Re: [scots-l] slow down programs
Kate wrote: Just a quick question-- Has anyone used Roni Music's 'Slow Me Down', or 'Pacemaker', with Winamp? They don't work with CDs or tune midi files, but for some reason they do work with midi files that contain only voice. Why do these programs work with some sound files and not others? Kate My favorite way of slowing down CDs is to RIP the CD to a .wav file, and then just change the sample rate from 44khz to 22khz, or 11khz, if necessary. Since slowdown software has to resample a CD, there is always a loss of quality. By just changing the sample rate, all the detail is preserved. Aditionally, a lot of the non-melody noise (guitars, bass, percussion) goes away. I use Cool Edit, because I have it, but audacity.sourceforge.net will do the same job for free. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Re: Scots Music Quiz
I don't have a clue on any of the answers, but I'm looking forward to the discussion. I have an easy question, I think. How did the Jig of Slurs get it's name? For the fiddlers: The C part starts out: |:G2g gfg|agf gdB| How do you bow that? Using alternating bows puts the bow going in the wrong direction for the next G. I tried slurring the gdB, which plays well, but doesn't sound right. Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] player pianos
Cynthia Cathcart wrote: At 11:46 PM 2/4/03 -0500, you wrote: And Scott Joplin *was* classically trained. He studied classical piano as a child. He studied music theory at the George R. Smith College for Negroes in Sedalia, Missouri. Initially it had been his ambition to become a classical pianist and composer. Cool! I don't think I knew that. (Or maybe I knew it 20 years ago and forgot). Now I really do think those piano rolls were inferior to his skill. My dad has a CD of a piano roll done by George Gershwin. It is interesting from the standpoint that Gershwin saw potential in the piano roll as a unique instrument. He cut music that can't acutally be played by a person on a piano. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Re: Burns Night
Jerry Agin wrote: Carla and Bob Rogers wrote: Another GMHG story: I played with a random, assorted, and unpaid for group of musicians (a wee dram to the first person to identify the reference) on two seperate nights. The star tallent was the same on both nights. The attenence was much greater on the night the button box dropped in. I don't think the explanation is that everyone came to hear accordian. I think it's just the sound of that instrument carries better. Are you referring to the music that takes place in the campground after all the tourists go home? I had heard that there was great music at the campground, so two years ago I pitched my tent on top of the mountain. The first evening I wandered around looking for a good music session to join. I found a few musicians who knew old-timey tunes, and a smaller number who knew a few Irish tunes, but I never connected with any Scottish musicians. The second evening I went to the Scottish Country Dance at Lees-McRae College, and returned to my tent a little past midnight. I could tell from the noises that there was some wild partying going on, but it sounded like African or Native American drumming with a few bagpipes thrown in. I didn't even bother to cross the road to check it out. If there had been any fiddles, or even accordions, they wouldn't have been able to hear each other. Is there something I missed? Jerry Agin Hi Jerry, Sorry it took so long to get back to you on this. Things have gotten busy at work and I've been neglecting my email. It sounds like you arrived on Thursday. We usually go up on Tuesday to beat the crowds. Wednesday is usually a good night for music -- it's not after the tourists leave, it's before they arrive. Thursday is the big concert, so usually nothing much goes on then. Fridays and Saturdays can be ok, depending. Last year was bad for music due to the cold wet weather. The drum circles are a fairly recent addition. They can be annoying. There are some Scottish musicians, playing traditional tunes, including at least one fiddler actually from Scotland. There is also the occasional professional musician. I saw Ed Miller in the campground before I knew who he was. I remember thinking, this guy is *really* good. The guys I hang out with play electric guitar. It's sort of a slow session, because they don't know any tunes and I don't know very many. They mix things up with rock and blues, and sometimes someone else drops in. Two years ago one of them couldn't make it so the other one didn't bring his guitar. My goal is to have 20 playable tunes this summer. Bob Rogers South Carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Re: Burns Night
David Francis wrote: Which brings me to a question. How did they do it in the old days without amplification? Well. Two years ago at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, I was at Celtic Grove 1, and the PA system went down. Full Moon Ensemble was playing. Daniel, the fiddler, stepped down off the stage and continued playing. Everyone could hear him -- we just had to listen more. Another GMHG story: I played with a random, assorted, and unpaid for group of musicians (a wee dram to the first person to identify the reference) on two seperate nights. The star tallent was the same on both nights. The attenence was much greater on the night the button box dropped in. I don't think the explanation is that everyone came to hear accordian. I think it's just the sound of that instrument carries better. I actually go to other games too, just most of my good stories go with Grandfather. From an acoustics standpoint, 76 of a given instrument sound about 3x as loud as one. There really isn't strength in numbers, other than filling in when one drops out, or making up for acoustic deficiencies in another's instrument. Symphony conductors specify more or fewer of a given instrument to control texture. Or at least that's what I've read. In the 18th century, cellos were common in dance bands. Maybe because the bass cuts through -- esp. if he's in a corner. They had easy parts too. Bob Rogers South Carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Jean's reel? (More)
