Katy AdelsonMy new Irish music book is available on Amazon (and in Amazon's French marketplace, too! Yay! Finally! :D ), and my new website store! I thought I'd make this demonstration video to show what the arrangements sound like for anyone interested in purchasing the book.
The digital PDF downloadable version is available from my website! The download has PDF versions formatted for US Letter (paper size that the USA and Canada use), and A4 (paper size that the rest of the world uses) =)
My new music store website: https://www.GoldenAspenMusic.com
(This is an Amazon Affiliates link. I earn a commission without any extra cost to you when the above link is used to make a purchase.)
Just curious - Does this link forward to your countries marketplace (e.g. Amazon.fr instead of Amazon.com)? If not, I'll make separate Amazon marketplace links! =)
This book contains 15 Irish airs arranged as fiddle duets and trios from melodies composed by Turlough O'Carolan. Carolan was a blind Irish poet, composer, and traveling harper who lived from 1670 - 1738.
Book Contents:
Introduction: A Summary of Irish History that Influenced Carolan and His Music A Brief Biography of Turlough O'Carolan
Sheet Music: Captain O'Kane Fanny Power Carolan's Welcome Carolan's Receipt - Dr. John Stafford Colonel John Irwin Morgan Megan Eleanor Plunkett Carolan's Quarrel with the Landlady Sir Charles Coote Si Bheag Si Mhor George Brabazon's 2nd Air Princess Royal - Miss MacDermott Planxty Hewlett Denis O'Conor Carolan's Concerto
Each song has a melody and two melodic harmonies to choose from. The songs can be played as duets repeated using the different harmonies, or all parts can be played at the same time to form a violin trio.
The tunes are airs, and are therefore played at a slower tempo than a lot of traditional Irish fiddle music. All of these arrangements can be played in 1st position, making it an approachable book for beginner and intermediate violin players. The difficulty level varies for the different pieces.
This book is great for musicians performing with a friend or small group. The arrangements are appropriate for weddings and acoustic performances. The harmonies can even be used by a soloist with a looper pedal. It is also helpful for teachers who want to accompany their students. Those who study classical violin repertoire, and are interested in Irish folk music, may notice some of these songs have a "Baroque" spirit to them.
This book promotes listening closely to other players while performing a part, and learning how melodic harmonies can fit with a melody line.
You will receive two different paper size format organized in two different folders with this digital download - US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches), and A4 (210 x 297 millimeters). The United States and Canada use US letter paper, and the rest of the world uses A4 paper. If you decide to print the music book, please make sure to print the formatted version that has been designed for the paper your printer uses.
Happy Fiddling!
Thank you for watching! I hope you like the new book! =)
Demo Video: 15 Irish Fiddle Airs - Duets and Trios - Turlough OCarolan - Music Book | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-03-30 | My new Irish music book is available on Amazon (and in Amazon's French marketplace, too! Yay! Finally! :D ), and my new website store! I thought I'd make this demonstration video to show what the arrangements sound like for anyone interested in purchasing the book.
The digital PDF downloadable version is available from my website! The download has PDF versions formatted for US Letter (paper size that the USA and Canada use), and A4 (paper size that the rest of the world uses) =)
My new music store website: https://www.GoldenAspenMusic.com
(This is an Amazon Affiliates link. I earn a commission without any extra cost to you when the above link is used to make a purchase.)
Just curious - Does this link forward to your countries marketplace (e.g. Amazon.fr instead of Amazon.com)? If not, I'll make separate Amazon marketplace links! =)
This book contains 15 Irish airs arranged as fiddle duets and trios from melodies composed by Turlough O'Carolan. Carolan was a blind Irish poet, composer, and traveling harper who lived from 1670 - 1738.
Book Contents:
Introduction: A Summary of Irish History that Influenced Carolan and His Music A Brief Biography of Turlough O'Carolan
Sheet Music: Captain O'Kane Fanny Power Carolan's Welcome Carolan's Receipt - Dr. John Stafford Colonel John Irwin Morgan Megan Eleanor Plunkett Carolan's Quarrel with the Landlady Sir Charles Coote Si Bheag Si Mhor George Brabazon's 2nd Air Princess Royal - Miss MacDermott Planxty Hewlett Denis O'Conor Carolan's Concerto
Each song has a melody and two melodic harmonies to choose from. The songs can be played as duets repeated using the different harmonies, or all parts can be played at the same time to form a violin trio.
The tunes are airs, and are therefore played at a slower tempo than a lot of traditional Irish fiddle music. All of these arrangements can be played in 1st position, making it an approachable book for beginner and intermediate violin players. The difficulty level varies for the different pieces.
This book is great for musicians performing with a friend or small group. The arrangements are appropriate for weddings and acoustic performances. The harmonies can even be used by a soloist with a looper pedal. It is also helpful for teachers who want to accompany their students. Those who study classical violin repertoire, and are interested in Irish folk music, may notice some of these songs have a "Baroque" spirit to them.
This book promotes listening closely to other players while performing a part, and learning how melodic harmonies can fit with a melody line.
You will receive two different paper size format organized in two different folders with this digital download - US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches), and A4 (210 x 297 millimeters). The United States and Canada use US letter paper, and the rest of the world uses A4 paper. If you decide to print the music book, please make sure to print the formatted version that has been designed for the paper your printer uses.
Happy Fiddling!
Thank you for watching! I hope you like the new book! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lensWe Three Kings Instrumental Christmas Carol | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2022-12-25 | Hi Everyone! Here is a pretty Christmas song called, "We Three Kings." John Henry Hopkins wrote this carol in Pennsylvania in 1865. This is an instrumental fiddle version, but there typically are five verses -- I played it through five times for anyone who wanted to sing along kind of like a karaoke. I also played all the instruments to make a fully acoustic version of the song -- I hope that you like it!
I've heard a lot of different versions of this song. Some people play it really upbeat, others quite slow paced. I really wanted to try to swing it a little -- it made me realize this could become a cool jazz band song if there were the right instruments. Since I typically play folk music, I didn't go too into the swinging and jazzy vibe since I don't really know how... But it gave me a lot of ideas.
Lyrics: We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
Refrain: O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, gold I bring to crown him again, King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign. [Refrain]
Frankincense to offer have I; incense owns a Deity nigh; prayer and praising, voices raising, worshiping God on high. [Refrain]
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom; sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]
Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice: Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies. [Refrain]
I apologize for my hiatus these last few months. I had been extremely upset and was having the hardest time trying to film videos. Every time I would look at the footage, it just seemed like it looked like I was upset, which I was, but... I don't necessarily want a video to show that... I feel like I'm finally at a place where I can accept a new version of myself, and like I'm finally moving forward again.
I'm starting to feel excited for 2023! I'm hoping this will be the year that I get to do all the music things I was hoping I could do in 2020 when I first moved to this new city. It's been weird to live in a town for over 2 years and still feel new to it since the pandemic shut so much down. I'm finally getting to meet other musicians, play at sessions again, and start to expand my tune repertoire.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a good rest of the week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Spaces (reverb)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerOKeefes Slide ~ Irish Fiddle Tune! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2022-06-11 | Here is a fun Irish fiddle tune called O'Keefe's. It's a slide, which is kind of like a jig, but has a more "bouncy" nature to the tune -- similar to a hornpipe. They also are also generally played at really fast tempos, but the "bouncy" vibe of the tune makes it feel like you aren't playing so fast. It's kind of strange...
I recently started to learn guitar! I thought I'd attempt to make a music video with it. I'm still very much a beginner... This tune only has the three chords, so I thought I'd attempt it. It's weirdly difficult to strum in tempo. It's like I think I'm strumming in tempo, and then I listen to it and realize I'm most definitely NOT, lol. It takes a lot of practice and self-critiquing...... I also bought a low G whistle by Susato and learned that low whistles are so much harder to make sound nice. This is actually the first music video I've made where it's 100% acoustic. I usually make my backing tracks with sample libraries rather than real instruments.
There have been a few deaths in the family recently, and I've been struggling a lot......I hadn't posted in a while, and thought I should try to start making things again, but still feel really sad about stuff...It's a hard balance.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Logic Pro for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Spaces
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerFig for a Kiss + Breakout (LOTD, Ronan Hardiman) - Irish Fiddle Tunes! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2022-03-17 | Happy St. Paddy's Day! Here are some fun Irish Fiddle Tunes: A Fig for a Kiss, which is a slip jig, and Breakout, which is a modern tune by Ronan Hardiman for Lord of the Dance. Both of the tunes have a "slide" vibe to me, so I tried to play them kind of bouncy. I hope that you like this version of the tunes! They are fun tunes to mix into things.
A lot of people like the Breakout tune but don't always realize it's not a trad tune -- it also sounds nice with Coleraine. I'm an advocate for mixing old and new tunes together in a set, even though I know some people don't really like that... I just think there is a lot we can learn from the old tunes and modern music. We can mix some of the jazzy modern stuff with some of the traditional music and make something fun and different.
I recorded this footage back in 2020 in Crested Butte, Colorado. I went car-camping around that area during the pandemic as a bit of an escape. It is a beautiful place! The hiking footage is from a small scientific research town nearby called, "Gothic." I was hoping it would be a little more cloudy and misty to create a mythical vibe for the video, but it was super dry with lots of sunshine for the entire visit. We were actually having a lot of bad fires at the time...I'm glad those have been put out...
I feel like I've been struggling trying to feel creative with all the stuff that's been going on these past few years with the pandemic, fires, and now the war...I'm hoping I'll be able to shake out of this. I'm glad that I had written down all my ideas before the pandemic started. Reading over that list helps me move back into the mindset that I had had before all of this started...
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =) Please stay safe!
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Logic Pro for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerCold and Frosty Morning - Fiddle Time! #shorts | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2022-02-07 | Here is a old-time fiddle tune called Cold and Frosty Morning. =) I thought I'd try uploading a YouTube short...Thank you for watching and listening to my miniature music video -- I hope you like it!
Hashtags: #IrishMusic #TraditionalMusic #Fiddle #KatyAdelson #Music #Violin #shortsChristmas Day Ida Moarnin - Scottish Fiddle Tune | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-12-25 | Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Here is a new Shetland tune called, “Christmas Day Ida Moarnin'.” I think this Scottish tune is typically considered an air, but I’ve seen it listed as a jig, as well. I tend to think it has a march-like essence to it, or even a strathspey vibe to it, although I don’t think there really are Shetland Strathspeys. I tend to think it is neither a jig nor a strathspey, and it doesn’t really seem to be like an air, either, but rather a tune in itself. Apparently this tune is one that is played in the morning of Christmas Day.
Some people think this tune was composed by Friedemann Stickle who used to play this tune every year on Christmas morning in the hall of the Edmondston family. However, other people think this tune may be even older and composed by someone else.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good holiday time! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerBurning of the Pipers Hut + An Dro ~ Celtic Folk Music | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-11-10 | Here are two neat tunes: a Scottish march called "Burning of the Piper's Hut," and a Breton tune called "An Dro." I usually hear the march played more like an air, so I tried to play it like that.
Burning of the Piper's Hut was collected by Robin Williamson in 1976 in the book, "English Welsh Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes." There really aren't any other known earlier sources of the tune played as a march, and here is a link to the march version with some more information: tunearch.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Piper%27s_Hut_(1).
However, there is a similar jig with the same name that has been attributed to Alexander McKellar, who lived during the 1800s (here is a link to his jig version: tunearch.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Piper%27s_Hut_(2) ). The march version is likely an old tune, but hasn't been written down until somewhat recently...
There are lots of An Dro (sometimes called En Dro) tunes from Cape Breton -- they all seem to be called An Dro, which is a tune for a type of circle dance, but I've seen this particular one sometimes referred to as "An Dro 2," and even called, "Breton Dance Tune."
I hope you all have been well! I have been busy with work and trying to catch up with things now that the world is reopening slowly. It has been nice to be able to see my parents and friends again. The past two years have been very rough for everyone, but I think there's a light at the end of the tunnel!
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerThe Wellerman - Sea Shanty (Instrumental) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-09-01 | I have had a lot of requests to play an instrumental version of "The Wellerman" and more "pirate music," so here is my attempt at playing an instrumental version of that song! Sea Shanties are great! I added the tunes Dunmore Lasses and Ievan Polkka, too, because they are fun and seemed to somewhat fit the vibe. I played it in C-minor, which I think is the key signature that Nathan Evans had sang for his version. His version is great! :)
"Wellerman" is a New Zealand sea shanty about a whaling ship of sailors hoping a supply ship, the "Wellerman," will come.
It could be that Wellerman refers to the Weller Brothers, of Sydney, Australia. They were ashore-whaling company in New Zealand in the 1830s and 40s.
Lyrics: There was a ship that put to sea, And the name of the ship was the Billy of Tea The winds blew up, her bow dipped down, Oh blow, my bully boys, blow.
chorus: Soon may the Wellerman come And bring us sugar and tea and rum. One day, when the tonguing is done, I'll take my leave and go.
She had not been two weeks from shore When down on her a right whale bore. The captain called all hands and swore He'd take that whale in tow.
