Seminole Solstice

dreadmon

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Description

I'm part Seminole and have really just begun to discover more about this particular tribe of First Nations people. This tune was written for the songbook that I'm about to publish called "All Over The Map" and it is a modern reflection of the Seminole legacy as channeled through a modern American instrument (and a few choice drums). As many Native American songs - this one is circular, even to the point of becoming a round. For those in the know - I'm tuned to D-A-D. Enjoy!

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Song Stats

Hits: 3929
Comments: 61
Fans: 28
Plays: 425
Downloads: 174
Votes: 18
Uploaded: Apr 03, 2007 - 09:09:47 AM
Last Updated: Apr 03, 2007 - 09:09:47 AM Last Played: Apr 17, 2013 - 03:16:33 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs

Song Actions

Hardware:

Mountain Dulcimer
G4

Software:

Garageband 3

Comments

guitapick	guitapick said 2239 days ago (April 3rd, 2007)
	Cool. I get to hear this first... Artwork, description, playing, composition, production: Awesome, my friend. A perfect song for my morning. Complete package. I'm blown away by what you can do with that dulcimer, Bing. Check out my latest song called 'Cuz I Can

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Thank you, sir! I'm seriously glad you were able to start your morning with this tune. Thank you for the blessing and connection! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Aureliano	Aureliano said 2239 days ago (April 3rd, 2007)
	nice mix your visuals and audio are a perfect combo, I can feel the heat and hear the joy as the solstice celebration begins, I also agree this is a nice song for my morning. cool song Bing, thats a catchy title "All over the map"...

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Thank you! Thanks very much, I appreciate you taking the time to listen! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	All Over The Map Funnily enough, I just looked up on this page and saw Bubowski's banner, which says "All Over The Map" - and I swear, I don't think I've ever seen it before. Wonder if it was like, subliminal or something? --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Ed Hannifin

Ed Hannifin said 2239 days ago (April 3rd, 2007)

Meaning no disrespect...
...to your ancestry, this is the sort of tune that one could hear and imagine arising from Irish harp tradition, or from Italian or Balkan mandolin or bouzouki playing... or probably a few other places on the map... Especially when you skirl into the upper registers, there's something that skips it out beyond a specific ethnic tradition, and seems to these ears to land it squarely in the brotherhood of man...

It reminds me of when I first heard some of Richard Thompson's earlier, very modal playing, and it struck me that he could be coming from an Old English folk or a Celtic place, but just as easily from a Breton or an Arabic place... Some bits of melody seem as if they come up from the soul and the soil...

So this, to me, is in that company. It's Seminole to the extent that you are coming from that place as you write and play it, but if we dropped you and your dulcimer by parachute just about anywhere on earth where it's reasonably safe, I think you and your music would make friends in a heartbeat...

Performance and recording are clear and clean. I'm listening over speakers tonight, and the sound has plenty of air, presence, space.

Really nice.

Ed

Check out my latest song called Uno/I Like The Way... (with Macaudion, SISTERS, ktb, and ziti)

dreadmon

dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)

you got me!
Ah Ed, you're on to me. : ) I quibbled about putting some more insight into the description and ended up not doing it. Though this tune is called "Seminole Solstice" and is my envisioning of a moment in time with members of a Native American tribe, I purposely made this a multicultural mix, from the 3/4 time, which one could argue isn't really a First Nations trait to the vaguely Celtic melody. The most important thing was to avoid anything that had that "hi-yah" stereotypical sound - when it's done as a poor imitation, it can sound like an old John Ford western score. Native American music is usually associated with drums and flutes, not string instruments (though I downloaded a cool book yesterday from the mid 1800's documenting stringed instrument use amongst American Indians, but I digress), so I tried to keep it drone-y and simple, using the melody as the wail of a medicine man or tribe elder (with some creative license, of course.)

So, no worries - you actually spoke to my true intention, which was to take a particular indigenous moment and expand it beyond cultural boundaries to become a univeral experience. Damn, you're good, Ed. : ) Thanks for listening and for your insight!

