It varies a bit, but the common theme in those that I've seen seems to be heel-toe-heel-toe, with the heel (or the whole foot) on the beat, and the toe on the half-beat.
I don't think they spend too much energy thinking about it though...
Hehe thanks Georgi -
Well, I have Irish danced for a year so theoretically I should be able to do it easily enough, BUT playing an instrument and dancing while sitting down, both at the same time, doesn't work for me (Hey, I'm a man! Two things at the same time??).
Also, as far as I can tell, it's not Heel-toe-heel-toe, it's
heel-double tap, as in "dum-tede-dum-tede-dum"
I'm also wondering if they use the same shoes as they use in Irish dancing or just regular tapping shoes (fiberglass vs. metal).
Wow, thanks davydd. Amazing collection.
I'll try to follow their style and figure out how they do it,
though I'm still trying to find a video that'll show me the
proper way, slow-motion style
I love that sort of tapping. Makes such a change from the pounding you come across from time to time. I can still do a bit of tapping while playing the box and some years ago I had my shoes fitted with metal tips on toes and heels for the purpose. I also use to play the tambourine with my foot at one time. However it's a barsteward on the muscles of the lower back and as you get older it becomes less of a tap and more of a spasm.
I am a fiddle player and I kind of do this unintentionally when I am 'getting into the swing' but it is not planned out or anything. I have a whole other artform and I didnt even know it ;) great this has been officially recognised ha ha! It just adds to the satisfaction but if you want to do it I'd say make the playing and tapping one action and let the rhythm drive both otherwise I would imagine it would be like playing two instruments at once. Thinking on I reckon fiddle players maybe we mirror the rhythm in our bow arm with out feet?!
I once saw a young girl do it to great effect at a fleadh in the UK however it did seem a little contrived, she was cute and 15 enough to get away with it though ;) I suppose everything is contrived at some level, why not enjoy it?!
Having actually WATCHED the youtube instead of half guessing. Wow thats a whole different level. Very impressive. The double toe tap seems hard I tried to nail that once in a dance class in Scotland. The teacher was laughing at us... Goodluck tap students you wont need as much
Many thanks for the links ceolachan, I'll have a look!
Joanne - I think I'm wrong, there might be two styles for
this - One persists of the heel/double tap with the same leg, the other - |tap| |tap tap tap| (not all with the same leg).
Hi - When I was at the Leahy Fiddle camp, Natalie MacMaster spent a bit of time in the rhythm bowing class explaining how to do the Heel double tap. The rhythm of the tap is 1, 2+.
Right heel goes down on 1, right toe goes down on 2, left toe goes down on the +. Watching the Glenn Graham video, he's doing the same thing. Hope that helps!
Many of the contra dance bands have added this footwork into their sound, to great benefit, at least to my ears. I have seen players build small sound boxes at a slight angle to the floor to amplify and direct the sound. Usually, there is some sort of provision to keep the chair an the sound box attached so that the sound box does not move away from the player. I recall having this style of percussion called "Kitchen Dancing" and I have heard its origins being tied to both the Quebecois and the Cape Breton traditions. I have learned to do the basic pattern, but doing it while playing is a different kettle of fish.
I can only take this percussion in very small doses. Accompaniment for one tune is OK - it can get really boring for a full set. There's little subtlety or variation and too much of it is as bad as a naff bodhran player endlessly banging out the same rhythm at the same volume and tempo. I saw Genticorum at the NFF this year and by the end of the first couple of tunes my teeth were on edge and I had to actively work at filtering out the endless thumping in order to appreciate the fiddle playing. Give me a sensitive bodhran player any day.
Did this conversation shift from Cape Breton tapping to Quebequois tapping? I always thought the former was more of a heavy stomp, while the latter was the boom ticka boom ticka style most folks here are describing. I was under the impression that the more intricate style came from the French regions of Canada. Speaking of that, for those of you in the NE United States, the ICONS festival, to be held near Boston in September, will feature, among others, Le Vent Du Nord, a band I love to listen to on CD, and look forward to hearing live--they are a good source to hear the Quebequois style in all its glory. Mighty stuff!
Well Yann from Genticorum came over to our house just before he left Oz for some tunes - what a sweet backer. And he did a little tapping when we asked (not all the time mind) and it was very sensitvely done, not overpowering at all. Ive heard far more horrid bodhrans in my time than what he was doing.
