my mama died this morning, and my heart is heavy with feelings

Went to see Sam Bush last night with my collaborator and the Benny, the guitarist from my band.

Hours I’ve put into the mandolin this year (starting 1/25/25). Hour per dot. Colors correspond with categories such as practice, rehearsal, playing with others, listening, etc). Size is rough sense of the impact of each hour.

#bluegrass #mandolin #howipractice #howtopractice #progresschart

Outtake from the last. I was really digging this take and then my phone ran out of power (hence the er er er er electronic stutter and sudden stop at the end). #fiddletune #whiskeybeforebrealfast #bluegrass #mandolin #autisticmusician

Canadian fiddle tune called “Whiskey Before Breakfast.” It was one of the first tunes I learned, so it acts as something of a benchmark for how my playing evolves. #fiddletunes #mandolin #autistiusician

seen just now in a conversation on banjo hangout. mandolins tend to be loud? said by a BANJO player? #banjosareloud #mandolinsarequiet #shouldwepracticeourshapesandcolorstoo

Goodbye Liza Jane

Hawk caught a chicken and he flew upstairs, Goodbye, Oh, Goodbye
Hawk caught a chicken and he flew upstairs, Goodbye Liza Jane.

Oh, how I love her, ain’t that a shame,
Oh, how I love her, Goodbye Liza Jane

#bluegrass #fiddletune #autisticmandolinist

I’m James, though depending on where you find me I go more often by jflatnote or (as here) the Autistic Mandolinist.

I am autistic and nonbinary, and respond most readily to they/them pronouns.

The video here is a description of why I, as a growing mandolin player, post things I’m not good at.