Before the boat had hit the water The whale's tail came up and caught her. All hands to the side harpooned and fought her When she dived down below.
No line was cut, no whale was freed; The Captain's mind was not of greed, But he belonged to the whaleman's creed; She took the ship in tow.
For forty days, or even more, The line went slack, then tight once more. All boats were lost (there were only four) But still the whale did go.
As far as I've heard, the fight's still on; The line's not cut and the whale's not gone. The Wellerman makes his regular call To encourage the Captain, crew, and all.
I've put this version in the creative commons. I try to put my music in the creative commons when I can. I hope that it can help inspire others to make some art!
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =) Please stay safe!
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerHow to Improve Violin Tone | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-07-12 | One of the most common questions I've received is, "How do I make my violin sound more professional?" The answer is within the concept of Tone. In this video, I discuss what tone is, and how to improve your tone on a violin (or fiddle). This is a video many have asked for, so I tried to go into some depth while also trying to keep to the point with some exercises to help as much as possible. Hopefully there are some useful things in here!
This is an advanced violin concept, so if you are a beginner, I think it's probably best to just keep this kind of stuff in mind but focus more on learning to play with a straight bow and practice left hand intonation...But if you have those basic essentials down and are ready to dive into developing a more mature sound for your playing, hopefully this video might help give you some ideas about what professionals are doing to get a big, solid sound. It's difficult stuff -- I'm still learning, too!
Navigation Timestamps: 00:00 - Definition of tone 00:14 - What tone is NOT 01:06 - The bow controls tone 01:31 - The four elements that control your tone 02:15 - Arm weight 03:00 - Arm weight exercise 04:52 - Bow speed 05:30 - Why I think "play with a full bow" is bad advice 06:18 - Bow speed and control exercise examples 08:20 - Bow placement / contact point 09:02 - Moving between contact points means you use a crooked bow 09:27 - Practice playing at different contact points on different strings with different sections of the bow (g-string example) 10:28 - How much bow hair touches the string affects tone 11:27 - Combining arm weight, bow speed, and bow placement / contact point to improve violin tone 12:19 - Practice switching between contact points as while sustaining a note 12:45 - Getting harmonics to sound better 13:35 - Upgrading equipment to improve tone 17:16 - Acoustic violin tone quality vs. using a pick-up / amplified violin tone quality (especially if using a bridge pick-up) 18:16 - Things to keep in mind if playing amplified 18:40 - Different definitions of the word "tone" in music / sound 20:56 - Ending thoughts - happy tone practicing! :D
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) - are still my favorite strings atm. Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lensLe retour des hirondelles - French Waltz | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-06-04 | Here is a fun French waltz called, "Le retour des hirondelles," or, "Return of the Swallows" in English. I believe it was composed by Beniamino Pagano and Robert Trognée. I have often heard it played in the key of C, but I moved it to D to make it easier to play on the violin (more open strings!). It's definitely not a very straight-forward tune to play on a violin since it has a lot of accidentals, but I tried to make it work.
I've been pretty hooked to this piece ever since I heard it a few years ago -- there is something about songs with a lot of chromatic accidentals that I really love for some reason. It's almost like they can toss the concept of a key signature out the window with all the accidentals, yet still sound like the right key. It's great! I want to learn how to write songs like that!
I mostly wanted to attempt to make a video of this song because I saw a TON of swallows flying around one day, as well as little baby swallows -- SO CUTE!!!
I finished my Covid vaccine doses. I'm not going to lie -- the second dose was pretty rough... :/ But it's done!! I got to visit my friends and family for the first time in a long long time. It was so nice, yet also felt kind of strange to be near other humans without a mask. It was great to see everyone in "real life" instead of zoom calls. After lots of isolation, I'm more socially awkward than ever before -- yay....gotta work on that...again...
Thank you for watching and listening! =) Happy Spring!!
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II, Spaces
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerEleanor Plunket - Irish Music (Turlough OCarolan) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-04-22 | Here is another Carolan song called Eleanor Plunket, arranged as a trio (or two duet harmonies). This arrangement is from my book of 15 Turlough O'Carolan Irish Fiddle Airs (http://bit.ly/15IrishFiddleAirsPDF).
To me, Eleanor Plunket has a somber essence to it. According to the book, “CAROLAN The Life, Times and Music of an S Irish Harper” by Donal O’Sullivan, the song was written by Carolan in praise of Eleanor Plunket — “the only survivor of her family. It is said that 30 persons of that family shut themselves up in the castle of Castlecome, 2 miles from Robertstown, which were destroyed by boiling water.” The actual incident hasn’t been confirmed, and it may be an exaggeration. I have heard about the practice of dropping boiling water on castle intruders, but this sounds like it might have been a different situation.
Here are the Irish words to the poem that apparently goes with this song for Eleanor (I believed referred to as, “Nelly”) Plunket:
A Nelly an chúil chraobhaigh, Is a shúil ar dhaith an fhéir ghlais Ag éirghe dhon lá, Ó! nach bréag dham so a rádh,
'S gur [tú] do shliocht na bhfear éifeacht Ó Árdmacha bréige, Fuair sár-chlú ó Ghaodhalaibh Le tréan-neart a lámh.
I definitely don't speak Irish, and I'm not going to pretend that I know what that says... I put it into google translate and googled the lyrics to check some translation ideas. It seems the lyrics may talk about Eleanor having flowing hair, green eyes, and being a strong, accomplished person.
The book about Carolan mentions that it's unlikely the lyrics were sung with the melody, but perhaps instead spoken as he played the melody line on his harp.
Also, it is said that while Carolan was composing the song, Eleanor’s coachman said, “I often hear some of them words in other songs.” This made Carolan a bit mad, and he apparently said, “Neither you, nor any other person will ever hear more of it but what it’s already composed!" and ended the song right there. I think that explains why it just sort of ends randomly.
Some people repeat the beginning part as a way to end the song -- the beginning does sound a little more like a better ending, in my opinion. But, for this recording, I left it ending the way Carolan apparently has left the song. To me, it sounds like it ends asking a as question, which I think adds an element of uniqueness that you don't often hear.
I hope you are doing okay -- the world has seen some crazy times over the last year...We've all been through a ton. But, I'm starting to feel really hopeful -- we can get through all of this!
I have received a lot of concern in some of my videos about getting the covid vaccine, but I feel super fortunate that I've had the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine! I had it about 2 weeks ago, and I'm going to get the second dose at the end of April. My parents are both fully vaccinated from the Moderna vaccine, and are just waiting for the antibodies to kick into full swing. I'm so excited to be able to safely hug them again!!!! It's been over a year since I've been able to do that -- we had to be really careful.
I realize people are concerned about it, and it is ultimately a personal decision between risk of illness vs. risk of adverse vaccine effects. I personally saw the risk of death from covid (for me) to be much greater than risk of death from the vaccine, so I went with the vaccine. I'm a wee bit nervous about the second dose as I've heard it has a more difficult recovery experience. I guess I'll find out soon. Once my antibodies fully kick in, I'll feel safe enough to be able to start traveling to and from the post office to sell physical copies of my music book again!
Thank you for watching, and please stay safe and healthy! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Logic for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Spaces 2
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerTHE GAEL - Theme from Last of the Mohicans ~ Composed by Dougie MacLean | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-03-11 | I've had a lot of requests to play the main theme song from Last of the Mohicans (also called "The Gael," and "Promentory"), so here is my version! I hope that you like it! It was composed by Dougie MacLean, a Scottish songwriter, musician, composer, and producer who has written several famous songs.
I actually have a Dougie MacLean music book published in 1994 that has The Gael written in A-Dorian with three parts (instead of the 2 that we normally hear from movie soundtrack). I included the third part just for fun. The A-Dorian key is also different from many of the versions I've heard -- so I played it in that key. It's a fun Scottish jig.
I played this on my violin and a C-major Susato Irish whistle. I'm new to the whistle (I started learning the penny whistle during the pandemic...), but I really like this Susato whistle! It's plastic but has a clear and sweet sound, which is awesome - I'm allergic to nickel, and I've learned that a lot of whistles are made out of nickel...I'm so glad plastic whistles can sound nice!
This was filmed right before that terrible cold snap came and froze most of the USA. The wind really started picking up towards the end, and the temperature dropped about 17 degrees Fahrenheit after about 6 minutes. It's crazy how fast the weather can change sometimes. It ended up having to be a pretty short filming session with the instrument parts, but I hope this video is still interesting to watch.
I hope you are well and staying healthy during the pandemic. I'm so excited for a vaccine! I still have to wait to get it, but I'm glad it's coming.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Logic for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V LG G6 cell phone for some of the choppier mountain footage... :/
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerHow I Make Fiddle Music Videos (Behind the Scenes in 2020) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2021-02-02 | Here is a behind-the-scenes video that shows how I made my music videos in 2020! I often get comments asking how I make my music videos, or whether or not I have a crew helping me -- I currently make all of my videos by myself. I hope that I'll someday be able to get some help, but at this point, hiring help would be too expensive.
I had filmed many little clips as I created all of my videos this year hoping that I could release vlogs alongside the music videos. It ended up being way too much to edit while also trying to release music videos once a month, so I stored the vlog footage on a portable hard drive. I decided to try to stitch together clips from all of my music videos into a behind-the-scenes video. Hopefully this will help answer a few questions regarding the process I use to make videos.
The video references music videos by my video creation process rather than chronologically. First is filming the footage alongside a set tempo, and the second step is fine-tuning the audio tracks. Ideally, I'd have those steps reversed and only film once I have a solid track created, but I pretty much drop everything I'm working on and film if a weekend pops up with nice weather (especially in winter; it's surprisingly difficult to get nice "warmish" weather in the mountains on a weekend in the winter).
I gloss over a lot of the tiny details behind editing backing tracks and actual videos. If people like these kind of "behind the scenes" videos, I could make more videos about music/video creation. People seem have liked the little behind-the-scenes clips at the end of my music videos that I had started to add.
I think the biggest thing I struggle with is taking a thought I have in my head and accurately bringing it into the "real world." It's so easy to think of neat things, and so easy to imagine magical music, but so hard to dig them out of my head and bring them to life. I now think it's extremely important to "practice creating stuff," just like it's important to practice a sport, or an instrument. I'm still pretty far from bringing my ideas to life the way I imagine them, but I'm slowly getting better at it. Maybe someday....
It was kind of weird watching my energy level over time as I edited this video. I was so happy and excited at the beginning of the year, and pretty drained at the end. 2020 was rough. Hopefully 2021 will be better!
I apologize that my stomach was growling for the entire voice-over/discussion part. I was really hungry...
Thank you for watching, stay safe, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Logic Pro for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V DJI Spark
Microphone for audio recording: Blue Woodpecker Zoom H1 Handy RecorderGreensleeves and Yellow Lace - Fiddle! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-12-23 | Here is a really common song that's often played around the holiday season called, "Greensleeves." The main melody is a very old English (at least I think it's English?) song that I believe is from the 1500s. The melody is sometimes played more like a faster jig instead of an air, and sometimes referred to as, "Greensleeves and Pudding Pies," "Greensleeves and Yellow Lace," The Bunch of Roses," or "Christmas Comes But Once A Year." (This melody has a lot of different names!!)
To me, the versions of "Greensleeves and Yellow Lace" that I've heard sound very Scottish, so I tried to keep that vibe by adding more of an emphasis on the beat rather than on the off-beat.
It became associated as a Christmas carol with references to Christmas popping up in lyrics around the 1600s. The lyrics to "What Child Is This?" were written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix, and are some of the most popular lyrics to sing to this melody nowadays.
It was probably an extremely well-known melody back in the 1500s and 1600s as even Shakespeare included a reference to the song in "The Merry Wives of Windsor:" "Let the sky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of Green Sleeves."
It's a very versatile song -- it can sound very ethereal and mysterious played slowly as an air, or it can transform into a lively dance tune when played faster like a jig!
I played this version on B-flat and E-flat penny whistles! I've started learning penny whistle during the pandemic -- it's a very fun instrument, but I don't think my apartment neighbors are as excited as I am........ :/ I've been trying to practice outside as much as possible to avoid being too loud and annoying since I tend to squeak a lot and don't really know where the notes are yet, lol.
If you watched my Carolan's Concerto music video, you may know that I have a hard time trying to listen to the music with headphones and hold my phone somehow (skirts usually don't have pockets...) while playing violin for the music video footage. I thought I could solve this with Bluetooth headphones, but I have to say that I think they look a bit goofy for a music video, lol...Oh well... They made it really easy to film because my phone could on the ground near the camera -- I just wish the headphones looked a bit smaller...
I hope you are doing okay during all of this! It's been a rough year, but I'm excited that a vaccine (or multiple vaccines!) is coming! I am planning to have a very quarantined Christmas this year, but at least we can all still connect with family through video conference calls. I miss their hugs...
2021 is coming, and I think things are going to start to get better soon!