I was very harsh on poor old Genticorum yesterday, whilst trying to get a plug in for the poor maligned bodhran players. Pascal Gemme plays a great fiddle and if he wants to bash along with his boots, good on him. But can't they afford a drummer? (Oops, there's another bodhran plug - just you stop that right now). ;)
There is a good basic discussion on Natalie's DVD. Most interesting to me is how she uses the different basic taps to transition from march to strathspey and then strathspey to reel. Of course then you watch her perform and it is feet gone wild! nothing like the DVD discussion - but it was useful to me.
So, in the end I figured out that:
1: Yes, it is Quebec Foot-Work, sorry!
2: I need to use so sort of light work shoes, with a hard
sole, and use some sort of.
3:
2: "Use some sort" wooden plank.
3: Memo to self:
Do NOT use combat boots in pubs for foot-tapping,
it makes a lot of noise, worse than the Bodhran players! )
Cape Breton Tapping?
Cape Breton Tapping?
Hello everyone.
I am interested in learning the special tapping Cape Breton players use to accompany their songs/tunes.
So far I haven't been able to find any info on the net -
Does anyone know where I can find videos or even
dvd tutorials I can purchase?
Many thanks!
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
You mean toe-tapping?
It varies a bit, but the common theme in those that I've seen seems to be heel-toe-heel-toe, with the heel (or the whole foot) on the beat, and the toe on the half-beat.
I don't think they spend too much energy thinking about it though...
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by Georgi
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Hehe thanks Georgi -
Well, I have Irish danced for a year so theoretically I should be able to do it easily enough, BUT playing an instrument and dancing while sitting down, both at the same time, doesn't work for me (Hey, I'm a man! Two things at the same time??).
Also, as far as I can tell, it's not Heel-toe-heel-toe, it's
heel-double tap, as in "dum-tede-dum-tede-dum"
I'm also wondering if they use the same shoes as they use in Irish dancing or just regular tapping shoes (fiberglass vs. metal).
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Quite a few videos here:
http://cape-breton.com/videos/stepdance/
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by davydd
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Best example I've found so far:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdFWG1EZg6w&feature=related
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
"BUT playing an instrument and dancing while sitting down, both at the same time, doesn't work for me "
I think you mean French Canadian not Cape Breton... like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aZ7q53pUnI
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by davydd
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Cape Breton is usually done standing up.
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by davydd
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Wow, thanks davydd. Amazing collection.
I'll try to follow their style and figure out how they do it,
though I'm still trying to find a video that'll show me the
proper way, slow-motion style
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Thanks for the correction davydd, maybe this is the reason I couldn't find what I was looking for on the net.
Amazing video.
The Cape Breton dancing style is well worth learning too
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Love bothe styles!
Andre Brunet is a master at French Canadian... also look up a band called Genticorum as well.
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by davydd
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
I actually fell in love with this style listening to
"La Bottine Souriante". Very lively!
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Andre is in La Bottine.
Love their stuff!
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by davydd
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Andre has new band
http://www.detempsantan.qc.ca/
I just saw them at Fiddle Tunes in July and they were amazing. See them if you get the chance!
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by airport
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
I love that sort of tapping. Makes such a change from the pounding you come across from time to time. I can still do a bit of tapping while playing the box and some years ago I had my shoes fitted with metal tips on toes and heels for the purpose. I also use to play the tambourine with my foot at one time. However it's a barsteward on the muscles of the lower back and as you get older it becomes less of a tap and more of a spasm.
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by Free Reed
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
I am a fiddle player and I kind of do this unintentionally when I am 'getting into the swing' but it is not planned out or anything. I have a whole other artform and I didnt even know it ;) great this has been officially recognised ha ha! It just adds to the satisfaction but if you want to do it I'd say make the playing and tapping one action and let the rhythm drive both otherwise I would imagine it would be like playing two instruments at once. Thinking on I reckon fiddle players maybe we mirror the rhythm in our bow arm with out feet?!
I once saw a young girl do it to great effect at a fleadh in the UK however it did seem a little contrived, she was cute and 15 enough to get away with it though ;) I suppose everything is contrived at some level, why not enjoy it?!
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by Joanne Ward
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
btw I am talking about musicians tapping along to the music not a separate dance form...
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by Joanne Ward
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Having actually WATCHED the youtube instead of half guessing. Wow thats a whole different level. Very impressive. The double toe tap seems hard I tried to nail that once in a dance class in Scotland. The teacher was laughing at us... Goodluck tap students you wont need as much
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by Joanne Ward
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Discussion: How to do Quebecois foot tapping?Podorythmie?
# Posted on January 19th 2008 by madabouttrad
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/16438
Discussion: Foot clapping (podorythm) in sessions!
