I'm curious about those melodies some bands play between the songs, when the singer stops etc. Is that what you call song arrangement?
I'm thinking of Capercaillie for example, they have great melodies that I enjoy hearing and playing more than many tunes.
Sometimes these melodies are similar to the song, but sometimes they're not. So I wonder: If I made up a melody and put it between a random song would it work?
Are they for an specific song or could they work for any? Do the composer listen to the song to compose the melody, or does s/he compose it even before knowing what song it will be for?
K: Emin
EF GA Bd | A4 AG | Bf g2 fd | e4 ef |
g4 ag | f4 ed | B2 e2 ed | BA4 B |
EF GA B/A/G | A4 AG | Bf g2 fa | e4 ef |
g4 ag | f4 ed | B2 e2 ed | e6 ||
Sometimes players fill in the gap by playing a well-known but fitting reel or jig. That I think adds much more colour than just ploughing through the songs melody again.
There is an interesting story, along these lines, behind the Cuil Aodha jig http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/825 : A Dublin-based tradtional band, Ceoltoiri Laigheann, made a recording in the '70s, of a song in Irish called (in English) The Mother in Law. The air of the song was in jig time, 8-bars long. When arranging the song, the band members composed 8 bars of linking melody between the verses. Some years later, the air of the song and the 8-bar link (played with repeats - 32 bars in all) came to be played in sessions as The Cuil Aodha jig - named after the village of Cuil Aodha (Coolea), Co. Cork, where the song was first collected.
...So,"Are they for an specific song or could they work for any?"
It might have been orignally composed to fit in a particular song, but that doesn't mean it can't be also just played as a tune in a session - or incorporated into another song.
Melodies between songs
Melodies between songs
I'm curious about those melodies some bands play between the songs, when the singer stops etc. Is that what you call song arrangement?
I'm thinking of Capercaillie for example, they have great melodies that I enjoy hearing and playing more than many tunes.
Sometimes these melodies are similar to the song, but sometimes they're not. So I wonder: If I made up a melody and put it between a random song would it work?
Are they for an specific song or could they work for any? Do the composer listen to the song to compose the melody, or does s/he compose it even before knowing what song it will be for?
Some examples (played slowly):
K: Emin
Bef |
|: gfed e~B3 | BAGA B3f | gfed ea2f |
gfef dBef | gfed e~B3 | BAGA B3f |
~g3e ~f3d |1 agfg eBef :|2 agfg ~e3d ||
B3e dBAd | ~B3f gfed | ~B3e dBA2 | agfg ~e3d |
B3e dBAd | ~B3f gfef | ~g3e ~f3d | agfg ~e3d ||
K: Emin
EF GA Bd | A4 AG | Bf g2 fd | e4 ef |
g4 ag | f4 ed | B2 e2 ed | BA4 B |
EF GA B/A/G | A4 AG | Bf g2 fa | e4 ef |
g4 ag | f4 ed | B2 e2 ed | e6 ||
# Posted on April 29th 2008 by Pere
Re: Melodies between songs
Sometimes players fill in the gap by playing a well-known but fitting reel or jig. That I think adds much more colour than just ploughing through the songs melody again.
# Posted on April 29th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Melodies between songs
The Dubliners used to this a lot. Usually, the tune melody was completely different from the song but "fitted in" well as KML says.
Probably happens less so these days.
# Posted on April 29th 2008 by Johannes J
Re: Melodies between songs
I've heard what you say a few times, but I'm not talking about fitting real tunes here, just short slow melodies.
# Posted on April 29th 2008 by Pere
Re: Melodies between songs
"Do the composer listen to the song to compose the melody, or does s/he compose it even before knowing what song it will be for?"
Sometimes the former, sometimes the latter - it depends on the song, the tune, the composer/arranger...
Sometimes a song just reminds you of a particular tune and it's a logical segué. Other times, the linking tune might come about through playing around with the song melody and coming up with something new (which, I believe, is how a lot of dance tunes came about anyway).
There is an interesting story, along these lines, behind the Cuil Aodha jig http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/825 : A Dublin-based tradtional band, Ceoltoiri Laigheann, made a recording in the '70s, of a song in Irish called (in English) The Mother in Law. The air of the song was in jig time, 8-bars long. When arranging the song, the band members composed 8 bars of linking melody between the verses. Some years later, the air of the song and the 8-bar link (played with repeats - 32 bars in all) came to be played in sessions as The Cuil Aodha jig - named after the village of Cuil Aodha (Coolea), Co. Cork, where the song was first collected.
# Posted on April 29th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Melodies between songs
...So,"Are they for an specific song or could they work for any?"
It might have been orignally composed to fit in a particular song, but that doesn't mean it can't be also just played as a tune in a session - or incorporated into another song.
# Posted on April 29th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Melodies between songs
What about melodies after songs like "Las Vegas In The Hills Of Donegal" features "Tam Lin"
# Posted on April 29th 2008 by upmine3