---
Mahalo nui loa,

Bing Futch

Check out my latest song called Don't You

bonnieprincejohnny	bonnieprincejohnny said 2238 days ago (April 4th, 2007)
	Enjoyment reached Bing Futch - like the name, like the tune. Good work mon frere. Check out my latest song called twenty seven

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Thanks, man! Glad you liked the tune (and the name) - thanks for listening! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Brian Weiland

Brian Weiland said 2238 days ago (April 4th, 2007)

Bing,
First of all, thanks for your reply to my post this morning. I'll check out Sibelius. I keep hoping Apple will just put a print functionality into Garageband, especially since so many teachers use it in the classroom!

But far more importantly, WOW! Very cool tune! I love the big drum, and especially it's sparse placement at the beginning and end- very effective. I also really liked the percussion at the very beginning that sounded like triplet patterns on some sort of log drum.

The production sounds so clean, I must ask if those are sounds you're geting off a keyboard, or are you recording them live with real persussion instruments? And what's that crash sound way in the background just under halfway through.

The whole thing sets up such a great mood- sort of an understated passion. The only possible complaint I could register is that the shaker sometimes falls slightly behind the beat. This is pretty common, because if you shake it exactly on the beat, the beads or whatever is inside it take a split-second to whack the inside of the shaker, and so the effect is that the sound is slightly late, so, especially if you're doing a relatively slow part with accents, you actually have to play a shaker in front of the beat to get it to sound in time. But we're so used to hearing shakers do this that it might not matter too much, and you might even have deliberately done it that way to provide some tension and yearning between them and the drums.

The main impression I got, though, was: nice melody! I love modal things like this. Beautiful song, man.

I gather you've been here a while- believe it or not I was actually fully planning on introducing myself to you even before you responded to my post this morning. I was just poking around the site and stumbled upon you and your dulcimer, and had to give a listen. I only had time to listen to a few, but you are a clearly great player and a beautiful singer, and I will definitely be listening to more of your stuff.

You and David Massengil are the only people I've ever heard play the mountil dulcimer with such artistry. The way you play, record, and assumedly the instrument you own combine to give a very warm rich tone that I did not expect, and which sounds beautiful. I actually built a mountain dulcimer which looks pretty good but sounds thinner than yours and has lousy action, and it mostly hangs on the wall in my living room. I also play the hammered dulcimer- did you ever try one of those?

~Brian

Check out my latest song called The Gentle Maiden/Planxty Fanny Powers

dreadmon

dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)

Wow!
Thanks, Brian - for the kind words - I sent you an e-mail back. Them's very encouraging words there, bro! No sweat mentioning the shaker timing - I put my music out there fully prepared for any and all critiques. In answer to your question about the drums and other percussive sounds, I used the Orchestral Percussion software set from the Symphony Jam Pack to get all the various drums and effects, including the shaker, all played live. I noticed the off-timing on the shaker here and there and wondered if I wanted to correct it or leave it as it was because of the moment. With the natural intent of this track, I felt it would work without making it perfect.

Thanks again for the very kind words - I appreciate them very much!

I do play hammered dulcimer a bit - had a really nice Masterworks 16/15 Chromatic that I sold earlier this year in order to get my MacBook. That's awesome that you built a dulcimer! You should go have a luthier lower the action for you so it can come off the wall for a little playtime!

Thanks again for listening and for the e-mail. Hope you find a way to print out that music easily!

---
Mahalo nui loa,

Bing Futch

Check out my latest song called Don't You

spitlogic	spitlogic said 2238 days ago (April 4th, 2007)
	Very festive The subtlety of the drums go very well with this piece. I feel like going out to the woods with family/friends and commune. Very natural and spiritual. Check out my latest song called Measures

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Great response! That's excellent - getting out into the wilderness, definitely part of my intention in funneling that Earth-sense. I hope you make that trip soon - it's beautiful outside. : ) Thanks for listening! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

perceptualvortex	perceptualvortex said 2238 days ago (April 4th, 2007)
	Love it Wow. Awesome, moving music once again... great work, Bing! Check out my latest song called Mercury (RPM 6)

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Awesome David, thanks so much, man! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

DWL	DWL said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Evocative This is excellent Bing. Like others I love the sparseness of the percussion. Splendidly clean playing as always. Atmospheric and understated. Lovely stuff :-) Cheers Dick Check out my latest song called Not For The Likes of You

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Excellent! Thanks, Dick! Glad you made a nice connection with this one, thanks for listening! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

	said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Love the D-A-D tuning... Very restful and peaceful piece of music. I enjoyed listening to this very much. Thanks.

