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John Kelly · 24-08-2011, 04:01 PM

Hi George, the music I have is indeed written in straight 4/4 time rather than in "dot and cut" as the pipers seem to call the dotted quaver and semi-quaver. I played it this way when I first got the music then heard a piper playing it in the way I have since transcribed it and I liked the different feel this march tempo gave it. I agree with you that it's a great tune.

Tosh Marshall · 29-08-2011, 08:44 AM

Quote:RE: TOW#23: The Music o' Spey
I was about to start trying to learn an English jig, Seven Stars (thanks to Google for some abc) -

Niall, I had a bash at this, thanks for posting.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4WXoGaBMCA

NiallAnderson · (This post was last modified: 29-08-2011 08:21 PM by NiallAnderson.)

(29-08-2011 08:44 AM)Tosh Marshall Wrote: Niall, I had a bash at this, thanks for posting.....

Well, since it was my idea, I thought I probably should too. Here's a pretty low-res clip of me attempting this. In my head, it sounded like the Bellowhead arrangement...

http://youtu.be/cVZUPaEVnq8

John Kelly · 30-08-2011, 08:33 AM

Niall, a good piece of playing and lovely picking and left hand fingering. Posting your first video clip is the crucial moment (I sound like a Scottish football commentator!). Now that you have that one done, I look forward to more. What is the mandolin you are playing?

NiallAnderson · 30-08-2011, 09:09 AM

(30-08-2011 08:33 AM)John Kelly Wrote: Niall, a good piece of playing and lovely picking and left hand fingering. Posting your first video clip is the crucial moment (I sound like a Scottish football commentator!). Now that you have that one done, I look forward to more. What is the mandolin you are playing?

Thanks, John, you've no idea how many attempts that took... Angry

It's certainly an interesting experience trying to record and watch oneself. I noticed a couple of things straight away in the earlier takes that needed practice time (I was positioning my right hand at an odd angle from resting it on the very top of the bridge - partly corrected in the posted video), so it's useful from a learning perspective. I'll maybe need to look at camera and mic options to do many more - I was using a Microsoft HD webcam, which is ok, but not that great, really. Probably need to play with one or two other options.

The mandolin is a model A from Nigel Forster, with carved maple back/ sides and carved spruce top. Scale length is 347mm or thereabouts. Full spec is on Nigel's website, nkforsterguitars.com .

Trish Santer · 24-12-2011, 12:15 AM

It's been a long time since the last post on this thread, but finally got around to recording The Music O' Spey on piano tonight: did it in A after all! (Er well, played it in G but used the transpose key on the piano!!) I'll do it on the button accordion another day! Like John Kelly did it AABB, tho' some play ABAB.

***nigelgatherer*** · 24-12-2011, 12:35 PM

It's really, really beautiful, Trish - thanks for posting it. In my head I head a descending bass line in the third bar, something like F# E D C# and then B for the E chord in bar 4. Sounds good in my head, but it might not sound so good in real life!

Trish Santer · 26-12-2011, 05:13 PM

(24-12-2011 12:35 PM)nigelgatherer Wrote: It's really, really beautiful, Trish - thanks for posting it. In my head I head a descending bass line in the third bar, something like F# E D C# and then B for the E chord in bar 4. Sounds good in my head, but it might not sound so good in real life!

Thanks Nigel: that does in fact work and sounds good, tho' it would involve some chord changes. Also could do something similar with the 4 notes in the third bar of the B tune. I'll have a think and re-record it/send the chords.

John Kelly · 28-12-2011, 11:23 AM

Just back from being away over Christmas, Trish. Will certainly be giving this one some time and attention now.

Trish Santer · 13-02-2013, 10:38 PM

Played a set in my band today: Hills of Lorne/The Quern/Music of Spey: all played at brisk March speed (!!!!) much to my complete horror, as it's apparently a set list for a certain dance.
I protested long and hard that all 3 tunes were far too fast and pretty well wrecked by playing at such a speed! Fortunately some back-up from a couple of other "slow air-o-philes". Then one of the band said Music O' Spey was originally written as a strathspey.....Well I know J Scott Skinner was The Strathspey King but this kinda stretched my imagination beyond limits!
Any truth in this, Nigel?
I HAVE put the "walk-down" bass into my piano part for the 4 As in the melody and it works really well - recording later!
Anyway, final answer was they will play it this way at the gig this weekend at which I shall mercifully NOT be present, but thereafter it will be used as a listening set at a more appropriate speed, and we'll find some other tunes for whatever dance it was!