Ragtime Episode FVE--Ish

[Joel Hooks]

This is from the 5-Stringer #83 published 1960.

Ragtime_Episode_83_1960.pdf

It is about as close as you are going to find.  It is the version most of us play at the ABF rallies.

[Jody Stecher]

1) We were talking only about the second measure. I would not obsess about the pinches. Leave them out if they are bothersome/ play them if you like how it sounds. In any case that tab does not correspond to how Van Eps played this piece. The downbeat of the second measure can be clearly heard as an open bass C string as opposed to a rest. 

2) If you want Joel or others to verify that the tab is or is not a representation of how Van Eps played Ragtime Episode, you can post just a few lines of Tab. Surely that will be under 5 mb.

Daniel Pearce said:

Hi Joel .... if I'm not mistaken my attached file should be a tab that is the same as your 1960 musical notation. Any help on this would be great. I'd just like to know if they are the same and secondly, as there are pinches in the 2cnd measure, how difficult you think this is to play at speed? Jody had a look at this tab and said it looked really tough to play at full tilt due to the timing/fingering etc. Forgive me if I've got something wrong as I'm learning away here and can happily play the first few bars in about 12 different ways just not with pinches!!

[Daniel PEARCE]

Thanks for the swift reply .... apparently my photo of a tab was over 5mb ... I'll try again when the wi fi is more reliable. You're quite right about obsessing about the details - Does hamper the progress a bit! In many of the versions I've heard (apart from the Van Epps one you kindly worked out for me) there seems an audible pinch or two in the 2cnd and 4th measures that gives the tune a distinctive sound. I can't quite place where and what type of pinches these are though. I slowed down the Rob Mackillop one on youtube and found it still too tricky. The other versions, all of which I like, seem to have these pinches too. As always I may be wrong and as you say I should perhaps just stop obsessing :)

[Jody Stecher]

Yes, Rob plays the "pinches" but these should not be hard. But he's not leaving the first beat of the second measure empty. He also is playing the downbeat on the C string. even if you can't hear it you can see it. Just watch his thumb. BTW, that is a fantastic banjo he has. Now Bill Evans has it. I have its sister.

Daniel Pearce said:

Thanks for the swift reply .... apparently my photo of a tab was over 5mb ... I'll try again when the wi fi is more reliable. You're quite right about obsessing about the details - Does hamper the progress a bit! In many of the versions I've heard (apart from the Van Epps one you kindly worked out for me) there seems an audible pinch or two in the 2cnd and 4th measures that gives the tune a distinctive sound. I can't quite place where and what type of pinches these are though. I slowed down the Rob Mackillop one on youtube and found it still too tricky. The other versions, all of which I like, seem to have these pinches too. As always I may be wrong and as you say I should perhaps just stop obsessing :)

[Daniel PEARCE]

Great .... that's really helpful. Now I'm mighty jealous of your fine sister banjo! So .... the pinches come on the 3rd and 7th beat?

[Jody Stecher]

You can view/hear that banjo on some of the videos I've made here. Gryphon and Star is one.

 Life In Louisiana is another. Then you can be even more jealous ;-)   . It's an amazing banjo. Very powerful and very responsive.  Yes you are right about where the pinches occur.

Daniel Pearce said:

Great .... that's really helpful. Now I'm mighty jealous of your fine sister banjo! So .... the pinches come on the 3rd and 7th beat?

[Daniel PEARCE]

Sounds lovely. Mellow but punchy if that's possible! Helps that it's played superbly too.

[Joel Hooks]

Sorry Daniel, I've developed some sort of mental block when it comes to TAB.  When I swore it off and went 100% notation I did not look at a TAB for years.

I can read a piece in notation without a banjo in hand and get a good idea of what it will sound like.

TAB just looks like numbers on lines.

[Daniel PEARCE]

No worries ..... I think with your help I've figured it out. I can certainly play a version of the tune and in any case perhaps this is a stepping stone to reading notation for me.