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Thank you! Thank you very much - it's always a pleasure to have you stop by and have a listen! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

mvh9591	mvh9591 said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	Very Nice ----- Dreadmon you play your instrument well. Great song. Love it. Thanks for sharing, mvh : ) Check out my latest song called 01-15-13 Not sure where it's taking me.

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Many thanks! Thank you for listening - I appreciate the kind words! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

bud	bud said 2237 days ago (April 5th, 2007)
	What a great tune - you're a real master of the dulcimer - a beautiful sound to begin with - but even more expressive in your hands. I also like the way you worked with the sound stage creating some dialog in the track. Excellent. PS - Thanks for giving the Classical/Dub idea some thought - and for dropping by recently. Check out my latest song called ditto

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Dialogue is good Hey Bud, thanks a lot, you are too kind. Glad you enjoyed this - and hope you get that classical dub project rolling - you've got me all excited to see what you'll come up with! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Dixie Mason Band	Dixie Mason Band said 2236 days ago (April 6th, 2007)
	POWERFUL ENCHANTMENT Elegant. Classic. Fine Production Values with few Fx and Perfect Placements. Just All Music. Best, Dixie Check out my latest song called SLOW BURN

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Quiet observation of the earth Thank you, Dixie - I'm glad you like the sparseness here. It was tempting to put in much more, bass, some strings, but I wanted to keep it sounding as if it could have actually been recorded by a fire in the middle of the woods. Thanks for listening and appreciating to the simplicity! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

rtcooper	rtcooper said 2236 days ago (April 6th, 2007)
	PLAIN AND CLEAR You Own It, Brother. Evocative. Great Playing. Very Best Regards, Cooper Check out my latest song called The Loon and the Hula Moon (mstr)

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Happy to evoke! Thank you, RT - I'm always happy when the music takes someone on a little journey. Thanks for listening! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Pie	Pie said 2236 days ago (April 6th, 2007)
	Beautifully... Beautifully hypnotic. Great restraint. My only tweak would to be to add a little reverb (which is normally anathema to me) whicj might 'warm-up' the mix a little. Otherwise... spiffing. What ho. Be cool, Pie Check out my latest song called Coalesce (Instrumental)

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Thanks Pie! Thanks for stopping by - I agree that a little 'verb would balance the whole. Glad you came over to listen! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

kristyjo

kristyjo said 2235 days ago (April 7th, 2007)

Great mix of instruments-
And great tune. Pentatonic 'works' for so many types of music because it is the basis from which so many kinds of tuning systems split off from. Perfect choice for a piece in a book called 'All Over the Map', IMHO.

On another note, my daughter has discovered my ducimer in the closet. We're being regaled with renditions of 'Boil Them Cabbage Down' and 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. I'm having her take a listen to several of you pieces here so she has something great to aspire to!

Check out my latest song called The Black Cat

dreadmon

dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)

Thank you!
Thanks KristyJo! There is indeed something tribal about the pentatonic scale - I wonder how deep that symbolism goes? And across how many valleys? It sounds like you've got a budding dulcimer player in the house! That always makes me happy - one, that young folks take an interest in the instrument, and two, that dulcimers are getting played. : ) Thanks for listening and for your insight!