# Posted on January 3rd 2007 by Carabus
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/12191
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Many thanks for the links ceolachan, I'll have a look!
Joanne - I think I'm wrong, there might be two styles for
this - One persists of the heel/double tap with the same leg, the other - |tap| |tap tap tap| (not all with the same leg).
Frustrating.
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
I'm also wondering about the surface they're using
for the footwork - Hollow Wood? Plastic?
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Hi - When I was at the Leahy Fiddle camp, Natalie MacMaster spent a bit of time in the rhythm bowing class explaining how to do the Heel double tap. The rhythm of the tap is 1, 2+.
Right heel goes down on 1, right toe goes down on 2, left toe goes down on the +. Watching the Glenn Graham video, he's doing the same thing. Hope that helps!
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by Merry Mary
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Many of the contra dance bands have added this footwork into their sound, to great benefit, at least to my ears. I have seen players build small sound boxes at a slight angle to the floor to amplify and direct the sound. Usually, there is some sort of provision to keep the chair an the sound box attached so that the sound box does not move away from the player. I recall having this style of percussion called "Kitchen Dancing" and I have heard its origins being tied to both the Quebecois and the Cape Breton traditions. I have learned to do the basic pattern, but doing it while playing is a different kettle of fish.
# Posted on August 17th 2008 by toumi
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
I can only take this percussion in very small doses. Accompaniment for one tune is OK - it can get really boring for a full set. There's little subtlety or variation and too much of it is as bad as a naff bodhran player endlessly banging out the same rhythm at the same volume and tempo. I saw Genticorum at the NFF this year and by the end of the first couple of tunes my teeth were on edge and I had to actively work at filtering out the endless thumping in order to appreciate the fiddle playing. Give me a sensitive bodhran player any day.
# Posted on August 18th 2008 by clogstepping
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
"Give me a sensitive bodhran player any day"
Good luck!
# Posted on August 18th 2008 by davydd
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
hehe
# Posted on August 18th 2008 by clogstepping
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
# Posted on August 18th 2008 by clogstepping
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
HEY, I'm a sensitive Bodhran player!
I love my goats.
# Posted on August 18th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Thanks spike256, it makes a whole lot of sense now
# Posted on August 18th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Did this conversation shift from Cape Breton tapping to Quebequois tapping? I always thought the former was more of a heavy stomp, while the latter was the boom ticka boom ticka style most folks here are describing. I was under the impression that the more intricate style came from the French regions of Canada. Speaking of that, for those of you in the NE United States, the ICONS festival, to be held near Boston in September, will feature, among others, Le Vent Du Nord, a band I love to listen to on CD, and look forward to hearing live--they are a good source to hear the Quebequois style in all its glory. Mighty stuff!
# Posted on August 19th 2008 by AlBrown
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Well Yann from Genticorum came over to our house just before he left Oz for some tunes - what a sweet backer. And he did a little tapping when we asked (not all the time mind) and it was very sensitvely done, not overpowering at all. Ive heard far more horrid bodhrans in my time than what he was doing.
# Posted on August 19th 2008 by bb
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
I was very harsh on poor old Genticorum yesterday, whilst trying to get a plug in for the poor maligned bodhran players. Pascal Gemme plays a great fiddle and if he wants to bash along with his boots, good on him. But can't they afford a drummer? (Oops, there's another bodhran plug - just you stop that right now). ;)
# Posted on August 19th 2008 by clogstepping
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
I meant
Bad keyboard, naughty keyboard
# Posted on August 19th 2008 by clogstepping
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
The last time I saw a Caper doing the foot work it was the same as the Quebequois. He played spoons at the same time.
# Posted on August 19th 2008 by Bob himself
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
There is a good basic discussion on Natalie's DVD. Most interesting to me is how she uses the different basic taps to transition from march to strathspey and then strathspey to reel. Of course then you watch her perform and it is feet gone wild! nothing like the DVD discussion - but it was useful to me.
# Posted on August 19th 2008 by Fiddler Doyle
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
So, in the end I figured out that:
1: Yes, it is Quebec Foot-Work, sorry!
2: I need to use so sort of light work shoes, with a hard
sole, and use some sort of.
3:
# Posted on October 5th 2008 by thesheep
Re: Cape Breton Tapping?
Oopsy. Silly Enter pressing.
2: "Use some sort" wooden plank.
)
3: Memo to self:
Do NOT use combat boots in pubs for foot-tapping,
it makes a lot of noise, worse than the Bodhran players!
# Posted on October 5th 2008 by thesheep