My answer would be that Music is My Garden.

When there have been big changes, music has been my comfort zone where I can go back re-energise and recharge.

An example of this was emigrating to Australia from Scotland.

What does Music mean to You ?

If you have found this post interesting, click here to subscribe to the email list

Colin MacLeod

Celtic fiddling with Scottish Lilt

Email : colin@roamingfree.com.au

Website : www.roamingfree.com.au

How do you tune your violin if you forget your tuner for a gig ?

2. Solution

If you have an iphone, you can tune your fiddle with Cleartune.

3. Story

The above scenario happened to me late last year when I was due to go on stage.

Fortunately, I was able to borrow someone else’s tuner.

After the gig, someone mentioned about the Cleartune app for the iphone.

I am wondering if there is a similar app for other smartphones.

4. Alternative Solutions

A couple of alternative solutions are

- have a spare tuner in your fiddle case

- borrow a tuner from someone else

5. Next Step

If you have found this post interesting, click here to subscribe to the email list

Colin MacLeod

Celtic fiddling with Scottish Lilt

Email : colin@roamingfree.com.au

Website : www.roamingfree.com.au

Recently, I attended the MacLeod Week in South Australia and had a very enjoyable time.

Aswell as meeting some great people, there was also the opportunity to discover a bit more about the history, the stories and the adventures of the MacLeod families and their descendants who emigrated to Australia over one hundred and fifty years ago.

Amongst other things, there was a discussion about what a motto meant to a person.

Wikipedia provides a definition of a motto as, ‘a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization’.

For the MacLeods of Skye, the family motto is ‘Hold Fast’.

What would the motto Hold Fast mean to the modern day Celtic musician ?

Perhaps, if practising a particular section or bar of music within a piece, try practising the section in different ways until one is happy with it i.e. don’t give up !

Finally, what would be the motto for today ?

PLAY LOUD AND BE PROUD !

Colin MacLeod

Celtic fiddling with Scottish Lilt

Email : colin@roamingfree.com.au

Website : www.roamingfree.com.au

- Playing etiquette
- Its background
- Its different aspects e.g. singing, musical instrumentation

Well, a book titled, ‘The Session’ written by Joe Arnold provides the answers and more.

It is a very interesting and easy read.

PLAYER ETIQUETTE AND INFLUENCE ON PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

I was particularly interested in the player etiquette during a session and the influences of a session on the personal development of a player.

A session is definitely an excellent avenue to hear the playing of different players with their respective styles.

MEMORIES

Reading through Joe’s book, some of the background to sessions reminded me of the Irish sessions I used to participate in in Edinburgh and also of the current Irish sessions in Melbourne.

The session is indeed a social event where musicians, audience, regular afficionados can attend and enjoy the ambience of the occasion.

WHERE CAN I GET HOLD OF A COPY OF THE BOOK ‘THE SESSION’ ?

If you bump into Joe at one of the sessions in Melbourne, be sure and enquire if you can buy Joe’s book.

It is both a very enjoyable and informative read.

What is it they say about Australia,’ The Scots got the land and the Irish got the pubs!’ This is something I tend to believe.

* A music session is an event where musicians get together to play a few tunes and socialise.

Colin MacLeod

Celtic fiddling with Scottish Lilt

Email : colin@roamingfree.com.au

Website : www.roamingfree.com.au

Have you ever looked for that elusive sound which you would like to produce from an instrument? For me, it is the ability to express oneself with energy and yet with tone.

Well, I have found that instrument.

INSTRUMENT

Recently, I purchased a new violin (model ASLH700) from Antonio Strings, Christchurch, New Zealand.

It is a brand new Chinese instrument made under the supervision of  Ling Hua, Shanghai, with a marvellous setup by  Antonio Strings.

WORKOUT

The violin was first played during an intense weekend of playing in the Warrnambool area of Victoria. A couple of friends, Mark and Lisa McDonnell, were presented with the Legend of the Lake Award for their services to the Koroit Lake Summer School over the past few years.

The music session after that lasted for about four hours, until 2am the following morning! The next afternoon, there was another session at the Victoria Hotel, Warrnambool, which lasted for another eight hours !

Not only did the violin’s sound carry beautifully, it also had the ability to produce a solid strong tone.