---
Mahalo nui loa,

Bing Futch

Check out my latest song called Don't You

Magritte	Magritte said 2234 days ago (April 8th, 2007)
	A place of peace Simple, elegant, and yet full of meaning. A restful meditation, but not without energy. Not an easy combination to achieve! Check out my latest song called Tango Macabre

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Thank you Thanks for listening and for the insight! It truly does come from a place of restless peacefulness and there was a temptation to make it more aggressive in that respect, but I went for something more understated. Thanks again for checking this out! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

echoroom	echoroom said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Stunning musicianship Bing - this is another great, wonderfully composed and played. A really emotional feel to this, such a simple tune. Perfectly understated, wonderful chord progressions. Makes you feel clean again. Steve Check out my latest song called Sweet Isolation

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	To be clean Thank you very much, Steve - you honor and humble me with your words. And such a statement, to have made a connection with the music and feel clean - that's incredible and powerful. Thank you for sharing the music! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

ledebutant

ledebutant said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)

Movie in My Mind
Darnit! Ed already said one of the things I wanted to, which is this song feels as though it comes from somewhere specific, but also from many different specific places. Of course, Ed said it fancier and with comparisons, etc, and he said bouzouki. I agree with him about the instrument. Initially, I thought you were playing a mandolin and, if it didn't know it was you playing, I probably would have continued to assume so.

Um, so basically, my comment is what Ed said. Also, I like what Steve said about feeling clean again. This song put me outside in the fresh air, immediately. It evoked mountains and the early morning.

So, basically, I'm trying to be like Ed and Steve in as many ways as possible.

This is so lovely, Bing and I'm downloading it and going to pass it around to a few people.

Check out my latest song called Merton's Prayer (work-in-progress with Jim Bouchard)

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Mind movies! LOL, thanks for the smile this morning, Lisa - just know that great minds think alike. : ) We share the feeling that this song came from somewhere - it seems more like I channeled it rather than put any effort into creating a piece or mood. Thanks for listening and for passing it around! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

BranDaMan	BranDaMan said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Wonderful great songwriting, great production, great overall feel to this. You paint a perfect picture musically. Check out my latest song called Giving Up (Instrumental)

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Many thanks - I do appreciate that - thank you for listening! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

	said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	wonderfull YOu have a way with putting a feeling down and holding the listeer there. This is beautifull bing THanks for sharing!!!!!!

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	Dag! That is a fantastic tribute - thank you so much. I'm not even sure what to say to that - thank you, again? --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

	said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	understated bing - you're so good at getting your ego out of the way and letting the song have ITS way with us. i sure appreciate your focus to stay straightforward thruout this piece for maximum impact. your open heart comes shining thru in this one. lovely - anne

dreadmon

dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)

Powerful insight
Thank you so much, Anne - this comment means a lot to me for a couple of different reasons. One - yes, it is very important for me to just let tunes be what they are as opposed to showcases for what I *could* be. Secondly - in order to have a big ego about this sort of thing, one must have chops that can be perceived to be better than anyone else's - and since I'm still of the mind that I'm a student and always trying to get a leg-up on music's horse, I don't ever seem to have a problem with ego getting in the way. LOL! What a release to just play honestly and be okay with what comes out. Of course, an audience is part and parcel to a musicians' output and I can't think of a better place to let your soul hang out than right here at MacJams. This place is good for you in the purest sense of the idea! Thanks for listening!

---
Mahalo nui loa,

Bing Futch

Check out my latest song called Don't You

Scott Carmichael	Scott Carmichael said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	A true musician You really know how to bring the heart through on whatever you do...If your singing pop, or folk, doing soundtrack stuff... the dulcimers sound pristine... perfect... but the icing here is how you produce the sparce percussions around... fan & friend Check out my latest song called Dogwood

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	What a blessing Thank you Scott - glory to the Creator for this music and for all the good that it may do. Thank you for listening! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

FEEL	FEEL said 2233 days ago (April 9th, 2007)
	the strumming has a trancing feel to it... I can almost hear a mouth harp. The break towards the end is so melodic, it did me in. Great stuff as usual. Thanks for sharing. Check out my latest song called I Want Emoticon

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2232 days ago (April 10th, 2007)
	Trance-y Thank you, John - that's awesome that you got a trance vibe off of this. Thanks again for listening! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

	said 2231 days ago (April 11th, 2007)
	Beautiful! This is a great composition Bing. Very pretty. Evocative. Even though there are no Native American drums herein I kept hearing them off in the distance in my mind's ear! Be well! PLANET RIDER: http://www.macjams.com/song/30720

dreadmon

dreadmon said 2229 days ago (April 13th, 2007)

True in a way
Hey Mike, thanks for listening! You are right - there are no Native American drums in this piece, though I've got a quarter-note bass drum that's very much in the background and gets a little more prominent as the piece moves forward. It's actually an orchestra drum, and what I would give to have an actual hoop drum or something. *sigh* another item for the ever-growing wish list. Thanks again, man!