Thank you for watching, and Happy Holidays! Please stay safe and healthy!! =)
~ Katy ------------ A big "Thank you!" goes to my supporters on Patreon: patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerMusic for a Found Harmonium - Folk Music (Composer: Simon Jeffes) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-11-25 | Here is an exciting tune called, "Music for a Found Harmonium." It was composed by Simon Jeffes (perhaps sometime in the 1980s), and originally performed by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. I believe the story goes that Mr. Jeffes found an abandoned harmonium in Japan while on tour, and invented this fun little tune on it! It's definitely a tune that's full of energy! I tried to recreate the vibe of finding an abandoned harmonium, but it actually was just a harmonium that I recently bought to add a different sound to my music. =) I really like the harmonium -- it adds somewhat of an accordion sound to music!
This tune appears at the end of the movie, "Napoleon Dynamite."
To me, this tune is quite repetitive to play -- it almost feels like I'm practicing an etude when I try to play it on the fiddle, lol. But it usually goes over well with audiences! There is a fiddle player in Colorado Springs that often plays it in a session, and the whole crowd goes wild. It's pretty neat!
I attempted to play it with an actual harmonium. I'm using a mini Indian harmonium, rather than a big British (or European?) harmonium. I'm brand new to playing the harmonium, although I can squeak out a few things on piano (I've made all of my backing tracks with an electric piano...) -- so the keyboard of the harmonium wasn't foreign to me. However, I set the tempo of this song way too fast for a newbie harmonium player!! :o I had to do so so so so many takes with the harmonium part... =/ I'm still not happy with how it turned out, but I think it's as good as it's going to get for now. We all have to start somewhere. =)
This was filmed during the disastrous fires that burned in Colorado, right before a snowstorm helped dampen the flames. The "fog" in the background of the video is actually smoke that mostly came from the Cameron Peak Fire (Colorado's largest wildfire in recorded history) -- it's supposed to be a clear blue sky the day this was filmed, but it looks cloudy and misty. That's all the smoke! I was wheezing... :o
I hope you are all staying safe during these crazy times! The USA's version of Thanksgiving is coming up soon, and my family and I are going to have a zoom call and eat pizza while staying safe and tucked away in our different houses/apartments. It's going to be a little weird -- definitely not a normal Thanksgiving -- but it's not worth the risk, in my opinion. I'm guessing we'll probably do the same thing with Christmas, but I don't want to get too far ahead of what may happen. I did some rough calculations based on airport travel expectations to estimate what might happen, and started to scare myself. Please stay safe!!
For the last few videos I've made, I also filmed vlog-like "behind the scenes" footage. I'm not sure if people might want to watch stuff like that. I tend to accumulate vlog-like footage, but then it just moves onto a portable hard drive, and is somewhat forgotten.... I have been getting a lot of comments from people saying they like the little behind-the-scenes clips that I've been adding at the end of my videos, so I might try to put a behind-the-scenes-vlog. =) I'm also working on making tutorials for every song in my music book! I'm hoping to release those all at once, and hopefully the music will be fun to learn while staying indoors this season.
I just realized there is a typo at the end... =( Oh well...I had a late night trying to finish this, lol... :/ I think it's close enough. =)
Thank you for watching -- please stay safe and healthy!!! This, too, shall pass! =)
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerFather Kelly + Mountain Road + Musical Priest - Irish Fiddle ~ Making Elderberry Jam! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-10-11 | Here are three fun Irish fiddle tune reels: Father Kelly, Mountain Road, and Musical Priest. These tunes seem to be super common tunes, and they fit into so many different sets! They are great tunes to learn!
Father Kelly was written by Fr Patrick Joseph Kelly (Fr "PJ" Kelly), and was compiled in the Bulmer & Sharpley "Music from Ireland vol. 3" book published in 1976. I think that makes it more of a modern tune than a traditional tune, but it is played frequently at sessions in Colorado. I believe there is another "Father Kelly" tune that is similar, but a different tune that is sometimes referred to as "Father Kelly's #2."
Mountain Road was composed by Michael Gorman around 1922. The way I play in this video is often the parts of the tune played in local sessions in Colorado, and many consider it to be a "single reel" with two parts but there are actually six parts to the original tune! Here is a recording that is apparently of Michal Gorman playing his tune with all of the parts: http://www.cranfordpub.com/mp3s/michaelgorman2.mp3
Musical Priest is a much older tune, collected by Francis O'Neill's " Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies" book that was published in 1903. It is in the key of B minor, which is kind of a rare key signature for Irish fiddle tunes. B minor uses the same key signature as D major, so there are lots of opportunities to plop it into a set with a D major tune. Since it starts on an "F#," it often also works well after a G major tune!
I thought I'd try a slightly different kind of video with a tad bit of cooking! I found a bunch of elderberry bushes in a park, so I thought I'd make some jam from them. I grew up with elderberry bushes in the backyard of my parent's house, so making this brought back some memories. Elderberries are low in pectin, so they need a fruit high in pectin, like apples and/or lemon added to solidify into a jam -- otherwise it will be elderberry syrup (which is also tasty!).
Elderberry bushes grow really well in the front range of Colorado. They like semi-arid, sunny climates, and you will frequently find them in public parks and landscaping around. much of the state. Many people don't realize that these bushes are actually elderberries, and instead buy overpriced elderberry infused goods that cost a ton of money at some health food grocery stores.
Rumor has it that elderberries are anti-viral, but I've been eating loads of them most of my life and still manage to get sick fairly frequently, lol. But, they do make a yummy jam!! If you have never had elderberries before, I think they taste similar to a blend between purple grapes and lightly tart prunes (dried plums).
Elderberry bushes have a lookalike that grows in more humid climates called, "Devils Walking Stick." I think the big difference between the two plants is that Devils Walking Stick bushes have thorns -- I've never seen an elderberry bush with thorns. Some people also report that elderberry may cause a stomach ache if eaten raw. I've personally never gotten a stomach ache from them, but it's probably best to cook them. =)
---- Easy Elderberry Jam Recipe ---- 5-ish US cups (1.2 L) of elderberry juice -- use a juicer or a mill to remove the skins and seeds. Don't juice the stems. 2 apples, sliced (juiced if you have a juicer) 1 lemon, juiced 1.5 cups (250 g) of sugar (this makes a tart jam; add more sugar for a sweeter jam)
Put everything into a pot and heat to about 225°F (107°C), stirring frequently. It will boil for about an hour at 212 to 215-ish°F (100 - 102°C), but will rapidly increase in temperature once enough water has evaporated. Remove the apple slices if they weren't juiced, pour the jam into jars, and place in the refrigerator to set. Makes 2 small jars of jam.
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Peter Infeld Medium Synthetic Core 4/4 violin strings Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Spaces II
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerCarolans Concerto ~ Irish Folk Music (Violin Trio Version) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-08-28 | Here is a song called, "Carolan's Concerto," which was written by the blind Irish harper, Turlough O'Carolan. I have arranged it into a trio for three violins for this video. I think the sound of the piece has a lot of Baroque elements to it.
I believe the first performance of this song is said to have happened while Carolan was playing harp music for some listeners, and a discussion about a Vivaldi concerto came up. Carolan was able to play an excerpt of the concerto by ear. He then went on to play this song, originally referred to as "Mrs. Powers," but often now called, "Carolan's Concerto," or "O'Carolan's Concerto." Some say he composed this song on the spot after being inspired by the Vivaldi music, others say it was something he had prepared ahead of time. I think it does have some Vivaldi-like elements, but it also has a lot of Carolan-like elements to it, and it's sometimes played in Irish trad sessions. =)
Even though it is an Irish tune, I wouldn't say this song is frequently played in sessions. It's popular enough to where there will usually be a few people who play along with it. However, I've noticed some people seem to remember it as the "long classical-music-like song," and somewhat of sit out from playing it since there are so many notes to try to remember. It is quite neat to play though, and it can be really special when a group of people play the song very well together. With some practice, it can be a good tune to learn! There are much harder fiddle tunes that people play in session -- this one really just takes some practice to remember how it goes.
I went around in so many circles creating the harmonies for this song. I wanted to keep all three parts moving and interesting to play, but was having difficulties writing harmonies that could highlight instead of overpower the original melody. I think I got kind of close to my goal for this tune, and tried to only take more harmony liberties when the melody has more of a chord-sounding phrase. This is the last arrangement of my music book, and I think it is the most difficult piece in the book to put together. The three parts by themselves are at an intermediate level, but weaving them together is difficult since all three parts are moving.
If you are interested in purchasing my music book with this arrangement, it is available as print-on-demand from Amazon: "15 Irish Fiddle Airs - Duets and Trios: Turlough O'Carolan - Easy to Intermediate" amazon.com/15-Irish-Fiddle-Airs-Intermediate/dp/1798891123
It is also available in other country Amazon stores that may print it closer to your home country to save a little on the shipping costs.
I will not be selling physical copies from my web shop until the USA has a better handle on the virus situation going on right now. Colorado has been doing relatively well (knock on wood!), but I don't yet feel feel comfortable running to the post office every day again.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you stay safe and healthy! =)
~ Katy
This was filmed at CSU's Flower Trial Garden, in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Spaces
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerWhiskey Before Breakfast (Reel) - Fiddle Tune | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-07-31 | Here is a fun fiddle tune called, "Whiskey Before Breakfast!" I've also heard it called "Spirits in the Morning," but I think "Whiskey Before Breakfast" is a fitting title considering these strange covid-19 times. Some say this is an Irish tune, others say this isn't an Irish tune, but still a traditional tune of some sort. Some say it isn't traditional, but instead composed by (or at least adapted by) a Métis fiddler, Andy deJarlis in the 1950s. Whether he composed it or not, he did help it become popular in North America! It seems to be played all over the place here! :D
I thought I'd try to play this tune with both my violin and my mandolin. I haven't played my mandolin in over a decade, so it took a bit of practicing to get used to it again. Mandolin has the same tuning as a violin, but I find picking so difficult. Sometimes I wish I could turn the pick sideways and use it more like a bow - it'd be so much easier to play!
It's a really fun tune, and one of the first ones I learned when trying to learn "old-time fiddling' when I was a teenager. It was also the first tune that I learned how to play the chords to. The B-part's chords are quite tricky because they move quickly, but it's still probably one of my all-time favorite chord progressions.
I've noticed that I've been able to play pretty this tune much in any session and have the majority of people play along. It's often thought to be an "Old Time" fiddle tune, but most people don't seem to mind playing it in an Irish session. I think it sort of fits in as a transitional tunes that can float between session types, similar to "Blackberry Blossom." That tune, and "Whiskey Before Breakfast" both seem to be popular enough that they are welcomed in different session settings. It's a great tune to learn!
Because this tune is in D-major, it's a really good one to experiment with playing open strings as a harmony to your fiddle playing. The first chord is D-major, so droning across both the D and A strings while playing the notes works really well. There are a few sections that sound a little better with playing the A and E strings, but it just takes some experimenting.
I hope all of you are well during these weird pandemic times... I was starting to feel like things were moving into a promising direction before June happened and the USA had a new (much worse) wave of virus cases.... I think we were all warned by the health officials about this possibly happening, but it was sad to see it actually come true. I'm actually a bit surprised new cases had slowed down as much as they had for as long has they had, despite all the footage of no social-distancing. As soon as we started to reopen, I thought things were going to deteriorate much faster than they did.
Knock on wood, Colorado's cases haven't skyrocketed like some of the other states, although our cases have been increasing again. Most of us seem to be wearing masks and keeping our distance, even during the protests that have been happening. I just hope the virus won't balloon out of control... Where I live, there are only 18 ICU beds in the county, and it is anticipated that all of them will be in use during the height of the pandemic. I found it alarming to learn there weren't very many ICU beds here!
In a more positive mindset, I've started to get organized and feel motivated and focused to be more creative instead of paranoid about the latest News. I've been experimenting with using Logic Pro to make music, sewing again, cooking more interesting food again -- lots of fun things. I've been tempted to make a sewing or cooking video, but I tend to think that might just confuse viewers who came here for music stuff. It's still a lot of fun to bring out old hobbies and start experimenting again!
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week -- please stay safe and healthy!
Software used (for Macintosh): Logic Pro for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects: East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens -- Accidentally filmed in 720p. oops... Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerJump at the Sun (dm and em) ~ composed by John Kirkpatrick - Fiddle Tune Tutorial | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-06-18 | Here is a by-ear tutorial showing how to play the modern tune, "Jump at the Sun," composed by John Kirkpatrick, on the fiddle!
This is such a neat tune! It's quite funky with the accidental in there, nodding to an a-harmonic minor / b-harmonic minor scale for some parts, but it's a tune in dm / em, depending on which version you want to learn. It seems to be a fairly popular tune in Colorado -- most sessions I've played at have had at least a few people recognize the tune and play along.
