I'm an Irish wooden flute player and have been for a several years now. For the last few years I've been at university in the midlands and there's not a great deal of Irish music around my area, mostly singers so that's been a bit depressing musically. I've accepted a place at Edinburgh uni for postgrad stuff next year (so I'd be there something like August or Sept) and I'm quite excited because I know there's a lot of music in Edinburgh which means I could start going to sessions again
I was thinking that I should probably learn some Scottish tunes, because I don't want to turn up to sessions and annoy people by being ignorant of Scotland's own music and I think it would be good for me to try a different style of playing. I know there are loads of tunes on this website, but it's hard to tell which ones are the common 'session' tunes and which ones are newer or less common so I was wondering if anyone knew of somewhere where there was a list, or alternatively a music collection book? (I'm thinking something akin to Dave Mallinson's session tune books but tailored for Scottish stuff). I play pretty well and have competed in the All Ireland in the past so I'm not looking for anything really basic.
How common is the flute in Scottish music? I know plenty of Irish flute players, but are there any Scottish ones who are worth a listen? Are there any techniques that I should bear in mind, any ways of playing that are very different to Irish flute playing? I would probably say my current style is quite Sligo/Mayo because that's where my teachers always seemed to come from.
And finally, what is the music scene like in Edinburgh? I flicked through the session section of this website and there seem to be a lot, but are they mostly pure Scottish or are there pure Irish ones and mixed ones too?
Lots of questions! Well done if you read to the end of my little essay If you can help me with answering any of those then it'd be ace! Ta!
You'll be fine playing Irish music in Edinburgh and its friendly neighbour, Glasgow. At least half the sessions in both cities are Irish or mostly Irish. Additionally most of the wooden flute players I know in Scotland play predominantly Irish tunes, although there are a few guys around playing Scottish tunes on flute.
If you are interested in Scottish tunes, "Bogman" (search for him in members) gives a pretty decent list of common session Scottish tunes in his profile.
Hopefully Kenny will come along, but if you do a search in 'Members' and drop him an email I'm sure he'd give you a few ideas, including tunes to consider, being one of the hood of the flute...
There are some good Scottish tunebooks published by Taigh na Teud http://www.scotlandsmusic.com/ . The ones I am familiar with are the two series, Ho Ro Gheallaidh and Ceol na Fidhle. Not being a frequenter of sessions in Scotland, I don't know how representative they are of current session repertoire - but they contain a lot of nice tunes. The settings are mostly geared more towards fiddlers than wind players - but you are no doubt used to adapting tunes for the range of the flute.
Why not just turn up at a session and see what they play? Then you can start learning new tunes as you hear them.
In addition to Kenny, Niall Kenny is also a good person to talk to about the flute in Scottish music. Niall has a huge repertoire of both Scottish and Irish tunes. You can message him through thesession too.
Other Scottish style flute players I would suggest you listen to would be Iain MacDonald of Glenuig and Calum Stewart. I still need to get Calum's album myself but I have heard great things.
There is more info on Scottish flute styles and players online at:
Great recommendations, and Taigh na Teud is a good resource, and they publish session collections too, but, as always, OK skeletons, but ears first, an particularly locally, wherever you find yourself settling in ~
RoisinB, the Ho Ro Gheallaidh books 1, 2 and 3 without a doubt contain the most popular tunes at your average Scottish session. Certainly at the main Glasgow sessions, festival sessions and NW sessions.
There are many 'lists' to avoid. For example, Jack Campin's list of "40 Scottish Session Tunes Everybody Knows" are just that, tunes you learn as a kid but these tunes will get played once in a blue moon at your average session.
As SilverSpear points out there are Irish sessions here and even at 90% Scottish sessions they will likely have a large Irish repertoire as well and will likely play tunes that will
get you involved.
I would suggest checking the sessions section here on the .org , contact folk from a couple of likely looking places and ask for a rough list of likely tunes, but as with most sessions here the repertoire is likely to change from week to week
Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
Hi all
If you can help me with answering any of those then it'd be ace! Ta!
I'm an Irish wooden flute player and have been for a several years now. For the last few years I've been at university in the midlands and there's not a great deal of Irish music around my area, mostly singers so that's been a bit depressing musically. I've accepted a place at Edinburgh uni for postgrad stuff next year (so I'd be there something like August or Sept) and I'm quite excited because I know there's a lot of music in Edinburgh which means I could start going to sessions again
I was thinking that I should probably learn some Scottish tunes, because I don't want to turn up to sessions and annoy people by being ignorant of Scotland's own music and I think it would be good for me to try a different style of playing. I know there are loads of tunes on this website, but it's hard to tell which ones are the common 'session' tunes and which ones are newer or less common so I was wondering if anyone knew of somewhere where there was a list, or alternatively a music collection book? (I'm thinking something akin to Dave Mallinson's session tune books but tailored for Scottish stuff). I play pretty well and have competed in the All Ireland in the past so I'm not looking for anything really basic.