Derek Hoy wrote: John wrote: So who is is Bobby MacFerrin? Will the REAL composer of Jeans Reel please step forward. (Isn't there a Bobby MacFerrin who is known for imitating orchestral instruments with his mouth) http://www.bobbymcferrin.com/home.html Mc not Mac. Highlights: 4 octave vocal range; CD with Yo-Yo Ma; wrote and recorded the song Don't Worry, Be Happy. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] acoustics question
Toby Rider wrote: Why did you sell the telecaster? Toby The tele was a beautiful instrument. It was one of the reissue models, with the early style bridge (three adjustable bridge pieces instead of 6). The finish was metalic blue with a stylized pink and silver floral pattern, rather like those flowers people stuck in the bottoms of the bathtubs in the 70s. I sold it to pay down credit card bills when I got married. I've still got the vintage Silvertone tube amp I used to play it with. New tubes too. I've started thinking recently of buying a steel string electric/acoustic along the lines of Ovation. I've got a cheap classical guitar, but now that I've started playing fiddle, my ears are better, and I can tell how poor the intonation is on it. It's OK in open position, but it's out of tune by the 5th fret (which makes tuning a pita). Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Tempos
Toby Rider wrote: they don't feel comfortable asking their peers, and don't have anyone to go to for lessons. I am talking about the boondocks here, not San Francisco or D.C. or Seattle or Boston. Okay, thanks for explaining your positions on this stuff. It's good that we've come to some understanding about this topic. We do actually agree on alot of this stuff. I'm not as anti-competition as I was before this discussion started, and hopefully you understand where I am coming from Boondocks! Here I am! Here I am! I am thankfull for competitions. I don't compete, and I don't even watch the competitions, but if it weren't for the workshop that always precedes the competition, I would have essentially no exposure to real Scottish fiddlers (and American players in the Scottish style). Except for you guys, of course. But there's only so much you can "get" about the fiddle through a computer monitor. Bob At the convergence of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Re: [scots-l] Tempos
Toby Rider wrote: One of my buddies who runs a recording studio in Venice (who knows nothing about Scottish music) when he first met me said So you play Scottish music? Like Ashley MacIsaac and Wolfstone? Wow, those guys really rock.. That's really cool! Another traditional artist who has Two others to add to that list: Neil Anderson, and Bad Haggis. I've heard about Ashley MacIsaac, and I want to check out his stuff. For anyone who hasn't heard of Neil and BH -- they both do a combination of modern and traditional. Neil is a piper, and one of the best musicians I've ever seen. BH? Heavy metal attitude with more music theory and the tightest electric band I've ever heard. They play with the precision of Acadamy of St. Martin in the Fields. Bob South Carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] acoustics question
Toby Rider wrote: I been thinking about soundposts and fiddles... How come it keeps an archtop from feeding back then? It prevents the top from vibrating on its own - with a soundpost, ya gotta move the top and the back to get it going... Well, that's a bit weak, but the best I could do. Toby Here is how a fiddle works: The top only vibrates at high frequencies. The back only at low. They do not work as a unit, ever. The purpose of the soundpost is to transfer the low frequencies from the bridge to the back. That's why the soundpost is opposite the low strings -- The bridge works like a lever. Since the strings are further from the post, more energy is transferred. As to the guitar -- I don't know guitar acoustics, but what he said makes sense. Durring feedback, the top of the guitar is probably vibrating freely, and a dowel trying to tie it to the back would stiffen it. Two might be even better. On a violin, part of the purpose of the f holes is to make a portion of the top move more freely (more top end). If he is only playing it because of it's looks (i.e. he never uses it acoustically). He could stuff it with bits of foam or something. I would even say you could fill it with expanding foam, but I won't say that (because you could probably rip the instrument apart, if you weren't familiar with the foam!) Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] acoustics question
Toby Rider wrote: Actually those semi-hollowbodies have a tone that is a bit different and richer then the solid-bodies, which why people still play them, especially those jazz guys, who are all about tone quality. I think it might have something to do with how the hollow soundbox allows the notes to sustain nicely. You've give me some important clues. What I should really do is ask one of the professors here in the department about this question. Toby They do have a rich tone, but I don't think it is sustain. One of the attractions of solid bodies is thier sustain. They don't have big moving acoustic plates designed to convert the string energy into sound energy. The telecaster I used to have would easily sustain an open string note for a minute. Filling one with expanding foam would probably change the tone a lot, since it would eliminate a lot of the resonance. You wouldn't have the advantages of the solid body either, since you wouldn't have the mass in the body... Probably a bad idea all around. But styrofoam beads might be worth experimenting with. So would taping over the f holes with easy release masking tape, if one didn't object to the appearance... Good luck. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Tempos