I hope you are well and staying healthy during the pandemic! So much has been happening in the news lately, it's definitely a lot to process... I live alone and feel like I've gone a little crazy from the isolation, but things have generally been okay. I keep telling myself that all of this covid stuff is temporary (even if it lasts a year or two, it's still temporary!). I think I can get through anything if I convince myself that it's a temporary situation.... I think I just need to focus on other things -- thinking too much about everything just makes me become more upset. It amazes me how the lockdown has really highlighted how social humans actually are! I'm a massive introvert and feel like I'm having a difficult time with this -- but I really feel badly for the extroverts who are also alone right now...they are probably experiencing even more hardship... =( Just know that you are not alone with feeling alone -- lots of people are feeling this way. For some reason, I feel a tiny bit of comfort in the idea that other people feel like this, too, and that it's a normal feeling for the current circumstances. It's hard, but normal... Everyone is experiencing difficulties with the lockdown in varying ways. I'm not sure why I'm writing about this in a tutorial video. I guess I'm just ranting... Things will get better soon!! =)
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! Happy Practicing, and stay healthy!! =)
~ Katy
------------ A big "Thank you!" goes to all of my supportive patreons! patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” 4/4 violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Oblagato Violin Strings Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 VOver the Rainbow + What a Wonderful World + Blowin in the Wind - Violin Cover | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-05-20 | Here is an instrumental violin cover mashup of three songs: Somewhere Over the Rainbow (by Harold Arlen), What a Wonderful World (by Bob Thiele as "George Douglas," and George David Weiss), and Blowin' in the Wind (by Bob Dylan).
This violin cover version is heavily inspired by the Hawaiian ukulele player, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole (may he RIP). I've always loved his combination of Somewhere over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World because it combines a song of longing for a place that isn't currently present (Somewhere Over the Rainbow), with appreciating the world that currently exists (What a Wonderful World). I thought it would be interesting to try to mix in Blowin' in the Wind since there are so many unknowns right now with the virus pandemic. I think combining them sort of worked! Sort of... I played Blowin' in the Wind in a mixolydian key, but the other two are in major keys.
I hope everything has been okay with you and your friends and family. We're all navigating a new form of normal. This video encompasses some of the things I've observed in Colorado during this event. I definitely miss my family and friends, but now is not a safe time to visit them -- at least not yet. Things are slowly reopening over here, and although there are concerns of another potential outbreak, it hasn't happened yet (knock on wood!). I'm hopeful we'll be able to still keep flattening the virus infection rate curve with physical distancing.
This video took quite a long time to film all the different pieces. While filming the part in the city, a photographer from Alpine Music Photography stopped and offered to take some pictures. I was in a rush to get a few takes before sunset, and he was really patient...but then he took a few pictures! I've never had a professional take pictures of me like that, so it was really neat. Here is a link to the pictures he took: client.colinmckinley.com/katyadelson
Seeing how nice his pictures are made me realize how much much much better things can turn out when there is help with the tasks I'm not really good at. That may seem super obvious, but it always seemed too expensive to invest in having professional help with some tasks, so I instead struggled through trying to do them by myself. However, after the virus stuff mellows out and things start to go back to normal, I think I'm finally at a place with my music to start looking for more help creating some of these songs and videos. I'm excited!!! For me, it's definitely something to look forward to -- and I think it's important to always try to keep at least one thing in mind to look forward to. :D
So far, I've been okay during the pandemic. I did dye my hair lots of colors, but it's a temporary dye with no bleach lol -- I kind of like it! I might dye it again sometime! :D My family and friends have all been safe, too, and it's been fun to have Zoom calls with them! I feel lucky to still have an income, and have been able to work from home. I miss folk music sessions, but it's going to be a while before those are safe to come back. =(
I decided to get an antibody test a few weeks ago, but still haven't gotten the test results. Nobody knows what it might mean to have COVID-19 antibodies, but I was hoping to donate plasma if I had them... There must be a massive testing analysis backlog for it to take this long, and that's even with the test costing $120! I wonder if the backlog is accounted for in the USA's testing numbers? The administration of the tests is really fast, but the lab analysis and data entry seem to take a really long time...
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! Please stay safe and healthy!!! =)
~ Katy
------------ A big "Thank you" to all of my Patreons!!! Thank you so so much! patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Obligato Violin Strings Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards and video thumbnail
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II, Spaces
Mastered with Wavemod (currently free to use until 2020-06-01!!): wavemod.com
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerJohn Ryans Polka - By-Ear Fiddle Tune Tutorial | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-04-06 | Here is a by-ear fiddle tune tutorial for the popular Irish Polka, "John Ryan's Polka." It's often called, "Forty Pound Float," in Australia and New Zealand.
This tune is written in the key of D major (Two sharps; F# and C#), and is often played with a set of other polkas, such as Denis Murphy's Polka. It is a very popular tune and is a great one to start at a session for players who are new to the idea of starting session sets. It's often considered to be a "beginners tube," although usually welcomed and frequently played because of its popularity. It's one of the few tunes I've noticed musicians may have fun interaction while playing: sometimes there is a "call and response" between musicians during the A part (the two "Ds" vs. the other 3 beats of the measure). Some may take a solo for the different beats of the A part, highlighting different instruments in the session.
I believe this was also one of the songs in The Titanic movie. It's always neat to hear trad music highlighted in some of the classic movies!
Thank you for watching! I hope you are all staying safe and healthy during these uncertain times! =)
~ Katy
------------ A super big "Thank you!" to all of my supporters on Patreon: patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Currently using Obligato strings in this video. I usually use Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V🔴 Live Fiddle Tune Practice! - Katy Adelson Live StreamKaty Adelson2020-03-22 | Hi Everyone! I thought I'd try live streaming practicing playing through lots of tunes today. We're all supposed to say indoors, but this makes a great opportunity to practice more!!🔴 Live Fiddle Tune Practice! - Katy Adelson Live StreamKaty Adelson2020-03-22 | Hi Everyone! I thought I'd try live streaming practicing playing through lots of tunes today. We're all supposed to say indoors, but this makes a great opportunity to practice more!!King of the Fairies + Alister McAlister + Cup of Tea ~ Celtic Fiddle Tunes! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-03-17 | Happy St. Paddy's Day!! I hope you are healthy and well during these turbulent times. Here are three fun Celtic tunes: King of the Fairies (hornpipe), Alister McAlister (strathspey), and Cup of Tea (3-part reel).
I believe King of the Fairies and Cup of Tea are Irish tunes, and Alister McAlister is a Scottish tune. Alister McAlister is usually played in B minor, but I think it sounds pretty good after King of the Fairies if it's played in E minor! =) Not everyone likes the idea of playing with the key signatures like that, but I like how tunes sound on the lower strings of the violin a little more than on the higher strings.
King of the Fairies is a common dance tune. I've played it for Irish dancers, and, not going to lie, but it starts to get old after you play it for what seems like 500 times at slightly different tempos, lol....This version's tempo is at 130 bpm, which is much faster than most competition dance speeds, but it's a tempo that's fairly common at a session. I really like how strange of a tune it sounds -- the d and c sharps add quite a lot of mysteriousness to it.
Cup of Tea has a really catchy beginning. It's definitely a tune that easily gets stuck in my head. I find the middle part of the tune to be the hardest -- there are a lot of notes to try to squeeze in there. To me, it sounds like the tea cup fell over in that part, but maybe that's just my imagination. "Tea" seems to have a different meaning for 2020 (meaning, "gossip"), and considering how the melody bounces between major and minor parts, I think it somewhat fits that newer definition, too...
I hope everyone is safe from the Coronavirus.. =( I think it took people a little too long to realize what a problem it was going to be over here in the USA, but we're starting to take it seriously in Colorado. I'm staying inside as much as possible. I've always been a bit of a homebody, but now's the time to really keep away from other people. I had just gotten into the habit of going to the gym to workout, too.. Oh well, such is life -- I guess I can try to workout in my apartment..?
It really scares me that this thing is just getting started, and so much stuff seems to have happened already. I don't see an end in sight quite yet, but time will tell. Perhaps this virus will die off with heat? That would be nice, wouldn't it?!
Lots of Irish parades and bar gigs for St. Paddy's Day have been cancelled this year. It's sad, but I see it as a necessary thing to do. I'm staying away from going to sessions, too -- the majority of the people who play this music are older and in the higher-risk demographic...
All of this staying-in means that there will be LOTS of time to PRACTICE!!! :D Now I can finally sit down and try to learn Ragtime Annie -- that tune has been requested so many times! :o
BTW, it wasn't cold when I filmed this. It snowed the day before, but then was 54 degrees Fahrenheit the day I filmed...Colorado has weird weather. :o
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! Stay safe!!
~ Katy
------------ A big "Thank you" to all of my supporters on Patreon!! =) patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerINTONATION - What is Music Intonation and Playing In Tune? - Music Theory Topic | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2020-02-09 | How "perfect" does intonation need to be? Here is a video discussing some of the complexities and subtle differences behind the idea of "playing in tune." There are a lot of different intonation theories that exist to make this concept much more complex than it may seem to most music listeners. It is a more advanced music topic to discuss, but I think it's useful to know about regardless of your current playing level as a musician, or even if you do not play music but enjoy listening to it. It is something that I find super interesting yet difficult, and one that I've started to explore with my own music.
In this video, I mention three types of intonation theories:
Equidistant Intonation, often called "Tempered Tuning," or "Tempered Intonation," sometimes called "Chromatic tuning," which is where each note is a perceived equal tonality distance from each note above and below with octaves being in tune.
Just Intonation, which is where notes forming chords create equal ratio numbers (e.g. 3:2). This creates a very pleasant-sounding chord, but it is often considered impractical to play with this kind of intonation because each note's position relies heavily on the key signature of the music.
Pythagorean Intonation, which is when you tune in fifths while marching around the circle of fifths. This creates perfect fifths, but octaves are not in tune. Relative to tempered intonation and using a 440 A, tuning in fifths causes the notes to become flatter as you tune to lower notes, or sharper as you tune to higher notes.
As I've made my backing tracks for my music (they force me to play in "tempered tuning"), I've started to have a difficult time knowing what correctly sounds in-tune. It's gotten to a point where playing chords following something more closely to the "just intonation" theory sounds more in-tune while I play the violin (I think the violin resonates differently, and it sounds more correct with the instrument right under my ear), yet I think the the tempered-tuned chords sound better when I listen to my music from a 3rd-person perspective. It's very strange. I think that this is a topic that a lot of musicians struggle with at some point....
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 VCarol of the Bells (Shchedryk) - Violin Version | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-12-25 | Happy Holidays Everyone!! Here is a version of the Christmas song, "Carol of the Bells." This piece was composed by Mykola Leontovych as a song called, "Shchedryk," and originally didn't have anything to do with Christmas. It was a New Years song, but the new year used to be celebrated around springtime before the Julian calendar was adopted. The original Ukrainian lyrics are about a little swallow flying back home to tell a family they will have a prosperous year -- baby lambs are being born, a good harvest is expected, etc.
Original lyrics as an English translation (from Wikipedia):
Shchedryk, shchedryk, a shchedrivka [New Year's carol]; A little swallow flew [into the household] and started to twitter, to summon the master: "Come out, come out, O master [of the household], look at the sheep pen, there the ewes have yeaned and the lambkins have been born Your goods [livestock] are great, you will have a lot of money, [by selling them].
If not money, then chaff: [from all the grain you will harvest] you have a dark-eyebrowed [beautiful] wife." Shchedryk, shchedryk, a shchedrivka, A little swallow flew.
The Christmas-related lyrics were written by Peter J. Wilhousky around the 1930s. Interestingly, because the Wilhousky's lyrics and the original melody were created at different times, the Christmas-related song lyrics are still under copyright, but the melody and original Ukrainian lyrics are in public domain. That makes the song in public domain for instrumental versions!
Here are Wilhousky's Christmas-version lyrics:
Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say, throw cares away
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer, to young and old, meek and the bold.
Ding dong ding dong that is their song with joyful ring all caroling.
One seems to hear words of good cheer from everywhere filling the air.
Oh how they pound, raising the sound, o'er hill and dale, telling their tale.
Gaily they ring while people sing songs of good cheer, Christmas is here.
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas, Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas. On on they send, on without end, their joyful tone to every home. Ding dong ding... dong!
I find it fascinating how lyrics can change a song's meaning, and can even change what holiday it's often associated with. One of the coolest-sounding Christmas Carols wasn't even originally written for Christmas! :o
Also, did you know that you can play music on wine glasses?!!?? Playing music with wine glasses is sometimes referred to as playing a "glass harp." Some wine glasses are harder to make a sound than others, but I love the sound they can make! If you dampen the glass and your hand with some water, and gently move your hand around the rim, the glass will start to sing. Sometimes it takes some patience and practice to get a glass to sound, and sometimes tapping the glass helps. Adding water to the glass will lower the pitch, but it can sound garbled if you add too much water. The whole thing is pretty neat!
For this video, I used what nice-sounding glasses I could find at the thrift store. I got some pretty ugly looks from people while I was testing out the glasses hoping to find a few that were reasonably in tune for G minor and A minor lol. I learned that it's difficult to find wine glasses that can create lower notes, and creating an entire scale is quite a feat... But, I think I'll try to include these in my music in the future!