How common is the flute in Scottish music? I know plenty of Irish flute players, but are there any Scottish ones who are worth a listen? Are there any techniques that I should bear in mind, any ways of playing that are very different to Irish flute playing? I would probably say my current style is quite Sligo/Mayo because that's where my teachers always seemed to come from.
And finally, what is the music scene like in Edinburgh? I flicked through the session section of this website and there seem to be a lot, but are they mostly pure Scottish or are there pure Irish ones and mixed ones too?
Lots of questions! Well done if you read to the end of my little essay
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by RoisinB
Re: Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
You'll be fine playing Irish music in Edinburgh and its friendly neighbour, Glasgow. At least half the sessions in both cities are Irish or mostly Irish. Additionally most of the wooden flute players I know in Scotland play predominantly Irish tunes, although there are a few guys around playing Scottish tunes on flute.
If you are interested in Scottish tunes, "Bogman" (search for him in members) gives a pretty decent list of common session Scottish tunes in his profile.
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
Hi ho Silver ~ and very welcoming too.
There are other discussions going back, and you can do a search, but here's one from 2007 just to start you off ~
Discussion: flutes in Scottish music
# Posted on September 14th 2007 by emily_bmore
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/15144
& here's another featuring Silver Spear contributions ~
Discussion: Scottish Music Sessions in Edinburgh.
# Posted on March 9th 2009 by .
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/20905
Hopefully Kenny will come along, but if you do a search in 'Members' and drop him an email I'm sure he'd give you a few ideas, including tunes to consider, being one of the hood of the flute...
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by ceolachan
Kenny
http://www.thesession.org/members/display/726
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
There are some good Scottish tunebooks published by Taigh na Teud http://www.scotlandsmusic.com/ . The ones I am familiar with are the two series, Ho Ro Gheallaidh and Ceol na Fidhle. Not being a frequenter of sessions in Scotland, I don't know how representative they are of current session repertoire - but they contain a lot of nice tunes. The settings are mostly geared more towards fiddlers than wind players - but you are no doubt used to adapting tunes for the range of the flute.
Why not just turn up at a session and see what they play? Then you can start learning new tunes as you hear them.
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
Jack Campin has a list of "40 Scottish Session Tunes Everybody Knows" http://www.campin.me.uk/Music/ScottishSessionTunes.abc
Its an abc file but there is a paragraph of introductory text.
(Somewhere on a discussion forum I have seen some friendly banter about where exactly in Scotland they are common.)
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by David50
Re: Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
In addition to Kenny, Niall Kenny is also a good person to talk to about the flute in Scottish music. Niall has a huge repertoire of both Scottish and Irish tunes. You can message him through thesession too.
http://www.thesession.org/members/display/33511
Other Scottish style flute players I would suggest you listen to would be Iain MacDonald of Glenuig and Calum Stewart. I still need to get Calum's album myself but I have heard great things.
There is more info on Scottish flute styles and players online at:
http://www.theflow.org.uk/articles/article_styles_scotland.html
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
Great recommendations, and Taigh na Teud is a good resource, and they publish session collections too, but, as always, OK skeletons, but ears first, an particularly locally, wherever you find yourself settling in ~
http://www.scotlandsmusic.com/session.htm
Best of luck...
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by ceolachan
You can view the tune list from that one here, at Mally's ~
http://www.mally.com/details.asp?id=803
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Scottish flute music and music in Edinburgh?
RoisinB, the Ho Ro Gheallaidh books 1, 2 and 3 without a doubt contain the most popular tunes at your average Scottish session. Certainly at the main Glasgow sessions, festival sessions and NW sessions.
There are many 'lists' to avoid. For example, Jack Campin's list of "40 Scottish Session Tunes Everybody Knows" are just that, tunes you learn as a kid but these tunes will get played once in a blue moon at your average session.
As SilverSpear points out there are Irish sessions here and even at 90% Scottish sessions they will likely have a large Irish repertoire as well and will likely play tunes that will
get you involved.
http://www.scotlandsmusic.com/ - as linked to earlier.
I would suggest checking the sessions section here on the .org , contact folk from a couple of likely looking places and ask for a rough list of likely tunes, but as with most sessions here the repertoire is likely to change from week to week
# Posted on April 12th 2010 by bogman