Key signature: Aminor
Submitted on December 20th 2004 by tamsyn.
This tune has been added to 7 tunebooks.
X: 1
T: Dot Cat's Midnight Mischief
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Amin
G,|: A,2E EDC | DEC B,A,G, | A,2E EDC | AEG A2G,|
[1 A,2E EDC | DEC B,A,G, | A,B,C AEG | DGB, A,2G,:|
[2 A,2E EDC | DEC B,A,G, | A,B,C AGE | AGB, A,3||
|: AEA edc | deA a2g | AEA edc | deA G3|
AEA edc | deA a3 | gae dec | ABG A3:|
I wrote this tune one late night while watching the antics of one of my cats (Dot), a pure white pole-cat looking feline with deep green eyes. This is my first time attempting to submit a tune, and alas, but I'm a slack musician and know very little about ABC format. I've run the tune through a checker, which said the ABC was okay, but I'm still not confident there are no errors -- if there are, many apologies. I'm also not totally sure about the key signature. I think it's E-minor, but I've never attempted to key my own compositions (and I'm really a fiddler and don't do much with chords at all). My dad has tried to explain to me all the music theory behind the dorian, lydian, myxolydian, and major/minor scales, but I'm trying to fix it all in my head. So, sorry if I'm wrong on the key here.
I've been reading on these postings that people like to hear the stories behind the tunes, so here's the story that goes with this one. Dot and his sister (Dawn) were as cantakerous as ever one late night in the wee hours of the morning, but Dot-cat was in rare form -- squishing himself into a small shoe box (after chasing his sister out) so that his sides overhung the edges and he looked more snug than ever you'd want your shoes to fit; demanding petting with deep, bellowing meows, then swatting at my older brother and hissing when he'd had enough; now leaping out to chase Dawn; now pouncing on his favorite twist-tie toy, then dragging it off to a corner as if hording freshly killed prey; now sneaking into the kitchen to rummage for food; then slinking off to sulk when he got caught. Undeterred, he soon emerged from his hiding spot under the table after only a few minutes, his confidence restored by a quick pride-regaining groom, to demand yet more attention from my brother with a persistent barrage of "brawrs" and meows.
We were both having fits of laughter watching his roguery. It was after 2 a.m., and there was a lovely dark, brooding wind blowing outside that seemed a perfect complement to Dot's moody cat frolics. I was planning on heading to bed, as I had some leftover student grading to get done next morning (I'm a graduate TA), but I happened to have my mandolin sitting next to me (I often play late at night, probably to the dismay of my upstairs neighbor) and of a sudden, watching Dot in his rare form, a tune crept of its own accord out mando's little sound hole. I scribbled it down as the measures came to me and have no idea whether it's a worthy tune, as good tunes go. Either which way, it was inspired by Dot-cat and is a tribute to his wily, petulant, coy, yet regal, cat-like self.
I've been playing around with tunes that could accompany it and I've come up with a few contenders. I've been playing this one at more of a moderate tempo, and I think it sounds pretty good followed by "The Brisk Young Lads," and then "Midnight Rambler," which I believe is a Frank Ferrel fiddle tune.
Still playing with arrangements, though. If there are any suggestions, I'd love to hear them (likewise, any suggestions about adjusting the tune itself).
Thanks for reading!
tamsyn
# Posted on December 20th 2004 by tamsyn
Fixed the key ...
Looks like I had it in the wrong key after all ... it's really A-minor (my dad has sincewise corrected me ... many thanks
). Maybe that'll teach me for next time!
# Posted on December 20th 2004 by tamsyn
Wrong Key?
Hi Tamsyn. Because I play a G/D button box I've had to rewrite it in Em. It's an interesting tune and I tend to play it slowly. I've also had to modify it slightly to avoid extremely high notes at end of 'B' music. I realise that that changes the melodic run down in the penultimate bar but I hope you don't mind my little alteration. I've ommited the lead in D prefering to come in on an 'E' . I've also made bar six in the 'B' music the same as bar 2. Here is the ABC. I await your comments.
E2B BAG | ABG FED | E2B BAG | eBd e2E | E2B BAG | ABG FED |1 EFG eBd | edF E3 :||2 EFG edB | edF E3 ||
: eBe bag | abe e2d | eBe bag | abe d3 | eBe bag | abe e2d | deb abg | efd e3 :||
# Posted on December 24th 2004 by hetty