This is another simpler video. It's a lot easier for me to make simpler videos like this -- I hope people still like them!! :D
I can't believe it's Christmas time again already! It feels like Christmas was just last month -- time really does fly! I hope you are enjoying the holiday season! :)
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good holiday time!!! =)
~ Katy
------------ A super big "Thank You" goes to my supporters on Patreon: patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: I'm using Obligato strings in this video. I usually use and recommend Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E), but I've been experimenting wiht different strings. Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerCold and Frosty Morning - Fiddle Tune Tutorial | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-12-14 | Here is a by-ear fiddle tune tutorial showing how to play, "Cold and Frosty Morning."
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh):
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 VDrunken Sailor - Live Fiddle | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-11-28 | Here is a video of me playing my arrangement of the sea shanty, "Drunken Sailor" live for a music gig I had this summer! I've been getting more and more comments from people asking if I could post more "live playing" videos, so here is one! I hope that you like it!
If this video seems to go over okay, I'll try to balance out posting music videos with more live-playing videos. Making simpler videos like this is a whole lot easier, that's for sure! Hopefully it'll allow me to post more often. =)
In the summer of 2018, I was asked to play at the Thursday Market in Acacia Park, Colorado Springs, several times. This year, in 2019, the market was on Sunday, and they asked me to come back and play music again! It was a lot of fun, but tended to be scheduled very last minute. There aren't very many places that let me play my music with all of my backing tracks, so it was really nice to practice through everything.
I've noticed that, for me, the most difficult part of playing live music is that I only have one chance to play through a song before I need to jump directly into the next song. I think I need to practice playing through a set without stopping just as much as I practice playing through tricky passages within the individual songs. There's something really difficult about trying to play a song as perfectly as possible only to quickly move onto the next song without stopping to fix anything. I really admire musicians who can do that so effortlessly.
It's Thanksgiving time for Americans! We're already almost into December! It's so crazy! This year has flown by so quickly; I can't believe 2020 is right around the corner. So much has happened, and so much has changed. I'm excited for the holidays coming up! I hope you have a good holiday season!
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Sony RX100 VCaptain OKane (Carolan) - Irish Music ~ Fiddle Trio | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-11-04 | Here is an Irish song called, "Captain O'Kane." It was originally composed by Turlough O'Carolan for harp, but I've made this arrangement for a fiddle trio.
This song has a very haunting melody that is played at a slower pace than a lot of Irish tunes nowadays. I believe it is a song about a man who died near a river. From Robert Archibald Smith’s "Irish Minstrel" (Edinburgh, 1825), "O'Kain was Captain Henry O'Kain who died of his wounds 'on the banks of the dark rolling Danube." From O'Sullivan's, "Carolan - The Life and Times," based on Hardiman's "Irish Minstrelsy," 1831, "Captain O'Kane (or O'Cahan), was a 'sporting' Irishman of a distinguished County Antrim family who was well-known in his day as 'Slasher O'Kane.'"
I think we can gather from these sentences that Captain O'Kane was a well-known Irishman who perhaps died a really tragic death outside of Ireland -- the Danube is a large river in Europe. I would guess he was in a war of some sort since he went by "Captain" and "Slasher," but that's just a guess. Before I had even looked up anything about this song, I used to think the title referred to ship kind of captain, rather than an army kind of captain -- but after the research, I doubt there were many Irish ship captains sailing down the Danube back then...but who knows? :o
To add more to the confusion, song is also known as, "The Wounded Hussar." A Hussar is often thought of as originating in central Europe as a Hungarian light horseman. The Danube passes through Hungary -- so a Hungarian Hussar seems to be an interesting thought that somewhat fits -- but I think Hussars are usually thought of as a European thing around this time period, instead of Irish. Ireland later developed a Hussar army, but I couldn't find much about one existing back in the mid 1600s - early 1700s.
Hmmm... I'll add this to my list of things to wonder about that we'll probably never know the true answer to....
The song appeared in both Ireland and Scotland around the time Carolan was alive. It's often found in old music books from both Ireland and Scotland, which really shows how this music could spread around back in the day -- and folks definitely didn't have Internet, recording devices, or notation software to help remember all the tunes back then! All of these old tunes were passed around by-ear to other musicians until publishers and transcribers began to write the melodies down in music books.
The sheet music for this arrangement is available in my Irish music book of Carolan arrangements for violin: 15 Irish fiddle airs, duets and trios. This particular arrangement of Captain O'Kane is my "feebie" from the book. It can be downloaded for free if you save and print the images from my website (linked below).
If you liked this arrangement, I hope you might consider buying the whole music book! =) I really put a whole lot of thought and effort into each arrangement.
It was so cold when I filmed this! My goodness...it was the coldest I've ever felt filming a video. It took a good ~20 minutes of huddling over the car heater before I regained feeling in my hands -- never-mind my feet lol. It doesn't look all that cold outside, but it was much colder than it was filming the Ghost Ship music video.... But I survived, and so did my "outdoor filming violin." :o
It's bad to play your violin in really cold temperatures, which is why I use what I call my "stunt violin" for making music videos like this.
We've had a few snowstorms since I made this video, so I guess winter has officially started... I miss summer already... I hope you are having a good season so far!
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
~ Katy
------------ I want to give a big "Thank You!" to all of my supporters on Patreon!
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerLady Mary Ramsay + Oyster Wives Rant (Black Mill Reel) + Tongadale - Scottish Fiddle | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-09-30 | Here are three Scottish fiddle tunes: Lady Mary Ramsay (strathspey), Oyster Wives Rant / Black Mill (half reel), and Tongadale (reel).
A big "Thank You" goes to the Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs, Colorado, for letting me film: miramontcastle.org The art on the walls of the castle is by the artist, Charles Rockey. RIP. =(
Lady Mary Ramsay and Oyster Wives Rant are very old Scottish tunes, and they are also two of the first songs I had ever learned completely by-ear.
I learned them from a Scottish fiddler, Sarah Jane Summers, in 2006 at Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp in Colorado. She taught the tunes in a style I'm trying to emulate with my tutorials. They have honestly been the tunes I recall the best from that particular fiddle camp. I remember being scared to learn music completely by-ear. I was worried I'd never be able to quickly pick out the notes and keep up with the other players. She sang each note's name aloud and slowly went through the melodies. It made these tunes so much more approachable. She later showed us what the complicated sheet music looked like, and we were all astounded that we actually learned them by-ear. If I had had the sheet music at that point in my playing level, I know I would have failed pretty miserably trying to sightread it. There's a lot to be said about learning tunes by-ear. Sometimes you surprise yourself with the things you can play! =)
I stumbled upon this tune because of my recent (2017) trip to Scotland! While walking around in Portree, Scotland, on my way to the "Skye Music Shop," I passed a cute little place called, "Tongadale Hotel." What a cool name! I said the name out loud like a strange person who talks to herself lol... The name sort of stuck in the back of my mind, and I went on my way to the music shop where I spent far more £££ on local fiddle (and harp for my mom) music books than I'd like to admit ... The next time I found myself on YouTube, guess what was recommended as a video?? None other than the, "Tongadale reel," haha! My phone must be listening to me. I clicked on the video and had to learn it! I had just been there!! It's a cool tune, and reminds me of Tam Lin. Anything that sounds like Tam Lin works for me -- audiences seem to really like fast-sounding repetitive tunes -- and I like them because they tend to sound more difficult than they actually are to play.
Hopefully I play it okay... I hadn't realized it was an exam tune until after I made the video. :o
Here is some additional information about the first two tunes:
Lady Mary Ramsay: This tune is often attributed to Niel Gow. However, the "Skye Collection of the best Reels and Strathspeys" collected by Keith Norman Macdonald (1887) states, "This tune (Lady Mary Ramsay) is called "The auld toon o'Edinburgh" in James Porteous's Collection and having his initials attached it is possible he may have been the composer of it."
Sometimes it is played as a reel instead of a strathspey, and it has also become popular in Ireland (usually played more like a reel). There seems to be many versions and interpretations of this tune. Good fun melodies really do stick around!
The Oyster Wives Rant: This is an extremely old Scottish fiddle tune. I call it a "half reel" because the A and B parts are only 4 measures long each instead of the usual 8 measures. When I was trying to limp along though sessions in Scotland, it seemed like at least a few people knew this tune everywhere I played. However, pretty much everyone had no idea what I was talking about when I called it the "Oyster Wives Rant." Instead, everyone knew it as "Black Mills." How a title like "Oyster Wives Rant" could turn into "Black Mills," I have no idea.... Everyone also seemed to play the B-part as the A-part. Looking up the tune online, I see it written both ways, but it does seem like playing the B-part as the A-part is more common.
I also want to apologize for my absence. Lots of things have been changing on my end: new job, moved, broke a few of my things in the process...yikes! I'm really bad at moving. I'm still a disorganized mess, but I'm slowly finding my way. Once I push through this busy time, I'm hoping things will go back to normal!
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Video Navigation Links: Demonstration: 00:39 A part: 01:38 A part run-through: 06:34 B part: 07:15 B part run-through: 09:36 Entire tune (Tempo 1 ♩= 60) : 10:29 Tempo 2 (♩= 80): 12:49 Tempo 3 (♩= 100): 14:31 Tempo 4 (♩= 120): 15:54 Tempo 5 (♩= 140): 17:15 Ornament ideas: 18:24 Bowing ideas: 19:30
I hope you are having a good week! =) Scully's reel is a really neat tune that can is sometimes played in more of a hornpipe way. You can play it like a straight reel, too, but there's something haunting about playing it slower and more as a hornpipe that I really like. The C# also makes it more of a harmonic-minor tune and adds a spooky vibe. It's a great tune to add in the beginning of a set if you want to pick up some speed with reels later, or even if you play it as a straight reel in a set.
To play it in A minor (I think that's a more common key that it's played in), all you need to do is move up a string (or move up a fifth if you are playing with a different string tuning or a capo).
I'm in the process of moving again, so I've been swimming in boxes and packing materials. Moving is always really tiring, but also exciting at the same time. Once all of this craziness settles down, I really want to get back into the swing of posting a lot more videos! ^_^
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Studio Equipment: I recorded this video at PPLD's 21C free public recording studio: ppld.org/creative-services/studio21cFanny Power - Turlough OCarolan - Irish Music ~ Fiddle Trio | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-07-21 | Here is my arrangement of "Fanny Power" -- an Irish air written by Turlough O'Carolan. I wrote it as a trio, but it can also be played as a duet. =) The sheet music for this arrangement can be found in my "15 Irish Fiddle Airs - Duets and Trios" book.
An unsigned physical book version is available on Amazon: amzn.to/2Yzkrra
(This is an Amazon Affiliates link. I earn a commission without any extra cost to you when the above link is used to make a purchase.)
Fanny Power is a pretty simple song that is great for beginner to intermediate fiddle players. Carolan's songs are also a nice bridge between "classical" violin and Irish fiddle music genres because they have a baroque spirit to them. They are a good introduction to Irish music with the concept of adding your own ornaments and personal touches, but still quite structured like most classical violin music. They also have a slower speed to them, and most are considered to be "airs" instead of reels or fast jigs. The arrangements I've written are for string trios, but can also be played as duets repeating the song using the different harmonies.
One of the things that I love about Colorado are the gigantic fields of sunflowers that pop up in the summer. I haven't been to many places around the USA, but I don't think fields of sunflowers are that common in other places. They are super pretty and neat to look at, but definitely hit me with the allergies lol!
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good week! =)
Happy Fiddling!
~ Katy
------------ A big thank thank you to all of my wonderful supporters on Patreon: patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): EastWest Spaces
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerColeraine Jig - Fiddle Tune Tutorial! (By-Ear) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-07-01 | Here is a by-ear fiddle tune tutorial for how to play the fun Irish jig called, "The Coleraine."
Quick links for the video: Demonstration: 00:29 A-part: 01:05 A-part run-through: 04:20 B-part: 04:53 B-part run-through: 09:14 Tempo 1 (♪ = 120 bpm): 10:06 Common B-part double-stops: 11:52 Tempo 2 (♪ = 150 bpm): 13:35 Tempo 3 (♪ = 180 bpm): 15:09 Tempo 4 (♪ = 210 bpm): 16:29 Tempo 5 (♩. = 80 bpm): 17:47 Tempo 6 (♩. = 100 bpm): 18:51 Tempo 7 (♩. = 120 bpm): 19:41 Ornament ideas: 20:20 Bowing ideas: 22:45
Coleraine is a really neat A-harmonic minor Irish jig! For some reason, this jig makes me think of fancy castles and royalty -- there's something about it that sounds somewhat aristocratic. A lot of harmonic minor tunes make me think of that for some reason. The G# adds a leading tone that really makes the tune stand out. It also has a really bouncy, almost "slide" sounding vibe to it. It's a great tune to learn, and seems to be fairly popular where I live in Colorado!
I tried using the PPLD Studio at 21C equipment to record this video. I felt a bit like a fish out of water trying to figure out all of the equipment and microphones on the fly, but I think I managed to pull something together in the little amount of time I had had the studio reserved. I think if I went there again, I'd have a better idea of what I was doing and could maybe set everything up a little better. t definitely was a big learning experience for me!
I'm not sure how much it shows, but I was overly nervous filming this video... There's something about not filming in my home that made me really nervous making this. Lots of people were watching me through the studio window, which was also adding to my nerves lol! Hopefully the video is still useful.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good week!