The sound of the violin complimented the instruments, both vocal and musical, present at each occasion.

In terms of accompaniment for singing, there is an even quality of response throughout the violin’s register from the low to the high range.

RECENT PLAYINGS

Over the past three weeks, the violin has been played at the Corkman Session, Melbourne, a lively Thursday night gathering of musicians, singers and regulars and with friends in a band called Taliska.

Taliska recently played at the Wyreena Café, Croydon. This is an acoustic venue which is also an art gallery.

Again, the violin beautifully accompanied the instruments and singing.

For songs, there was a more reserved responsive accompaniment and for the tunes, the accompaniment/ melody was strongly played with energy and tone.

MEMORIES

The instrument very much reminds me of my first full size violin, which belonged to my grandfather. Memories are of  being able to play the  violin with energy and yet with tone.

I very much look forward to the opportunities over the coming years to create memories, not just for myself, but with friends and fellow enthusiasts of Celtic music worldwide.

Colin MacLeod

Celtic fiddling with Scottish Lilt

Email : colin@roamingfree.com.au

Website : www.roamingfree.com.au

PS Thank you to Kim Bishop, a teacher with Suzuki Music Victoria for her original recommendation of Antonio Strings.

The answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no.

By playing loud, we play with energy and conviction.

In these circumstances, we are most likely to give our best at that moment in time.

Besides, we can always refine how we play a particular tune at the next opportunity there is to play that tune.

Just a short note : Remember to play quietly and with sensitivity if you are accompanying someone !

If you have found this post interesting, click here to subscribe to the email list

Last week, I was very fortunate to go along to several musical events in Melbourne.

One could not help but notice how much everyone was enjoying themselves with their involvement with music, whether listening or playing.

There was a very warm ambience at each gathering.

At the moment, Australia is in the middle of winter and I would definitely say that music helps to keep the mid winter blues at bay !

On a Tuesday evening, if you are out in the Northcote area of Melbourne, there is a great open mic session at the Wesley Anne on High Street.

Alternatively, if you are in the Clifton Hill area of Melbourne, there is the Irish Slow session at the Clifton Hill hotel.

If you have found this post interesting, click here to subscribe to the email list

When in the audience at a gig, the audience will sometimes see pieces of paper on the stage around where the performers are standing.

These are not because the performers are untidy or the stage needs cleaned. The pieces of paper may be the set lists for that evening’s performance.

Sometimes, a set list is written just before a performance when the band has the opportunity to see who the audience are.

The aim for the band will then be to put together a list of songs/ tunes which provide the audience with a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

An example of an evening’s performance may be two forty five minute sets with a break in between. The break will provide the audience with the chance to mingle with their friends and likewise the members of the band.

Some questions which may be asked re a set list ?

- What mood/ flow does everyone want to create during the performance e.g. mellow, fast, slow, chatty ?

- Should the set list include extra songs/ tunes just in case the audience request an encore?

- Should any special guests be invited to join the band on the evening ?

- Is there any room for spontaneity during the evening ? This will assist in turning moments into special memories for the audience.

Each set list will of course depend on the band’s repertoire.

If you are in the area of the Croydon and the Wyreena cafe on Friday 29th July, come along and see Taliska play. Start time is 7.30pm.

If you have found this post interesting, click here to subscribe to the email list

Audio Movement Restriction means that the movement of a musician is restricted as a result of the need to play close to an instrument microphone.

I experienced a case of AMR at the Kilmore Celtic Festival duringt he last weekend of June. The festival was a very enjoyable one with a range of artists taking part including Claymore, Taliska, Saoirse, Jamie McKinnon and the Myra McRae band.

Getting back to AMR. Whilst playing at our gigs in Kilmore, the sound needed to be amplified so in order to amplify the foddle, I was playing through an instrument microphone.

It was a beautiful sound but did not allow the player to move very far from the microphone.

What is the solution ? The solution is to get a good quality microphone for the fiddle.

I’m working on it and will keep you posted.

If you have found this post interesting, click here to subscribe to the email list

How have these been created ? Through teamwork.

Over the last past weeks, some fabulous events have taken place including the Kilmore Celtic Festival, Portarlington National Celtic Festival, Taliska CD Launch which have taken place.

All of these would not have been possible without teamwork.

If you have found this post interesting, click here to subscribe to the email list