mary umbarger wrote: Toby!! I can't believe you know where I live!! It, indeed, is a small world. I Mary Umbarger Harmony, NC One of the few towns in North Carolina I *haven't* worked in... Bob Rogers Westminster, SC Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] research and a few questions
David Francis wrote: This information doesn't negate Jack's basic point though - Scottish fiddlers like Mairi Campbell, Chris Stout and Anna Wendy Stevenson were 'classically trained' to a high level at music college, although I would say that the influence of that training shows itself more in a general facility than in the actual sound they make. To further agree with David and Jack, as the trained fiddlers and the others get together and play tunes, they would no doubt cross polinate. A related aspect of this is the long history of the Scottish fiddle tradition being influenced by outside influences, including continental music in the 18th century. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] More Scottish fiddle questions
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Bob: are you listening to Cape Breton fiddlers at all? There's a quality of abandonment...freedom, maybe? that is hard to pin down in words. I didn't list Natalie MacMaster or Buddy either. I wrongly assumed you'd know who they are. I've seen Natalie MacMaster play. In 1999 my wife and I went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the Fiddles of the World Convention. Probably the best vacation anyone will ever have. I like all fiddle music, but right now I'm trying to get my ears around "Scottish" fiddle music. I heard Alasdair Fraser say he had gone to Nova Scotia to learn certain aspects of Scottish fiddle that had been forgotten back in Scotland. I'd like to thank everyone for their suggestions (on CDs to buy). I'm going to compile a list -- eventually I hope to get all of everyone's suggestions (and maybe offer a few new ones of my own). Regarding John Taylor -- He taught the fiddle workshop at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games 2+ years ago. It was a very good workshop; he did an amazing demonstration of playing a 4/4 march at tempo "X" and then switching to a 6/8 march without changing the tempo, to show how you can "liven up" a set. I guess he only had one CD then, which was _After the Dance_, since that's all he had to sell. I think the *coolest* part of that CD is that he has some tracks with Ed Miller. Ed must be one of the greatest singers ever. If you've never seen one of his shows and you can get a chance, do go. A short Ed Miller Story: I saw him at the Loch Norman (Charlotte, NC) Highland Games, and I mentioned that I had seen on his website that he had an LP that wasn't on CD or cassette, and was there a way to get a copy. He said, "sure, just give me $15 and your address and I'll send it to you." So I did, and Ed send me the LP within about a week. A couple years later I mentioned it to him, and thanked him for sending it, and he said "You and about 49 other people in the world have that". He went on to tell me that he had made his first "record" just after CDs started to catch on -- most everyone wanted CDs and cassettes, so the LP never sold out it's first printing. The sad thing is I bought it just before we moved, and my cartridge got messed up in the move (don't let your spouse wrap the cartridge in paper towel and especially not move the turntable without locking down the tonearm), so I've never got to listen to side 2. I really need a new cartridge. Bob South Carolina
Re: [scots-l] A Fiddler's Book of Scottish Jigs
Cynthia Cathcart wrote: While we're talking about reels, and since there are a good smattering of fiddlers here, I will hazard another question: how fast are they usually played for dancers? One organization here in the States advertises the actual tempo of reels at 130-140 per half note/minim. Ignoring the fact that these settings are not on the standard metronome, is that lightening fast or what? Can our fiddlers really play reels that fast? Can people dance that fast?? How much variation in tempo would you think is acceptable for a reel played for listening? How slow can one take it before people start throwing things at you? Before Fiddlers start throwing things? --Cynthia Cathcart Well, in the preface to Skinner's _Harp and Claymore_, the editor, Gavin Greig, M.A., wrote regarding Strathspeys and reels, The tempo of the former is 1/2 note = 94 and the latter 1/2 note = 126. This represents 20 seconds for the Strathspey, and 15 for the Reel. These are the rates given by Mr. Skinner, and coincide with those given by G.F Graham. Mr. John Glenn makes the Strathspey somewhat slower. For listening? My wife was practicing some Mozart at a tempo 1/2 note = 152, which is really fast. I was listening to a field recording of an American Celtic fiddler (on headphones in the next room), and his tempo exactly matched her metronome. It sounded very fast, but not really hurried or rushed. Bob Rogers South Carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Hector the Hero
I am currently learning Hector the Hero, by Scott Skinner. I am using the version he published in Harp and Claymore. They way it's written isn't like the way I hear it. Is it supposed to be a slow strathspey? Most of the notes I hear played short in the recordings I have are notated as normal 1/8 notes. It sounds OK when played as written, but different. Any other playing tips for this tune on fiddle? The liner notes of Fred Morrison's Broken Chanter CD (Lismor LCOM5233) say that Mr. Morrison (winnner of Gold Medals for Ceol Mor in Oban and inverness) learned the tune from Tommy Peoples, which is an interesting path, I think (A young Scottish piper learns an old Scottish fiddle tune from an old Irish fiddler). I also have recordings of Johnny Cunningham and Laura Risk playing it. They all sound different from one another. Thanks, Bob Rogers South Carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Re: Moothie Players (was: primarily Scottish?)
