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I've been working on this off and on for a while. Sometimes good, most of the time not so good. This vid is kinda in the middle of that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....9U9N9HqSh4
Also if your working on this tune and want to add yours to this thread....feel free. Can make this like a group "Share A Video". I didn't set the bar very high...so show me up folks! If I get a better copy I will add it.
A hoopy frood always knows where his towel is!

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Fortunately for us there is a Fiddlerman, a Jakefiddle and a Worldfiddler all very adept at this type of Irish tune Im sure. As for me I struggle with speed on this particular tune. But I try to play the notes long short short with the emphasis on the first beat. I am doing Jakefiddles recomendated vid on triplets that he responded to a post by Juan though and that seems to be helping. Practice the pattern first then add the fingerings once the bow seems to be on auto pilot pattern wise is something Ive been told a few times over the years. Even tommy emmanuel says that about how to get the thumb going like he does on guitar. So you arent alone on this thread I will add my vid. gimme a quick minute though.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.




Hi Matthew,
Very nice. Our weekly Adult Beginner Fiddle class had that song introduced several weeks ago; it's about the same version as you're using (ours is from the Ludiker book). No one except the teacher is anywhere close to playing it in the style mentioned by pfish, and we're just learning it the "easy way" like you played it.

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yeah I dont have the ornamentation down at all. I've worked with my instructor a bit on this and it has helped but still have a ways to go to make it nice and polished. I've had a violin for about a year (April) but in truth I've only been playing for about 6-7 months, and only really started to focus in it in December. I'll check out that thread you mentioned PF.
I'm going to add the sheet music that I use if anybody wants it, its basically the same as whats in the Irish Fiddle Fakebook, I just punched it into Finale so that I would have a copy. I also have a couple audio files that I found and use to practice with that I can add later if somebody wants.
A hoopy frood always knows where his towel is!

Pro advisor
wow am I rusty! ha ha, this will have to wait a day or two! I will post an attempt vid though eventually. I am committed to Barrys fiddle challenge as well if you are looking for another fiddle tune, its located in the old time section down below.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.

Honorary tenured advisor


Nice playing man! I am working on this tune right now as my 2nd song ever on violin lol. Got the first part down pretty well and can speed up a decent amount. The 2nd part though I fall apart, not very good at using the E string yet and on my copy it's a double slur into a separate pair which makes my bow hand and brain freeze haha. Great job and keep up the hard work, you make this song look really easy to play! Thanks for the vid, maybe at some point I'll add mine to the thread here after I work out that 2nd part .

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Thanks everyone. I wasn't totally pleased with that attempt but it was the best one of the bunch.
The bow is Fiddlerman's CF bow. I dont know why but lately I have been having trouble getting the A & E strings to respond to bowings, most likely it is just me and not the equipment. Thats why it was tinny sometimes.
Heres the sheet music I used. It's just the basic notes, nothing fancy. They are both the same, accidently added the same one twice
A hoopy frood always knows where his towel is!

Advanced member
Sounding great for 6-7 months!! That's very impressive for that short amount of time. I especially liked that little flair of vibrato at the end nice touch. It took me years to learn vibrato, and here you are, playing it like that after such a short time. Congratulations.
The thread mentioned by Pfish is definitely a great one to look into. Did you find it? Because in that thread we talk about triplets in jigs just like the ones you're playing in swallowtail jig.
My advice for you would be to try and not make the bow so "rubby" if that makes sense. You actually play very cleanly, but your bow tends to travel a lot between the bridge and the fingerboard. Try and work on getting that bow to glide across the strings very straightly. Also, you don't seem to be putting a lot of arm weight into the strings. Grind down in there a little bit more to pull more sound out of the instrument. Doing this will give the song a little more attitude and personality. Use the natural weight of gravity on your arm to weigh the bow down- don't press hard. Also, as is mentioned above, be sure to accent the first of every three notes. It helps keep the tune rhythmic and danceable. One of the greatest aspects of this fiddle music is it's groove and perfect rhythm, so really work on making the tune "rock." The best way to do that is just to have lots of fun while playing. The more fun you have, the more energetic and exciting your music will be.
Anyway.... I hope that helped some. I really think you're doing great!! Keep it up!!
-Jake

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I just realized that this wasn't the critique corner, so pardon me if my "critique" was a little out of place....
I get a little too excited to add my input sometimes... My bad! I hope it helps some, though.... No offense intended.




Peanut_Gallery, that is good going for such a short time playing.
If you want a few tips, in addition to what Jake said, you will probably find it easier if you start each group of six notes on a downbow, as it gives the tune a better balance. Also, try to make you bow travel a good bit shorter, and use the upper third of the bow. I think you'll find this much easier. Hope this is of help!
Good work!
Mr Jim



Peanut_Gallery - Make sure you are getting Rosin across the entire length of the bow and thoroughly onto all the strings. I tend to roll my bow and when the rosin wears off the edges, i lose response on my strings. As the season is starting to change, you also might need to change the type of rosin you are using. Still, nice playing. Keep up the hard work.
"I find your lack of Fiddle, disturbing" - Darth Vader

Advanced member

@ jakefiddler - Thanks and no worries about the critique, any help is always appreciated. I think I was getting a little tried and it was causing me to tense up my arm and wrist making my bow move around quite a bit. Also playing faster tunes my bow will get a little wild sometimes. Im still working on getting some good arm weight into the bow, I started playing in my apartment and so I got used to playing "light" but now I got a place where I can practice and not worry about bothering anyone.
@ worldfiddler - My instructor has told me that playing jigs and such is more from the wrist than the forearm. I've been practicing against a wall so that more motion is from the wrist but I have a ways to go, just feels weird still. Thanks
@ tyberius - I'll try to get more rosin on the edges of the bow. I've been thinkin about trying some different rosins but I'll get to that in time. I'm pretty sure its more me than anything else, just need to keep workin at it.
Thanks for all the replies everyone. Look forward to seein some other attempts.
A hoopy frood always knows where his towel is!





I thought that sounded pretty good! When I first started playing, one of my goals was to be able to play that tune within a year. I got to it in a couple months and it is one of the few that I can play by memory as I have just practiced it so much! (not that I'm good at it though after all this time). One of the things my teach kept pointing out was to really accentuate the first note. Perhaps I will get a video done if i can enlist the help of my daughter!
I enjoyed listening to your rendition!
Helvetika
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