---
Mahalo nui loa,

Bing Futch

Check out my latest song called Don't You

jiguma	jiguma said 2231 days ago (April 11th, 2007)
	Beautiful production Bing! That dulcimer is so perfectly reproduced on my phones, in fact this is quite a recording triumph overall. I love the restful nature of the 3/4 and the emotion with which you play. Excellent post Bing, Peace, Neil Check out my latest song called News Is Gonna Break

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2229 days ago (April 13th, 2007)
	Bows Thank you Neil, you are very generous! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

dwwave	dwwave said 2231 days ago (April 11th, 2007)
	Wow! Bing, I do not usually listen to music through headphones but after hearing it through speakers I listened through a set. Masterful songwriting , not sure if I was outside would I slowly dance around or look up at the sky in wonder. Excellent arrangement. Really enjoyed this song! Thanks for sharing and posting this on Macjams! dwwave Check out my latest song called One Half Person

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2229 days ago (April 13th, 2007)
	The master's voice Thanks, David! This is one of those tunes that really came directly from the Creator and I just happened to be the funnel through which it emerged. I hope you do get a chance to listen to it while dancing underneath a night sky. What a tribute that would be to the Great Architect! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Monkaton	Monkaton said 2215 days ago (April 27th, 2007)
	Lovely This is a lovely arrangement. The playing and recording are excellent. Thanks for posting the song here. Check out my latest song called Dirty Looks

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2121 days ago (July 30th, 2007)
	Thank you Thank you, very much! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Nikos	Nikos said 2211 days ago (May 1st, 2007)
	Inspiring Wow dreadmon this is beatifull. The sound of that mountain dulcimer is superb. More of the same please. Check out my latest song called Enchanted Forest Clearing

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2121 days ago (July 30th, 2007)
	Thank you! Thank you, Nikos! I will be uploading some more dulcimer music pretty soon, thanks for asking! --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

Lizard*Whistle

Lizard*Whistle said 2170 days ago (June 11th, 2007)

Wow!
This is gorgeous. Sure you were channelling something. Delicious modal melody expressed with an incredible soulfulness and joy, and the whole thing perfectly constructed, with each immaculately performed part fulfilling itself to the utmost. Just delightful!

It's the perfect thing to greet and celebrate the Sun as it moves between phases, whatever part of the world you're in.

Check out my latest song called Black madonna

dreadmon	dreadmon said 2121 days ago (July 30th, 2007)
	Wow. Thank you, so much! I'm very pleased that you've made a connection with the elemental nature of this song. Your words, and their spirit, are a honor and a blessing. --- Mahalo nui loa, Bing Futch Check out my latest song called Don't You

kassia	kassia said 1819 days ago (May 27th, 2008)
	beautiful This is just a gorgeous piece of music, a journey through sunlight and warmth and joy. You play beautifully - an amazing instrument. I don't know much about the mountain dulcimer - I'm gonna have to check it out. This really is just a wonderful song in praise of Nature. Thank you! Check out my latest song called Greensleeves

dreadmon	dreadmon said 1775 days ago (July 11th, 2008)
	be natural Thank you so much, Kassia. The mountain dulcimer is such a wonderful instrument - I actively try to get one in every musician's hands, there's something about its vibe, the tonality, that can be so instantly transcending. I appreciate you making the connection with the natural pulse of this track - aloha! Check out my latest song called Don't You

Artist Info

Name: Bing Futch
Location: Orlando Florida United States

Che hun ta mo!Thanks for visiting my page here on MacJams. I'm a full-time musician that specializes in the Appalachian mountain dulcimer. Besides giving private lessons and teaching workshops at festivals around the country on this unique America... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

Genre Info

More songs in Native American:

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