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[robotmay]

Finally recorded a version of Y Fenyw Fwyn, only took me a few months to get it vaguely right: https://soundcloud.com/robotmay/y-fenyw-fwyn-the-gentle-woman

Currently working on a bunch of tunes from various CDs, and stumbled across ukebert's dots (and ensuing typical thesession.org whinging) for Med Ludvig I Sekken, which is a rather lovely waltz I intend to learn. I'm also determined to learn Young Damon's Flight, as I feel a bit more capable now, but we'll see how well that turns out

[Grape Ape]

Just started Mazurka des Ecoliers.  Too many great versions out there not to have a go....

[Chris Ryall]

it has a "sensitive note" in its 9th (E in Dm) and when you let the tune evolve … you seem to keep coming back to it.

[Clive Williams]

Trying to learn the Mooncoin Jig for playing in a mini-band with a mate of mine; just can't get my head round it. I think it's something to do with the mixolydian nature of the tune, but it's shouldn't be that hard should it?

[The Walrus]

Having a go at the Laihian Polka and Bella Ciao. My first foray away from waltzes and I'm finding the bass end a pleasant challange.

[arty]

In my search for tunes that suit my new Hascy, I have been learning "Grind Hans Jasspodspolska", which certainly sounds lovely on the Hascy.

I am doing really well with it but, because the time signature is 9/8, I am finding the basses difficult to fit in, in the B section. There is only one melodeon version on You Tube that I think is true to the music and that is Andy Cutting's of course, but the bass side of his instrument is in shadow, so I can't actually see what he is doing and it is difficult to separate the bass from the treble as the sound is not brilliant.

Can anyone help?

[Clive Williams]

In my search for tunes that suit my new Hascy, I have been learning "Grind Hans Jasspodspolska", which certainly sounds lovely on the Hascy.

I am doing really well with it but, because the time signature is 9/8, I am finding the basses difficult to fit in, in the B section. There is only one melodeon version on You Tube that I think is true to the music and that is Andy Cutting's of course, but the bass side of his instrument is in shadow, so I can't actually see what he is doing and it is difficult to separate the bass from the treble as the sound is not brilliant.

Can anyone help?

I really like Forrest's version of this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBr6b0OS2TI ; just lovely playing. Whether it's danceable or not, I couldn't say - should probably be a little quicker I would guess. Polska's are really odd rhythms to play; hard to get the hang of to my Anglicised ear, and just because it's written in 9/8 doesn't mean that it should be taken literally of course - use the music to get so far, and then it's down to musical ear and following the timing of other polska recordings.

[Theo]

Whether it's danceable or not, I couldn't say - should probably be a little quicker I would guess. Polska's are really odd rhythms to play; hard to get the hang of to my Anglicised ear,

Not so much the speed as the flow. It needs a combination of a smooth forward flow with rhythmic pulses at the appropriate places to get the 31..31..31 feel. I agree it is difficult to get a polska rhythm,  and is made doubly difficult by the wide variety of different polska rhythms from different parts of Sweden. 

[Thrupenny Bit]

Ollie ( King ) of this parish has a lovely version which I remember received high acclaim when he posted it..... on Soundcloud?
It was faster as opposed to Andy's dream-like feeling.
It's worth a listen, try his Soundcloud page, it's another take on the tune.
Q

[arty]

Ollie ( King ) of this parish has a lovely version which I remember received high acclaim when he posted it..... on Soundcloud?
It was faster as opposed to Andy's dream-like feeling.
It's worth a listen, try his Soundcloud page, it's another take on the tune.
Q

Thank you very much, typical of Ollie - really, really nice!
So different to Andy's and just as interesting. I guess I shall take what I can from both and find my own way. Might take a while!

[Chris Ryall]

In my search for tunes that suit my new Hascy, I have been learning "Grind Hans Jasspodspolska", which certainly sounds lovely on the Hascy … I am doing really well with it but, because the time signature is 9/8, I am finding the basses difficult to fit in, in the B section. There is only one melodeon version on You Tube that I think is true to the music and that is Andy Cutting's of course …  Can anyone help?

I'vd been playing GhJ about 5 years, and learned it in France. I heard Andy's version a little later and felt it a bit anglicised, though that is not to criticise. You might reasonably choose either route.

I play it (Steph Milleret's way) with full 4 note chords, meaning cross chording on a D/G. In standard chord/bass notation …

|: B/G | Em/C pull | C/A pull | D push :| repeat

sometimes simplifying to |:  G/G  |  Em/C pull  | C/A pull | D push :| in B part, so "same chords", and in essence [Gmaj7 Cmaj7 Amin7 D(7 implied)]. You can either "trail" these chords or pulse them in that intriguing 3/1 rhythm, depending on how Swedish you feel at the time, but the off centre rhythm is important to all slingpolskas. I think medleying this with Bay Tree (as per youtube) borders on 'ethnic cleansing'

[arty]

Not so much the speed as the flow. It needs a combination of a smooth forward flow with rhythmic pulses at the appropriate places to get the 31..31..31 feel. I agree it is difficult to get a polska rhythm,  and is made doubly difficult by the wide variety of different polska rhythms from different parts of Sweden.

