Jody Stecher
  • 78, Male
  • San Francisco, CA
  • United States
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Jody Stecher's Discussions

What are people practicing?
29 Replies

Started this discussion. Last reply by Ethan Schwartz Sep 21, 2024.

Testing posting an image
1 Reply

Started this discussion. Last reply by Jody Stecher Jun 19, 2024.

 

Jody Stecher's Page

Latest Activity

Jody Stecher replied to Austin 's discussion Why did Frank Bradbury record the Banshee in E major?
"The intro to the Banshee is indeed composed and written in E flat major and the fast part starts off in C minor. 3 flats in the key signature in both cases. The Bradbury playback on youtube I listened to is indeed at  E maj/ C# minor.…"
6 hours ago
Jody Stecher replied to Steve Denholm's discussion Can you identify this banjo?
"The usual setup for a zither-banjo with 5 stings is for strings 1, 2, and 5 (the short one) to be very light gauge steel. The third is gut or nylon and the 4th is something like a wound lute string or classical guitar string. My best guess is that…"
Jan 8
Jody Stecher replied to thereallyniceman's discussion A "New" Vess Ossman recording.. Well, new to me anyway!
"I have also ridden such a bike. At the bottom of the steep dirt path was a dry stream bed. The bike stopped there. I didn't. I landed on soft earth on the outer bank.  I was 10 or 11 years old.  I had to adjust the handle bars once I…"
Jan 7
Jody Stecher replied to thereallyniceman's discussion A "New" Vess Ossman recording.. Well, new to me anyway!
"Galloping bicycles!   I would love to see that.  (Technically a horse gallops when all feet leave the ground).  I know, I know this is  galop with one L, not two. But the image of a bike leaving the ground is too good to ignore.…"
Jan 7
Jody Stecher replied to thereallyniceman's discussion A "New" Vess Ossman recording.. Well, new to me anyway!
"I found two more in the library here:  Grimshaw's Tired Tim and The Harmonious Blacksmith (it's Handel bars)."
Jan 3
Jody Stecher replied to thereallyniceman's discussion A "New" Vess Ossman recording.. Well, new to me anyway!
"The images are getting better and better. Now I'm visualizing 30 or so people "marching" in formation as they play the banjo as they pedal their bicycles.   In the snow. "
Dec 31, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to thereallyniceman's discussion A "New" Vess Ossman recording.. Well, new to me anyway!
"How does one march whilst sitting astride a bicycle?"
Dec 31, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Austin 's discussion Why does no one play the Banshee at a slow tempo?
"We are also free to interpret copyrighted music in our own way. "
Dec 23, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Austin 's discussion Is it normal to like a 5/8 bridge more?
"Every 1/2 inch bridge will sound unique. Every 5/8 bridge will sound unique. Every bridge from the same maker will sound different from all the others. There is no such thing as the sound from a 5/8 bridge. That's not all.  There is no…"
Dec 19, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Russ Chandler's discussion Melancholy tunes...
"This  march seems dramatic and a bit melodramatic too but it doesn't make me feel sad. It is sombre, subdued, formal. More like grief repressed than expressed. Good banjo tune though!  I like the hornpipe as well."
Dec 10, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Russ Chandler's discussion Melancholy tunes...
" A sad schottische is a funny idea to contemplate. They are typically relentlessly jolly."
Dec 10, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Russ Chandler's discussion Melancholy tunes...
"Yeah, the old Scottish music book was probably printed for a sponsor. That was the way for the composer/fiddlers. No recordings to sell at a gig.  So, contribute to the printing of a new tune book and the author will compose (or steal) a reel…"
Dec 9, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Russ Chandler's discussion Melancholy tunes...
"Steve Walker In the accompanying booklet to the CD "Twilight Echoes/ English Ragtime in the 20s" writes about Olly Oakley's 1927 re-recording of some of his old discs "......he proceeds to play the andante of SWEET JASMINE with…"
Dec 9, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Russ Chandler's discussion Melancholy tunes...
"OH! Fair enough. It bothers me less because when I learn a banjo solo from the page reading is an early step in the process. My intention is to memorize the piece.  This used to be called Learning By Heart.  What's most important to…"
Dec 8, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Russ Chandler's discussion Melancholy tunes...
"I love all that stuff too. I prefer it.  I was reminding Austin (and any other interested parties)  that a C version is easily available. By the way, why do you object to the eight?  "
Dec 8, 2024
Jody Stecher replied to Russ Chandler's discussion Melancholy tunes...
"There is a C notation version  in the library here."
Dec 8, 2024

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Jody Stecher's Blog

Banjo Benches at San Francisco Airport!

