I was listening to Paddy Carty’s album and was trying to get down the tune Jug of Punch but realized that it had an F natural. This is the second time I have wasted time memorizing (by ear) a tune only to find out that It contained a note that I would have to half-hole inorder to play. This would normally be no big deal but I know so few tunes as it is and would rather spend my time learning tunes that go well with the flute(no keys or half holing required).
I’m obviously lacking in the music theory side of things. Could someone tell me how I can tell if a tune is good for a keyless flute by looking at either the ABC’s or the notes? Right now all I know is that I should make sure their are not sharps other than c and f and to make sure their are no F naturals.
Comparing these two ABC files I can see no difference that would tell me one F is a sharp and the other is a natural other than one being the key of D and the other being an Ddor. Is this how I can tell?
Thanks,
Craig
T:Jug of Punch, The
R:reel
H:Also in Edor, #538
Z:id:hn-reel-235
Z:transcribed by henrik.norbeck@mailbox.swipnet.se
M:C|
K:Ddor
% TUNEdb Number 798
A,DDC DEFG|AG~G2 AcGF|EA,A,G, A,2EF|G2AG FDEC|
A,DDE FDDE|FDED CDEG|cded cAGE|1 FGEF D2DC:|2 FGEF D2 (3EFG||
|:Adde ~f3d|efed cAGc|AGAB ~c3d|eaag edcA|
~d3e f2fd|efed cAAB|~c3A B2AG|1 FDEC D2 (3EFG:|2 FDEC D2DC||
T:Silver Spear, The
R:reel
N:Should not be confused with The Silver Spire, #373
Z:id:hn-reel-39
Z:transcribed by henrik.norbeck@mailbox.swipnet.se
M:C|
K:D
% TUNEdb Number 603
FA~A2 BAFA|dfed BcdB|FA~A2 BAFA|dfed B2AG|
FA~A2 BAFA|dfed Bdef|~g3e ~f3e|dfed B2A2:|
|:f2af bfaf|gfed Bcde|f2af bfaf|gfed B2A2|
f2af bfaf|gfed Bdef|~g3e ~f3e|dfed B2A2:|
Gives an example of the symbols for naturals - it is an = (equal sign). I didn’t notice any in the above ABC examples. I noticed the tilde ~ which is the symbol for a roll or turn.
BillG
Gives an example of the symbols for naturals - it is an = (equal sign). I didn’t notice any in the above ABC examples. I noticed the tilde ~ which is the symbol for a roll or turn.
BillG
The ^ sign for sharp or the = sign for natural are used to indicate “accidentals”, meaning a change from the tune’s normal key signature. The key signature of D Dorian is the same signature as C major, meaning it has C natural and F natural as “normal”. Thus in the D Dor version, the F’s are naturals unless marked otherwise.
A bit confusing until you become familiar with the common key signatures. They’re available on various sites, but they elude me at the moment.
Note that a citation is give for a Norbeck transcription of Jug of Punch in E dorian, which would have a key signature of Fsharp and C sharp. This version is more flute/whistle friendly.
If you look at the key indicated The Jug of Punch, you see that it’s D dorian (K:Ddor). This mode has no sharps or flats (in other words, a C whistle would work for this tune, since that plays F naturals). On the other hand, The Silver Spear is in D major (K:D), which has an F sharp and a C sharp, making it playable on a D flute or whistle.
Micah
[ This Message was edited by: Micah on 2002-10-17 09:30 ]
Here’s how you can play a D dorian tune on a (keyless) D flute: play it in E dorian. In other words, play ever note one step higher than written (D becomes E, E becomes F-sharp, etc.). You won’t be able to play with the recording, but you’ll be able to play the tune, at least.
best,
Micah
By the way, in looking at the original post I just noticed that the ABC file indicates this as an option: “H:Also in Edor, #538”.
[ This Message was edited by: Micah on 2002-10-17 22:04 ]