Comments

Scottish tunes

Scottish tunes

Hello,
Once again, I need help finding Scottish tunes...
I'm looking for well-known tunes. I know some of the more traditional: Scotland the Brave, Loch Lomand. I'm sure there's tunes that every Scottish fiddler should know.
Thanks for your help.

Fiddle Girl!

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by Fiddle Girl!

Re: Scottish tunes

These folks can probably help you:

http://www.footstompin.com/forum?forumid=3

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by tuckered out

Re: Scottish tunes

How about:
(1) Hundred Pipers
(2) Will Ye No' Come Back Again
(3) Ye Banks and Braes 0' Bonny Doon

Also, since I like waltzes, I believe the Stronsay Waltz is Scottish. Very pretty.

Aside from the waltz, these are not really the kinds of tunes that people that frequent this web site are most interested in, since I believe most would favor jigs & reels and other "dance tunes" of the Irish variety. But I understand what you're going for -- well-known, traditional Scottish tunes &/or songs. Hope those listed above help. Have fun!

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by justwhistle

Re: Scottish tunes

'Doon the Brae' played slow on fiddle is just about my favorite tune right now. Scarce O Tatties and Tenpenny bit are nice driving jigs from Scotland . The piper of Dundee, although a song, works well as an intrumental tune.

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by shanty

Re: Scottish tunes

" Hector The Hero "
January 4th 2003 by ScottC.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1292

" Annie Laurie "
May 3rd 2006 by MBAC
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/5725

" So I Am Off With The Good St. Nicholas Boat "
June 14th 2004 by snorre
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3165

" The Road To The North "
March 4th 2007 by Joe CSS
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6889

" Farewell To Whisky "
March 18th 2003 by Davetnova
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1529

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by Random_notes

Re: Scottish tunes

Well fiddle girl, there are quite a few different Scottish repertoires.

Classic old books which are available in reprint are:

"The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and The Isles" edited by Capt Simon Fraser (Chiefly acquired during the interesting Period from 1715 to 1745, through the Authentic Source narrated in the Accompanying Prospectus)

(this fantastic collection is often referred to as "the Simon Fraser collection", and is perhaps the best collection of genuine 18th century Scottish fiddle music.)

The there's

"The Skye Collection of the Best Reels & Strathspeys extant Embracing over four hundred tunes collected from all the best Sources, compied & arranged for Violin & Piano by Keith Norman MacDonald."

(The great 1887 collection.)

Newer books include

"The Gow Collection of Scottish Dance Music Compiled & Edited by Richard Carlin"

For the somewhat hokey quasi-folk songs like Loch Lomond, you can consult any of a large number of "Scottish Songs" books.

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by Richard D Cook

Re: Scottish tunes

Then there's the modern SFO/Mason stuff, which I myself don't care for at all.

Then there's the massive Highland bagpipe repertoire, well represented in "The Scots Guards Collection" Vol I and Vol II.

Vol I is a great one-volume overview of the older Highland bagpipe repertoire, while Vol II is a great overview of many of the newer compositions from the 1960's and 1970's.

Highland bagpipe tunes are being composed and recorded (and then discarded) at an amazing rate. Several new tune books come out each year.

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by Richard D Cook

Re: Scottish tunes

Hey Fiddle Girl,

Judging by your bio... you are probably situated either in Oz or NZ? (And you've been to SHISSIF at least once?) There are a few good resources for Scottish fiddle music in Australia. It might pay to have a look at some of these as a start ... so you can start playing tunes possibly recognised by other fiddle players in your area.

http://www.melbournescottishfiddlers.com/sheetmusic/index.htm

http://www.scottishfiddlers.com/Sydney/Music.htm

http://brisbanecelticfiddleclub.googlepages.com/tunelist (altho it's a little in-complete atm)

Just a suggestion tho. And good luck with your playing!

:o)

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by davydd

Re: Scottish tunes

Try the Ceol Na Fidhle collection or The Scottish Fiddlers Session Tune Book ( Ho-Ro Gheallaidh)
All available from

Taigh na Teud Sheet Music.

