O Little Town of Bethlehem

My second entry to Hark! The Herald Banjo Rings 2009. Clawhammer banjo and guitar.

I probably should have ditched the guitar and recorded the banjo part a bit faster, I was going for a laid-back feel, but instead it just feels a little clumsy.

Recorded on an iPhone with Four Track.

• play
• pause
• min volume
• max volume

posted by usonian (7 comments total)

Well, yes, the execution is clumsy in spots, rhythmically, still it's very charming. I'd love to hear you play this unaccompanied on banjo. I wouldn't take it much faster, though: I don't think the character of the song would lend itself so well to a faster tempo.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:17 PM on December 21, 2009

Yeah, this has got great feel; sloppy, but I dig it. I also hate that the iPhone is a 4-track now (only because I regret not buying one).
posted by uncleozzy at 3:53 PM on December 23, 2009

I also hate that the iPhone is a 4-track now (only because I regret not buying one).

The 4-track recorder is not software that you can install on your iPhone? (forgive my ignorance...)
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:42 PM on December 23, 2009

Ah, I just mean that, had I known 4-track software was available for the iPod, I'd have bought one instead of the phone I'm now contractually attached to. Which is not also a 4-track. Unfortunately.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:27 PM on December 23, 2009

It felt very laid back, which I think is a good thing. Not clumsy, more like you were lying on a bed, and the banjo was within arms reach so you played it, but still lying down.
posted by Corduroy at 8:48 AM on December 24, 2009

I made my Christmas playlist with this and it is one of my daughter's favourites. So thank you!
posted by geek anachronism at 2:49 AM on December 21, 2012

Oh, thank you geek anachronism! And thanks everyone else for the nice words, too - feels like longer than 3 years since I did this. I really need to learn some 19th century Christmas songs and arrange them for period-appropriate banjo, maybe next year.
posted by usonian at 6:13 AM on December 21, 2012