fiddle - Fancy Yourself Fiddling

fiddle news
www.seankenan.com
Welcome to the new
Online Fiddle News
Oct/Nov 2008 Vol 4. No. 10/11
Fancy Yourself
Fiddling Rehearsal
--------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
Australia’s only monthly newsletter devoted to
the fiddle and the violin. This online version will
be in PDF format and in full colour. You can print
out your own hard copy if you wish. The online
version is environmentally friendly and more
sustainable than the paper hardcopy edition. The
online Fiddle News will also have interviews and
fiddle instruction in video format early 2009. All
this will be available to online subscribers.
Saturday Dec 13th
Beginners 2pm-3pm
Ensemble 3pm-4pm
Intermediates 4-4.30pm
$15 entry
If you would like to stay with the hard copy
please email [email protected]
Upstairs Function Room
at Father Flanagan’s
484 Smith Street
Collingwood
Quotes
-------------------------------------
Subscriptions are available online at ‘click here’.
Donal Baylor
-------------------------------------------Donal will be presenting a
two day Bluegrass Fiddle
Workshop in Melbourne
over the Australia Day
weekend 2009. Donal is
highly regarded as both a
teacher and performer of
both Bluegrass and Swing
fiddle styles. Donal’s
workshop will be
conducted at the Fancy
Yourself Fiddling
headquarters 316 Park St
Carlton. Places are all
taken for Donal’s workshop
but if you would like to put
your name down for future
fiddle Masterclasses ring
Sean on 03 9380 5643.
“I have never structured
my teaching into a rigid
method…What above all I
try to impart is a sense of
fluency, economy and
precision in motion.
Yehudi Menuhin
"One night we heard
gypsies entertaining the
diners at an open air
tavern (in Romania). It
astonished me that they
could fetch such
extraordinary sounds from
primitive instruments,
using bows that were
saplings strung with
unbleached horsehair."
Yehudi Menuhin
Warren Fordham Interview S.Kenan
------------------------------------------------------
Warren Fordham
Photo right: Working on
Miranda’s double bass,
“Blondie”. Miranda is an
orchestral player and
trusts Warren to fix and
adjust her precious
instrument.
Q. How deeply should
the grooves that hold
the strings on a violin
or fiddle bridge be cut?
There should only be a
third or a quarter of the
string sitting into the
bridge. When it sits half
way or below the top of
the bridge it needs total
replacement.
Warren was born in 1958 in Burnie Tasmania and started
playing on his grandfather’s violin at 10 years of age. He
moved to Melbourne when he was 15 where he started
playing with the Whitehorse Youth Orchestra. Warren left
school at 15 to begin an apprenticeship in violinmaking.
When asked how many hours a week he devotes to violin
making, Warren replied, “My entire mind and being is
obsessed with it. Every awake hour is the situation there.
It has been my whole life.” Warren ‘s home is his
workshop at Worco, a tradesman’s collective in an
industrial area of Preston, Melbourne.
Q. Strings come in
either steel core or
nylon core. Fiddlers
seem to prefer steel
core. Why?
Because they last a long
time and they are a little
bit brighter.
Q. What are your
favourite strings?
Zyex by D’Addario are my
favourites. They are nylon
core strings.
Q. How often should
strings be replaced?
Twice a year at least. Steel
strings can give a harsh
sound. If your violin is
properly adjusted the
sound should carry without
steel strings. Nylon core
strings can be fast and
responsive. Perlon strings I
don’t like, they break.
Q. What are Perlon
strings?
Dominant strings are made
of Perlon. I’ll never use
them again.
Q. How often should
the bow be re-haired?
Some Classical players
get theirs done every
three months but they
are using the whole bow.
Fiddlers are only using a
small section. The rest of
the hair is fine and they
wear out one small
section. Times that by
four and that’s why there
is so much hair breakage.
Q. What do you think
of electronic tuners?
Photo above: Warren’s
workbench. The brass skull
was made by Warren and
shows his skills at silversmithing.
They are OK if you don’t
have ‘A’ in your head. I
used to tune pianos and I
would walk into the room
without a tuning fork,
just an ‘A’ in the head. I
would tune the ‘A’ then
tune the piano and walk
out. No electronic devices
at all.
