Folk Fiddle lessons online / Learning Tunes by Ear / Aural Training Using Your Instrument / Musical Memory / Musicianship / Harmony / Musical Form / Technical Tips / Music Theory /
The Welsh folk tune Gyda'n Wawr (With the Dawn), a slow lyrical tune, taught on the violin by an entirely aural method equivalent to a slow session. In the early stages short sections of the tune are repeated four times allowing plenty of opportunity to acclimatise. Also included are videos teaching accompanying chords and how to play them with the tune; 8ve accompaniment; ornaments - grace notes, turns and trills; theory and violin technique.
Level of ability on the violin: The videos are devised to be of use to a wide variety of playing levels. Short videos allow for beginners to folk music (keen Grade 3+) to study the tune slowly at their own pace whilst the advanced can make faster progress and tackle more topics.
If you haven't done this kind of thing before then I would suggest that this is not the best one to start with as it is much harder to memorise than the quicker tunes.
Skills: Excellent for aural training, memory, musical form and structure, musicianship, harmony, violin technique and the practical application of music theory.
Key: A minor. Finger patterns 12_3 and 12_ _3 and 1_ _23
Time signature: 2/4
Suitability of the tune for other instruments: bottom note = E above middle C with a range of a perfect 11th upwards to A.
Total: 41 videos from approx 30 seconds to not much more than 3 minutes each. Broadband is essential otherwise you will get fed up of waiting for movies to start. Videos will autostart once enough has been fed through.
Software requirements: QuickTime 7 or later versions
Other equipment that would be useful: headphones
The presentation is exclusively aural with no written music and some of the videos contain voice and playing at the same time. This has been done specifically in order to heighten aural awareness and train the non-visual parts of the brain which are not stretched when using the written form of tunes..
To access: Only my pupils can currently access this course. If you are a member of the general public wishing to learn this tune then I would release the course for a donation to charity so please contact me.
© Sarah Hackett 2008
www.lol4life.co.uk
- Teacher: Sarah Hackett