I've listened to fiddlers like John Doherty etc, and they sound great. There's no fiddlers where I live, so I was hoping that somebody could give me some tips about learning to play in that Donegal style. General tips about the bowing and the ornamentations in the district. I've heard that they use a piper-technique called "cranning", how do they play that on a fiddle?
Unfortunaltey, I can't give you advice how to learn the Donegal style, but I like it very much, too. Maybe the best thing is to listen as much as you can and to go to Donegal to learn from the fiddle players there.
There is a summer school, the Fiddle Week in Glencolmcille, which seems to be very good. I will go there this year. I am really looking forward to it.
Have a look at http://www.tradartsweb.com. It's a webpage about Donegal fiddle music and you can find the details of the Fiddleweek there.
I don't know much about it, though i really like it too. They use very few rolls and lots of triplets and play fast. The bowing is supposed to be quite dynamic and there is an emphasis on sounding every note rather then slurring.
Other then that a search on google would yeild quite abit i'd imagine. : )
I have played in the Donegal fiddle style for some years now and trying hard to learn it because it's no irish fiddlers where I live either, you see I am a norwegian too!
The Donegal Fiddle Style
The Donegal Fiddle Style
Hello.
I've listened to fiddlers like John Doherty etc, and they sound great. There's no fiddlers where I live, so I was hoping that somebody could give me some tips about learning to play in that Donegal style. General tips about the bowing and the ornamentations in the district. I've heard that they use a piper-technique called "cranning", how do they play that on a fiddle?
Thanks a bunch!
TheNorwegianFiddler
# Posted on April 4th 2007 by Lyargutten
Re: The Donegal Fiddle Style
Unfortunaltey, I can't give you advice how to learn the Donegal style, but I like it very much, too. Maybe the best thing is to listen as much as you can and to go to Donegal to learn from the fiddle players there.
There is a summer school, the Fiddle Week in Glencolmcille, which seems to be very good. I will go there this year. I am really looking forward to it.
Have a look at http://www.tradartsweb.com. It's a webpage about Donegal fiddle music and you can find the details of the Fiddleweek there.
# Posted on April 4th 2007 by fiddlinsue
Re: The Donegal Fiddle Style
Here are a couple of links which you might find useful:
An Appreciation of the Donegal Fiddle:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6464/hmpg.html
The Fiddle Music of Donegal:
http://www.standingstones.com/donegalf.html
Regional Styles in Irish Fiddle Playing:
http://www.irishfiddle.com/styles.html
Irish Traditional Music
as reflected in County Donegal Fiddle Music:
http://homepages.ius.edu/PGALVIN/music/present/ethnomus/freiirish.htm
Good Luck
P.S. Incidentally, do you already play Norwegian music on your Fiddle?
# Posted on April 4th 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: The Donegal Fiddle Style
I don't know much about it, though i really like it too. They use very few rolls and lots of triplets and play fast. The bowing is supposed to be quite dynamic and there is an emphasis on sounding every note rather then slurring.
Other then that a search on google would yeild quite abit i'd imagine. : )
# Posted on April 5th 2007 by velvet
Re: The Donegal Fiddle Style
Thanks a lot to both of you!
It would be cool to keep in touch on MSN, maybe we could all give some tips and hints about playing and different tunes.
You can add me to your MSN, iliketosing2002@hotmail.com
Thanks again.
# Posted on April 6th 2007 by Lyargutten
Re: The Donegal Fiddle Style
Hello Lyargutten!
I have played in the Donegal fiddle style for some years now and trying hard to learn it because it's no irish fiddlers where I live either, you see I am a norwegian too!
Maybe we could met and play some tunes?
Donegalgutten
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Donegalgutten