Barebones Old-Time Fiddle Tunes |
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The scary fellow on the left is a detail from the cover for The Grateful Dead's "Blues for Allah" album by the illustrator Philip Garris |
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I have in the past been asked to make recordings of my versions of the old time tunes which I use both at workshops and when accompaning the Haddenham Hoofers.
As I have a lousy memory, and my attempts at burning CD’s for people have not always ended up with something useful I have taken the liberty of posting them here for people to access themselves.
These are not meant to be perfect or definitive versions of these tunes, but hopefully have been played slowly and clearly enough for others to follow if they wish.
New tunes will be added as I record them for other purposes!
| Tune | mp3 version | midi version | notation |
|---|---|---|---|
| not yet available | Click Here | Click Here | |
| Click Here | midi version not yet available | notation not yet available | |
| Click Here | midi version not yet available | notation not yet available | |
| Click Here | midi version not yet available | notation not yet available | |
| Click Here | midi version not yet available | notation not yet available | |
| Click Here | midi version not yet available | notation not yet available | |
| Click Here | Click Here | Click Here | |
| not yet available | Click Here | Click Here |
The versions/arrangements of tunes presented here are specifically the way I play them on fiddle. The listings below describe where/who I picked up my version from. Remember this is partly an aural process, and tunes evolve as you play them, It is also a snapshot in time - ie the way I played them at the time they were recorded/notated!
4 part Reel in G
American derivation of what was once a British tune called "Johnny fetch your wife back" My arrangement is an amalgamation of two different variants of the tune taken from Bayard's "Dance to the fiddle, March to the Fife." One variant had its key changed to create the set. In Happenstance we used this for the Pattacake Polka with great success.
Reel in A
Well known as the melody of the song "Battle of New Orleans". I have my own variation of the second part which adds a bit more oomph as a dance tune
Reel in Dm
Chilly Winds was taught to me by the late Mick Brooks when the Haddenham Hoofers were rehearsing a new routine taught to them by Julie Young from Minnesota. (now known as "Julie's dance" in recognition of this!)
The Hoofers band have been debating the name of the tune for some time, but I think that discussion has been put to rest on hearing the song " " on a great CD by Karl Jones and Beverley Smith which is clearly close to this melody, and refers to Chilly Winds in the lyric
Reel in G
I first heard this on Ali Bain's first album, but didn't learn to play it until I joined the Hoofers band. The version we play is very similar to Ali Bain's version.
Reel in A
As taught to me by Tim Mason
Reel in D
A well-known bluegrass tune, once again reproduced here with the ornamentation that I commonly use - strong chords in the A part and two different ways of playing the second part give it a slightly different feel. I prefer to play it a bit more slowly than is usual.
Reel in A
This was taught to me by Tim Mason, banjo player for the Haddenham Hoofers. What is notated here is the way I now play it - somewhat modified from the common banjo version of the tune. Works well with the fiddle tuned AEAE
Reel in G
I developed my version of this traditional American tune after lkisting to a midi version that I found on the internet. The midi file here is the way that I play it now, complete with double-stopping in the A part