Toby Rider wrote: I should have been clearer about that. Yes I was asking about Harmonica players, not Puirt a Beul recordings. I had no idea. What sort of tunings do they use? I've never heard of Scottish harmonica players. Thanks for enlightening me guys. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Tunebook list
Well, the place I've gotten the greatest number of tunes from is Jack's ABC tunefinder. As an aspiring fiddler, Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century is a great book to read. I think it's out of print. It has numerous examples of tunes, supposedly generally true to the original. There was a seemingly aborted discussion about two days ago regarding The Gow Collection of Scottish Dance Music -- Allegation The music has little to do with the Gows. Rebuttal: The forward claims the tunes are largely unedited from the originals. I am very curious about this, since I bought the book based on this claim in the forward. Comments? US ISBN=0.8256.0307.2 UK ISBN=0.7119.0756.0. Now why do we need two different *international*standard* book numbers for the same book? Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Moothie Players (was: primarily Scottish?)
Jack Campin wrote: ...does anyone have anyone good recommendations of recordings of Scottish mouthie players? Did I get the attribution correct? Anyway, since noone else mentioned it, the album Portland by the Irish men Kevin Burke and Micheal O'Domhnaill features a tune sung by Micheal. From the liner notes: S'iomadh rud a chunnaic mi is a piece of mouth music in Scottish Gaelic. They credit Findlay MacNeill as composer. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Re: playing styles
Toby Rider wrote: I've always thought one of the problems with the fiddle is that it is actually the same instrument as the classical violin, which means that alot of people bring alot of baggage with them from other genres of music when they cross-over to play Scottish music. So you end up with some pretty stiff or strange sounding stuff. Concertina players don't have that problem :-) I might have a somewhat biased opinion, since my wife plays violin professionally. I have an anecdote and a theory. A few years ago, we got sheet music for All the Blue Bonnets are Over the Border from the Potomac Valley Fiddle Club. My dad really likes it -- the Black Watch uses it as a quickstep march. Anyway, we sat down to play (me on guitar) and it just sounded bad. I tried to explain how it went, but that didn't work. Then I got out a CD of the Black Watch playing it. 30 seconds later, it sounded pretty good. I think what happens is like this: a person spends a decade or two learning how to play their instrument, and works especially hard at playing what is written. After spending so much time developing a difficult skill, it is only natural to try to capitalize on it. Any decent classical violinist *should* be able to play Scottish fiddle music pretty well, from a technical standpoint. The problem is that learning a new style by listening to it takes a lot of time, and it basically entails starting over. I guess that is baggage. I like to slow things down and look at the waveforms in Cool Edit. It's really interesting how free the time is *between* the bar lines sometimes. Bob Rogers South Carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Five Year old Student
- Original Message - From: Janice Parton [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 6:11 PM I have a new student starting who is only five years old. The youngest I have ever taught was 9 years old. Does anyone have any tips on teaching the fiddle to a 5 year old girl? Is she too young to learn to read? I asked my wife. She said she taught a 5 year old once. She said she did what she normally does, just at a slower pace, and it took more going over things. Good luck. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Tempi and other not so dumb questions
This is from a note to a CD by the Household Division (they do the Changing of the Guard stuff I think): - The beating or sounding of Retreat has its origins in the sixteenth century When I was in high school, we lived at Fort Riley, Kansas, an infantry post. They played bugle calls several (15?) times a day. Of course they played retreat to take down the flag, which was preceeded by firing the howitzer. Every night. That was about 3 blocks from our quarters. They fire the howitzer when they raise the flag too (6AM?). Ritual. What more can you ask for? I think I'll put on my kilt now, and march around the house beating pots... Bob South Carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Tuning and Electronic Tuners
- Original Message - From: SUZANNE MACDONALD [EMAIL PROTECTED] tone... I often disagree with what an electric tuner says is in tune i bought a really fancy electronic tuner to help tune whistes. i used it for my guitar one day, and my (now) wife (the violinist) says, that second string is flat. i turn it up a hair and she says that's good. i check the tuner and it still says it's in tune. moral of the story: at the $100 level, a good ear tunes better than a tuner. now that i've started working with the fiddle, a mediocre ear is as good as the tuner, too, for intervals, at least. bob south carolina Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
