Wildwood Flower // Congrats!

Responses

1. 

   AlexanderJW42 January 28, 2021

   This is one of my favorite arrangements in the Song Vault. Well done, Tony

2. 

   Johan Olivier July 8, 2019

   I’ve got the song’s fingering. I can play it at a tempo faster than the slow here. Now how do I get it to the speeds that Tony is playing it?

3. 

   peter_m October 9, 2017

   I have been practicing Wildwood Flower since you first put it up on the site but still having trouble making it roll along smoothly and emphasize the melody. I went back through all the sections again then played along with the full song. I had never tried to play along with you on the full song before. I knew that emphasizing the first down stroke on each phrase was critical but did not realize how important just keeping all those eighth notes rolling was to making it sound right. I may finally have this thing! Thanks Tony

   1. 

      Tony Polecastro October 9, 2017

      Awesome work Peter!!! I am so glad to hear that it is coming together, way to stick with it and keep after the tune!!!

      Cheers,
      Tony

4. 

   Clueless January 21, 2016

   Hey, I actually paid attention to the words in the congrats — and they are for Brenda’s Blues! 🙂 Not sure what happened to the congrats for Wildwood flower. But your congrats made me want to go for Brenda’s Blues soon.

   1. 

      Joel January 22, 2016

      Thanks for the catch, Mark!

   2. 

      Tony Polecastro January 22, 2016

      Mark,

      Sorry about that 🙂 I just made Joel aware of that, not sure what happened maybe a new site goblin 🙂 We will get after it asap 🙂

      Cheers,
      Tony

5. 

   Mark M August 2, 2015

   I can play this at fast tempo using alternate, but am struggling to use the down down up pattern. I am practicing it as suggested anyway as it is a great exercise for me. Here are my questions, I’d love to see Tony’s view on this, but please anyone jump in with your opinions.

   1) Why use this as opposed to alternate, is it for the tone (it does have a different “bite”)
   2) If this is better why not got all down, even at a moderate of fast tempo this is not too difficult.
   Thanks! Mark

   1. 

      Tony Polecastro August 4, 2015

      Mark,

      Great question, I am glad that you wrote in!!! The down, down, up motion for the pick is really there to simulate the sound of a banjo. It also places the emphasis on the initial down stroke, which happens to be where the melody lies in this particular arrangement. For your second question: the all down pattern could work, but in my opinion as tempo increases it is harder to maintain consistency. I hope that helps explain the picking pattern a bit 🙂

      Cheers,
      Tony

6. 

   was-Dan April 10, 2015

   Finally got the timing.

7. 

   Sandra B February 26, 2015

   Such a beautiful tune – now I just need to practice so the melody stand’s out.