The Wallaby Polka...

[Trapdoor2]

Shout out to me ol' mate, Ray Jones of Oz. Hope all is well, sunny and bright in the antipodes!

This is one I Tabbed out several years ago and never really got it right. Well, I may still not have it "right" but it is a lot better than it was. I need to do the 2nd for it but I thought I'd post the solo first.

A fun little piece full of leaps and bounds, oddly enough. ;-) I need to look at more of Alf Wood's output, I like this piece.

===Marc

THE WALLABY POLKA played by Alf Wood

THE WALLABY POLKA arr Marc Smith

[thereallyniceman]

Thank you Maestro Marc,

I have added players to your post for you and have added the notation score, tablature and your midi to the MUSIC LIBRARY for everyone to share.

[Trapdoor2]

Thanks Ian! Very cool to hear the composer playing it as well.

I dug out several more of Mr. Wood's compositions to mess about with. Many are fairly short (which means I TABbed his "Haidee Schottische" in about an hour last night) and it seems he was a triplet fiend.

I'll do a few and maybe get a better feel for his compositions. Any Alf Wood favorites out there?

[Ray Jones]

G'day Marc.   Nice to hear from my old Alabama mate.    You do lots of wonderful work that I respect and applaud.  I am not playing much these days.   The tendon on my left hand little finger has decided to contract bending my little finger under.    This makes it impossible to play such chords as a D7.    I could have surgery but I don't really want the quacks sticking the knife into my hand.   I have tried massage but to no avail.   If anybody out there has any bright ideas I would be glad to hear them.  Perhaps something with a touch of snake oil.     I fear that it is all down hill from now on.    What is the equivalent of the Last Post on the banjo.

Regards Ray 

[Trapdoor2]

Terrible news, Ray. I'd either let the quacks have their chance or I'd be taking up the banjo a la Django R.

You have more poisonous snakes (which yield the best oil, so they say) than we do. Getting oil out of 'em might make them somewhat more grumpy though.

All the best,

===Marc

[Jody Stecher]

Ray, if it's the condition called "focal dystonia" I have heard and read that the mind can be trained to overcome it. Several musicians, including banjoists, are playing again and have reversed the involuntary contraction.  The basics are here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focal_dystonia

[Ray Jones]

Thanks for all that helpful info Marc and Jody.

One of the finest oils is Goanna Oil. ( a large lizard) ,  I did try rubbing that in for a while, but had to stop because of the side effects.    My tongue kept flicking in and out when I came close to any warm blooded creature.    Even my wife gave me some funny looks.

You're a bonzer mob boys.