~ Katy
------------ A SUPER BIG thank you to all of my amazing Patreon supporters: patreon.com/KatyAdelson
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
I used the lights, camera, and microphone equipment available at PPLD studio at 21C in Colorado Springs to record this video: ppld.org/creative-services/studio21cCold and Frosty Morning - Fiddle Tune! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-06-01 | Here is a neat little fiddle tune reel called, "Cold and Frosty Morning." I think this tune is mostly an American fiddle tune that's played in old-time sessions (and sometimes Irish sessions, too), but I have read some discussions of people thinking it originated from Scotland. I think it does have a Scottish vibe to it, so I wouldn't be surprised if it from there! It's typically played as a fast dance reel, but I think it can sound pretty neat and almost jazzy played as a hornpipe. I think a lot of reels can sound fun played as a hornpipe, but I definitely wouldn't play it like that in a session unless everyone was prepared for it...It's not something most people would expect.
It's been snowing off-and-on this past May here in Colorado, so I thought I'd play this song since it seems to fit with what the weather has been doing. It still sometimes drops below freezing at night and snows, but it heats up during the day, and everything melts away fairly quickly. It snowed about 8 - 10 inches last week, which seems a bit extreme for this time of the year, even though snow isn't uncommon in late spring in Colorado. Since a lot of trees had started to form leaves, they had more surface area to hold the snow, and many branches broke from all the extra weight. =( So far, I haven't seen any trees or branches that have hit people's houses or apartment buildings in my area, so that's good. I noticed that an entire lilac bush broke at its base and fell over, which made me really sad to see. I love lilacs! =(
But I think we're finally about to have warmer weather that stays put! Yay!!! I'm so excited for spring!!! I'm going to start planting flowers soon, and hopefully they will bloom by July.
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good weekend! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerPirastro Oliv (Gut) Violin Strings - Review | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-04-25 | This is NOT a paid promotional video -- it's an opinion/review. I bought Pirastro's Oliv "gut" violin strings to see what they were like. I usually buy Pirastro's Evah Pirazzi synthetic violin strings, and I knew switching to gut strings was going to be a new adventure, but I also wasn't sure what it'd be like. In this video, I discuss some of the pros and cons I encountered with the Oliv violin string set, and what I think about them. They were difficult to play when I first put them on my violin, and thus wouldn't want to have them as an emergency set.
Some of the things I list as a "con" are side-effects of using gut strings. TBH, I had heard rumors about gut strings and intonation challenges, but I didn't really know what it would be like, or how they behaved with the bow vs. the common "string stretching" we are familiar with when we put on a new set of strings. Now, I think I understand it a little bit more! =)
They are decent strings, and I liked their warm and complex sound. Their response time seemed to be less than the Evah Pirazzi strings, but it was okay. They didn't last very long (that might be because of my acidic hands), and they had bowed pitch fluctuations that ended up being more annoying than I thought it'd be. Therefore, I probably won't be buying them again. I've switched back to using Evah Pirazzi strings for now, but I'm excited to try a new different set of violin strings! I want to keep trying new strings to figure out what will sound the best with my particular violin.
I plan to keep making videos like this until I've tried the majority of the popular professional-level violin strings. This is all relative to my own experiences and unique violin, but hopefully it will provide a little bit of insight since violin strings are quite expensive.
I have been told by multiple violinists and musicians that I have "very acidic hands." Googling about it mentions acidic hands occur from eating too much junk food and drinking too much soda / pop / fizzy drinks. However, I honestly rarely eat that kind of stuff... I do wash my hands before I play, but that doesn't seem to help much...
I hope this video helps give some insight to these strings if you are thinking of trying them out! My violin is considered to be an intermediate to professional level violin. It has a tendency to sound bright with its high notes, a bit muddy with its low notes, but has an overall "bright" vibe. I'd imagine these strings might sound better on a violin that is "bright sounding" across all registers because the strings didn't really do much for my violin's notes on the G-string. The sound of the strings is also affected by what bow you use.
I think my "CodaBow Luma" makes my violin sound more "bright." Perhaps it even makes it a bit "shrill," especially on the E-string -- which isn't a good thing -- but the extra brightness from the bow helps clear up the lower G-string notes. The gut strings warmed up my E-string and A-string quite a bit, which was nice. However, I like lower notes more than higher notes because there isn't much "E-string shifting" with folk music. Therefore, I wasn't too happy with the extra-muddy sound that was being created with the gut G-string. I think I'd prefer to have a shrill E-string than a muddier G-string. I probably wouldn't use these on a "dark sounding" violin.
Perhaps another difference to consider is what kind of music you play. Celtic folk, Baroque, Classical, jazz, Eastern-European folk, Indian, etc., use violin registers and tone differently. Some string types have more power, others add a unique color to a violin's tone, others keep a good intonation consistency... These particular gut strings added a more complex tone color, but I suspect it will only really sing if you have a bright enough violin.
Also, gut strings are sometimes referred to as "catgut" strings. "Catgut" does NOT mean that it's from the gut of cats!! "Catgut" is actually short for "cattle gut." So....yes...gut strings are made of cow intestines (or, at least I'd guess the Oliv strings are from a cow...I can't actually find which animal they use to make these strings on their website). :S I can understand bagpipes originally being made from animal pelts, but I wonder how people came up with the idea that they could play fiddle music using cow intestine? Harps also often use catgut strings. :o Again, I apologize to the vegans out there -- and I've probably upset my vegetarian friends with this video. =/
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
~ Katy
------------ My new Irish Music Book is available in my music store: https://GoldenAspenMusic.com/
My artist portfolio website: https://www.KatyAdelson.com
Hashtags: #Violin #Fiddle #ViolinStrings #KatyAdelson #Music #GutStrings #catgut #PirastroOliv #Oliv #Pirastro #ReviewMorgan Megan - Irish Music (Turlough OCarolan) ~ Violin Trio | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-04-20 | Here is a fiddle duet and trio arrangement of the Irish air, "Morgan Megan" (sometimes it's called "Morgan Magan" or "Planxty Morgan Megan"). This arrangement is available in my new "15 Irish Fiddle Airs - Duets and Trios" music book of melodies by the blind Irish harper, Turlough O'Carolan.
An unsigned physical book version is available on Amazon: amzn.to/2Yzkrra
(This is an Amazon Affiliates link. I earn a commission without any extra cost to you when the above link is used to make a purchase.)
I think the song Morgan Megan sounds like a very "developed" Irish air. It's almost as though both the A and B parts tell an elaborate story about someone. It is also a Carolan tune that I don't hear as frequently. I'm guessing that might be because the song is fairly long and a lot to learn by-ear, but it's a really pretty song and worth the extra time practicing! (Plus, I have written out the sheet music in my book, so you won't have to play it by ear! =) ) To me, a lot of Carolan songs sound a bit "Baroque."
I really really really struggled coming up with this arrangement. I think it was the hardest song for me to write the two harmonies for. Every time I created a harmony, it seemed to overpower the melody and turn it into a completely different sounding song. After lots of back-and-forth with tons of ideas, I think I finally settled on harmonies that are interesting to play, and not too overpowering of the melody. Si Bheag Si Mhor was another song where I found it difficult to create two harmonies that weren't too overpowering. However, Morgan Megan was definitely the song that took the longest to work out the harmonies.
I think arranging is one of those things where you can constantly question your harmony choices and edit arrangements forever. Even now, I wonder if I could have made my harmonies better -- although I think I'm happy with what I came up with. =) I learned that playing the parts together on a piano helped me see what I had written with a different perspective. I'm definitely going to continue to do that in the future! I think it's kind of odd how arranging while only keeping the violin in mind can kind of create a "harmony tunnel vision" of sorts. Seeing the black and white keys of a piano helped me think a bit more outside the box whenever I got stuck working out a new part of a harmony.
Some viewers wanted a song with just the violin, so hopefully you guys like this one! ^_^
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Spaces
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerMusic Book FAQs ~ 15 Irish Fiddle Airs - Turlough OCarolan | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-03-30 | In one of my latest videos, I talked about my book proof from my new music book, "15 Irish Fiddle Duets and Trios -- Turlough O'Carolan," and received several questions from my viewers. I tried to answer everyone using the comments, but I thought I'd make a video, too, just in case others had similar questions but didn't necessarily leave a comment. If you still have questions, please leave them in the comments, and I'll try to answer as many as I can! =)
Please note that all 3 parts of this music book are written in treble clef.
Questions answered in this video: Can the Irish History section be kept? Will there be videos, tutorials, and demonstration videos of the arrangements? Will it be available for Kindle? Will you offer a spiral-bound version? How will a beginner fare with this book?
Additional topics discussed: I arranged the 2nd Lower Harmony with the common registers of both the violin and viola in mind. However, all 3 parts are written in treble clef. Violists usually do learn treble clef, but it is a little more at an advanced period. Bowings are included, although some bowings may feel strange and "backwards" for those who only study Classical violin repertoire. Fingerings are not included, but everything is in 1st position, and open strings are appropriate for Irish folk music. The arrangements in the book are appropriate for formal acoustic performances, and most of the arrangements are simple enough to sight-read if you are a professional violinist.
Most difficult song arrangements: Carolan's Concerto Denis O'Conor Carolan's Quarrel with the Landlady Morgan Megan Carolan's Receipt
Medium difficulty song arrangements: Planxty Hewlett Princess Royal Sir Charles Coote Carolan's Welcome Si Bheag Si Mhor
Easiest song arrangements: Captain O'Kane Fanny Power Colonel John Irwin Eleanor Plunkett George Brabazon's 2nd Air
My new music store website: https://www.GoldenAspenMusic.com
(This is an Amazon Affiliates link. I earn a commission without any extra cost to you when the above link is used to make a purchase.)
Once the Amazon listing is available in all the Amazon Marketplaces, I'll release my demonstration video that has short clips showing what the arrangements sound like put together.
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lensRights of Man Set - Irish Fiddle Music | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-03-17 | Happy St. Patrick's Day! =)
Here is a set that I usually play whenever I go to a new session and I am asked to play something. A "set" in a session setting is considered to be a group of tunes that go together well and can be played one after the other. Usually, sessions tend to gravitate towards playing certain sets that the members have come up with, and it's fun to see which tunes people tend to put together.
This set consists of Rights of Man (hornpipe), Road to Lisdoonvarna (slide), Swallowtail (jig), and Kesh (jig). Sometimes I substitute Irish Washerwoman (another jig) for Kesh (or I play it after Swallowtail, but before Kesh), and sometimes I only play two or three of the songs instead of all four -- it depends on if the session seems like it might welcome a "weird mixed set" - meaning a set where the timings change between the songs (hornpipe to slide to two jigs). Changing the timings in sets seems to be something that is done fairly often in Scottish sessions, but it is not so common in Irish sessions for some reason. I like to do it because I think it often gives the set a kind of development that often happens in many other musical genres. The tempo stays fairly constant between the main beats of the tunes, but because of the timing differences, it feels like the speed increases by about 30 BPM.
I really like this set of tunes because they are pretty common, and every Irish session I've been to has been able to play along with them. The trickiest parts would be making sure you can play a similar "Rights of Man" with the group (everyone has their own version, especially for the B part), and if Irish Washerwoman is being substituted for Kesh, I've ran into several different "B part" variations. Generally, it's a session, so most musicians tend to play whatever version they know, but I like trying to adapt the version I'm familiar with to fit with whatever is happening in the moment. As a result, I think I've learned about 8 different B parts for Rights of Man, lol! I've included 3 different B parts in this video, but there seem to be endless variations of the tune.
Another neat thing about this set is that because it starts as a slow-ish hornpipe and the tempo stays fairly consistent, it helps prevent starting the jigs too fast. Playing jigs super fast sometimes works when you are playing a concert with folks who are prepared for the speed, but it usually isn't appreciated in a session setting. Even still, I usually try to think of the jig tempo first before I even start playing Rights of Man just to make sure it's not going to end up being too crazy and fast for people to keep up with. Then, I go back to thinking about the first hornpipe tune with the jig tempo, and if the hornpipe sounds too fast in my head, then it means the jig tempo I had thought of was too fast and I can adjust before I start playing. I think ultra-fast songs are easier to play with a bowed instrument than a picked instrument, like mandolin, and I think it's better to err on the slower side of things in a session. I think I played the set in this video faster than I would in a session, but I like playing tunes fast when I'm by myself. It's kind of like an energy release for me.
I hope you all have a great St. Patrick's day, and a good week! Spring is almost here! :D
Thank you for watching and listening!
~ Katy
P.S. My Irish music book is coming soon! I wanted to post this first. =) This time of year is always intense for folks who play Irish music.
P.S.S. This was filmed right before the "bomb cyclone" blizzard we had in Colorado. :o All the snow is melting now, but it looks quite different outside now, lol! It was funny to edit this while the blizzard was happening and to think it had been such a beautiful day a few days before...