I'vd been playing GhJ about 5 years, and learned it in France. I heard Andy's version a little later and felt it a bit anglicised, though that is not to criticise. You might reasonably choose either route.

I play it (Steph Milleret's way) with full 4 note chords, meaning cross chording on a D/G. In standard chord/bass notation …

|: B/G | Em/C pull | C/A pull | D push :| repeat

sometimes simplifying to |:  G/G  |  Em/C pull  | C/A pull | D push :| in B part, so "same chords", and in essence [Gmaj7 Cmaj7 Amin7 D(7 implied)]. You can either "trail" these chords or pulse them in that intriguing 3/1 rhythm, depending on how Swedish you feel at the time, but the off centre rhythm is important to all slingpolskas. I think medleying this with Bay Tree (as per youtube) borders on 'ethnic cleansing'

At the risk of sounding completely thick here....what do you mean by " 3/1 rhythm"?

Another confusion: The music I printed out is showing a time signature of 9/8, yet other versions are written with a 3/4 time signature. And all the stuff I have read on Google about Polskas refer to them as having a 3/4 time signature, although not played the same as one would a traditional waltz. The emphasis on certain beats changes from, as far as I can work out:  ONE, two, three (a waltz), to ONE, two, THREE, ONE, two THREE, (a polska). Am I right or wrong? God, this is complicated!

I will get this, I will get this, I will!

[Theo]

Polska rhythms are not even slightly like a Waltz.  For a start there are a whole variety of variations on the polska rhythm.  The simplest is the slängpolska which has three even beats, and in the dance the dancers take one walking step per beat.  In the other types the main emphasis is on the first and third beats of the bar, and where the second beat comes can vary a great deal.  Standard notation struggles to convey the polska rhythm.  Sometimes they are notated 3/4 sometimes 9/8 sometimes 12/8.  In my opinion it is not possible to learn to play polska only from notation.  I think you have to listen to Swedish players (especially fiddlers)  to gain an understanding of the polska, and ideally learn the wonderful dance.  There is loads of stuff on youtube.  Enjoy the journey!

My opinion is that only a culture that has three months of night every winter could develop a music and dance as complex and subtle as the polska.

[arty]

Polska rhythms are not even slightly like a Waltz.  For a start there are a whole variety of variations on the polska rhythm.  The simplest is the slängpolska which has three even beats, and in the dance the dancers take one walking step per beat.  In the other types the main emphasis is on the first and third beats of the bar, and where the second beat comes can vary a great deal.  Standard notation struggles to convey the polska rhythm.  Sometimes they are notated 3/4 sometimes 9/8 sometimes 12/8.  In my opinion it is not possible to learn to play polska only from notation.  I think you have to listen to Swedish players (especially fiddlers)  to gain an understanding of the polska, and ideally learn the wonderful dance.  There is loads of stuff on youtube.  Enjoy the journey!

My opinion is that only a culture that has three months of night every winter could develop a music and dance as complex and subtle as the polska.

Thanks Theo, that's helpful.

[John MacKenzie (Cugiok)]

Well, at the risk of being boring, amongst all this continental tune learning. I am learning Dancing in Kyle, on myCasali, in the key of D. This means I have to do some row crossing, which is a new adventure for me.   F# F# F#, try to remember it starts in F#, you silly old fart!


John

[george garside]

 perhaps best not to think in terms of 'row crossing'   when  learning BCC#  box as its just the normal everyday way of playing it ( unless you stay in B,C or C#)  unlike the DG where it can be done or not according to taste.

The easiest way to get the hang of the treble  keyboard is to learn and practice scales until they can be played without conscious thought.

learning the scales of  GDAE  ( plus on the row C) is all that's needed to play all 12 major keys. Once the scales are mastered playing tunes by ear or from the dots becomes relatively easy!

george

[Chris Ryall]

My opinion is that only a culture that has three months of night every winter could develop a music and dance as complex and subtle as the polska.

Perhaps, though the nights can be exagerated. Dols and I spent a New Year about 150km south of Arctic circle recently. Though you didn't see much of the sun, there was pretty decent daylight: say 10am til 3.30. Sauna as a must to keep body and soul together! We danced .. the Finnish "hoompah"

Yes, I really didn't feel I got near polska rhythm until I got amongst fiddlers at Scandifest. Some of their stranger rhythms are still a long way off. A lot of it seems to be cultural isolation and local musicians exaggerating things felt intrinsic to "their" culture. There was a lot of talk of a Finnish enclave in the Swedish mountains, almost in Norway, particularly peculiar stuff 

[arty]

Just to thank Theo and Chris again for their help and advice in learning Grind Hans Jasspodpolska.
Last night I came across this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFYIONrQZTA on You Tube, which I found really helpful. You can clearly see the rhythm she is playing on the bass and I found that it fits very well with the 'B' music of GHJ.
Just got to polish it up and make it flow now. Wish me luck!

[John MacKenzie (Cugiok)]

What great use of the thumb.


John

[Theo]

Is that a Polska?  It sounds to me like a schottisch.