Photo: Warren’s son Roman holding a violin body he is constructing.
Oct/Nov
Oct
/ Nov 2008 fiddle news
www.seankenan.com
Jen Storer
Jen has recently taken up fiddle playing at
the Fancy Yourself Fiddling Centrel in
Carlton. She is a full time writer specializing
in children’s literature and she works from
her office at the Abbotsford Convent.
Penguin Books have recently published Jen’s
book, Tan Callahan’s Spy Files which is
available at Carlton’s Readings bookstore.
Photo above: Roman and Warren in the violin workshop.
Warren’s son was in the
workshop when I visited
for the Fiddle News
interview. Roman was just
about to finish his exams
to become a qualified
builder and showed me his
violin which was a work in
progress.
Q. What should one
look out for when
buying a fiddle?
Real tricky! Make sure the
eye of the scroll lines up
with the edge back when
you sight it down. It
should be in line. If it’s not
you are up for a bit of
expense. Check the height
of the fingerboard which
should be between 20 and
21 millimetres from the
belly to the top of the
fingerboard. Where the
heel is it is 6 millimetres.
If these two things are
correct you should be able
to have a standard bridge
fitted without any neck
dramas.
Also make sure when you
look at the violin front on
that the neck isn’t on at a
hideous angle. Watch out
also for warping and
cracks. Just bring it to me
and I’ll look over it.
If you want that woody,
rich, mellow sound you
get a fat violin and if
you want a harsh, loud
sound with not much
tone you get a flat
body.
Q. Do you think it is
important for someone
who makes violins to
be able to play the
instrument?
Contact Warren:
Oh yes although
Stradivarius wasn’t able to
play apparently. He could
put a bow over it but not
much more. I don’t play
professionally any more
but you should really be
able to play. Otherwise
you don’t know what
qualities to build into the
instrument. I have the
ability to see sound and
everybody else hears it. I
can tell by the shape what
tone, what sound it is
going to have. Stainers are
fat and Stradivaris are flat
and they sound totally
different in character.
Oct/Nov 2008 fiddle news
For repairs and orders;
Violin, Viola, Cello,
Bass. Ph 0425 701 821
Worco 20 Albert Street
Preston Vic 3072
Melbourne
Above: Sign on Warren’s door.
Val Lennie
Instruments Val plays are
violin, viola, piano and pipe
organ. She has recently
started studying Irish fiddle
with Sean Kenan and has
composed several harmony
parts for some of the pieces
currently being rehearsed by
the Fancy Yourself Fiddling
Orchestra. Val is a member
of several Orchestras
including the Preston
Symphony. She holds a
Bachelor of Music Education
and has spent many years
both as a music teacher and
as a church organist.
Val offers music lessons from her home in View
Bank and is keen to take on children who are
interested in taking up fiddle playing. For music
for Weddings, Funerals, Functions, Church and
Civil ceremonies contact Val.
Ph 03 9457 2230 Mobile 0414 308 331
Email: [email protected]
www.seankenan.com
Dan O’Connell Irish Session
-----------------------------------------------------The Dan O’Connell Hotel is located at the
corner of Canning Streets and Alexander
Parade in Melbourne’s inner northern
Carlton area. Every Saturday evening
starting at 6pm, Dan Bourke leads the
session and often visiting players will
drop in and be invited to start of a set of
tunes.
Photo: Cat Moser and Leueen Morgan
Lake School of Celtic Music Song and Dance
Koroit Vic Jan 4-9 2009
-----------------------------------------------------Daily tuition in tin whistle, uilleann
pipes, flute, guitar, DADGAD guitar,
fiddle, Irish language, singing,
Songwriting, Irish set dance, slow
sessions, bodhran, Kid’s Programme,
concertina, also Irish Music
Masterclass with Danny Bourke, Paddy
Fitzgerald as session master, Paddy
O’Neill Award, Spud Poets Award,
Youth Concert, Grand Ceildhe and Billy
Moran Memorial Welcome Session Oral
History project, Events Recording.
