Kerry slides

[Bloomfield]

YAAAH-duh.

[whamlyn]

Leave the theory in the classroom boys, you're starting to sound like a bunch of engineers!

Regards,
Wes

[colomon]

So does the fear of theory mean you won't explain the difference between a single and a polka to us? Because that's even less obvious to me than the difference between a slide and single jig. I've heard it said that singles are like polkas only faster, but I've never heard a single played faster than we play polkas around here.

(Note: there was a context shift in there, and I don't mean "single jig", I mean "single". Newfound trad.)

For that matter, a double tends to sound a lot like a slide would if it were played in 6/8. For instance, the Plankerdown Band album has a set of three doubles, two of which are Rufus Guinchard tunes. I'd assumed the third was as well -- they certainly all sound like the same sort of tune -- but in fact it turns out to be a standard Irish single jig/slide, "This is my Love, Do You Like Her?" (The Bothy Band recorded it as a slide, John Wynne as a single jig.)

[tomandceil]

Serious question -- everyone I've ever heard use the term "slide" has pronounced the word something like "schloide." Is that the actual pronunciation or has everybody I know just been reproducing someone else's thick Irish brogue?

[Bloomfield]

On 2002-08-29 16:27, tomandceil wrote:
Serious question -- everyone I've ever heard use the term "slide" has pronounced the word something like "schloide." Is that the actual pronunciation or has everybody I know just been reproducing someone else's thick Irish brogue?

That's how I always say it after the fourth pint of Murphy Stout. You should hear me play them, really. It's funny.

[whamlyn]

Colomon,

Being a geophysicist theory doesn't really bother me that much... although I will admit that my knowledge of MUSIC theory ends somewhere around knowing the number of sharps and flats in a key signature.

That said, I can't offer too much insight into Newfoundland singles or doubles from the theory perspective. I've heard the tune "Green Grow the Rushes-O" referred to as a single, and I think a set of tunes called "Running the Goat" are all singles too. I had originally thought that the "Goat" set was a bunch of polkas but after a little thought I'd guess them to be singles. Check them out if you can, I originally heard them played by Frank Maher on an old 4-stop but they work nicely on flute and whistle.

As for the pace of music in Newfoundland I don't have much to compare it too aside from a couple of summers in Alberta. If the trad scene in Calgary is any indication of other places, Newfoundland tunes are generally played significantly faster.

Tomandceil,

I've heard "Sligo" only pronounced as "SHLY-go" but "Slide" always gets pronounced "SLYDE"... confusing at best. I say keep at the Murphy Stout and by the fourth pint it won't matter anyway!

All the best,
Wes

[colomon]

On 2002-08-30 15:05, whamlyn wrote:
That said, I can't offer too much insight into Newfoundland singles or doubles from the theory perspective. I've heard the tune "Green Grow the Rushes-O" referred to as a single, and I think a set of tunes called "Running the Goat" are all singles too. I had originally thought that the "Goat" set was a bunch of polkas but after a little thought I'd guess them to be singles. Check them out if you can, I originally heard them played by Frank Maher on an old 4-stop but they work nicely on flute and whistle.

I actually used my pocket tape deck to record Mahers Bahers playing that set a couple of weeks ago. I already know "Said She Wouldn't Dance" from that -- great tune. Plan to learn the rest as soon as I figure out what tape it's on.

As for reason I can't tell polkas from singles, maybe it's because we play everything too fast in these parts....