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerReacting to my Irish Music Book Proof - Amazons Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-03-12 | Over the last year, I've been working on writing a music book of trios based on melodies composed by Turlough O'Carolan. I decided to use Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) print-on-demand technology to see what would come back as a proof. I was originally going to use Amazon's CreateSpace, but it seems as though that resource is no longer available. This video has my initial thoughts on what they sent, and I talk about my music book a little bit. The proof came in just 3 days with standard shipping, which I thought was fantastic.
I have to say that this music book was HARD to write. I'm glad I did it, though, and I've learned so much along the way! I'm hoping to release it sometime around March 22 or so. :D
Most KDP videos I've found focus on text-based books, and not sheet music books. Sheet music is a lot bolder and bigger than regular text, so I wanted to make this video if there were any other people curious about what it might look like.
Overall, I think the paper quality was good. I'd prefer it to be slightly thicker, but in order to get thicker paper I'd have to print the book as if it needed color ink instead of black and white. It would make the book about 3 times more expensive to print. The regular white paper is as good as most of my music books, so I think it will be okay. There is some bleed-through that I can see, but I don't think it's prevalent enough to distract the reader from reading the music notes on the page.
I have not tried the cream-colored paper, but based on what I see with the white paper, I think the cream-colored paper would be too thin for sheet music books.
The cover was tricky to make. You need to have your PDF be the exact size that they need for the book. For some reason I thought Amazon would be able to take any to-scale, super high resolution PDF and shrink it down to the book size. That's definitely NOT what they do, lol. It needs to be the exact book dimensions + bleed area, and the front, spine, and back cover are all together on one giant piece of paper/PDF. They have helpful guidelines to follow based to help you determine the spine width on how many pages and the paper type your book has, but it ended up being a lot trickier and time consuming than I thought it would be.
I used high-resolution images in my book, but they do look a little pixelated from the printers. It's not too bad, and my book is about music, not pictures, so I'm fine with it. The music notes look great, but I had exported them from my music program directly as sheet music PDFs, not images. I suspect that if the sheet music were actually images instead of the line-art PDF files that the music program generated, they might have looked pixelated, too.
If I had an entire book of black-and-white photos, I might suggest trying to print with the color ink and paper instead of the black and white ink. If my whole book were pictures and they all looked like the ones I show in the video, I don't think I would be very happy with it.
But for sheet music, I think I give this a thumbs up! I'm excited! Yay!
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
~ Katy
P.S. YouTube's end screen linked card things don't seem to be working atm, so it looks empty. I realize this looks funny. I've set them up, so hopefully they start working again soon! :o
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 VGhost Ship (Round) - Original Song ~ Violin | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-02-22 | Here is an original song called, "Ghost Ship." I wrote it a long time ago when I was a kid (summer of 2001). I was amazed at how people could play through the melody for a song like, "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," starting at different times to form harmonies (also called a "Round" in music), and I wanted to write my own boat song that could work the same way. I remember it ended up being a lot harder than I thought it would be to come up with it, but I ended up with this semi-dark and mysterious sounding song.
If you would like to purchase the MP3 (thank you!!), here is a link: fanlink.to/GhostShip
It's a very simple tune that would be fun for beginner violinists who want to play music with their friends, or for anyone wanting to play something that's simple to play and easy to put together. Everyone only needs to learn the melody, and the harmonies form when you start playing the song at different times. If you have two people playing, you can repeat the A and B part if you want. You'd most likely want to play it without repeats if there are three people playing -- otherwise one of the parts will always end up being doubled-up on and played at the same time.
2001 was when I was beginning to learn how to use the notation software, Harmony Assistant. The software has come a long way since then, and at the time I could only use the free trial version (meaning, I couldn't save anything...). I was able to record the sheet music's playback audio on a cassette tape. I'm glad I've become fairly okay at transcribing music as an adult because I can write out a ton of the music that I came up with a long time ago. Some of it sounds pretty bad, but I think some of it is okay. I'm glad I have it because, back then, I wasn't bogged down by music theory and worried about making sure my music was "technically correct." I just wrote out whatever I thought worked without having any idea why it worked.
And I wrote a TON of music that summer. :o Back then, I didn't know how to change the key signature, so all of my tunes are written in A minor / C major, lol. I might transcribe them to a different key later in life because it's difficult to put C major tunes into a fiddle tune set. For some strange reason, it's common to find tunes in A minor, but it's very rare to find tunes in C major. I'm guessing it might have to do with the violin's resonance and open strings leading to tunes sounding better and played more easily in D, G, and A major.
As for calling it, "Ghost Ship," I was imagining an old, damaged, abandoned ship floating out at sea (like one of those big old frigate ships with lots of sails from back in the 1600s). It had been through a lot, but the crew decided to leave, and the ship is now just a forgotten memory floating along, eventually going to sink or wash up on shore somewhere... The song took on a completely different vibe from "Row the Boat," so I named it after something that sounded eerie.
Also, it wasn't as cold as it looks in the video. It was a fairly warm day -- about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The lake is still frozen solid, but the snow was melting at the time. It quickly turned extremely cold again, so I wouldn't go out there right now with my violin like that. :o It's bad to put your violin through extreme elements and temperature swings, so please note that it's a lot warmer than it looks in the video... I color corrected it to look more blue and cold. =)
This video was an opportunity to practice the Luma Keying video editing technique. I learned that it's a bit difficult to do since I'm so pale, and the bow hair from the violin was tricky since it's white, but it was something fun to experiment with. =) Hopefully it doesn't look too cheesy, but I guess I'll find out what people think!
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerMistakes & Lessons Learned while I was a Self-Taught Violinist | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2019-01-18 | I started learning violin without private violin lessons for several years. A lot of people cannot afford private violin lessons, too, so I thought I'd share my experiences. I was "self-taught" while I was a kid and teenager, so many of these experiences may be different for adult learners. I thought I'd share my particular experiences so that other people learning violin without a teacher don't feel as alone with self-doubt. It's normal to have doubts while trying to learn an instrument by yourself. The most important thing is to form your own personal goals, to find positives in situations, and to not quit.
In this video, I discuss ways you can learn the fiddle on your own, and ways you can analyze your playing to try to improve it. I also talk about some of the stigmas I faced as I became an older, and some of the bad habits I formed. I also discuss ways I learned how to undo some of those bad habits once I started having classical violin lessons.
After about eight years of trying to figure out the violin on my own, I was able to find a good teacher willing to work with me to undo a lot of my bad habits. I took lessons from her for about 2 years, and I'm very thankful I had that opportunity. If I hadn't had those years of lessons, I don't think I would have ever made it into a university-level music program. Although I strongly believe people can go quite far teaching themselves violin, I think investing in a teacher is essential at some point -- especially with the "classical music" genre.
I currently do not take violin lessons, although I've been thinking I should take them up again. It's never too late to start taking lessons, and to learn and improve more advanced violin technique.
I'm a bit nervous about this video -- I'm not sure how well it's going to go over with people, but we'll see! =) I hope people come away from the video thinking it's possible to get quite far on the violin on your own, and that it's still possible to become a musician even if you need to wait until you have your own income to afford private lessons.
=( This was the last video I was able to film on my Canon camera before it broke, so......I guess that makes this a special video??
In the meantime, I'm exploring other options to film tutorials! A nearby library has some resources that I reserved. Hopefully it'll work out, but time will tell! ^_^
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Current Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Pirastro Oliv Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens, RIP...The Golden Carol + I Saw Three Ships ~ Christmas Fiddle | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-12-25 | Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! =) Here are two Christmas-themed songs: "The Golden Carol" and, "I Saw Three Ships." They both have a similar hornpipe vibe, so I thought I'd make a little medley with both of them. Both are old English Christmas carol melodies, but one is a major song, and the other is a minor song.
I almost never hear "The Golden Carol." It's a really beautiful and haunting minor carol. Because it had such a haunting vibe to it, I thought I'd try to add some night footage with some Christmas lights. I'm new to the world of low-light footage, so hopefully it turned out okay. There's something really unique about a dark-sounding minor Christmas song during such a festive time.
"I Saw Three Ships" is in a major key, and the melody sounds a bit more jolly. I often hear people playing it faster than I do in this video. I didn't want to bend the tempo throughout the medley, and I thought that The Golden Carol sounded better played a little slower. I hope I came up with a tempo that bridged the two songs okay. =)
I think I'm pretty happy with how my Sony RX100 mV camera behaved in the low-light, and how well the new de-noiser effect works in the latest Final Cut Pro X update (now, if only they'd add an automatic keyframe tracking tool....). The slow-motion snow footage turned out neat, too! The snow was actually blowing around pretty hard, so to see it drifting so slowly and peacefully is interesting lol!
I also had only one "nice weather day" to film this video, so I feel really lucky that I was able to film something outside! :o All the other days were too cold and/or snowy to bring my violin outside. I'm glad my footage didn't end up lost, corrupted, or deleted, too! That's happened before...lol!
This is also my first video with audio recorded using "Pirastro Oliv Violin Strings" (gut strings). So far, I like how the A, D, and E harmonics ring, and I like the D-string, but I do miss my Evah Pirazzis... The Oliv strings will bend the string's pitch flat depending on where you place your bow on the contact point + bow speed. It makes them a bit tricky, but maybe I just need to adjust my playing? :/ I'll give these a go for a few months, and make a review video when it's time to explore a new set of strings. =) I really want to start trying out different kinds of strings to explore different tones and figure out what sounds the best on my violin. :D
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a great holiday time! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Pirastro Oliv Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Stormdrum II Best Service Forest Kingdom II by Eduardo Tarilonte (See: bestservice.de)
Camera: Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerGlass Island Reel - Fiddle Tutorial (an Ethan Hazzard-Watkins tune) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-12-11 | Here is a by-ear fiddle tune tutorial showing how to play the fiddle tune, "Glass Island Reel," composed by Ethan Hazzard-Watkins. This video is an intermediate by-ear (no sheet music) tutorial, but here are a few links if you would like to follow along with sheet music: http://www.ethanhw.com/files/2017/02/GlassIslandReel.pdf (original tune version) thesession.org/tunes/8873
I tried leaving out my introduction this time since I've been getting a lot of comments saying I talk too much. I don't think I really need an introduction, and going into the tune immediately is much more to the point. The A part in particular makes this a tricky tune, but with some slow practicing and gradually increasing the tempo, I think it's achievable. I hope this tutorial helps you learn the tune!
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 VSeo Uileo Thoil - Gaelic Lullaby | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-11-29 | Here is a really pretty Irish air called, "Seo Uileo Thoil." Some people refer to this song as, "Irish Lullaby" or, "Gaelic Lullaby." I'm not really sure if it actually is a lullaby, but I think it sounds peaceful and pretty enough to be one. "TheSession.org" mentions a possible translation could be, "Knowing this grief," with the word "Uileo" meaning grief or mourning. I don't speak Irish, so I really have no idea. :o
It's a pretty simple tune that is fun to create little harmonies to! I'd say this could be considered a good tune for beginners to learn. It mainly consists of arpeggios and scales played at a moderate tempo.
I mainly had the two harmonies, but decided to play one version an octave lower to create another variation. I wrote out the octave lower versions to make them easier to learn and play for those who read sheet music.
December is coming! I can't believe it! I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and November! The year is almost over -- time flies! :o
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Spaces
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 V
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerA Fiddle Gig Vlog | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-11-09 | I played at a few "Thursday Markets" in Colorado Springs a while back. Some followers asked if I could vlog one of the days, so I did! I hope you find this kind of content interesting -- I'm a really introverted and private person (which might sound a bit odd since I post stuff online...), so vlogging probably isn't one of my strengths...
I found it especially helpful to run through all my music in more of a performance setting. I'll often practice a song over and over and over again trying to perfect a specific part, but I never really practice playing all of my songs straight through -- one after the other -- without stopping or repeating anything. It's hard to minimize mistakes the first time you play something "cold," but I think I've gotten a little better at it this summer. It really helps that most of my music is fairly straight forward to play. I think running through entire sets is really something that needs to be practiced as much as the individual songs, especially if you are a soloist...
Also, volume levels of both the violin and backing track have proven to be difficult to deal with when you are by yourself. I don't have a sound engineer to help me adjust the levels as I play, so I bought a foot pedal to turn down the volume of the backing track if a song starts off sounding too loud (the pedal cannot raise the volume, though...). It's hard to adjust the volume once you start playing because there isn't a free hand available, or a break in the music, to discreetly change anything! :o
I made a little journal with different volume levels for each song, but it only works if I have the volume of the violin set to the same loudness level for every gig setup, lol. I have yet to master balancing everything by myself, but I think I'm getting better! Someday I hope I'll be able to hire help with this kind of stuff. Until then, I'll continue to attempt flying solo! =)
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good weekend! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Sony RX100 VReel Beatrice ~ French-Canadian Fiddle Tune! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-10-31 | Here is a neat three-part tune called, "Reel Beatrice!" The reel version of this tune is a French-Canadian / Quebec tune often attributed to fiddler Joseph Bouchard (1905-1979). The tune he used as inspiration is an Italian polka called, "Oggi Nevica" ("Today it Snows"). The Italian title is really suiting for today because it's actually snowing right now where I live in Colorado!