Tickets $165/95
Contact Felix 0413-801294
[email protected]
Background chatter often is a problem at
sessions but at the O’Connell session, this
is usually kept to a minimum.
Photo below: Dan Bourke
Photo above: Amy on fiddle, Christian
Brady on flute in the background.
Reels are the favourite type of tune at the
O’Connell session and fiddles and flutes
are the instruments mostly played. The
pace varies from fast to a laid back
groove. The session starts at 6pm and
often will continue late into the evening
and wind up around 11pm.
The Dan O’Connell Hotel sessions have
been running pretty consistently since the
mid 1970’s and the Hotel has seen many
owners, publicans and musicians pass
through over the years. Dan Bourke has
been sessioning here since the 1970 ‘s
and is well known in Melbourne as a
professional fiddle player. Come down on
a Saturday and have a look or a play.
Photos: Thanks to Michael Reynolds.
Oct/Nov 2008 fiddle news
www.seankenan.com
Oct/Nov 2008 fiddle news
www.seankenan.com
Oct/Nov 2008 fiddle news
www.seankenan.com
Crossbowing on the Fiddle
-----------------------------------------------------Feature article Heading
Crossbowing is a fiddle technique similar to the Bluegrass
Heading
technique1referred to as ‘cross-picking.’ A series of notes are
Pat aci
tie magna
feugiamet,
susto
estostrings
ea feugait
nibh
eros
played
over two,
sometimes
three
and wis
a note
ofex
the
ent ulpute
magnismod
tin
ut
wisit
nonsed
min
et
nullam,
sim
dolore
same pitch will occur in between a series of rising or falling
feumnotes.
quisimThere
veriuscing
eui tem
dolortisci
dolut notes
ut volor
are several
ways
to picktat
or laore
bow these
butsim
quatuercipit
utpat
adipis
alit
ipit
vullum
inim
quis
do
del
deliquat
the most useful are illustrated below. Sometimes the patterns
venibh
doluptat
aliquipit
volor sed
eu‘The
facilluptat
willelenim
be combined
and
this month’s
tune
Boyne luptat
Hunt’ non
has elit
del ut
iriusci
blandigna
at la
blaor
aliquitogether
bla feui blaore
elismodio
both
circle
and figure
of feui
eight
patterns
in the crossdoluptat,
quissed
eugait
iuscinim
dolorpe
raesecte
dolor
at.
bowing sections in the A part.
Pat aci tie magna feugiamet, susto esto ea feugait wis nibh ex eros
Circle
bow exercises
ent ulpute
magnismod
tin ut wisit nonsed min et nullam, sim dolore
feum quisim veriuscing eui tem dolortisci tat laore dolut ut volor sim
The bowutpat
handadipis
tracesalit
a neat
circle shape
if thedoseparate
bows
quatuercipit
ipit vullum
inim quis
del deliquat
are
used
correctly.
Use
a
mirror
to
see
you
have
a
smooth
venibh elenim doluptat aliquipit volor sed eu facilluptat luptat non elit
pattern
the bow.
del ut
iriusci with
blandigna
at la feui blaor aliqui bla feui blaore elismodio
doluptat, quissed eugait iuscinim dolorpe raesecte dolor at.
Heading 2
Pat aci tie magna feugiamet, susto esto ea feugait wis nibh ex eros
ent ulpute magnismod tin ut wisit nonsed min et nullam, sim dolore
feum quisim veriuscing eui tem dolortisci tat laore dolut ut volor sim
quatuercipit utpat adipis alit ipit vullum inim quis do del deliquat
venibh elenim doluptat aliquipit volor sed eu facilluptat luptat non elit
del ut iriusci blandigna at la feui blaor aliqui bla feui blaore elismodio
doluptat, quissed eugait iuscinim dolorpe raesecte dolor at.