There is a wealth of music available from the above and also from

Footstompin.Com

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by iain beag

Re: Scottish tunes

Fiddle Girl, depends what you want them for. At a Scottish session there is virtually no chance of hearing any of the tunes suggested above with the exception of Scarce o' Tatties and Tenpenny Bit. For a fiddler the series of three Ho-Ro Gheallaidh books suggested by iain beag are by far the most representative of tunes you may hear at Scottish sessions.

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by bogman

Re: Scottish tunes

There are a good few popular tunes in davydd's lists too.

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by bogman

Re: Scottish tunes

Here's a good site for you to try

http://www.riddellfiddles.co.uk/teaching.htm#curr

They teach many of the well known Scottish tunes and more. There's also MP3s featuring *real* musicians.

You can also check out Nigel Gatherer's site too. He has a wealth of scottish tunes there.

http://www.nigelgatherer.com/tunes.html

Och aye the noo.....

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by John J Returns

Re: Scottish tunes

I Am Sailing.

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by nicholas

Re: Scottish tunes

Fiddle Girl - I'm flicking through a weighty collection of Scottish dance sets and I'll just list just a handful of favourites that I think might be fairly well-known. Happy fiddling!

Hey Johnnie Cope!
Barren Rocks of Aden
The Balkan Hills
Stumpie
Moneymusk
The Iron Man
Kirkwall Bay
Laird of Drumblair
The Headlands
the Bonnie Lass of Bon Accord

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by RichardB

Re: Scottish tunes

the stronsay waltz is from orkney (which is technically in scotland i s'pose.

try and get hold of the scott skinner collection - if you're pretty handy with the fiddle - not for beginners!

kerr's modern dance collections have loads of jigs and reels in.

or - have a look on the backs of scottish artists' cds then look up the tunes on jcs abc. or here for that matter; the traditions are pretty similar on the whole and quite a few tunes have claims on them from both sides of the irish sea. not that surprising given the way these tunes float around.


# Posted on May 12th 2009 by saltybrian

Tunes

" . . . look on the backs of scottish artists' cds then look up the tunes on jcs abc. "
so, why do you need . . . ah, never mind. It's all been said before

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by Random_notes

Re: Scottish tunes

Ha! Yes Random, but not this time it hasn't!

# Posted on May 12th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler

Re: Scottish tunes

Random; for the benefit of the unenlightened, please do point me to where it's all been said before, whatever it is.. thanks

# Posted on May 14th 2009 by saltybrian

Re: Scottish tunes

What I think Random_notes might have been inferring is the oft quoted line (on here), "If you have a recording of the tune why do you need the dots?"

And didn't he say it in such a nice and friendly way?

Effectively however, if you work from the point of view of encouraging learning by ear rather than using the dots then surely it is better too have a recording AND the dots than it is to just have the dots. If you are an attentive student of the music then you could combine the two to develop skills in learning by ear and also how to apply what is written on the page to what is played.

Being able to read music is a very useful skill.

The only thing I would say about JCs is it doesn't half churn out some nonsense in the search as well as good transcriptions, for example tunes listed as a jig being transcribed in 4/4 or transcriptions where the notes in the bars don't add up. Of course there are also problems with some of the transcriptions on this site too. It is probably best not to rely on the internet as the sole source for a tune.

# Posted on May 14th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm

Scottish tune sources etc.

Thanks, Mr. Alarm
I did so infer the question which you have quoted.
Saltybrian, many pardons for not personally providing the enlightenment you seek.
Cheers!

# Posted on May 14th 2009 by Random_notes

Re: Scottish tunes

Here's a nice long list from an earlier discussion posted by Bren:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/4239/

# Posted on May 14th 2009 by RichardB

Discussion: Old Scottish tunes

# Posted on April 30th 2009 by Fiddle Girl!
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/21438

Tying the two together...

# Posted on May 18th 2009 by ceolachan

Re: Scottish tunes

what about the tune to that great 'Song of the fishgutters'

''Come all ye fisher lassies . . . ''

# Posted on May 19th 2009 by lisaniska

Re: Scottish tunes

Randon, you better be a damn fine player before attempting to enlighten saltybrian btw

# Posted on June 16th 2009 by bogman

Not a member yet? Sign up!

forgotten your password?

Frequently Asked Questions

Enter your email address to have your password sent to you.