25) The Strubben Waltz

The Strubben Waltz (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)

When you're walking in the Netherlands you'll discover that the oak is a very common tree in most woods. The ancient woodland "Kniphorstbos" is filled with strange looking oaks. Those trees got multiple trunks because in the early days there were shepherds with their flock of sheep in this area. The sheep ate the saplings that withheld the trees from growing above the ground. When the shepherds left, the trees started to grow and they became the so called coppice oaks. In the Netherlands we call those oaks "Strubben".  

It was a beautiful day yesterday when we were walking in this fairytale like landscape. In this most beautiful part of our country I decided to name my new mandolintune after those strange looking trees.

Luurtieful Mandolin Music and Backing Tracks Archive

In order not to go through my entire blog to search for tunes, I have archived all my  music files in alphabetical order. As an extra I added a backing track for all of my tunes. These backing tracks were created courtesy of Luke Abbott and his recommended Strummachine website.

• Anti Flu  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Chain of Daisies  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Circus Luurtieful  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Crossing Trains  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• De Biks Reel  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• December sun  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Drents Diep  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Drifting Clouds  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Fish on a Rod  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Fresh Start, A  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Koetze Tibbe  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Lockdown Breakdown  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Lost Goose, A  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Northsea Shuffle (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Please Take a Seat  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Rainy Day, A  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Sinner Demon Breakdown  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Snowbird  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Sparrow on the Fence  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Strubben Waltz, The (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Sunny Day, A  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Valley of Malgum, The (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Whirling Snowflakes  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Windless Sailing  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)
• Wistful Wish, A  (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)

24) Lockdown Breakdown

Lockdown Breakdown (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backingtrack)

There seems to be a complete new world around us which most people like me don't like at all. A lot of us miss the social interaction with other people in some sort of way. In the Netherlands they may call it an Intelligent Lockdown but I feel we have the same limitations and the same mission as people in another country. We must protect the vulnerable people in our society. In this process I found a couple ways to forget our longing for freedom. Beside the fact that we can take a walk alone, cycle alone or jog alone we can still play and write music.
The first example of my writing is this bluegrasstune with the appropriate name "Lockdown Breakdown". As a bonus I wil add a strummachine backingtrack too! Have fun with it.

23) A Sunny Day

A Sunny Day (mp3) (pdf) (tab) (backing track)

It was in May a year ago when I came up with the tune “A Rainy Day”, it was a mournful tune in G minor. I posted the tune in the “Song of the Week socialclub” on mandolincafe. I was surprised and a little proud that the became song of the week in february this year. I don’t consider myself a superstitious person, but from the day my tune was chosen it started raining in the Netherlands. It was a combination of heavy rainfall and strong winds from the west which didn’t seem to stop. When my country was completely soaked I knew I had to write a tune called “A Sunny Day”, so here it is. The sunny day on the picture shows me with my band on the 7th of april this year.

22) Drifting Clouds

Drifting Clouds (mp3) (pdf) (tab)

With the beautiful weather this April I rediscovered something I did a lot when I was a child. I watched the sky and studied the drifting clouds for hours. This can be so relaxing! I think they call it Mindfullness nowadays. Anyway, it's must be very good for our health and so much more inspiring than watching TV.

21) Anti Flu

Anti Flu (mp3) (pdf) (tab)

Whether I caught a cold or got some flu I don't know exactly. As an employee of a school you know you can't always avoid getting infected with some kind of virus. I tried several things to ease the headache and being snotty... sleeping, steaming, green thee, you name it... none of it did work very well. Then I tried to play the mandoline with my eyes closed while my fingers invented a new tune. It's strange, I made a rough recording of it and suddenly I felt better while playing the melody a couple of times. I called the tune "Anti-Flu".

20) A Wistful Wish

A Wistful Wish (mp3) (pdf) (tab)

This tune may sound very mournful and that's not a surprise. I can be very sentimenal in the month of december. Although the tune is very suitable for the mandolin you can hear my sister Grethe play the violin in the second part. Angie Devlin from the mandolingroup on facebook listened to the tune and came up with this very suitable name. Thanks Angie!