Pat aci tie magna feugiamet, susto esto ea feugait wis nibh ex eros
ent ulpute magnismod tin ut wisit nonsed min et nullam, sim dolore
of eight
exercise
feumFigure
quisim veriuscing
eui bowing
tem dolortisci
tat laore dolut ut volor sim
quatuercipit utpat adipis alit ipit vullum inim quis do del deliquat
Theelenim
bow hand
should
trace volor
a sideways
or infinity luptat
like non elit
venibh
doluptat
aliquipit
sed eu8facilluptat
del ut
iriusci shape. Use a mirror to check your bowing pattern.
symbol
Heading 3
Pat aci tie magna feugiamet, susto esto ea feugait wis nibh ex eros
ent ulpute magnismod tin ut wisit nonsed min et nullam, sim dolore
feum quisim veriuscing eui tem dolortisci tat laore dolut ut volor sim
quatuercipit utpat adipis alit ipit vullum inim quis do del deliquat
venibh elenim doluptat aliquipit volor sed eu facilluptat luptat non elit
del ut iriusci blandigna at la feui blaor aliqui bla feui blaore elismodio
doluptat, quissed eugait iuscinim dolorpe raesecte dolor at.
Pat aci tie magna feugiamet, susto esto ea feugait wis nibh ex eros
ent ulpute magnismod tin ut wisit nonsed min et nullam, sim dolore
feum quisim veriuscing eui tem dolortisci tat laore dolut ut volor sim
quatuercipit utpat adipis alit ipit vullum inim quis do del deliquat
Oct/Nov 2008 fiddle news
www.seankenan.com
MELBOURNE
MONDAYS
Lomond Hotel
Nicholson St. Brunswick
9pm to 12pm
Led by Dan Bourke
TUESDAYS
Father Flanagan’s
484 Smith St. Collingwood
Intermediate 7.30pm
Led by Mark McDonnell
The Comhaltas Session
8pm St Philips Church Hall
Jew’s
Harp
150
Hoddle
Street Collingwood
One
of
the
musical
Music & Danceoldest
Contact
9337
instruments
in
the
world,
3639
the
harp isfeugiamet,
used by
Pat
aciJew’s
tie magna
THURSDAYS
many
cultures
fromwis
New
susto
esto
ea feugait
The
Corkman
Guinea
to
Siberia.
There
nibh ex eros
ent
ulpute
Leicester
Place
Carlton
seems
to
be
no
evidence
magnismod
wisit
6.30pm.
Let tin
by ut
Paddy
linking
the
instrument
nonsed min et nullam,
Fitzgerald
specifically
to Jewish
sim
dolore feum
quisim
Blarney’s
Tavern
(second
culture.
A
metal
is
veriuscing eui tem prong
dolortisci
Thurs
of
each
month)
250
withut
the
fingers
tatvibrated
laore dolut
volor
sim
Olinda-Monbulk
Rd.
and
the
instrument
is
quatuercipit utpat adipis
held
the quis
lips. do
alit
ipit between
vullum inim
mouthvenibh
cavity elenim
is used
delThe
deliquat
to
change
pitch.
With
doluptat aliquipit volor sed eu
tribal musicians
over
facilluptat
luptat non
elitthe
del
or bamboo
is
utworld,
iriusci wood
blandigna
at la feui
used
to
construct
the
blaor aliqui bla feui blaore
instrument
rather quissed
than
elismodio
doluptat,
metal.
In
Austria
at
eugait iuscinim dolorpethe
beginning
of at.
the 19th
raesecte
dolor
Century, the Jew’s harp
was
by youths
to
Pat
aciused
tie magna
feugiamet,
serenade
their
susto
esto ea
feugait wis
sweethearts
and
the
nibh
ex eros ent
ulpute
authoritiestin
ended
up
magnismod
ut wisit
nonsed
minthe
et instrument
nullam,
banning
sim
feum quisim
asdolore
they believed
it
veriuscing
eui tem
dolortisci
‘endangered
female
tatvirtue.’
laore dolut
ut volor
Around
1765 sim
quatuercipit
utpat
adipis
Beethoven’s teacher
J.G.
alit
ipit vullum inim quis do
Albrechtsberger
delcomposed
deliquat venibh
at leastelenim
seven
concerto’s for Jew’s harp.
Photo & Ref: Wickipedia, also Musical
Instruments through the Ages by
A.Baines. Faber & Faber 1961
Oct/Nov 2008 fiddle news