I love this tune: http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/150 I'm not a fiddler, so can't tell if it's easy or hard to play, but it definitely sounds gorgeous on the fiddle. And learn traditional Donegal highland or strathspeys as many as you can. Northern versions of well-known tunes such as Drowsy Maggie and Rakish Paddy are also great on the fiddle.
But, all of you should be careful of playing such difficult fiddle tunes in the session. If all the other tunes are relatively simple traditional tunes, complicated fiddle tunes really stand out in the session. However, I find many classically trained fiddlers tend to play too many Ed Reavy's finger twisters and Paddy Fahy tunes in Gm, Dm or Fmajor. You should never ever play more than two or three of such fiddle tunes in a row. Otherwise, it's just annoying to other players, especially flute or whistle players!
You should only learn tunes if you like them whether they are complicated or not. There are exceptions to this, of course, if you have been forced to learn them for a performance or concert etc.
Certainly, don't force them upon people at your local session. You might get some polite applause and encouragement but, rest assured, the majority of the other players will be muttering under their breath and behind your back.
Having said that, some of my favourite "more difficult" tunes include Jean's reel and The Sandy Burn reel both of which are on this site. Be careful, though, and be aware of others when you air such "party pieces".
My mandolin playing John J must be better than I supposed . . . tried Sandy Burn reel this morning and didn't find it that difficult.I know why it appears hard . . its because of the high C's and E's, but because you always return to an open E it makes it much simpler.I find it much more difficult to play the B flat on the 7th fret.Nice tune though.
Part 4 is probably the hardest but I can manage it quite well on the mandolin too. The intonation can be a problem when you play it on the fiddle, especially if you're not used to playing outwith the first position.
There are plenty of stupidly difficult tunes out there. If aspiring to be able to play difficult tunes is your goal, just look into J.S. Skinner, as was mentioned before, or check out Sean McGuire's repertoire. Very difficult tunes.
Still, even more difficult (I think) would be to try to play another excellent fiddler's setting of a more common tune. I, for one, think that it would be a greater (and much more useful) challenge to learn one of Tommy Peoples' settings of nearly anything, than it would be to learn to merely "play" a J.S. Skinner tune like "the Mathematician".
Tunes like "the Mathematician", "the Acrobat", and "the President" all have a useful place in music, of course. Still, I'd rather hear John Carty or Tommy Peoples play a common tune really well over a really technically difficult tune merely "played".
But then maybe I'm just being curmugeonly again...
FMF, I think George said exactly what he meant to say, which is that it's preferable to play a simple tune well than a complicated tune poorly or even just middling.
I agree. Some "tunes" appear to have been composed just to showcase technical prowess, a la a Paganini caprice. I like what Martin Hayes says about that: (I'm paraphrasing here) The players who set out to impress are the ones who impress me the least. Same goes for tunes.
I sat down to learn Tommy Peoples' settings of a number of tunes i already knew and it turned my head in circles. Frankie Gavin can also be a good one to learn tunes from.
But if you're looking for a technically hard tune, Pigeon on the Gate in g minor is tricky, because of the fifth switch from D to rolls on the G, and it doesn't sound too show-offy or untraditional. I don't remember where it was recorded, but I'm sure George knows if he's still reading this thread. [Welcome to the session George!] Also, The Girls of Mansfield is a nice tune that can be difficult because of awkward triplet placement, if you learn the version off Natalie MacMaster's "Fit as a Fiddle" album. A lot of the tunes that Tommy Peoples composed himself can be awkward, so aside from learning his settings, even just learning his tunes can be hard, since he switches strings a lot.
BTW, somebody recently won their Fleadh with Will's tune Bang Your Frog on the Sofa, which can be found in the tune archive. I love the tune, but Will doesn't play it himself, and I'd rather learn it from someone's playing than the dots.
Tunes 4 Fiddle
Tunes 4 Fiddle
Hi I'm looking for extremely difficult/complex tunes to learn...glutton for punishment methinks.
Any suggestions?
# Posted on August 15th 2004 by Choonz
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
How about flight of the bumble bee in c#.
# Posted on August 15th 2004 by Justintime
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
Try some of Ed Reavy's tunes. They are difficult and need a lot of work.
Trevor
# Posted on August 15th 2004 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
Scott Skinner wrote a few show-off pieces.
Try "The Mathematician" http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/display.php?ID=JSS0203
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by Bren
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
I love this tune: http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/150 I'm not a fiddler, so can't tell if it's easy or hard to play, but it definitely sounds gorgeous on the fiddle. And learn traditional Donegal highland or strathspeys as many as you can. Northern versions of well-known tunes such as Drowsy Maggie and Rakish Paddy are also great on the fiddle.
But, all of you should be careful of playing such difficult fiddle tunes in the session. If all the other tunes are relatively simple traditional tunes, complicated fiddle tunes really stand out in the session. However, I find many classically trained fiddlers tend to play too many Ed Reavy's finger twisters and Paddy Fahy tunes in Gm, Dm or Fmajor. You should never ever play more than two or three of such fiddle tunes in a row. Otherwise, it's just annoying to other players, especially flute or whistle players!