The reel has three parts -- the first two parts are minor, and the last part is in the relative major key. I usually hear this tune played in either A minor or G minor, so I decided to play it in both keys, lol. I think I prefer how it sounds in A minor, but I think it's a little easier to play in G minor because you don't have to shift to 2nd position. Both keys create different tricky parts to play.
I also played it swung at a mild tempo in the beginning. I think it sounds neat played like that -- it's kind of like a hornpipe, but also kind of jazzy and odd. I like odd sounding tunes! Some people play this reel super fast, which is nice, but I tried to play it at a moderate tempo. There's a lot going on with this tune, and I think it can sound good at pretty much any tempo. :D
I sort of created my own version of the tune, but the first version listed at TheSession is pretty similar. :)
It's HALLOWEEN!!! Happy Halloween!! =D I thought this tune could sort of fit as a good tune to play on Halloween. =) Halloween sure came really fast. It feels like it was summer yesterday... :o If you live in Colorado and are going to go out trick-or-treating, I hope you stay warm! It's going to be cold and icy! :S
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): East West plugins – Goliath Virtual Instrument, Spaces
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerTune Collection Album Release Update!! | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-10-01 | I've received so many messages and emails asking if I could put my music in online stores, so I've released an album!! It's called "Tune Collection." Here are all the locations where it's available:
Here is a list of the included songs and song lengths:
01. Drunken Sailor (2:26) 02. Dancing Bear (2:12) 03. Running Wheel Reel (2:54) 04. Deku Palace Theme (From Legend of Zelda, Majora’s Mask) (2:58) 05. Double Lariat (2:28) 06. Da Slockit Light (3:36) 07. Banks of Spey (2:02) 08. Frank’s Reel + St Kilda Wedding (2:15) 09. Paddy on the Turnpike + Tommy’s Tarbukas (2:29) 10. Arkansas Traveler + Doctor Doctor (1:41) 11. Skye Boat Song (1:59) 12. The Peacock’s Feathers (1:41) 13. Swallowtail Jig (The Dancing Master) (1:20) 14. Morrison’s Jig (The Stick Across the Hob) (2:16) 15. Crested Hens (Les Poules Huppées) (3:21) 16. Cliffs of Moher + Star of Munster (2:07) 17. Coleraine Jig (2:02) 18. Butterfly + Kid on the Mountain (3:16) 19. Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór (2:49) 20. Scully’s Reel (Scollay’s Reel) + Farewell to Chernobyl (2:26) 21. Tam Lin (The Glasgow Reel) (2:29) 22. Ashokan Farewell (2:54) 23. St. Anne’s + Sally Gardens Reel (2:20) 24. Sponge (Ragtime) (2:17) 25. West Leyden Waltz (2:50) 26. Silver and Gold Two-Step (2:13) 27. Purple Lilies Polka (2:34) 28. Yoshi’s Island Athletic Theme (From Super Mario World 2) (2:18) 29. Beautiful Dreamer (2:31) 30. Cradle Song (Brahms Lullaby) (2:04) 31. Hobgoblin’s Waltz (1:23) 32. Halloween Reel (2:23) 33. Habanera (From Carmen) (2:33)
There were 3 songs that I really wanted to include, but learned that the distribution company I decided to go with doesn't currently have the infrastructure to send royalties to multiple artists. Therefore, I couldn't release "Medley's," even if I had the mechanical licensing for them. These songs included "Crested Hens + Far Away Waltz" (which is why I created a new version of Crested Hens without Far Away Waltz included), "The Bus Stop + Catharsis," and "Jump at the Sun + Glass Island Reel + Wizard's Walk." I was pretty bummed when I learned I couldn't release these songs with this album.... But I'm looking into ways to release them as singles through a different distributor! =)
I also plan to put those 3 songs on a physical CD with other songs from this release, soon. The released digital album is too long to fit onto a CD, so once I learn what songs perform the best, I'll put the best-performing songs + the extra 3 missing songs onto a physical CD. =)
I really hope everyone likes this album! I feel kind of strange selling these songs. I started this channel in hopes of learning more about how to produce backing tracks and record my violin, so it feels a bit strange for me to sell things I used to "practice with."
Also, I realize the title maybe isn't the most creative lol. I wanted to put as much music on it as possible so everyone could pick which songs they wanted (or so someone could get a lot of music for a bigger discount if they bought the whole album), which made me think I should call it a "collection" more than an album. It has music that crosses multiple genres and countries, so I thought a generic title would be the most appropriate.
I'm hoping to reinvest in better studio equipment, and maybe even some extra help making videos with this album release! Money I earn from it will go back into producing more music. ^_^ Thank you so much for all of your support over these past few years! The amount of support and encouragement I've received working on these little projects has really changed my life for the better! =)
Thank you so much for all of your support so far, and I hope you have a good week! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens
Microphone for audio recording: Zoom H1 + a fluffy windscreenWizards Walk Fiddle Tune Tutorial (a Jay Ungar tune) | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-09-29 | Here is a by-ear fiddle tune tutorial for how to play Jay Ungar's tune, "Wizard's Walk." It's a neat, somewhat difficult and more advanced fiddle tune to learn how to play. I hope this tutorial helps! ^_^
Navigation timestamp links:
Demonstration: 00:54 A part 1: 02:00 A part 1 run-through: 08:30 A part 2 (syncopated part): 09:19 A part 2 run-through: 17:06 A part run-through: 18:26 B part: 19:53 B part run-through: 27:21 Ending part (coda): 28:33 Ending part run-through: 29:43 Entire tune 50 BPM: 30:50 Entire tune 70 BPM: 33:58 Entire tune 90 BPM: 36:13 Entire tune 110 BPM: 38:00 Entire tune 130 BPM: 39:26 Entire tune 150 BPM: 40:40 Entire tune 170 BPM: 41:48 Entire tune 190 BPM: 42:54 Entire tune 210 BPM: 43:53 Entire tune 230 BPM: 45:00
This is a by-ear tutorial, so there isn't any sheet music in the video. However, if you would like to follow along with sheet music, there is a version available for purchase on Jay Ungar and Molly Mason's website: http://jayandmolly.com/store/sheet-music (please note that I'm not sponsored, endorsed, or affiliated with them in any way...)
I'm trying a few new things in this tutorial! A few viewers suggested that I use a metronome with my tutorials, so I thought I'd give it a try this time. I think it helps, although the clicks get a bit annoying at faster tempos. I think all the clicks are helpful during the syncopated sounding section, so I decided to not move into cut-time tempos at the faster speeds. ^_^
I also tried a new split-screen view so you can see both the bow and the fingers. This actually proved to be more difficult to film than I initially thought it would be lol. My SD cards kept filling up at different rates, cameras would overheat at different times, and batteries would die at different times haha -- all of which created a bit of a mess trying to align all the video footage during the editing process lol. That's okay -- it sort of worked out, so no worries there! I just thought it was funny while I was trying to record and it felt like cameras kept constantly shutting down the entire time lol.
This is a tricky tune, and I wanted to be thorough, but the video turned out to be a really really long tutorial video. :/ If these videos are too long, or if there are only particular parts you'd prefer to have in a tutorial, please let me know! I can tell from my video analytics that the "run-through" portions of these kinds of videos are watched the most, but it also makes sense that people practice with those parts of the video the most. I'm not sure how useful the "tune breakdown" is for everyone. Please let me know if there is anything I could do to improve these kinds of videos! =)
I also noticed that I have a tendency to play the syncopated 5th section a bit sharp. I was so concerned about trying to stay on the beat with 5ths that were somewhat in tune with each other that I forgot to think about the actual note they were supposed to be lol. Oops! I think I was getting pretty tired towards the end. The video took a few hours to film between camera batteries constantly needing to be recharged lol. :o It's kind of subtle, but I felt it was too obvious while trying to edit the footage together to not say anything lol. It really bothers me, but then again, there are lots of things about my playing that bother me and make me cringe lol. We're each our own worst critic. :/
I think recording yourself is, by far, one of the best practice tools available with all the new modern technology! You don't necessarily have to put it online, but recording yourself with video allows you to see and hear a lot of things that you maybe would otherwise miss. I've caught myself doing a lot of bad habits when I record my playing, and I think it has helped me correct a few things. =)
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! Happy fiddling! =)
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards
Camera: Canon 70D + 18-135 mm kit lens Sony RX100 VYoshis Island - Athletic Theme (Super Mario World 2) ~ Violin Version | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-09-05 | I went to the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off balloon festival this weekend to see lots of neat hot air balloon! =) Hot air balloons remind me of Mario video games, so I decided to play the "Athletic Theme" from Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi's Island, composed by Koji Kondo. It's kind of a difficult song, especially at the original tempo, so I slowed it down a bit... :o
A lot of people ask me for the sheet music of the arrangements I make. If the song is still under copyright, distributing sheet music requires a "print license," which is different than the license needed to distribute music through a video. Print licenses are really difficult to obtain because they need to be negotiated with the copyright holder using lawyers and such, but if I put the notes in a video, technically it's considered a video instead of sheet music. I'll submit the video to Nintendo, and if they approve it (YAY! It looks like they did approve it! :D), then I suppose I can share the notes of my Nintendo song arrangements through videos! :D I think it's a bit of a grey area, but at least Nintendo knows about it and is earning royalties from it...
Even with the song notated, I still improvise a little bit. I tried to write out as much of the syncopated parts as I could, but I really was just having fun and making stuff up when I recorded the audio...lol! The 16th notes are swung in the original version, but I think they can also be played straight. I mixed between swinging them and not swinging them, which is probably going to get some criticism lol...oh well. ^_^ I think the little riff between repeating the song is easier to play when swung, but swinging the other 16th note runs seems to make them a lot more difficult to play than they need to be....
This song is very jazz-like -- but I think jazz is hard to play... :o I want to learn how to play more jazz music! :D I wonder if you can mix Celtic music and Jazz??? That might be something fun to experiment with someday -- jazz jigs and reels. :o
This video was a bit of a detour from my normal fiddle music, but it was lots of fun to make! Lots of people have been asking me to make more game music covers, so I hope you still like it! ^_^ More Celtic tunes are coming up soon! =)
Yoshi is by far my favorite Mario character! He's so cute and awesome! ^_^
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good rest of the week! =)
~ Katy
Other info:
I have a license to use Nintendo’s content in this video through the Nintendo Creators Program. This video is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, but any advertising revenue from this video will be shared with Nintendo. https://r.ncp.nintendo.net
Violin gear: Violin: 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany Bow: CodaBow Luma Strings: Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings (with a ball E) Rosin: Salchow Rosin Shoulder Rest: Bonmusica Shoulder Rest
Software used (for Macintosh): Garageband for attempted sound mixing Final Cut Pro for video editing PicMonkey.com for the ending cards and Bumble Bee image
Plugins for sound effects (I have A LOT to learn in this department!): Harmony Assistant for the piano sound.
Camera: This was mostly recorded with the "Sony RX100 V" point-and-shoot camera. I'm really starting to like this camera for being so small and easy to use, yet having excellent low-light performance and image quality. Even though it's an expensive camera, I think it deters theft since it doesn't have the look of pricey DSLR camera. The introduction timelapse was filmed with the Canon 70D.
Microphone for audio recording: Blue WoodpeckerPurple Lilies Polka ~ Gu-Achi Fiddlers - Tohono Oodham Fiddle Tune | Katy AdelsonKaty Adelson2018-08-19 | Here is a fun little polka called, "Purple Lilies!" It sounds almost like a Mexican polka, but I believe it's actually a polka from the Native American Tohono O'odham people in Arizona. The "Gu-Achi Fiddlers" play a lot of music like this.
Because of its simple chords progression and repetitive nature, I think it's a really good tune for beginner fiddle players. It's a little tricky with the G# thrown in there, but it's a good tune to practice moving between a G# and a G! ^_^ It's also a really good tune to practice harmonizing to. I may have gone a bit overboard with the harmonies... I think traditionally these kinds of tunes usually have just the melody + 1 harmony for the fiddle parts. But I think having lots of harmonies is kind of fun. =)
Growing up in Colorado, I felt like I had already heard this song a lot the first time I tried to play it. Actually, a lot of the Tohono O'odham fiddle tunes sound incredibly familiar to me. I'm not sure if they were played on the radio a lot, or where I may have heard them, but they seem familiar for some reason -- they are a lot of fun to play!
This tune is "crooked," meaning it has an extra beat added or removed in a few places. A lot of these kinds of tunes are crooked. It takes a little getting used to if you are used to playing more standard tunes, especially if you learn tunes with sheet music -- I think it's a little easier to play through crooked tunes when learning them by ear. I think the tune makes more sense when you don't have to look at weird time signatures popping up all over the place. =)
I'm hoping this video brings some awareness of the Tohono O'odham nation, and their awesome music. The tribe is located on the border between the United States and Mexico, which creates a complication regarding the border wall idea that has been developing these past few months. I hope their perspective will be valued in the decision that is reached.
The editing behind this video ended up being kind of difficult. :o I'm also kind of nervous to post a video like this since it's so different from my other "Celtic" videos. But, it's a fun, bouncy tune, I really like to playing it, and it was a fun video to make --- so I might as well post it! :D
Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a good week! =)