Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.
Private messaging is working again.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(0 votes) 
Offline
If someone handed you a violin/fiddle in a public venue and said "play us a tune," what would be your go-to tune? In other words, do you have a tune in your back pocket that you would feel confident or semi-confident playing in front of people on short notice?
For me, I think it would be The Road to Lisdoonvarna because I play it a lot when practicing, so I think my intonation is reliably OK and I can throw in a few Irish sounding embellishments. Most of all, I play it from memory so often that I think, in a stressful situation, I could pull it off without messing up too much.
Do you have a go-to tune?
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
Offline
Definitely the Godfather Theme... Or Sad Romance... But if supper terrified.. Scarborough. By the End of this summer... I hope the answer to this question is Thaxted and Swan Lake.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
Regulars
Offline
most likely Angelina Baker
There is no shame in playing twinkle, youre playing Mozart
Regulars
Offline
That would have to be the 'Skye Boat Song'
Not because it's my favorite tune, but it's the one that I'm the least likely to make a mistake while playing. But it 'is' a nice tune.
I also use it as a 'benchmark' to judge how my bowing and intonation is progressing
Seen it all. Done it all. Can't remember most of 
..... What was I saying???? 
Regulars
Offline
I decided to record it for you Diane 
Fresh today
So here it is. The Skye Boat Song. Played for intonation and bowing. No embellishment
(I really wish that I had tidied my self up a bit before I pushed the record button 
)
Seen it all. Done it all. Can't remember most of ..... What was I saying????
Offline
Nicely played @Ferret !
to you and 
And on the original topic - well - hard call to make - if I'm on my own and struggling with something, my comfort-blanket is scales practice /arpeggios (and even then I still need to be selective! ).
If asked on the spot to play something I would probably pick from Loch Lomond, Skye boat song, Mingulay Boat song, Ashokan and if classical, most likely largo from New World. Mind-you following the 4th of July party, Tennessee Waltz has become my current ear-worm and feels like a nice little practice piece with cute (if you like that sort of thing) little semi-tone slides.... puts a real smile on my face! In fact, that could be a crowd-puller ! ROFL
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Members
Offline
Kind of depends on mood and the audience. Probably Mary Hamilton or Annie Laurie or Blow the Candles Out. Whisky in the Jar or The Marvelous Toy, perhaps if I were feeling up to something a bit more energetic and thought it might go over better.
"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman
Regulars
Offline
Great tune Ferret.
I like Angeline Baker, but if I am nervous it can be way too screetchy. Soldier's Joy is for some reason easier for me even though part B is on E string.
Simple Gifts is a great tune!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
Regulars
Offline
Ashokan Farewell, hands down.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
Offline
Thanks for the video, John! @Ferret Nice job. I like the Skye Boat Song...we used to sing it at Girl Scout camp.
Speaking of the Tennessee Waltz, I might put that on a list of possible encores, if asked to play another tune. I'm feeling pretty comfortable with that one now.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
Regulars
Offline
I dont believe Ive heard you do the Tennessee waltz yet Diane ...is there a video I missed maybe
There is no shame in playing twinkle, youre playing Mozart
Regulars
Offline
depending on what fiddle is in hand its going to be soldiers joy, snow deer, angelina baker or liza jane...
Good playing, Ferret / John.
Well, there have been a few times when I've been in my luthiers shop and a customer has walked in, maybe wanting to buy a violin for either themselves or their child.
Mark, (the owner) will say, "Ken, you play violin, will you play this one (or a couple violins) so these folks can hear what they sound like". (Mark doesn't play violin, he's a classical double bass player in the local symphony orchestra) so maybe I'll play a medley of song's from past. "Peg-O-my Heart", "Sleepy Time Gal", "Mr. Lucky" (from the TV show of the same name from '1959' and '60'). I might throw in "Blue Velvet" or in winter time, "Frosty The Snowman" to name a few and if they have a child with them, "Pop Goes the Weasel" is always a fun tune for kids.
What I like about doing that is that I get a chance to play a variation or nice violin's and it also gives me the opportunity to hear them myself.
Do I have one "go to tune", not really, there are many that I'm comfortable with.
Ken.
Offline
@Ferret
Bravo bravo.. it is lovely. I have to say I am still not familiar with that song. You play it well. I can see why it is a go to song.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
Regulars
Offline
coolpinkone said
@FerretBravo bravo.. it is lovely. I have to say I am still not familiar with that song. You play it well. I can see why it is a go to song.
@coolpinkone
Toni it is a nice tune and probably the one I know best.
And it has a history and tells of history. But it's a shame that such a pretty song is about war and bloodshed. But then, many folk songs are.
"The Skye Boat Song is about the Battle of Culloden which took place in Scotland in April 1746. The battle was the last fight of the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The Jacobite Rising was Charles Edward Stuart's attempt to win the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. It ended in the Jacobite's defeat within 40 minutes with about 1000 of them slain. It was their last major attempt to restore the Stuart dynasty.
Skye is an island in Scotland. Charles escaped from the British troops to Skye in the months after the battle, with the help of Flora MacDonald. In the end he sailed to France, never to return to Scotland.
This song is about Charles escape to Skye. It also commemorates the soldiers who were exiled and who fell in the battle."
Seen it all. Done it all. Can't remember most of ..... What was I saying????
Offline
Thank your Feret. I always think it is nice to know the history of a song.
Thank you so much.
Even a battle song.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
Regulars
Offline
Ferret said
coolpinkone said
@FerretBravo bravo.. it is lovely. I have to say I am still not familiar with that song. You play it well. I can see why it is a go to song.
@coolpinkone
Toni it is a nice tune and probably the one I know best.
And it has a history and tells of history. But it's a shame that such a pretty song is about war and bloodshed. But then, many folk songs are.
"The Skye Boat Song is about the Battle of Culloden which took place in Scotland in April 1746. The battle was the last fight of the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The Jacobite Rising was Charles Edward Stuart's attempt to win the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. It ended in the Jacobite's defeat within 40 minutes with about 1000 of them slain. It was their last major attempt to restore the Stuart dynasty.
Skye is an island in Scotland. Charles escaped from the British troops to Skye in the months after the battle, with the help of Flora MacDonald. In the end he sailed to France, never to return to Scotland.
This song is about Charles escape to Skye. It also commemorates the soldiers who were exiled and who fell in the battle."
Yes, I also love having a story to go with my songs. Makes it really fun around the camp fire.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
Offline
I hope sometime to play a violin around the campfire. I can't see it happening as I don't camp. Ha ha.. and those that would camp with me wouldn't want me to play.. hum...hum...I need to rethink my friends. ha ha ha
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
1 Guest(s)
ELCBK
Strabo
Mouse
Fiddlerman
