Thomas replied to Joel Hooks's discussion Victoria Music Books, 60 Solos (for 6/7 string banjos)
"This is amazing! Ever since I've had the 7-string banjo, the idea of solo use has been questioned. In one of the BMG, (March 1951) Bernard Sheaff makes the 7-string banjo seem as if it was relegated to the accompaniment line at best and had no…"
Nov 20
Byron Thomas replied to Joel Hooks's discussion Fun Things We Can All Enjoy
"It's been hard not to follow. I've been checking for the past few months. I've been excited to tackle the Home Study Lessons for banjo! Plus, The Orchestral Banjoist and Amstrong's Harmony for Fretted Instruments are both very…"
Nov 6
Austin replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Classic style composing and arranging
""Replacing "antiphony" with "call and response" is not doing anything to raise awareness of "hidden" (again, not really; lots of work has been done on this, you just aren't aware of it) black influence on…"
Nov 5
Jody Stecher replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Classic style composing and arranging
"Good idea, Ethan. Let's put an end to this nonsense. I'm done as well. No point in talking to a wall. "
Nov 5
Ethan Schwartz replied to Byron Thomas's discussion Classic style composing and arranging
"This will be my last reply as this whole thing is clearly a waste of time and a distraction from what could otherwise be a productive and practically useful discussion about arranging for the banjo.  1. This hypothetical distinction assumes…"
Nov 5

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Byron Thomas's Blog

Lonesome Mama Blues - Fred van eps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SJvohQlpTk

This is just one of my favorites of Fred Van Eps. Something about this song just speaks to me. Is there a score of his playing from this recording?

Posted on December 21, 2020 at 18:00 — 6 Comments

7 String banjo sheet music

I've been playing around with a 7 string banjo for about 6 months now and I'm am now looking for some 7 string sheet music. I'm currently working through what is available for the scan of  Ellis' Thorough School for the 6 or 7 String Banjo which is missing pages but is still a pretty solid Tutor. I already found posting with The Devil Still Pursues Her and Horace Weston's Grand March which are both great pieces if anyone ever wants to tackle them on the 7. Grand March is looking to be a…

Continue

Posted on December 14, 2020 at 16:08 — 22 Comments

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