 I was taking a flight out a new terminal at San Francisco the other day and was surprised and amused to see the shape of some comfortable new benches with a new shape.  Off topic because they look like plectrum banjos? No indeed, these are Zither Banjo Benches!  I'm afraid my mobile phone takes horrible quality pictures but at least the shape was captured. The wave of the future?

 …

Continue

Posted on November 17, 2011 at 4:06 — 5 Comments

Dave, here's the heel

Posted on November 28, 2010 at 22:33

clear photos of the missing banjo

Note the copper bass string, the red binding around the pot and the inlay "The Cammeyer Vibrante Royal" These are distinctive.

Posted on November 28, 2010 at 22:16

Comment Wall (20 comments)

At 4:06 on April 7, 2009, Trapdoor2 said…
Jody, regarding the banjo I'm playing in my videos: that's one of Bob Flesher's "Cotillion" (12") models; my main axe for about 6 yrs. Thanks for the kind remarks, I've gone from archtop Stelling "shrill" to "tubby" over the years (in more ways than one!). I have a fiberskyn head on it, Aquila Nylgut strings and one of those Cole 5-footed bridges. I have a small collection of banjos but the Flesher gets all the playing time these days.
At 5:54pm on March 14, 2010, Joel Hooks gave Jody Stecher a gift
At 8:11 on August 19, 2010, Liz McElwain said…
Thanks, Jody. Hope to be able to meet you over the Didmarton weekend.
At 17:08 on September 11, 2010, Anthony Peabody said…
I enjoyed meeting you at Backwell, and I am afraid that I assumed that you were a newcomer to Banjo, so please erase from your hard drive any superfluous and quite unnecessary advice. You don't need any encouragement either. I was the bass banjo at the end of the line, filling in the blanks, and wishing I could play better. So you see, you encorage me!
Anthony Peabody
At 17:48 on December 22, 2010, Eric STEFANELLI said…

Thanks Jody, to add me as a friend, i am deeply  honored !

I would be to give you some piece of information about my banjos making, give me please your e-mail, mine is : eric.pat-luths@orange.fr .

About your music,  many people in France like bluegrass & old timey  music, and play it, there is many bands, many american banjo players come to France every  years to teach, and have many pupils, there is summer country festivals...i was myself a pupil of Tony Trishka in 1978 and and Ben Eldrige in 1982/83, but we can speak about it  by  mail. Classic banjo is  unknow or very few people know  this kind of banjo music.

Eric

At 14:09 on August 3, 2011, Pam Tointon said…

Thank you Jody I enjoyed that. Nice to hear an original composition, but well beyond me yet as a beginner I'm afraid.

 

regards Pam

At 12:51 on October 18, 2011, Neil Angus Goodwin said…
Thankyou for the info, that might explain why it is the only Cammeyer I have seen with the metal bands.
At 23:51 on March 5, 2012, allan ideson said…

thanks jody for your input.ime a guitarist .i have good instruments ...this banjo .has a lot of volume .also the neck and fingerboard are a work of art .after all these years the neck is straight .....no truss rod.when i master the beast ill put some tunes on ....thanks...allan

At 21:34 on March 8, 2012, skip sail said…

hi Jody,met you on your australian tour,we talked Fred Macdowell and Robert Petway and jammed a bit on some fingerpicked blues at Camperdown. Thanks for the welcome to the forum! Skip

At 7:32am on May 14, 2012, thereallyniceman gave Jody Stecher a gift

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