Need more help with Mr. Bojangles

[Fred Smith]

I really like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's version of Mr. Bojangles here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-LVXR6rjXs

I'm trying to duplicate the bass run at 0:34 with a multipad, but I'm having trouble finding the right voice. I'm using the CountryWaltz style, and thought I could just use the bass voice from that style, but VintageFlat doesn't do it for me.

What voice would you recommend for this bass run?

Thanks,
Fred

[pieterpan]

Fred,

Do you have a (good) midi file for this version?

Regards <> Piet

[Lee Batchelor]

Hi Fred,

I find a lot of the styles in the Tyros and now Genos keyboards rely heavily on Mega Voices. In general, these voices sound good for a system style but the minute you want to do something more customized (as in your case), they fail miserably. It's no fault of Yamaha's of course. How do they know you want to play and voice a bass line a certain way ?

I would re-record the style's bass line using the ActiveBassFinger (S.ART) or something similar. I just played along with the YouTube video over my Yamaha HS-8 monitors and it sounded stellar.

Can you re-record the style or do you need help?

[Fred Smith]

I find a lot of the styles in the Tyros and now Genos keyboards rely heavily on Mega Voices. In general, these voices sound good for a system style but the minute you want to do something more customized (as in your case), they fail miserably. It's no fault of Yamaha's of course. How do they know you want to play and voice a bass line a certain way ?

I would re-record the style's bass line using the ActiveBassFinger (S.ART) or something similar. I just played along with the YouTube video over my Yamaha HS-8 monitors and it sounded stellar.

Can you re-record the style or do you need help?

Thanks, Lee. I know Megavoices are designed solely for styles, so I actually used the non-megavoice VintageFlat, but still didn't like it. I like your choice better.

I'm not into changing the style, I'll leave it alone. I'll just do the bass runs as a multipad -- that works for me.

Cheers,
Fred

[Normanfernandez]

Hi Fred,
Did you get my DM?

[Lee Batchelor]

Excellent, Fred. Glad to have helped you for a change !

[Fred Smith]

Hi Fred,
Did you get my DM?

I did, but I don't know what to do with a 157mb wav file. All I'm looking for is an idea of what voice to use for my multipad.

Cheers,
Fred

[Normanfernandez]

I was hoping that it would help you to Identify the Instrument.

So that you could select the correct voice.

My bad.

[Fred Smith]

I was hoping that it would help you to Identify the Instrument.

So that you could select the correct voice.

I appreciate your trying to help, Norman. But, as a typical amateur, hearing something and being able to match it elsewhere is not in my skill set.

I tried dozens of voices on the Genos, but still didn't come up with something as good as what Lee suggested.

That's what I love about this forum. Help is always available.

Cheers,
Fred

[DrakeM]

Hello Fred,

You can put the fill into the styles "fill in" slot in one of the 4 style parts. That way you can easily trigger the phrase with your left hand.

Here is an similar example in the song "Fox on the Run". This example uses a guitar to perform the run however. I learned this tip while putting together the style I used for "Kokomo" (number 408), I saw that Yamaha had create the run heard in that song in this manner.

Also when recording the lick into the style, I found it best to use a "Legacy" Voice to create the notes and then switch to one of the newer voices. 

Regards
Drake

[travlin-easy]

Fred, sorry it took me so long to get to this. I played this song for years when I was working the nite club/restaurant circuit around Baltimore. I use the Jazz Waltz Fast style, second intro, "C" variation, tempo of 120. It fit the song perfectly.

Hope this helps,

Gary

[panos]

Hi Fred at 0:34 I can hear 4 fast chord changes or 4 notes if we would have played that with just one finger.
One at every beat (1,2,3 and back to 1).
I guess you are having trouble to play them because the 3/4 songs sometimes have really fast tempos.
Drake solution seems logical but you have to record the chords in order to stay the same no matter what chord you are playing (like a midi).
But unfortunately I am not good at these things to do it.

On the other hand if you put just that bass part in a midi multipad without chord match, maybe it will not sound good if the style is playing other chords(that means notes) than the multipad.

I saw other versions of the song played by a whole orchestra so a 3/4 jazz style would feet as Gary suggested.
But this country version sounds different and really nice too.

[DrakeM]

Hello Fred,

Attached is a link to a reworked version of the style Gary suggested. I expanded the MAIN C to eight measures and added the guitar run into the Phrase 1 slot there.

You can copy the run into any style if you expand the MAIN to eight measures.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhIGLd9AvIj_glKPD_pztYXTWjiJ?e=oMQLfk

I had thought about creating a custom song style for this song but never did because of the walk down and the run up in the song. So I guess I'll give it a shot  and try to complete the whole style now the hard part is done. 

Regards
Drake

[Fred Smith]

Thanks everyone for your replies and suggestions. Always useful to see all the ideas out there.

I've still got my heart set on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's version, as it's more uptempo, and they do a really good job of the bass runs. So I'll use the CountryWaltz style like they did. Drake, I hope your work isn't in vain, and you'll be able to use your style in your version.

I think I have all the bass notes and bass runs figured out, and I've created a multipad with them. The only stumbling block I had was what voice to use in the multipad, and Lee's suggestion was most welcome.

Thanks again,
Fred

[DrakeM]

I have the style worked up and completed. The bass run up I placed in the "Fill In" slot. I set up all four MAINs to progress through the song the NGDB way. I found a nice choppy break to use for the "Mr Bojangles" chorus section.

I started with the country waltz style. Deleted the Pedal steel and Strings. Replaced the Bass with one from a Jazz style. Replaced one of the finger picking patterns (I can't remember where I got it.) I asked my wife to guess the song. The only voice I used at the kick off is the guitar, I played 3 chords and trigger the bass run up and she nailed it hearing just that much. I didn't even get the first word out of my mouth.

I just need to learn the words a lot better.

Regards
Drake

[Fred Smith]

Drake, Here is my version of the lyrics. I took what I thought was best from the many versions I looked at. Fred

I knew a man, Bojangles, who would dance for you, in worn out shoes.
With silver hair and ragged shirt and baggy pants, the old "soft shoe".
He jumped so high, jumped so high, then he'd lightly touch down.
I met him in a cell in New Orleans. I was so down and out.
He looked to me to to be the the of eyes of age, he spoke right out.
He talked of life, talked of life, laughed, clicked clicked his heels and stepped.
He said his name, Bojangles, and he danced a lick across the cell.
He grabbed his pants with feathered stance he jumped so high and clicked his heels.
He let go a laugh, let go a laugh, shook his clothes all around.
Mister Bojangles, Mister Bojangles, Mister Bojangles danced.

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs throughout the South.
He spoke through tears of fifteen years how his dog and him travelled about.
The dog up and died, up and died; after twenty years he still grieves.
He does a dance at every chance in honkytonks for drinks and tips.
But most the time he spends behind these county bars: "I drinks a bit."
He shook his head, shook his head. I heard someone cry: "Please, please.
Mister Bojangles, Mister Bojangles, Mister Bojangles: dance."