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by slainte
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
play
sligo maid,
down the broom, or
earls chair thru the cycle of fifths.
don't skip any keys.
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by vboyd100
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
if you are truly of self-flaggelating bent..
me too,, i love beating myself up occasionally
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by vboyd100
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
the beeswing hpipe is a mind twister!
-Athena
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by act
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
You should only learn tunes if you like them whether they are complicated or not. There are exceptions to this, of course, if you have been forced to learn them for a performance or concert etc.
Certainly, don't force them upon people at your local session. You might get some polite applause and encouragement but, rest assured, the majority of the other players will be muttering under their breath and behind your back.
Having said that, some of my favourite "more difficult" tunes include Jean's reel and The Sandy Burn reel both of which are on this site. Be careful, though, and be aware of others when you air such "party pieces".
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
My mandolin playing John J must be better than I supposed . . . tried Sandy Burn reel this morning and didn't find it that difficult.I know why it appears hard . . its because of the high C's and E's, but because you always return to an open E it makes it much simpler.I find it much more difficult to play the B flat on the 7th fret.Nice tune though.
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by Justintime
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
Part 4 is probably the hardest but I can manage it quite well on the mandolin too. The intonation can be a problem when you play it on the fiddle, especially if you're not used to playing outwith the first position.
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
I am a fiddler but I'm thinking that B flat is on the 6th fret of a mandolin.
-dogma
# Posted on August 17th 2004 by dogmageek
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
You're right. It's B on the 7th fret and that is, in fact, the note which gets played in the tune.
# Posted on August 17th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
The Bee's wing Hornpipe - go on, I DARE you. (lol) Also many strathspeys a la Marshall, Scott Skinner, etc. are pretty tricky.
FMF
# Posted on August 17th 2004 by folkmasterflex
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
I know I'll get into trouble from Jeremy for this, but, my dear happy camper, you are a fool.
# Posted on August 17th 2004 by ...
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
There are plenty of stupidly difficult tunes out there. If aspiring to be able to play difficult tunes is your goal, just look into J.S. Skinner, as was mentioned before, or check out Sean McGuire's repertoire. Very difficult tunes.
Still, even more difficult (I think) would be to try to play another excellent fiddler's setting of a more common tune. I, for one, think that it would be a greater (and much more useful) challenge to learn one of Tommy Peoples' settings of nearly anything, than it would be to learn to merely "play" a J.S. Skinner tune like "the Mathematician".
Tunes like "the Mathematician", "the Acrobat", and "the President" all have a useful place in music, of course. Still, I'd rather hear John Carty or Tommy Peoples play a common tune really well over a really technically difficult tune merely "played".
But then maybe I'm just being curmugeonly again...
# Posted on August 18th 2004 by Georgi
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
Whoa! Hi there, George! Welcome to the Session, nice to see you here.
Zina
# Posted on August 18th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
Not at all, George. There's nothing wrong with playing difficult tunes but you should only do so if you like them-not to impress.
# Posted on August 18th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
I think it all that you are saying George is that you prefer Irish music to Scottish (allbeit it in a ridiculous 'one is more useful' kinda way).
Each to their own (just a thought).
FMF
# Posted on August 19th 2004 by folkmasterflex
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
FMF, I think George said exactly what he meant to say, which is that it's preferable to play a simple tune well than a complicated tune poorly or even just middling.
I agree. Some "tunes" appear to have been composed just to showcase technical prowess, a la a Paganini caprice. I like what Martin Hayes says about that: (I'm paraphrasing here) The players who set out to impress are the ones who impress me the least. Same goes for tunes.
# Posted on August 19th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
I sat down to learn Tommy Peoples' settings of a number of tunes i already knew and it turned my head in circles. Frankie Gavin can also be a good one to learn tunes from.
But if you're looking for a technically hard tune, Pigeon on the Gate in g minor is tricky, because of the fifth switch from D to rolls on the G, and it doesn't sound too show-offy or untraditional. I don't remember where it was recorded, but I'm sure George knows if he's still reading this thread. [Welcome to the session George!] Also, The Girls of Mansfield is a nice tune that can be difficult because of awkward triplet placement, if you learn the version off Natalie MacMaster's "Fit as a Fiddle" album. A lot of the tunes that Tommy Peoples composed himself can be awkward, so aside from learning his settings, even just learning his tunes can be hard, since he switches strings a lot.
# Posted on August 20th 2004 by heth
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
BTW, somebody recently won their Fleadh with Will's tune Bang Your Frog on the Sofa, which can be found in the tune archive. I love the tune, but Will doesn't play it himself, and I'd rather learn it from someone's playing than the dots.
# Posted on August 20th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
Does he prefer to play the Concertina reel?
# Posted on August 20th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Tunes 4 Fiddle
Until he finally figures out what it is he's playing, anyway. Heh.
# Posted on August 20th 2004 by Zina Lee