Playing Fiddle

I’m quite taken with this tune, Au Cluin thu mi mo nighean donn (Are you hearing me my brown haired maid?) by Iain McColl. It’s a Scottish Gaelic air. So someone enlighten me. I am not sure how to define Gaelic versus Scottish versus Irish. I said “Scottish Gaelic” because that’s how it’s described in [...]

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A while back I bought a DVD on playing Scottish fiddle, Play Scottish Fiddle – Intermediate by Sarah Naylor. I haven’t bought many instructional DVDs like this but it seems quite good to me.  There are 6 songs, excuse me TUNES!, taught and they cover a nice variety of rhythms and tempos. There’s a reel, [...]

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Just found this great site, AyePod.net. I’ve been enjoying listening to their podcasts of a radio show on traditional Scottish music. They’ve also got recordings of various sessions and sell some instructional programs for fiddle, whistle, harp, and concertina. Edited to add, here’s a better link with a detailed listing of the artists on each [...]

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I’ve been learning a few Scottish tunes. Listening to Old Blind Dogs was what sparked my interest in learning fiddle. I sounded out a few tunes, like Margaret Cromar’s and Leaving Lochboisdale. Lately I started practicing them again, as well as some I’ve learned from listening to Alasdair Fraser older albums, in particular Return to [...]

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I’m trying to memorize Jenny’s Welcome to Charlie this week. My teacher likes the Frankie Gavin version but I’m having an easier time listening to Martin Hayes slower version, Jenny’s Welcome to Charlie. Last night I tried to play through most of the Celtic tunes I’d memorized at some point or another. Many needed some [...]

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Learning a new tune for St. Paddy’s day, The Moon and Seven Stars. When John first introduced the backwards building concept I absolutely hated it. But, being me, if I’m paying someone for advice I do try to listen! So I kept trying it out–and lo and behold it works! It’s now normal, and oddly [...]

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