I got the session a9 cd for christmas - it's great! There is a Strathspey on it called the aird's ranters by fred morrison. I found the tune on the session (its named the old blind dogs strathspey) and have got it going o the fiddle and it sounds ok but something is missing. The thing is probably that I have never really played strathspeys before. Has anyone any advice on bowing or accenting when playing strathspeys.
Not only is that tune wrongly named on the session but it's also a very poor version. I'll post better ABC's in the comments when I get a moment. Strathspeys have quite varied regional styles but in general they are usually heavy an the 1st and 3rd beats. Can't give you any bowing tips but playing along to your Session A9 CD should help you with the feel.
All the links on the page are great, but in particular look at the link "discussion of strathspey bowings" in the Colin Campbell section. Then have a look at the link for him playing Miss Lyall. I've been meaning to work with these myself sometime---they look very educational.
The dotted eighth note groupings create the whole strathspey "swing". Pay attention to whether the grouping is short-long or long-short. As with all the tunes, start out slowly to make sure it's right. By keeping your bowing wrist flexible, it will come more naturally. A wee dram couldn't hurt either.
Bogman - Thank you, I would appreciate the ABC of the way you play the tune. I agree the version posted is not great. There was a better one in the comments posted by DonaldK
Firstly, this is a Highland pipe tune, so I would suggest the C natural is sharper than you might normally play. You simply have to hear him play it to get the full picture.
My own approach if reading it from the dots is to play it straight at first, with out the dots. Then pay attention to how it is swung with the dots. I would suggest finding your own feel for the tune rathr than copying the dots . the dots here do not really reflect the tune as written by the way.I suggest purchaseing his book the fred morrison collection from his website and buying his cd's for the brilliant playing of this piper. check him out on you tube! wild.sorry cant do this ABC thing. perhaps if someone wanted to convert a JPG/BMP to the ABC they could PM me.
This is the original version of The Aird ranters. Fred plays it on Border Pipes and the C is played natural. As Jig points out you can check him out on youtube. If you serch youtube for strathspeys you should be able to finds some good examples.
Yes, Borders are bellow blown and are becoming very popular again with most young pipers using them. Based in A, about the same volume or slighly louder than a fiddle and chromatic. They look like small pipes but a bit bigger. Small pipes have a straight bore so are not chromatic and tunes like Aird Ranters are not possible on them.
Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
I got the session a9 cd for christmas - it's great! There is a Strathspey on it called the aird's ranters by fred morrison. I found the tune on the session (its named the old blind dogs strathspey) and have got it going o the fiddle and it sounds ok but something is missing. The thing is probably that I have never really played strathspeys before. Has anyone any advice on bowing or accenting when playing strathspeys.
thanks
Toby
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by tobes
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
Not only is that tune wrongly named on the session but it's also a very poor version. I'll post better ABC's in the comments when I get a moment. Strathspeys have quite varied regional styles but in general they are usually heavy an the 1st and 3rd beats. Can't give you any bowing tips but playing along to your Session A9 CD should help you with the feel.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by bogman
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
Try going here:
http://www.celtscot.ed.ac.uk/fiddle/clips.htm
All the links on the page are great, but in particular look at the link "discussion of strathspey bowings" in the Colin Campbell section. Then have a look at the link for him playing Miss Lyall. I've been meaning to work with these myself sometime---they look very educational.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by kennedy
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
The dotted eighth note groupings create the whole strathspey "swing". Pay attention to whether the grouping is short-long or long-short. As with all the tunes, start out slowly to make sure it's right. By keeping your bowing wrist flexible, it will come more naturally. A wee dram couldn't hurt either.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by drone
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
Bogman - Thank you, I would appreciate the ABC of the way you play the tune. I agree the version posted is not great. There was a better one in the comments posted by DonaldK
X: 1
T: The Aird’s Ranters
C: Fred Morrison
M: C
L: 1/8
Q: 1/4=152
R: strathspey
K: Am
A/ | e<a a>e g<e e>d | e<a a>e g<e d2 | e<a a>e g<e e>d | c<A A>G c<A A3/2 :|
B/ | c>c B>d c<A A>G | c<A A>G c<A A>B | c>c B>d c<A A>G | c<A A<G A2 A3/2 :|
kennedy - thats a great link! thanks I'll enjoy going through all of those video clips
drone - I am reaching for the bottle as i type - purely to help with getting the tune right of course ;)
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by tobes
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
Firstly, this is a Highland pipe tune, so I would suggest the C natural is sharper than you might normally play. You simply have to hear him play it to get the full picture.
My own approach if reading it from the dots is to play it straight at first, with out the dots. Then pay attention to how it is swung with the dots. I would suggest finding your own feel for the tune rathr than copying the dots . the dots here do not really reflect the tune as written by the way.I suggest purchaseing his book the fred morrison collection from his website and buying his cd's for the brilliant playing of this piper. check him out on you tube! wild.sorry cant do this ABC thing. perhaps if someone wanted to convert a JPG/BMP to the ABC they could PM me.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by jig
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
This is the original version of The Aird ranters. Fred plays it on Border Pipes and the C is played natural. As Jig points out you can check him out on youtube. If you serch youtube for strathspeys you should be able to finds some good examples.
X:1
T:The Aird Ranters
C:Fred Morrison
M:4/4
R:Strathspey
K:Ador
g/ | e<a a>e g<e e>g | e<a a>e g<e d2 | e<a a>e g<e e>g | c<A A>G c<A A3/2 :|
B/ | c>A B>A c<A A>d | c<A A>G c<A A>B | c>A B>A c<A A>d | c<A A<G A2 A3/2 :|
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by bogman
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
Go to http://www.ayepod.net/webcasts/teaching/teaching.htm
There's a sample lesson with Alasdair White, teaching a Strathspey called Christy Campbell.
That might help.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by Robert Ryan
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
So Bogman, that explains the C nat! Tell me, are these border pipes , common stock,+ bellows blown? but not his Small pipes.....or?
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by jig
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
Yes, Borders are bellow blown and are becoming very popular again with most young pipers using them. Based in A, about the same volume or slighly louder than a fiddle and chromatic. They look like small pipes but a bit bigger. Small pipes have a straight bore so are not chromatic and tunes like Aird Ranters are not possible on them.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by bogman
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
What differences are there in bowing strathspeys in different region of Scotland or in Cape Breton?
# Posted on December 31st 2007 by jasonb
Re: Tips for playing Stathspeys on a fiddle
*regions
# Posted on December 31st 2007 by jasonb